| By Emilia Oliver | November 7, 2021 |
It’s that time of the year again: scrambling to get scholarship and program applications in and trying to attend as many career fairs and campus tours as you can fit into your weekends. Seniors can no longer answer “I don’t know yet” when Aunt Susan asks about their plans after high school. A decision must be made- an easy task for those who in grade 2 decided they’d be a dentist and are still happy with that decision ten years later, but a daunting chore for those torn between the vast array of choices, none of which feel like THE one. Maybe the problem we are facing is that we have not yet explored or considered all choices. Here are a few careers that some high schoolers may not have considered- it’s not too late to contemplate a career path adjustment.
Marine archeologist: An archaeologist who does their job while scuba diving. Since marine archeology as a program is offered by very few institutions in the world, the best way of getting into this profession would be to study archeology while also becoming a certified scuba diver. Unfortunately, the job market is quite limited, with most opportunities appearing through government contracts and involving shipwrecks and sea battlefields. The average salary of a marine archeologist is CAD $61,000/year.
Brewer: Yes, it is a career choice. While it doesn’t strictly require a university or college degree, companies seem to favour applicants with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry, food science, biotechnology, chemical engineering or microbiology. Still, the specifics of brewing are mostly learned on the job, and further qualifications such as diplomas and certifications might be pursued. It usually takes up to 10 years to achieve the level of experience required to become a brewmaster. The average salary of a brewer is CAD 37,000 with brewmasters earning around CAD $55,000/year.
Online course designer: This is a career whose importance increased exponentially in 2020 with the pandemic and subsequent school closures. All educational institutions need an online course designer nowadays. Since no established educational path exists for this job yet, it mostly requires the candidate to be familiar with computers and media software, in addition to knowledge specific to the course that is to be designed. Specific educational requirements will vary according to the level of the educational institution. The average salary of an online course designer is CAD $66,000/year.
Naval architect: Naval architects design, build and maintain ships, from sailboats to tankers to submarines. The career of naval architecture overlaps quite a bit with that of marine engineering, and both are degrees offered at select universities all over the world. Due to the small number of programmes available, they tend to be quite selective in their admission process. The average salary of a naval architect in Canada is CAD $67,000/year, but seems to be considerably higher in other parts of the world.
Art therapist: A person who helps others heal through art. Be it painting, photography or creative writing, sometimes art gives a person the perspective they need to feel better. This job requires an undergraduate degree in fine arts, psychology, social work or counselling and a graduate program in art therapy. The average salary is CAD $57,000/year.
They say that if you choose your profession well you won’t have to work a day in your life. I have to say I’ve met very few people who can confirm this, but maybe that’s because most people don’t choose well… So, know your choices, and good luck!
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