other question #3594



Zach, a 16 year old male from Greenwood, Nova Scotia asks on September 6, 2006,

Q:

Hi, I was just wondering, I wanted to get into the whole biology scheme of things when I get older but I don't know where to get information about what kind of "trade" if you will, that I want to do, I enjoy microbiology and stuff like that. I would like to be involoved in the Canadian federal governments CDC when I mature but i just need some help finding information on this topic.

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the answer

Barry Shell answered on September 6, 2006, A:

One good place to look is JobFutures Canada. This is a Canadian government website that helps you learn about future career possibilities. For instance, their page on Biology shows that about 80% of people who chose careers in biology are generally happy with the choice. Occupational breakdown is given as follows:
University Professors and Assistants 18%
Technical Occupations in Life Sciences 13%
Life Science Professionals 12%
Mathematicians, Systems Analysts and Computer Programmers 7%
Policy and Program Officers, Researchers and Consultants 5%

To be honest, it's too early for you to be specific about what you want to do for a career. Just work hard and do well in high-school science classes. Then take introductory science courses at university or community college, perhaps specializing in biology but not neglecting chemistry and physics (because you'll need both of those in biology). At university, or even in your last year of high school try to get summer jobs in labs at universities or biotech companies in your area. This will also give you more ideas about the "biology scheme of things". The main point is: you have lots of time, so don't worry about it.

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