What it takes to make it: at Sea World

Before you begin applying to positions at aquariums and zoos around the world, check out what is needed at Sea World to be a trainer..

Requirements:
-must be at least 18 years old
-prior animal training experience
-some type of experience public speaking or with communication skills
-experience working with animals
-SCUBA certified
-CPR certified
-academic coursework in zoology, marine biology, animal behavior or psychology
-swimming skills
-excellent physical health and the ability to lift 50 lbs.
Swimming skills are numerous and include, a 200 ft. freestyle swim, a 100 ft. underwater swim, and a free dive to the bottom of a 26 foot deep pool.

Note that: there are hundreds of applicants that apply each year to work at Sea World that are extremely qualified for the positions, however they only accept about 10 new hires per year. 

MUST LOVE ANIMALS!
This is a given. Why would one want to spend all day every day at their job working with an animal if they do not have a love and appreciation for them, whether it be the animal itself or its intelligence? Training dolphins is a job that requires lots of hard work and patience and without a love for the animals, it would be easy to get frustrated and lack a relationship with that particular animal.

If at first you don't succeed, try another door.
What do I mean by this? Well sometimes certain positions are available only through moving up in a company. A large majority of the employees at Sea World working as an animal trainer had previously begun working there in another department. The staff put in their time, energy and love to the company and expressed their interest in moving to another position, therefore being hired based on past work experience there.

Another big aspect of a career at Sea World, their apprenticeship.
An apprentice is a must of each new hire at Sea World. This process could last anywhere from a year to a few years. Why? This is because Sea World would like to know that their employees know the ins and outs of their company.  An employee may have prior experience working with and training dolphins, but each business does things slightly different. Their hand signals must be exact and are usually unique from other companies' so this takes time and practice. Learning an animal's personality and making a connection with them is a big reason this apprenticeship is so necessary because without the relationship between trainer and animal, performance level will be low.