Program Spotlight: Environmental Science

If you’re going to invest the time, the energy and money into getting a college education, find a program that will prepare you for a personally and financially rewarding career.

Pilot, nurse, dental hygienist, firefighter, film and video editor, environmental science technician—these are just some of the jobs that made U.S. News and World Report’s list of 50 Best Careers 2010. They’re also some of the best careers you can prepare for at Florida State College at Jacksonville.

“It’s not a coincidence at all. In fact, we go to great lengths to make sure that our programs have economic meaning. When we prepare students we prepare them for a world of success,” says Tracy Pierce, Ph.D., Vice President of Student Development and Community Education.

“The technicians we’re producing would work outdoors, which is a great thing. They’d be out on the river, in forests and in marshes, measuring the quality of the environment,” says Professor Phil Petersen, Florida State College.

According to the report, environmental science technicians with an associate degree earn a median salary of more than 40 thousand dollars and the field is expected to grow 29% over the next decade.

Professor Peterson says he isn’t surprised by the findings. “We have some 30 environmental companies around here in Jacksonville and we have a lot of governmental agencies that do a lot of work in the field as well.”

Peterson says many employers will also pay for these technicians to get a four-year degree. That’s good news for many Florida State College students.

“It’s extremely important. Even though I am a veteran, I still have mortgages and kids to support, so it feels good to know that there won’t be a lingering bill after I graduate,” says Thurman Young, Student.

“I am going into field research. I’d like to do something, working out in the field, collecting samples, and go back to school at the same time to maybe get a B.S. in Environmental Science,” says Allen Griffen, Student.

If you’re wondering if this career’s for you, Peterson says to ask yourself: “Do you like working outdoors? Do you mind getting dirty?”

And do you want to do well while doing some good? If you answered yes, call the Welcome Center at 904-646-2300 or go to www.fscj.edu for more information.

For the full U.S. News and World Report study, go to: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2009/12/28/the-50-best-careers-of-2010.html