Now you have seen some of the jobs available at Edinburgh Zoo what do you think you might be interested in doing?

Animal keepers are so important for running a zoo, but there are other zoo jobs too! Lots of different teams are needed to keep everything going. 

Take our super quick quiz to see which team you might be suited to!

What do I get out of a job other than a wage?

People may have many reasons why they want a specific job or career. Have a think about what is important to you?

Career: A job is a single role, while a career is a long-term endeavour that involves building skills and experience to progress up the career ladder. Focussing on a broader career path can provide long-term financial security and act as a safety net when industries evolve, or jobs become unstable. What broad areas of interest do you want to find out more about?

Pay: In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 requires that men and women receive equal pay for comparable work. However, pay gaps can exist, and employers can sometimes justify differences in pay if they can show a material reason that doesn't discriminate on the basis of gender. What motivates you to get the job of your dreams?

Values: Individuals may value different things from their job, and the most popular features of a new job can vary across different groups of people. What is important for you within the career you choose to follow?

Experience: Having relevant experience is very important when applying for a job, and stands you apart when going for competitive roles. Here are some reasons why:

• It shows potential: Work experience demonstrates that you can work in a professional environment and that you have the skills to do the job.
• Prepares you: Work experience helps you prepare for a career in your chosen field.
• Builds relationships: Employers can use work experience to build relationships with you early on in your careers.
• Compares candidates: As academic qualifications have become more common, examples of practical experience have become another way for employers to compare candidates

How do I get experience?

You probably have a lot more experience than you realise! Sports teams, school clubs, out of school groups all provide excellent examples of transferable skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership. You can also include specific examples of how you've applied these skills in different contexts. 

You can gain more specific experience in work places in a number of ways, including:

• Shadowing someone you know at their place of work
• Visiting different workplaces (this includes shops, cafes, visitor attractions!)
• Helping a parent or guardian
• Finding an organisation that offers work placements
• Working one day a week over a period of time
• Volunteering
• Get involved in a zoo education programme like RZSS' Science Summer School

You now know what's available and a bit more about different departments, so, how do you get the job you want?

The process of getting a job starts with finding job advert, but where do you go from there?

Many companies have their own websites where they tell people about the services they offer and the job vacancies they have.

Here is where RZSS advertise job vacancies. 

• Is there anything that sparks your interest?
• What jobs do you think you could do?
• Do you have relevant skills and experience?
• What skills and experience do you still need to get the job of your dreams?

The links below will help you build the best curriculum vitae (CV) that you can, with the skills that you have. 

Now, let's learn what to expect when going for a job interview in order to improve your chance of nailing that job.

The RZSS team is one of our wildlife charity's most important assets. Everyone plays a part in ensuring that animals and visitors are well looked after. RZSS have talented and passionate staff and volunteer teams, these skills and attitudes are essential to achieve our ambitious targets for growth over the coming years.

RZSS has a huge variety of roles – ranging from welcoming our customers as a visitor experience assistant to working with our animals as a zoo keeper or a vet. 

To find out about the benefits of working for RZSS and the current vacancies click here for more information, but how do you get that first job offer?

Where will I end up in my career?

Some people have an idea of their dream job from a really young age - and if that is you then we wish you all the best! However, many people generally don't know what they want or how to find out. Our advice is don't pigeon-hole yourself by getting too specific, get as much experience to find out what you like, and very importantly, what you don't like. Try your best and aim for the moon and you never know where you will land!

Can you match the person to their first paid job and where they are now within RZSS?

Do you think they expected to be where they are within their career journey?

Did they start and finish off where you expected?

Hopefully you have enjoyed this online DYW course, but there is more you can do! You can visit the park or zoo and book a DYW session (scroll down until you see the DWY lesson) or discover what else is on offer. 

If you can't make it onsite then there is always the option of a DYW Virtual Sessions all from the comfort of your classroom. A virtual session can also be booked online by following the link above.

What is DYW?

The Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) initiative aims to reduce youth unemployment. It complements the foundations already established by the Curriculum for Excellence and aims to better prepare pupils for the world of work.

The Youth Employability Strategy sets out ambitious objectives and recommendations that challenge schools, colleges and employers to engage with DYW in order to bring about effective long-lasting change to benefit the young people of Scotland. Some of the key areas of focus are:

• Establishing and maintaining stronger partnerships between schools and employers
• Embedding meaningful and impactful employer engagement
• Providing early and relevant careers advice to allow learners to make informed decisions about their learner pathway
• Increasing the number of pathways available for learners from school to positive post-school destinations
• Supporting teachers and practitioners to develop the curriculum and embed skills for learning, life and work.

Linking Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) to the curriculum is crucial because it ensures that career education and preparation for the world of work are seamlessly integrated into a student's learning journey from an early age, allowing them to develop relevant skills and knowledge throughout their schooling, rather than treating it as a separate add-on; this ultimately improves their readiness for future employment pathways and reduces the gap between education and the workplace. 

Here is all the downloadable resources from this course all in one spot.