Working outdoors has some great perks: you get to enjoy beautiful scenery, take in lots of fresh air and get some exercise in. If these are factors that excite you, then it might be time to get out of the office and work outdoors.
If you have the passion for nature, then changing jobs might result in a long term career fit. There are a lot of ways to make your living away from the traditional office environment.
Here’s a selection to get you started.
1. Environmental Scientist
Whether it’s working for a non-profit or a private corporation, environmentalists celebrate their passion for the outdoors every day by protecting nature, managing natural resources, offering advice to policymakers or simply maintaining the beautiful outdoors.
For a career in the environmental sector, an excellent understanding of natural sciences is key. However, remember that working in the elements isn’t all fun. Studying nature’s relationships is hard work. After all, you want to solve issues that affect the health and stability of all living organisms.
Find environmental jobs here
2. Landscape Architect
With businesses going green, outdoor-loving and sustainability-conscious planners and architects are in demand. As a landscape architect, you’ll combine your environmental understanding with your knowledge of design and science, creating everything from campus grounds and public parks to the flora of office buildings and private homes.
As a landscape architect), you’ll enjoy a good balance between the outdoors and the office, since you’ll allocate time to the research and design process in the office before going outside to execute your vision. Addressing important issues such as climate change, sustainable communities and affordable housing, this is an exciting industry with a great future.
Find landscape jobs here
3. Adventure Tour Leader
Do you already spend your holidays exploring the trails of Taman Negara, hiking Mount Kinabalu or driving into the wilderness in Sarawak? If so, then you might as well share your knowledge and passion by becoming an adventure tour leader.
With Malaysia offering a vast variety of nature sites that are becoming increasingly popular, the adventure tourism industry is full of opportunities. As an outdoor programme leader you can lead adventure courses for both kids and adults – taking them wilderness camping, canoeing, kayaking, rzock climbing and even sailing.
Find tourism jobs here
4. Organic Farming
The agribusiness has changed the way we produce and consume food. As more people seek local, pesticide-free, nutritious ingredients, the organic sector in Malaysia is growing, offering more and more career opportunities.
Farm-to-table is more than just a concept and can become your new career. Work in this industry can range from growing plants and raising animals to managing farms and agricultural engineering. As organic farming rarely turns into a mass production operation, your daily connection with nature won’t break.
Find jobs in the food industry here
5. Geologist
If you’re a science geek with a hunger for the out of doors, then maybe you should consider becoming a geologist – the great outdoors will be your lab. Studying the earth’s soils, oceans and atmosphere, you can engage both with environmental organisations and companies working with natural resources.
As geology plays a vital role in many fields, including climatology, civil engineering and evolutionary biology, the demand for geologists won’t weaken anytime soon. Furthermore, as our planet increasingly faces limited resources, talents in this field are becoming more and more valuable.
Find geologist jobs here