Getting ahead...

What is the best training for becoming a hirable geologist? What types of ongoing training or certifications are necessary to be an effective geologist?

What do non-traditional career paths look like?

In Canada, it is recommended that a Geologist become certified as a Accredited Professional Geoscientist. There is a minimum amount of work experience and an ethics exam that is to be written before a professional designation is accredited to the title of Geologist. From my experience, it is worth the time gaining many real life experiences from various work projects. This tends to round ones professional experience while expanding a personal professional knowledge base so that future responsibility is more palatable and easier to handle.

On non-traditional paths I have many friends that have entered into teaching as a career. Many geologist have an adequate scientific background to handle teaching science at a high school level. After talking to some of them years later, most find teaching as a career choice rewarding and satisfying.