Other Outdoor Jobs

During the summer, you may find that you love working outside. Don't worry – there are plenty of careers paths available if you find an outdoor summer job you love, and for some of them you don't even need a college education. Check out these great career options:

• Construction: If you like manual labor rather than working behind a desk, construction may be perfect for you. You can start as an apprentice during the summer, and quickly move to become a full-time worker when you graduate. In construction, there are plenty of chances to specialize as well. Think about a career in roofing, electrical wiring, plumbing, concrete pouring, woodworking, excavating, or any number of the other specialties available. If you do get additional training at a technical school, you'll be paid even higher amounts and be put up for promotion more quickly.
• Groundskeeper or Landscaper: Did you like working in the gardens during the summer? Think about becoming a professional groundskeeper or landscaper. Groundskeepers usually work for corporations or specific locations, learning the ins and outs of each piece of property. For example, you might work as the groundskeeper for a major ballpark. Landscapers, on the other hand, usually work with client after client, designing the outdoor space for beauty and functionality.
• Farmer: If you enjoyed your time working on a farm, you may want to consider this career path yourself. Farming is hard work for a small overall paycheck, but it can be quite rewarding work. You can farm certain crops or become an animal farmer working with cows, pigs, poultry, or even something exotic like alpacas or emus.

You can also turn odd jobs into a real business quite easily. For example, if you walked dogs in your neighborhood, consider going to school for business and then opening a real dog-walking and grooming business. Or, if you worked cleaning pools, take some business courses and open a pool maintenance business for yourself. Owning your own business is hard work, but in the end, nothing beats being your own boss.