« Back | Home » Ask Lynn. Microbiologist

Dear Jackie

Thank you for your questions regarding Microbiology as a career.

To help you decide if you are following the correct career path we suggest you consult the following web pages:

• Careers Advice UK: http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=-1992097108&jobprofileid=721&jobprofilename=Microbiologist
• Occupational Outlook Handbook (USA): http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes191022.htm)
• Umsobomvu Youth Portal http://www.youthportal.org.za/inveloper.asp?iP=1157&iS={FAFCB8A8-5B64-4C5B-AD26-2A178C818A51}
• New Zealand: http://www.careers.govt.nz/default.aspx?id0=103&id1=32DB1881-8AE9-4FE1-A790-15559E9997D8

We also suggest you consult your university faculty adviser for information on what courses you should take to ensure you go in the direction you are interested in.

For labour market and salary information we suggest you consult the following links to try to ascertain trends:

• Careers Advice UK: http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpwithyourcareer/jobprofiles/JobProfile?code=-1992097108&jobprofileid=721&jobprofilename=Microbiologist
• Occupational Outlook Handbook (USA): http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes191022.htm)
• Stats SA or the Stats OnLine website: for example the following web page may provide an idea of general trends:  http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0277/P0277June2009.pdf
• South African Graduate Recruiters Association: http://www.sagra.org.za/
• South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions provide information about fields of practice and registration on their website. Contact them to see if they are able to give you salary and employer information: http://www.sacnasp.org.za/pdf/brochure_2008.pdf   or  http://www.sacnasp.org.za 

For employment opportunities:

• It is important for you to network as widely as you can with organisations who employ microbiologists to find out what courses they look for when employing professionals.  For example contact Cape Biotech Trust  (http://www.capebiotech.co.za/) to see if they can refer you to any similar organisations in the Pretoria area.
• The Ultimate Career Guide indicates the following potential employers: Hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities, medical schools, medical research councils, pharmaceutical industry, Department of Health, practicing pathologists, agricultural research organisations, food fermentation industry, quality control organisations, Department of Agriculture, Department of Water Affairs, etc
• Also contact your university career program to see if they have any employers in their database who may be of interest to you.

We hope this information will help you to make sure you are taking the correct majors. Best wishes for your future career as a microbiologist.

The Career Planet Team