Education at SeaWorld was very important to me starting my degree in Marine Sciences. I did SeaWorld Camp my last year of high school. I learned it wasn't all Blackfish made it out to be. It still isn't. I graduate and no aquarium will hire me, but SeaWorld needs Educators. Oh hey, I remember them. I could do that.

It's an AZA accredited facility. I'll stick with it a year to make sure I like it, and then I could stick it out for two more to cover requirements for hardcore places like Disney down the line. Maybe I could get in with animals there at some point that'd be even better.

I start at $13/hr. That's more than jobs at home paid, and cost of living is higher but living in my cousin's house and being overworked (50+ hours as a part timer) gave me disposable income for a while.

I get tour trained. This is an extra responsibility that comes with no pay raise. The team separates. I'm no longer doing both exhibits and tours and possibly some programs like they used to, just tours with minor exhibit coverage here and there. This is fine, I like tours.

I get VIP trained quickly. I'm good at them. I know the park. I know animals. My attendance is perfect. I'm somehow in the top ten most senior educators despite having only been there half a year then. I get tips sometimes. But there's a minimum raise wage that has to happen sometime to follow FL guidelines, maybe soon? All other park ops is at $15/hr.

Instead exhibits educators are started at $12.50 instead. I apply for some seasonal assistant supervisor and full time positions. I get an interview. It goes well. I'm not selected.

The supervisor who emailed me has to make a sudden exit from the company. He was basically told to walk away or be fired. Through the grapevine I hear he didn't hire me so I "wouldn't be stuck there". We get the best supervisor in the department to transfer over to tours.

Four months later, that supervisor puts in his two weeks. I cry. He was an orca trainer for at least 10 years. He thought he could make a difference in this company by shifting his focus to education. It was all red tape and false smiles. The curator of education who started just over a year ago is awful.

I applied for everything animal related I could. None have responded. Universal offered me full time for an Event Guide position, which is likely mostly guest relations. $15/hr and benefits, and more potential for actual upward mobility. I had to leave an entire team of people I loved. I had to.

I cried to one of our Instructors at the bar after my last shift. "I remembered some of the people in the department from camp 7 years ago. I thought I could be like them, stay here and do amazing things for years." She stroked my hair and told me "This isn't the SeaWorld it used to be. I wish it was. I'm sorry that it couldn't give you what you deserved."

I will forever tell people that the "how could you possibly work at SeaWorld if you care about animals?" message is bullshit. There is no other reason to work at SeaWorld. Not right now, at least. The full time orca trainers? They make $13.50/hr. But yeah, they're definitely in it for the money.

Anyway, I needed to vent that all out/catch people up on where to find me now. I start on the job training 12/8. I'm very excited for this new opportunity to go on a different adventure before I potentially leave Orlando. It just sucks that it's under these circumstances.

Here's to the death of that department, I can only hope the mass exodus of good people is enough of a red flag to make some changes.

I’m so sorry Ham. I remember your graduation and how excited you were to work with animals. It’s nonsense. You should have been able to stay with them, but they’re shifting focus and the focus isn’t what you signed up for.

I’m so sorry, and I totally feel your pain. I hope Universal can be a good landing place for you <3