Oceanographer as a career is relatively a new filed for today’s younger generation but it is spreading at a fast pace because of recently felt the importance of the ocean resources for human beings. Discovery of the advanced technology to explore the oceans has made this career more interesting and absorbing.
Oceanography is of great importance to developing countries today. A career in this area is really a challenging one and it provides a great opportunity to those with intrinsic curiosity and a desire to venture into the vast realm of the unknown, which exists within oceans on the planet earth. The work involves collecting samples, conducting surveys, analyzing data using sophisticated equipment in the sea for long hours. The aim is to research and develop such technology that will be able to recover valuable elements from the sea. This area is also involved in developing methods of solving pollution problems in estuaries near-the-shore waters due to increasing population and industrial waste.
Oceanographers also study the motion and circulation of the ocean waters and their physical and chemical properties, and how these properties affect coastal areas, climate, and weather condition on the earth. Oceanography being research-oriented profession demands a long stint of time spent at the sea with all its challenges and hazards.
And the responsibility for all these works to be done in the proper manner- lies on the Oceanographers. For the work to be done in the most efficient manner one has to be on his toes all the time. Thus to discharge his duties one has to be very dedicated to his responsibilities, brave, and hardworking. Besides the aspirant need to be intelligent, intuitive, willing to work as a team, flexible, patient; have a liking for solitude and oceans, willing to live apart from loves ones for long stretches of time. Those opting for this career should not be seasick.
To become an Oceanographer one has to undergo some special course along with regular course required to work in and around the ocean and that environment.
Eligibility to become an Oceanographer
1. Educational Qualification
The minimum educational qualifications for pursuing a course in oceanography is Graduation in Pure Science with Mathematics as one of the subjects.
2. Age
The candidate must have attained the age of 17 years.
How to become an Oceanographer?
To become an Oceanographer one has to follow the below-given steps:
Step 1
As a first step, the aspirant has to take admission for these courses of nearly three years of durations in the most prestigious colleges like IIT Madras, Mumbai Institute of Technology, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Annamalai University and Karnataka Engineering college to name a few of them.
Step 2
The aspirants have to take the test to get admission to these institutes conducted by the institutes depending upon the number of aspirants and the seats available in the course.
Step 3
Once the aspirant has completed his qualification one can applying for the job is the public sector or private sector as an oceanographer.
List of Institutes Providing Courses related to Oceanography
- Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (www.oec.iitm.ac.in)
- National Institute of Oceanography, Panji (www.nio.org)
- Berhampur University, Berhampur (www.buodisha.edu.in)
- Andhra University, Vishakapatnam (www.andhrauniveristy.info)
- Annamalai University, Tamilnadu (www.annamalaiuniverity.ac.in)
- Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin (www.cusat.ac.in)
- International Maritime Academy, Chennai (www.ima-maritime.com)
- Mangalore University, Mangalore (www.mangaloreuniversity.ac.in)
Oceanographer Job Description
Oceanographer job description involves collecting samples, conducting surveys, analyzing data using sophisticated equipment in the sea for a long hour.
Oceanographer Career Prospects
Job prospects for oceanographers are vast. After getting the requisite qualification through good institutes one can get employment in public and private sector as a scientist, engineer or a technician. Some of the premier government agencies that provide job opportunity to these professionals are Oil India, Geological Survey of India, Meteorological Survey of India, and Department of Oceanography etc. However, companies in the corporate private sector with interests in the marine products or research also provide job options to these professionals in various fields.
Oceanographer Salary
An oceanographer who has a master’s degree can expect Rs.20,000 to Rs. 25,000 per month in the government sector and slightly higher in the private sector. With a PhD degree in hand experience of a few years, one can earn about Rs.40,000 to Rs.50,000 per month.
