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Career you love that is risky or career you are neutral on that guarantees good money?

I love nature and want to pursue something related to environmental science or marine biology, however, I am currently planning to go into a tech career (computer science or computer engineering) because it guarantees a good salary and job security.

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Lena’s Answer

Follow the threads of what interest you - professionally and personally- and be open to learning about new things and areas you haven't even considered yet. Don't get trapped into the 'either passion or money' paradigm because it's not always true. Also don't assume that a certain path/industry offers job security or any guarantees - because nothing is guaranteed. Careers are long and you need to have the interest and energy to keep going in role after role. The most important is that you feel energized by & happy with the work in your next step, and the step after that. Wishing you the best of luck, Kang!
Thank you comment icon Great points, thank you so much Lena! Kang L.
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Atul’s Answer

Who says you cannot do both.
First you have to have money to pursue what you are passionate about.
Many high tech companies offer sabbatical where you will be able to do what you are passionate about.
Make money - stash away savings and then pursue what you want to do.
May be there are jobs that allows you to make decent money where you can pursue your lifelong dream.
Thank you comment icon That's a great perspective, thank you so much Atul! Kang L.
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Nicole’s Answer

Take the risk! You will be so much happier going to work every day if it is a job you love and a job that excites you. Having true happiness will always be more valuable than money.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for sharing your perspective. Kang L.
Thank you comment icon As a first job, follow your passion. You can always go into tech at a later time. I am in tech now but my first job was search and rescue in the Navy... totally unrelated fields. I am glad that I followed my passion first, no regrets at all. J Puah
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Nancy’s Answer

Both environmental science and marine biology require the technical skills of IT professionals.
Is there a way you can study both or have a double degree of tech and environmental science/marine biology?
Thank you comment icon I appreciate your support, Nancy Kang L.
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Michael’s Answer

Research Tech industries that have an environmental bias. Do your technical training and then use that knowledge and skill for what you are passionate about.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Michael for the advice. Kang L.
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Tatyana’s Answer

Go with what you love and figure out how to better apply it in your career - find business applications if you will. If you're not something you enjoy, you'll probably not want to put in the effort to make it/yourself as successful as you could be.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Tatyana! Kang L.
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Rebecca’s Answer

Thank you for your question. This is really a dilemma. I am not sure your financial status now. If you do not really have a big financial burden, I would recommend you go for your dreams first when you are young. Usually, I assume you do not have a family for the time being.
Imagine that you have to work on the job for 8 - 10 hours everyday 5 - 6 days a week, it would be a pain if you have no interest on the job. In fact, there is a no job guaranteeing there is a good income. The market trend may change. Recalling the days of financial tsunami in early 2000 and 2008-10, it does not guarantee a good income in any jobs.
To consider from another angle, all industry/career can have good income if you can do it good regardless you are an entrepreneur or work for some corporates. You need to have the commitment and advocacy on the career.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
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Joseph’s Answer

Personally, I went fully for following my passions and talents rather than purely following the money, and for me, having jobs I enjoy has been very important. For me, I don't think I'd be able to cope with the daily grind in a job I didn't enjoy.

Of course, that doesn't mean it's not an option for others - some people certainly do follow the money in earlier life and transition to something they enjoy more later. I guess that decision comes down to your personal values - how much do you personally value job satisfaction against pay?

I guess the ideal, as a couple of the others have pointed out, is to find a career where you can satisfy both - and the environmental sector is becoming increasingly tech-focused, so that's certainly an option. My first job was in an environmental lab, and there's plenty of tech in the instrumentation used, but also in the management of data - we had an in-house tech guy who built a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) database to keep track of samples and data for us. I'm also aware of people coding machine learning models for research in biology and similar areas. Maybe combination roles along those sort of lines might work out well for you.
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