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Career Advice on How to Become A Shepherd A lot of the time we smugly think that we know what a career is all about. Popular culture leads us to believe that we understand the ins and outs of a job or career pretty well. In the case of the shepherd, this smug preconceived notion of what a shepherd does is completely accurate. Indeed shepherds are still keeping track of sheep just like they always have. |
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Career Facts:
Shepherds have been watching over sheep for several thousand years. Often the image of the shepherd is that of protector and that is accurate. But to be completely clear, shepherds are paid to keep eye over an investment. Or if they are in the “shepherd biz” for themselves, the sheep they are watching over are cash money in the bank. Thus, the shepherd might be using the sheep for their wool or their milk or often for their meat. So keep in mind that being a shepherd does not mean hanging out with sheep all day and being their friend. Every now and then the Grim Reaper comes for one of your furry friends.
Much of the fear that shepherds have concerning their flocks comes from predators. Wolves, dingoes and other predators find sheep to be rather tasty. Thus, they are the historic enemy of the shepherd.
Career Opportunities and Job Outlook- Unknown:
Today, sheep herding is more of a regional activity with much of shepherding taking place in just a few regions across the world, such as Scotland and Israel. This fact means that landing a job as a shepherd might be a little tricky, but one never knows.
What does the future hold for the shepherd? This ancient job has seen a lot of change since its inception thousands of years ago. Whether or not it will continue to exist and thrive is an excellent question. The odds are that the shepherd will be with us in some form for quite a time to come.
A Day in The Life:
Shepherds often do their work with the aid of a trusty sheepdog. The sheepdog can be very effective, sometimes remarkably so, at herding sheep. Often shepherds ride horses and use their sheepdogs to help them wrangle sheep over considerable distances.
Average Salary:
Salary can vary greatly between shepherds who have their own flocks and shepherds who are working for others. In general, however, one should not expect to build a shepherding empire. When is the last time you’ve heard, “Oh, that guy made all of his money in shepherding. He’s a real jerk too. Oh man, he’s talking to your wife."
Career Training and Qualifications:
You should probably like both sheep and dogs. This is usually a skill that one picks up on the job.