“A Change Is Gonna Come” and indeed is already happening in ecology in regards to careers – people with degrees in ecology are increasingly getting jobs and pursuing careers that differ from those ecologists traditionally prepared for. The objective of this session is to learn from professionals about jobs beyond higher education that employ people who have recently earned a university degree related to ecology – including those with a bachelors, masters, or doctorate degree. Presenters include a broad range of career paths and types of employers, including federal, state, and municipal resource management, environmental education institutions, private environmental service firms, GIS analysts, environmental technicians, and natural resource data scientists.Each presenter will address three questions: 1) What does the job encompass? 2) What do employers look for in hiring someone who has recently received their degree?3)What coursework and co-curricular activities should be done to be competitive for the job?In addition, presenters will be encouraged to provide some ‘hot tips’ on how to land one’s first job in the field. The session is intended for two audiences: (1) university faculty and staff members who advise students or design ecology curricula, and (2) students in undergraduate or graduate degree programs looking for insight into a non-academic career path. The session is organized under the auspices of the ESA Education Committee.