VOCATION VACATIONS

(From The USA Today -- By Laura Petrecca)

DAVID RYAN's career has gone to the dogs -- all because of his two vacations last year.

After 17 years as an international banker, RYAN, 43, signed up with VOCATION VACATIONS, a company that lets people test-drive new jobs.

In April 2005, he sampled a workday at an Agawam, Massachusetts, doggie day care center. While some tasks were messy -- "I scooped more poop in that day than I'd ever wish to remember" -- he says it intrigued him enough to buy a three-day stint as a dog trainer in Portland, Oregon, the following month.

"Within 30 minutes (in Portland), I thought, 'My God, this is it,'" Ryan says.

A month later, he took early retirement from HSBC and now owns a dog-training service in Rye, New Hampshire.

Ryan is one of about 500 people who've sampled fantasy jobs such as winemaker, pastry chef and car racing pit crewmember since VOCATION VACATIONS opened in 2004.

Founder BRIAN KURTH bills the sessions it offers as a low-risk way to taste professional options -- a "baby step," not a leap to an instant career change.

His privately held start-up offers about 200 career "experiences" of one to several days, with career-coaching sessions before and after.

Prices start at about $400, transportation and lodging extra, and range up to three days with a top Los Angeles wedding planner ($1,999) and two days with GWEN STEFANI's music video choreographer ($1,399).

The most popular choices are entertainment, sports, culinary, fashion and animal-related occupations.

Vocation Vacations