Written by Issy Hinton
Going through high school, I was never quite sure what I wanted to do with my life or pursue as a career. I chose my A-level subjects with the intention of studying medicine; however, I found A-levels incredibly challenging. After many teary evenings, I realised I was unlikely to achieve the grades needed to pursue medicine. Little did I know at the time, this experience would ultimately set me on a much more suitable life path.
I knew I wanted to go to university, so I applied to study Biological Sciences with deferred entry, as it had always been my favourite subject at school. I decided to take a year out before starting my course to gain some “life experience.” During the first part of that year, I became fairly certain that I actually wanted to pursue nursing and began the process of switching my course even taking entry exams! However, while travelling in Australia, I volunteered at a dolphin discovery centre, where I engaged with and educated the public about the local wild dolphins. I enjoyed this experience so much that I decided to further my marine knowledge by joining a marine conservation expedition in the Seychelles.
There’s no gentle way to put it – these expeditions can be expensive, particularly those that involve diving. To fund it, I worked multiple supermarket jobs back in the UK for several months (which, in hindsight, was also great for building my CV at that age) and saved enough money to go. Honestly, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
The expedition fees covered at least two dives per day, food, accommodation, dive gear, boat fees, marine conservation training, and multiple diving certifications. As soon as I arrived, training began immediately: dive training, marine species identification, marine lectures, and more. I loved it! The training lasted about a week, and after completing a few exams, I was ready to begin.
I dived several times a day, collecting data on marine invertebrates on local reefs. The data from my surveys fed directly into a wider database and was eventually shared with the government to help assess the health and status of coral reefs in the Seychelles. If conditions were too rough to dive, we helped with local community projects which was very fun!
Although I was only there for two months, I completed well over 50 dives and gained extensive experience in marine surveying. I also developed a huge amount of confidence, made lots of friends, and explored a new country independently (one I may never have visited without this opportunity). I gained a wide range of new skills, not only marine-based but also communication, patience, resilience, and even cooking. I loved the experience so much that I decided to stick with my original Biological Sciences degree, knowing I could choose marine-focused optional modules. I later went on to complete a master’s degree in Marine Environmental Management, another choice that proved pivotal in shaping my future.
In my opinion, while there may be disadvantages to these expeditions, for me it was the exact experience I needed to resolve my uncertainty about university. I needed that hands-on exposure to solidify my decision. At 18, there’s so much to think about, and I truly believe gaining wider life experience, even if only for a summer, is incredibly valuable. This experience helped me shape my career path in marine science and ultimately led me to my role with WiseOceans.
We hope this blog gives you an insight into expedition life. For more tips on building a career in the marine sector, check out the other posts in our other WiseOceans Careers blogs.
