My TY Experience
My name is Katie Ní Fhiaraic. I’m a 16-year-old TY student from Connemara. I have always had a passion for everything that is involved in our oceans and as a lifeguard in-training, I’m no stranger to the waters. Below is my review on my work experience at Atlantic Scuba Adventures.
Marine Ecology
Marine Ecology is defined as the study of living things in the ocean and how they interact with their environment. Throughout the previous week I have learned about marine ecosystems, evolution, primary production, oceanography and the human impact on marine life.
I was also given the opportunity to see several marine species in the water, such as sharks, fish and jellyfish, to name a few. However, the most important thing that I learnt in relation to marine ecology is its management and conservation. I can now use the skills that I have learned during this course to protect nature in our waters.
Shark ecology
Sharks have a common misconception as being vicious, bloodthirsty killers for centuries, and I must admit that up until beginning my course on shark ecology, I too was under the impression that all sharks were dangerous. This, however, is not the case. In the past few days, I have seen sharks swim below me firsthand and I can confirm that these misconceptions are highly inaccurate.
I now know several key points of information about sharks, such as their complicated relationship with humans, their 6 senses (unlike the 5 senses of humans), their ecosystems, different species and their highly important role in ecosystems, which has been hindered greatly due to the continuous hunting of sharks in recent years. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to study sharks. I found the experience to be highly interesting and I now have the knowledge to educate others on the vital role that sharks play in our oceans.
Snorkeling
Although I must say that I enjoyed every part of my work experience at Atlantic Scuba Adventures, the snorkeling was by far the most exciting part. I was given the opportunity not only to take part in snorkeling, but also to see what it is like to be a snorkeling instructor. I was taught how to lead the group and to assist with any difficulties along the way. There was a perfect balance between working during the experience and the entertainment that the marine life provided.
Clean up and maintenance
This is a vital part of any work experience, and I am glad that I can use these skills in other jobs too. During the week I maintained the snorkeling equipment, which involved cleaning, organizing and sorting, alongside my friend. We were given the chance to simulate preparing a customer for the snorkeling experience, and at the end of every session we cleaned up all the equipment.
We also performed a beach cleanup after one of our sessions. Although I was shocked to see how much wastage lies on our beaches, I found it to be rewarding too, knowing that we had made the beach a safer place for everyone. I also enjoyed being shown the sales part of the job, and we learned important skills regarding the stock management of the center too.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I have thoroughly enjoyed my work experience at Atlantic Scuba Adventures. I will highly recommend this work experience to anyone who has a passion for aquatic life, not only for the work experience itself, but for the kind and caring crew that work here too. I have always felt welcomed by them, and I am forever grateful for the environment that they have created for us.
This work experience has made me consider a future in a marine environment and I am so appreciative for the opportunities that it has given me. I learned many new and interesting facts about the sea and its inhabitants, and I will use many of the skills that I have learned in the past few weeks as I progress with school and begin to plan for my future.
I want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Kirsty, Carol and all the team at Atlantic Scuba Adventures for making my work experience so enjoyable and interesting, and I hope to see them all again sometime in the future.