For Kirsten Golding, Research Assistant with the Marine Ecosystems Monitoring Lab at UQ, a love of the ocean started at an early age.
Growing up visiting coral reefs to see her aunt and uncle, both marine scientists working on the Great Barrier Reef, she quickly became fascinated by the world beneath the waves.
“Spending that much time on the reef and getting to know its inhabitants made me want to learn and understand everything about it because so much of what’s beneath the surface gets overlooked, and I wanted to help care for it," Ms Golding said.
To build her confidence on the water, Kirsten enrolled in the Certificate II in Maritime Operations with UQ Skills.
“My main motivation for doing the course was to ensure I had the skills to safely operate boats for research projects.
“I wanted to expand my skills and become more confident with marine operations.
“The course delivered exactly that—the classes were small and interactive, and the way it was spaced out, we were able to fully absorb the content.
“We had fieldwork between practical days on the boat with Jody, our trainer.
“It gave me time to solidify my practice and really understand the material rather than rushing through the course and not getting the most out of the learning opportunity.
“And the combination of hands-on experience and guided learning gave me confidence to operate vessels, assess risks and make judgment calls to keep myself and others safe in the water.”
A standout aspect of the course, she says, was the support from trainer, Jody Kreuger.
“Jody has so much knowledge and experience.
“He made sure we understood every detail, especially when it came to safety.
“His teaching style made a huge difference in how confident I felt working on the water.”
Completing the course has already opened new doors.
“Now that I’ve got my Coxswain certification, I can take on a wider range of roles.
“I’m excited to explore new opportunities and make a real impact in my career.
“I feel ready to navigate whatever comes next.”
