As I have done both of these things, I can say this with some certainty.
Before I started working at the Two Oceans Aquarium, I couldn’t have imagined that my career would lead me here, not least of all because I am trained as a graphic designer and not anything related to sea life or the care thereof.
Despite this, I was keen to become part of the Aquarium family. My father had been somewhat involved in the conception way back in 1995, and I have fond memories of visiting the Aquarium after hours. Believe me when I tell you there is nothing quite like having the whole place to yourself when you are only 13 years old!
Even years later, I remained an avid visitor and even became a member. When the opportunity came up to work for the Aquarium, I was excited by the prospect, but also daunted.
At the time, I considered working for the Aquarium, and other well-known institutions like it, to be unattainable. These were jobs for other, more qualified people.
But ultimately it wasn’t what was on my CV that they were interested in. It was my mindset, my history and my personality, which seem to be the reason the staff of the Aquarium are more like an odd family than a workforce.
The environment one finds in an aquarium attracts and retains a very specific type of person. These people are passionate and dedicated. They are informed and intelligent. And, most importantly, they have immense and sincere compassion for not only for the animals they look after, but also the people they work with.
As you can imagine, this makes for the most pleasurable working environment I’ve yet to encounter. There is an obvious understanding that each employee is an integral part of the Aquarium, and that its successes are as much due to the staff as they are the animals and the visitors.
And of course, being able to look at the exhibits anytime we like certainly doesn’t hurt!
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