Young Sean gets his sea legs early

Young Sean Parks, ‘Squid’ to his mates, has a bright future in the maritime industry.

The 16‐year‐old former high school student from Jurien Bay on WA’s west coast displays a great aptitude for the industry and is proof choosing your career path early can pay off.

He is studying a Certificate II in Fishing Operations at the Batavia Coast Maritime Institute (BCMI), in Geraldton, in the Marine and Environmental Science portfolio.

BCMI is a Durack Institute of Technology campus which offers electives in Years 10 and 11 in high schools and that’s where Sean got his start.

BCMI Lecturer, Aquaculture and Maritime, Ben Byrne, said Sean began as a student through the Jurien Bay District High School (DHS) Marine Tourism Program.

He said Sean had developed into a mature, highly skilled member of the BCMI Fishing Operations Team.

“He’s regularly chosen to work as a volunteer deckhand on BCMI’s research and education vessel, Masterclass and is an excellent watch person and boat operator,” said Ben.

“He is only a few weeks away from achieving his Grade I Coxswains ticket, and it’s fantastic to see such a young lad so committed and dedicated to setting himself up for his future.

“Sean is very motivated and keen to be involved and is a strong candidate to gain employment in the fishing or tourism industry,” Ben said.

Clearly the entrepreneurial type, while he was studying the Marine Tourism Program at high school, Sean was involved in making dive bags that were sold through a local tackle shop.

Ben said studying through the high school program opens pathways and gives students more opportunities to learn.

“Studying at BCMI under the Marine and Environmental Science portfolio can lead to employment in many areas. For Sean, it can result in work in the seafood industry, marine tourism or charter boats or the fisheries industry,” said Ben.

“The world is his oyster, so to speak!”

For more information on these courses, contact BCMI (08) 9956 6175 or email bcmi@durack.edu.au. Alternatively, visit the Durack Institute of Technology website, www.durack.edu.au and click on Batavia Coast Maritime Institute to discover the range of nationally recognised qualifications from Certificate I to Diploma level.

Sean Parks works alongside fellow students during the Marine Tourism Program at high school to create new dive bags.

Sean Parks at the helm of Durack’s training vessel named the Masterclass as he undertakes his Grade I Coxswains ticket training.