Saying goodbye to any of our interns is never easy. They’re a valuable part of our team, often key in bringing our vision to life with energy, fresh perspectives, and new skills. But the 30th of June was different for us at Shark Spotters. After more than 700 days together, we watched our first Graduate Training Programme (SS-GTP) cohort take their next steps into the world. 

Five young marine graduates joined us with a hunger to learn, determined to earn certifications that would give them a fighting chance in the job market. What we didn’t anticipate was the profound impact they’d have on us. Each of them brought unique skills, bold personalities, and a hard-working spirit that we still miss, even months later. 

We can confidently vouch for the success of this programme, designed to support graduates from under-resourced communities on their journey to becoming confident, employable marine scientists. But what exactly did they get up to over these two years? 

Year One was all about earning certifications. It meant long hours of training, practical and written exams, and putting both body and mind to the test for their Class V Commercial Diver’s Certificate, 15nm Certificate of Competency for Boat Operations, First Aid & Advanced Trauma Management, and more. A standout moment was the publication of a book of stories, guided by Craig Foster of the Academy Award–winning My Octopus Teacher, who encouraged interns to merge scientific precision with the art of storytelling. You can read more about their first year here. It was a learning curve for everyone, giving us the chance to adapt and strengthen the programme as needed. 

Year Two was game time. Training turned into action. Our GTPeeps assisted researchers from partner organisations, captained Xiphodon to study sites to deploy BRUVs and retrieve acoustic receivers, ran scripts in R, and put their science communication skills into practice. Opportunities to learn were everywhere — and they seized them with both hands. 

Was it easy? Not for a second. This programme demanded commitment, and without the backing of funders and collaborators, the load would have been much heavier. This was a shared dream, realised through hard work from both the organisation and each graduate who chose to walk this path with us. 

At the helm was Brandon Beaukes, who ensured everything ran smoothly. Reflecting on the journey, he said:
“Heading up our first Graduate Training Programme has been an unforgettable experience. It’s shown me how much can happen when you take that first step from idea to action.”

As we reflect on the river we’ve travelled together: the sharp bends that carved lessons into us, the stretches where birds sang and fish shimmered while we celebrated small and big wins with tears in our eyes; one thing is clear and that is we want to journey down this river again. With new faces. New talents. New skills. 

Acknowledgements:  

We would like to give a special thanks to De Beers Marine, TETA, Oceana and the Save Our Seas Foundation for their support of the inaugural cohort. We invite other businesses and organisations committed to transforming the marine employment sector to connect with us and explore partnership opportunities to amplify our collective impact. Should you wish to donate towards the SS-GTP then do so here and use GTP as a reference.   

Bank
STANDARD BANK  

Account Name
SHARK SPOTTERS  

Branch
051001 (BLUE ROUTE)  

Account Number
073493449  

Swift (BIC) Code
SBZAZAJJ 

 

Written by: Jamila Janna