What do you think of the work that the Shark Education Centre does?

People tend to be fascinated by sharks, although they don’t always know much about them, but they often have entirely the wrong impression of them as scary, dangerous, people-eating machines! One of the best things that we do here is to teach people more about sharks and also about how important they are in regulating the ocean ecosystems of planet earth. In general, people are so unaware of conservation, or how their daily actions affect the natural world, that it is vitally important to teach them how they can contribute to conservation simply by acting responsibly. I think the education team really tries to convey that ultimately it’s the responsibility of humans to ensure the healthy functioning of the marine ecosystem through environmentally responsible actions. I’m impressed by how much effort and time goes into making sure that the school groups and visitors are given the most positive experience the education team can provide. This is especially important given how little connection many of the children who visit have to the ocean to start with – even though they live in a coastal city! I’m really proud to be part of something that is teaching and inspiring children to be young conservationists, and that is giving them information they can use to pass on to their families and communities.

How do you see yourself developing in this role?

I am really excited about the opportunity to work with a marine conservation organisation and I’m looking forward to working with the centre for a long time. Now that most of the major internal exhibit renovations are done, I would like to focus on ensuring that the most streamlined systems are in place so that the facility is being used to its maximum capacity.

The education team has also encouraged me to assist with school outings, holiday clubs and the Marine Explorers surf and snorkel experiences. I really enjoy being able to engage with the kids and am hoping to continue to be involved with this in the future.

What are some of the challenges that you’ve experienced during your time here?

Part of my job as the facilities administrator is to make sure that the building and its facilities are all functioning well. This can be particularly difficult when faced with external challenges such as the extreme drought that Cape Town is currently undergoing. It’s the worst drought in the Western Cape for more than 100 years. As an environmental organisation – and as citizens of Cape Town – we need to adapt to the water scarcity and the latest water restrictions (less than 80 litres per person per day). This means no use of potable water for the garden or for washing the building or windows; it means monitoring the ablution facilities, checking for leaks and reducing the toilet wastage; it means catching rain water to use for washing wetsuits; it means all sorts of things that we need to stay on top of! As an education centre, it is imperative that we educate our visitors about the importance of water and of the critical need to conserve it, and it is very important that we lead by example. However, as a public facing facility we also need to ensure that we remain presentable and that we are able to cater for all our visitors. This can be a tricky balancing act!

An ongoing challenge is making sure that the facility remains safe and secure for the visits of schoolchildren and the public (and the legalities surrounding that, which can be a huge amount of work). But it is all so worth it in the end, when you see those beaming faces just bursting with excitement!