TRADING PLACES
RASH: What kind of hoursdo
youwork each week?
SAM: I work on average 40
hours per week.RASH: What kind of hours do
youwork each week?
SAM: I work on average 40
hours per weekRASH: Roughly how much
foodis consumed by the SEA
LIFEanimals each week?y S h y S h f LKRASH: Which animal at SEA
LIFE is your favourite and why?
SAM: I get asked this question
a lot and it’s so hard to answer
as I enjoy working with a lot
of the animals at SEA LIFE
Melbourne. If I had to pick one,
a personal favourite would
have to be the cuttlefish. It’s
such an alien type creature that
can change shape and colour -
what’s not to love!
SAM: We feed the fish roughly
180 to 200 kilograms of food
per week!KRASH: What has been
your most memorable career
moment so far?
SAM: The day I got the job
at SEA LIFE Melbourne. It’s
something that I had worked
so hard, for so long, that when
I finally got the call with the
job offer you couldn’t wipe the
smile off my face!KRASH: How do you like to
spend your spare time?
SAM: I usually spend my
weekends catching up with
friends! Having such a busy
work life means that downtime
is something that I try to make
the most of.KRASH: What are your tips
for Krash readers who want to
work with sea animals?
SAM: Get a job in the industry
as early as you can, whether
it’s a pet shop or volunteer
work. There are also a lot of
programs at aquariums and
zoos that you can do as a
young adult. Experience is
just as important as a degree
in this industry so any prior
work can really help when
applying for a role.KRASH: What is something
about your job that not many
people know?
SAM: It is quite a dirty job!
Looking after animals is messy
and you get dirty every day!
Going home on the train
smelling like fish or finding a
random stain on your uniform
becomes normal. Plus, when
you work with aquatic animals,
getting wet on a daily basis is
something that
you have to get
used to!KRASH: What
is your favourite
animal fact of all
time?
SAM: An
octopus can fit
its whole body
through any hole
the size of its
beak!Mybiggestphobiais...the“BabyShark”song.
InonewordIwoulddescribemyselfas...dynamic.
IfIwasaseacreatureI would be... a shark.
My worst habit is... watching too much Netflix.
The best piece of advice I have been given is... ‘do one job at a time’.
My dream holiday destination is... the Bahamas.
Three skills you need to be an Aquarist are... passionate, hardworking, fun!Mybigg t hbi i