Its not everyday that you share the office with a Great White Shark. Giselle, Biology student here at SHU, followed her Marine Biologist dream and got up close and personal with deadly creatures in Shark Alley, South Africa.

After successfully applying for The Cantor Global Mobility Bursary Scheme, Giselle took to the cage and set out on the internship of a lifetime. 

What did Giselle get up to .....

"I have always loved the idea of becoming a marine biologist for the sole reason being that I have always been fascinated by the weird and wonderful species of the sea. One in particular fascinated me the most, The Great White Shark.

Doing a Biology degree, I wanted to keep my options open for my future career. I heard about the Cantor Bursary programme via an email and thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to help fund my life long dream of heading to the other side of the world to visit the famous ‘Shark Alley’. I found a volunteering website online that offered the chance to go out to sea everyday and get up close and personal to the White Shark.

I went for a total of four weeks to Gansbaai, South Africa, a two-and-a-half-hour car journey from Cape Town. They weren’t lying when they said I’d be on the infamous ‘Slashfin’ boat everyday, and not only was I seeing the very misunderstood Great White, but I also saw all of the marine big five: Shark, Whale, Dolphin, Seal and Penguin on a daily basis.

The boat I worked on was a Shark Cage Diving boat, therefore there were paying clients on everyday. My roles included assisting clients into and out of wetsuits/the cage and maintaining safety whilst answering any questions clients had about the sharks. Whilst doing this I also worked with three marine biologists who specialised in Great White Shark Conservation. This work involved me collecting data for them whilst on the boat and identifying the sharks. This contributed to a wider spreadsheet of multiple years’ worth of data.

This opportunity, made possible by the Cantor Bursary, helped me gain vital work experience in marine conservation and changed my perceptions of the misunderstood Great White which are mistakably feared by most. It also gave me opportunities to meet people from all walks of life and make vital connections for the future.

I’d advise anyone thinking of getting work experience abroad to absolutely go for it, it’s amazing on your CV and an experience like no other; and the Cantor Bursary is an excellent opportunity to make you stand out from the rest."

Inspired? Get global work experience to help you stand out in the job market.  Apply for an overseas internship via the Internships tab in the jobs section of UniHub

Keep an eye out for bursary and internship funding and if you have any queries, please contact the SHU Careers and Employability Team on 0114 225 3940.