Aquarium diver

Written by Charlotte Boan Thursday, 29 May 2008 00:00

A diver since the age of 16, Ben worked as a dive instructor around the world before returning to his hometown of Plymouth.

Salary range: £12,000–£14,500.

Skills/qualifications needed: HSE Part IV or equivalent (PADI Divemaster), plus oxygen administration and first-aid qualifications.

What the job involves: I run the husbandry team, which involves diving in the tanks, checking stock and animal welfare. My team is responsible for cleaning and maintenance of the tanks and specific hand-feeds of the animals.

Best part of the job: I enjoy diving with the big sharks in such close proximity. I have dived all over the world but nowhere has such concentration and diversity.

Worst part of the job: I don’t have to do it anymore, but I guess the guys would say cleaning the tanks.

Advice to jobseekers: You need good diving skills and must be able to adapt easily in such an environment. You also need a good understanding of marine life, not just identification knowledge – you need to know about behaviour and how to spot a stressed animal.