One thing’s for sure, you have to learn to earn and the best way to learn is to find an area that you’re interested in, one where you can learn and feel like you’re having fun at the same time, an area like Marine Tourism.

A career in Marine Tourism will equip you to lead dive tours, teach people to snorkel, drive boats and much more. While a career in Marine Tourism can be loads of fun the skills you’ll learn are real, and transportable!

It may seem when you leave school that the career decisions you’re about to make will determine how successful the rest of your life will be. In days gone by, it was common to work in only one industry your entire life, but today, someone starting out can expect to have several significant career changes.

A $4.5 BILLION INDUSTRY IN QUEENSLAND
It doesn’t get much more REAL than that!
While many people are focused on getting a “real job”, many real employment opportunities exist in Marine
Tourism. For some this will be a stepping stone to another career, for others it will be a lifetime choice. Here are
some statistics for you to consider:

• 1.12 million people snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef each year
• 345,000 people visit Queensland to dive every year
• The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living organism on earth and Australia’s largest tourism destination
• 54,000 people are employed in Tourism in the Great Barrier Reef region
• Tourism in Queensland contributes in excess of $4 billion into the Australian economy

The tourism industry is the second largest employer in the country, but because working at something where you are “having fun” is not always treated as a serious employment opportunity, there is a constant shortage of appropriately skilled people and hence, huge opportunities for a career.

A PASSPORT TO UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES

The ORCA programs are not just about developing career based skills, they also focus on developing life based skills. We see many candidates evolve from shy individuals to confident young adults. How does this occur?

Let’s take learning to dive as an example. There is nothing on this earth quite as exciting as learning to dive, the fascination of seeing schools of fish streaming before your eyes, massive ship wrecks or walls of coral is an experience that has to be seen to be believed. The experience and skills of becoming a diver adds a new dimension to your life that will increase your confidence, help you meet new people and maybe visit new and exciting places.

Once you have learnt to dive, progression through the various dive leadership roles will teach you how to
communicate and teach effectively, present to groups, improve your people management skills, provide a
background on how to create a safe work environment and various other business and work place abilities such
as occupational first aid.

A PASSPORT TO THE WORLD

ORCA qualifications are both locally and internationally recognised. With a Scuba Schools International dive leader qualification, a certificate or diploma in Tourism or Outdoor Recreation, or one of the many other courses offered, the world can be your oyster. So many people finish school, or take a year off university, and travel to Europe to end up simply pulling beers.

Graduates of ORCA often find themselves travelling the world teaching people to dive or working in resorts.

“I completed my SSI dive instructor qualification and took off around the world. No matter where I travelled I quickly picked up work.” - Todd McKenzie

A PASSPORT TO THE FUTURE

It’s not hard to get hooked on the lifestyle and many
people choose to stay in Marine Tourism their whole
lives.

“I started out five years ago as a dive instructor, now
I’m in charge of dive operations on international class
liveaboard.” - Nicholas Torti (Qatar)

While others use it as a stepping stone…

“After spending the last 2 years travelling the world I decided it was time to complete my tertiary training and get a degree. With the qualifications I obtained from the ORCA team and my previous experience, I was eligible for University enrolment.” - Rob Eyles

Here’s what one ORCA graduate had to say….

“I started life as a labourer but I fell in love with diving and worked my way through to Store Manager at a leading Perth Dive Store. My training as a dive instructor provided me with recognition for prior learning which in turn enabled me to complete my Certificate IV Trainer and Assessor and Respond Right First Aid Instructor qualifications. Now I have an exciting new career workplace training on the back of the experience and qualifications I gained previously.” - Brett Baker