Amy Thompson

"I’m rubbish at talking about myself! I think that the personality types for me are spot on – all of them involve either teamwork or elements of leadership, which are skills that I’ve really developed through my education, part-time and full-time jobs. I think the ‘Influencer’ traits are especially relevant – I’m really good with detail and with sourcing and reviewing information. I also really enjoy writing reports, so I think these traits really help with that. I like to think that I’m polite, compassionate and empathetic (although we all have moments where we slip up) and I always try to see things from other people’s perspectives before making any judgements, which is crucial in team environments.I think that these personality types fit with my role because every day I have to be really adaptable and support different parts of the business every day, depending on what needs doing. We also go to conferences and trade shows, so being able to communicate well with potential/existing customers is really important! "

"The purpose of my role is to support both our ‘Technical’ and ‘Operations’ teams. This means that my work is split between the office and site work. I’ve had to undertake a few courses to be able to go on site, including ‘Working at Height Awareness’ (I was the only girl on the course!) and First Aid at Work. I’ve learnt some interesting skills since starting, including soldering wires and cable connectors (something I didn’t pay much attention to in secondary school), get an electrical motherboard ready and programming the sensors before we install them. I love how many different aspects there are to my position, and I’m really looking forward to developing these skills and lots of others in the future."

"Throughout school, I was incredibly interested in Science and the natural world - Geography was probably my favourite subject because it combined them all. I grew up in Cornwall by the coast so I have been fascinated with the oceans for as long as I can remember. As soon as I started learning about ocean circulation (year 11), I was hooked. Growing up with the issue of climate change inspired me, and I always hoped that one day I’d be able to positively help solve the issue. I am so interested and passionate about climate change. My parents were incredibly supportive. They showed me that determination goes a long way and not to give up on your dreams!I had a part time job at 14, working in a surf shop. I worked behind a bar when I turned 18 and worked at the Students Union part time during my degree. Even after graduating, I worked as an Assistant Manager of a pub. Basically, all of those jobs were there to support my financially whilst I worked towards other things – my degree, both before and during Uni, and to save up for travelling after University. Part time jobs in general help you develop so many skills that are really important for your adult life. You learn the value of money, you learn to manage your time around work and studies, as well as developing your communication skills. The inter-personal skills you gain are really valuable – you learn how to build relationships with your co-workers, cope together under pressure and work towards goals.I didn’t have all that much relevant experience within the Marine Science industry, other than what I’d learnt at University. Sometimes this will reflect negatively on you, and there’s nothing you can do about that (I had a LOT of rejections when I was looking for a job), but keep at it and try not to take it personally – something will come up and someone will give you the chance you deserve! Try to undertake work experience, as it can help you understand the industry you’re interested in before you commit to it."

"I love gardening and grow my own fruit and veg in the summer, and I’m trying to make my garden as friendly to wildlife as possible. Because I grew up in the countryside and by the sea, I love being back in the outdoors whenever I can be, for walks, treks or trips to the beach. I occasionally attempt to surf but I’m not very good! Whilst I was away travelling, I learnt to Scuba Dive and I’d love to gain more experience with that in future. I try to take nice pictures and sometimes paint them, and I also love music, going to gigs, festivals and camping with my friends."

"Every day is slightly different for my job. I might start my day by making a cup of tea, answering emails and have an office day – I might have project meetings or be at my computer working on a GIS project. Or, I could be getting equipment and sensors ready for deployment in our workshop, making sure they are powered correctly and programming them. Sometimes, I’ll spend the whole day on site, usually in ports and harbours, installing the sensors for our customers and making sure they collect data properly. The sensors we work with include met-stations (which measure temperature, rain, fog, wind speed or air pollution), tide-gauges (which measure the height of the tide and can be used to improve tidal predictions), or instruments which measure ocean currents. I've also started taking on a significant amount of Project Management, so I'll often be liaising with the client to update them on progress or check how the systems we have provided are benefiting them. Excellent communication skills are required - but this certainly gets easier with time as you gain confidence!"

"AS Levels - Photography and an Extended Project Qualification (Perspectives in Science), which taught me how to write University style essays.A Levels - Biology, Chemistry and Geography.MSci Oceanography (Integrated Masters) at the University of Southampton, where I was awarded a 2:1 (Hons). I spent my time past graduating in 2017 working as Assistant Manager in a pub for 1 year, whilst I saved money to travel around SE Asia and Australia for 6 months. I was offered my current role a few months after returning to the UK after enquiring about vacancies with the company, and I’ve been here for 18 months and counting!"