“Let me start off by saying, doing Global Reef’s Marine Conservation Internship was the best thing I have ever done. Diving most days, planting coral and watching the babies grow and counting incredible fish species, not to mention doing all of this on paradise island. It doesn’t get better than that.My name is Phoebe and I am a student at Plymouth University studying Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology. I took third year out to complete placements and internships. I was lucky enough to come out to Koh Tao for 6 weeks and work with the Global Reef team and get up to my Master Rescue Diver certification.

“My name is Asad Ali, I am a 4th year university student at the university of Toronto studying Environmental Geography and Cinema Studies. I was always fascinated my the ocean and took several courses that taught me about the importance of the oceans to our environment but never got the chance to physically be in the ocean and learn, until I did my internship with Global Reef. It taught me so much, much more than I ever imagined. I learned the different growth forms of coral, the different species of fish we get on the island and the different ways to identify them. At first it was intimidating but I was constantly being encouraged and uplifted by a positive, fun and supportive team that works at global reef. Personally, the reef monitoring program was my favourite part because not only do you swim and count fish!

“Beginning a career in marine research is challenging, and can be extortionate.So many 'conservation' organisations prey upon students, graduates and career-switchers who want to gain experience in the field. I've had some awful experiences trying to get the skills needed to move on, and I've wasted a lot of time/money too (which is a thing many people have faced, unfortunately).However, being with Global Reef has been the most rewarding experience, and I'm really sad that my time as an intern is now over with them!

“Hi! My name is Madison, and I’m 26 years old. After figuring out my current career wasn’t working for me I decided to make a change, and that’s when I found Global Reef. I came in with no experience in marine biology, but I had an excitement to learn, and the team did an amazing job at turning that into a new passion. I’ve learned so much through both their classroom and hands-on teaching methods. They are truly always there and happy to help and answer any questions along the way. I now feel confident I can continue on with the skills I learned from fish ID, to all the various survey methods we did, to planting new coral colonies, and take those skills and use them anywhere in the world.

“During my two-month marine conservation internship with Global Reef, I gained loads of knowledge in new fields. I collected data regarding fish, invertebrates, substrate and even participated in an on-going coral restoration project. I got to practice my underwater skills and truly felt I was making a difference long-term for the environment on Koh Tao.Working with Global Reef is an extremely rewarding experience and I am thankful for getting to be a part of the team.”

“When I signed up for the internship, I didn’t really know what to expect. I never thought I would travel to Asia, let alone live on a small, tropical island for several months. The only thing that I did expect was to be diving almost every day, that’s it, oh and hopefully learn a lot of cool things about marine life which had always been a passion of mine, yet I have never had the chance to study before. My expectations were not only met, but also exceeded tenfold.I came to do the internship as part of my bachelors thesis of a Liberal Arts and Science degree in Maastricht, and as I have struggled to find the motivation to finish my studies in the years before, I figured I needed something fun and outdoorsy and not in Europe

“Après ma licence en biologie je souhaitais gagner de l’expérience en biologie marine et développer mes compétences en plongée. Global Reef s’est avéré être la seule organisation à proposer quelque chose de complet et m’a permis d’allier plaisir et travail au sein d’une équipe passionnée! Du début jusqu’à la fin les stagiaires sont pleinement impliqués et je n’ai jamais eu l’impression qu’une plongée ait été inutile. Si nous ne pouvions pas faire ce qui était prévu, Gavin et Pooka s’assuraient que nous ressortions de l’eau en ayant appris quelque chose ou renforcé une connaissance.

“As an environmental science major and sociology minor at the University of Utah, I found my passion for the ocean despite being far from it. Wanting to pursue marine conservation and oceanography for my master's, I felt the need for hands-on research experience to confirm my interest in marine science. Thus, I sought the perfect internship online and found Global Reef. Unlike other internships that seemed to focus on office work and occasional coral planting, Global Reef offered a more hands-on experience. They actively ensure that interns participate to their desired extent. The internship allowed me to engage in daily scuba diving, data analysis, and pilot new projects. The professional staff at Global Reef always prioritized my interests.