Studying to become a Fisheries officer

[Breamingwithjoy]

I have had to suck in a few deep breaths before starting this because i have been chasing my own tail for the last few weeks trying to get the right information.

I have been interested in joining Fisheries for sometime and have finally decided to draw the line in the sand and put other aspects of my life on the backburner so I can undertake the suggested (required) training/qualifications prior to applying. So I call up Fisheries and they sent me out some information about what would be useful studying... herre are some excerpts:

An appropriate Certificate in Seafood Industry (Compliance) or equivalent qualification in Natural Resource Management is desirable.

The competencies required to enable an Officer to perform the many and varied tasks are listed in the Seafood Industry Training Package (Compliance Stream), which offers three levels for Fisheries Officers. They are:
Certificate III
Certificate IV
Diploma of Fisheries Compliance.

This course is nationally accredited, and recognised by Fisheries Agencies in all states and Territory of Australia. Students should apply to the Victorian Tertiary Admission Centre (VTAC) at 40 Park St, South Melbourne 3205 Ph: 1300 364 133 before September each year. Some institutes offer courses part-time or "off-campus". You should contact the Course Coordinator at the Institute.

Extensive in-house training is provided for staff to further their skills and keep up to date with policy developments.

Fisheries officers will also need to hold a driver’s licence and as soon as possible, obtain a Coxswain’s certificate from the Marine Board of Victoria. An approved Scuba diving certificate is also an advantage.

The Department of Primary Industries employs fisheries officers at centres throughout Victoria. It is a distinct advantage for applicants to have gained practical experience relevant to the Department’s work.

So I went about trying to find this course "Seafood Industry Training Package (Compliance Stream)" and for the bloody life of me I can not find where i can study it.

So i have since called Fisheries again and they do not have a list of institutions that currently offer the course. I have spoken to VTAC and they do not have it as a listed course available at all. I have also send an email to the National training infomation service and nadda zilch nothing.

My next option is to head down to the 4x4 show on the weekend and visit the DPI Fisheries booth and hope that one of the poor sods on duty has the information I need.

If that fails me I will be pulling out mums old Janome and whipping up a cape and becoming a vigilant fisheries officer.

If anyone has information that is going to help me out on this, it is going to be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Ross

[greggo_1]

If that fails me I will be pulling out mums old Janome and whipping up a cape and becoming a vigilant fisheries officer.

If anyone has information that is going to help me out on this, it is going to be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Ross Make sure you double stitch the ends of the cape, they fray really easily when flying.
Wear your undies OUTSIDE your stockings for improved aerodynamics.

HTH
Greggo

[Breamingwithjoy]

Make sure you double stitch the ends of the cape, they fray really easily when flying.
Wear your undies OUTSIDE your stockings for improved aerodynamics.

HTH
Greggo

Knew about the undies but thanks for the heads up on the double stitching. I mean who is going to take you seriously if you cape if frayed :eek:

[greggo_1]

No worries, I'm here to help.

[Digga3]

Hey ross
i was just looking through the VTAC guide and there is a course that the australian maritime college which is a bachelor of Marine Enviroment and you can major in fisheries, fisheries managment and alot of other subjects like marine science.
I think you can also get your coxwain's in this course
A mate from school is wanting to become a fisheries officer aswell and this is the course he is going to do
Jacob

[Breamingwithjoy]

Hey ross
i was just looking through the VTAC guide and there is a course that the australian maritime college which is a bachelor of Marine Enviroment and you can major in fisheries, fisheries managment and alot of other subjects like marine science.
I think you can also get your coxwain's in this course
A mate from school is wanting to become a fisheries officer aswell and this is the course he is going to do
Jacob

MA BOY!!! Jacob, that is the sort of information I am after. I will look into it further but thank you mate. Again any more information is going to be appreciated. I think that the course offered by these guys is only available as a bachelors which will mean time off work for an extended period of time most likely. If anyone knows of any courses which can be done part-time or via correspondance that would be great.

[Digga3]

no worries
another one to look at is marine biology at deakin, they offer fisheries aswell

[mbp]

I have had to suck in a few deep breaths before starting this because i have been chasing my own tail for the last few weeks trying to get the right information.

I have been interested in joining Fisheries for sometime and have finally decided to draw the line in the sand and put other aspects of my life on the backburner so I can undertake the suggested (required) training/qualifications prior to applying. So I call up Fisheries and they sent me out some information about what would be useful studying... herre are some excerpts:

An appropriate Certificate in Seafood Industry (Compliance) or equivalent qualification in Natural Resource Management is desirable.

The competencies required to enable an Officer to perform the many and varied tasks are listed in the Seafood Industry Training Package (Compliance Stream), which offers three levels for Fisheries Officers. They are:
Certificate III
Certificate IV
Diploma of Fisheries Compliance.

This course is nationally accredited, and recognised by Fisheries Agencies in all states and Territory of Australia. Students should apply to the Victorian Tertiary Admission Centre (VTAC) at 40 Park St, South Melbourne 3205 Ph: 1300 364 133 before September each year. Some institutes offer courses part-time or "off-campus". You should contact the Course Coordinator at the Institute.

Extensive in-house training is provided for staff to further their skills and keep up to date with policy developments.

Fisheries officers will also need to hold a driver’s licence and as soon as possible, obtain a Coxswain’s certificate from the Marine Board of Victoria. An approved Scuba diving certificate is also an advantage.

The Department of Primary Industries employs fisheries officers at centres throughout Victoria. It is a distinct advantage for applicants to have gained practical experience relevant to the Department’s work.

So I went about trying to find this course "Seafood Industry Training Package (Compliance Stream)" and for the bloody life of me I can not find where i can study it.

So i have since called Fisheries again and they do not have a list of institutions that currently offer the course. I have spoken to VTAC and they do not have it as a listed course available at all. I have also send an email to the National training infomation service and nadda zilch nothing.

My next option is to head down to the 4x4 show on the weekend and visit the DPI Fisheries booth and hope that one of the poor sods on duty has the information I need.

If that fails me I will be pulling out mums old Janome and whipping up a cape and becoming a vigilant fisheries officer.

If anyone has information that is going to help me out on this, it is going to be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Ross

Check out the link to the National Training Information Service and do a search for Seafood (Vic) http://www.ntis.gov.au/Default.aspx
Cheers Paul

[lockyh_19]

im also interested in this, im finishing yr 12 this year. im lucky in warrnambool with really good blokes that run our fisheries! A couple of the blokes in warrnambool have completed Marine Bio at dekin uni in warrnambool as well as being and active member of fish care to secure the job as a fisheries officer in warrnambool.

I am also an active member of fish care and i want to go to AMC (australian maratime college) in tasmania to complete my education to get a job in this feild.

cheers Locky

[forsterfisho]

im also interested in this, im finishing yr 12 this year. im lucky in warrnambool with really good blokes that run our fisheries! A couple of the blokes in warrnambool have completed Marine Bio at dekin uni in warrnambool as well as being and active member of fish care to secure the job as a fisheries officer in warrnambool.

I am also an active member of fish care and i want to go to AMC (australian maratime college) in tasmania to complete my education to get a job in this feild.

cheers Locky

Pretty sure the AMC has changed its name to university of tasmania. I'm doing a environmental science degree at Southern cross uni (lismore, nsw) majoring in marine science and management. What i've come across so far, is that you should be more than qualified to be a fisheries officer, but with a environemental degree, its heading towards more of a fisheries scientist/researcher.

I'm not sure if it is the same, but Waterways prefers candidates with a law enforcement background (Police, prisons's ect) as opposed to scientists.
Might pay to ring up the goverment department that runs the fisheries department and find out if this is case. As with officer positions, you are enforcing regulations and carry out duties in regards to laws.

For those who want to do this course externally or part time - Southern Cross uni (www.scu.edu.au) runs marine science course. via distant ed (online and some prac work at lismore) and at this moment it doesnt have any pre requisite for maths or science. But obviously, strong math skills and science skills would be handy.

Hope this help you guys out
FF

[Breamingwithjoy]

Mate that is awesome, you wouldn't happen to know how much prac work is involved would you?

[CARRAGANT]

i am already fully trained in this, i sit on my ass and do nothing, i passed with honours...

[forsterfisho]

http://www.scu.edu.au/coursesin2010/?action=matrix&command=matrix_temp_load&spk_no=301675

That is the overview for the course

Prac work requires about 2 weeks (depends on how many units/courses that is undertaken per semester) on campus each semester. This is carried out in one block. (Termed: Residentual) Only problem with the res' is that if you dont attend, you cannot pass the unit untill you do attend.

I currently do 2 units per semester, and that equates to about 6-8 days in lismore to complete the prac work for this semester. Last semester, which i did 2 subjects as well, only required 6 days onsite.

Semester exams are carried out in "exam centres", which you can choose for a location that is close to you. (There are heaps!).
I've found that worked 30 odd hours a week, still leaves enough time to study and to fish! so the work load isnt too high, if you stay on top of your stuff.

Hope this helps, any more questions - dont hesistate to ask :)
FF

[TiNTiN]

Hey mate, i went through the same thing you have about 1yr ago. Went to the Brisbane boat show and spoke to the fisheries guys and they gave me the same info. The hardest thing i found was getting a coxswains cert. The hours that you need to do on board a vessel was too much but if you can get one by simply doing a course than that would make it a lot easier. Anyways good luck and i hope all goes well.

cheers TiNTiN

[forsterfisho]

Yeah, 1000 hours is a lot of hours. I'm slowly working towards mine, via work with the pro's up here.
funny thing, they're allowing me to get my accreditation to come and annoy them via fisheries. lol.

[Yardi]

I dont know what the East Coast entrance requirements are but if it is similar to WA, be vary wary.
I say this as no matter how much experience / or courses passed, it counts for diddly squat if you cannot pass the entrance exams.
In WA that consists of a Physcological test (can take about 3 hours to do) and I have seen guys walk out of the exam as they cant believe what some of the questions are. Then there is the exam covering general english / Math etc. similar to Police entrance exam. If you have passed these ok then its onto a interview infront of a panel of staff, with lots of different questions being asked of you, then onto a computer skills test. This usually involves answering questions relating to several pictures laid out in front of you and answering a few questions that you must find answers to, from the Legislative Acts book.
Upon passing that it is onto another panel interview, where you present a written essay on what could be a number of topics.

Now if you have gotten through all this, then its onto the Health Exam and fitness test i.e. Shuttle Runs / Beep Test, lifting lobster pots, carrying outboards, tests on core muscle strength. Then all the other things such as Blood pressure, overall body test and urine test.

Then into the pool and you must be able to perform several swimming tests i.e swim 100 metres in such a time, drag a person for 100 metres (rescue) in a certain time. Then several general diving tests retrieving objects in 10+ metres.

Then if you made it through all that, it was onto a day of tests to see how you perform as part of a team.
Once all that was completed everyone that made it through were graded and it was then off to TAFE for a six week course to obtain your certificate as a trained Fisheries Officer. From there depending on how you ranked, depended whether you were posted to a full time position or put on contract work in the Metro area.

Now as I said I dont know if this is how its done on the East Coast, but I have known guys here, that have gone for it and because of their experience / educational background I would have put money on them getting in. Guess what they didnt, I have, and my advise is, if you are trying to get in, answer all questions openly and honestly dont try and out think em.
Cheers:D
Yardi

[Breamingwithjoy]

Yardi,

Thanks for the eye opener. Despite all that you have said I still want to do it :D

I was fortunate to have has a well rounded education and have had some exposure to government workings. I know it is a tough road, but you got to do what you gotta do. After all it only took me til i was 25 to work out what i really wanted to do.

I got another email last night from the NTIS. they have given me this link to all the places that offer the SFI 04 training to some degree. If anyone is looking at doing what i am looking at doing then this might be very helpful.

http://ntis.gov.au/Default.aspx?/trainingpackage/SFI04/provider

I am yet to call any of them but will let you know the results in due course.