Ship's Mate

  New Zealand

• Wellington: 
Wellington

Term: Throughout the year 

Description: Ahoy matey! If you have a love of boats, vast oceans, and salty breezes, we have the internship for you. The opportunity to share the high seas with Skipper Dan awaits. Skipper Dan, whose homeport is Wellington, is the master of a seventy-two foot launch that takes clients out for trips across Cook Strait; this is the stretch of water that separates the two islands of New Zealand. Your duties include serving as a deckhand on both half-day and several-day voyages. When there is fishing, you will help bait the hooks and assist clients in landing the catch (usually blue cod or gropper). The position demands a strong work ethic and people skills. There is always something to be done on a boat--from general maintenance, cleaning, and polishing, to giving the hull a good barnacle scrape. This is an opportunity to discover if you have what it takes to succeed in the service industry. Being a good mate means you are attentive to clients' needs and perform tasks without being asked twice. The launch is moored on the docks opposite Wellington's city center. As such, the internship allows for enjoyment of both the city and sea. Meet new friends working on other boats and students attending nearby universities.

Housing for the internship may be aboard the launch or a combination of shipboard and land-based accommodation. Within walking distance from the dock are countless cafes and restaurants, internet shops, major museums, and numerous pubs and night clubs. This is the perfect marine internship, available in one of the best natural harbors in the world, with a myriad of cultural and social activities for you to enjoy right at the water's edge.

Qualifications: good health, adventurous spirit

Experience Required: no

Participants Travel to New Zealand Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone Interview
• Resume

Institute for Cultural Ecology's Mission Statement: The Institute for Cultural Ecology was founded on the conviction that visits to exotic destinations imply a commitment to cultural sensitivity and environmental stewardship. Our programs match the interests, academic goals, and passions of the participant to select host organizations and researchers. Once you connect with a place and its people, they become a part of you. Forever.

Year Founded: 1999