Caitlin Gilmour

Cardiff not only has an incredible university, but the city itself and the surrounding area is amazing. Whether you prefer culture and a night out, or the outdoors, Cardiff has something for everybody.

Following my undergraduate Marine Geography degree at Cardiff, I went on to complete a Master of Research degree in Ocean Science at the University of Southampton. Although the latter was fantastic at broadening my lab skills, it was my undergraduate degree that laid the foundations for the job I currently have as a Fisheries and Aquaculture Consultant.

Thoughts on the course

I absolutely loved the diversity of modules that were available, fieldwork opportunities and lecturers who made the experience so memorable. The year in industry lived up to expectations as I spent a year in the Maldives honing my marine ecology research, scientific diving and community outreach skills. Many of those skills have been invaluable, not just for my master’s degree, but also for my current position.

Graduate career

I am currently working for a fisheries and aquaculture consultancy based in the UK, but our work is typically focused overseas, particularly in east and west Africa and south Asia. Projects vary immensely from advising on fisheries management strategies which include monitoring, control and surveillance solutions, stock assessments and policy and legislation reviews, to undertaking fisheries impact assessments and developing marine protected area general management plans.

While the diversity of projects is what keeps the job exciting, I also very much enjoy the range of stakeholders we work with, from government and local communities to private institutions. My role differs between providing technical input, project management and team leading, so as a result, I am never doing the same thing for too long!