He works with lots of different teams–engineers, robotic experts, vessel crews, data specialists and clients–to make sure missions stay on track, on time and on budget. Heath started his career as a geologist in South Africa. He worked underground in gold mines, traveled across Africa doing exploration work, lived in the Kalahari Desert for years, and eventually moved into offshore exploration. Only later did he switch to project management–the role that ties all the work together. He loves seeing a project go all the way from an idea to a successful mission, especially when clientsrecognise the hard work behind the scenes. His advice to you is this: If you’re organized, good at communicating, and willing to take responsibility, project management could be for you. But most of all–believe in yourself, even when you’re not sure where you’re going yet.
Nathan – The AUV Operator Who Works Half the Year, All Over the World
Nathan works offshore as an AUV Operator, spending weeks at sea launching, monitoring and recovering underwater robots that dive thousands of metres below the surface. He loves the hands‑on, adventurous nature of the job–and the fact that the AUV team becomes like a second family. Nathan struggled in school and left without the grades he wanted. But he was great with tools and hands‑on work. He built up skills through an apprenticeship and eventually discovered offshore robotics–a career he wishes he’d known about years earlier. As part of his regular work, Nathan doesn’t always know where he’s flying to until he gets his ticket. One month he might be in the Bahamas, the next in Portugal.
