Marine Expedition and PADI Divemaster Dive Center Internship

Overview

Take a marine conservation and scuba diving internship while assisting critical marine conservation projects on the Caribbean coast of Mexico in the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Internship begins with our Marine Conservation Expedition. You will live and work for 12 weeks with a GVI research team and undergo an extensive training programme, taking your diving skills through to advanced level and gaining an intimate knowledge of the marine ecosystem. This knowledge will be put to practise while you work as part of a team to compile crucial research on coral reef and fish species.



You will be assessed each week in order to measure your progress, and if you are successful on your expedition you will then proceed to complete your PADI Dive Master course during your 12 week work placement with a local dive centre. This exciting opportunity will provide practical experience in the dive industry as you assist with daily operations.

After a successful internship, qualifying candidates may be given the opportunity to work for GVI or selected partner organisations in Mexico, or in other countries around the world where GVI operate. Field work positions can be paid or unpaid, range in duration from one month to one year, and availability varies. Qualification for positions is at the sole discretion of Global Vision International

All internships are geared at developing your leadership and role model skills, allowing you to develop a variety of key soft and hard skills that will put you a step ahead the rest of the pack. GVI have been running community development, education, and conservation projects since 1997 and our highly experienced field staff will help you gain and improve vital skill sets to improve your future job prospects.

Scuba Diving Requirements

You will spend the majority of your time on this internship scuba diving and as such you need to be qualified to at least PADI Open Water, or equivalent before you start the internship.

Program Details

Life on the Internship

Your First 12 Weeks

During your expedition phase expect working days to be long and starting early in the morning. Diving days will begin with preparing the dive boat, followed by a short journey to one of the research dive sites. Depending on weather conditions, we aim for everyone to have 1 or 2 dives/snorkels each day, 5 days a week, during which you will conduct underwater surveys after completion of your training.

On other days, you should expect to be involved in additional projects and activities, including training sessions, beach cleans, marine debris surveys, environmental education sessions or alternative income training with the local community depending on local and project needs at the time. The days are rounded off with an evening debrief, followed by dinner and time to relax, take in the beautiful sunset and share stories.

Work Placements

On the work placement, you will gain professional qualifications, practise leadership scenarios and help dive centre staff with the day-to-day running of the dive shop.

GVI secures placements at local dive centres along Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Dive centres are carefully vetted by GVI to ensure you have the best training and work experience opportunities.

Accommodation

During your expedition phase, you will be living on GVI’s research base in the stunning Mexico. Living conditions will be very basic as we aim to leave as small of a footprint as possible on the environment.

Accommodation at the work placements vary, but all offer basic to comfortable accommodation for their staff.

Project Details

Our work during the expedition phase of this Internship aims to assess the health of the Mesoamerican barrier reef system. We focus on Data collection for Fish and Coral species. Our goal is to increase local and global awareness of Marine issues and provide data used for policy-making decisions.

During this Internship you will earn recognised qualifications including:

• PADI Coral Reef Research Diver Distinctive Specialty


• PADI Advanced Open Water


• PADI Rescue Diver certifications


• PADI Dive Master certifications


• First Aid & CPR training (Emergency First Response Certification)


• Biological Survey Techniques

Pez Maya's short, mid, and long-term objectives:

All of our programs have short, mid and long-term objectives that fit with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualize their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Upon arrival to base, you will be educated about the history of the UN SDGs. You will learn about the specific goals of your location, the long-, mid- and short-term objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these goals on a global level.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to act as active global citizens after your program, helping to fulfill our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

Learn about the long-term objectives you will be contributing to in Pez Maya:

1. Provide data to our partners on the overall health of the reef, to be used for coastal management within the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, and to have a better understanding of the Mesoamerican barrier reef system.
2. Raise environmental awareness within the reserve.
3. Minimise the environmental impact that Pez Maya visitors and other people have within the reserve.
4. Increase in-country capacity within our partners and community members in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

How this project makes a difference:

Over time and with the contributions of volunteers, we have been able to amass one of the largest databases in existence on the condition, health and changes of any section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.

As a result of our work, our partners have been able to continue with the protection of the Sian Ka’an reef system and local fisherman are now trained in diving and monitoring skills and partake in marine surveys with the park and Amigos de Sian Ka’an staff.

Upon successful completion of the expedition phase of this internship, GVI secures placements at local dive centres along Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Dive centres are carefully vetted by GVI to ensure you have the best training and work experience opportunities.

You will gain professional experience, practise leadership scenarios and help dive centre staff with the day-to-day running of the dive shop.

What's Included

What's Not Included

Exploration

Volunteering with GVI not only allows you to participate in programmes assisting disadvantaged communities or endangered ecosystems, but it also offers wonderful opportunities to travel in the local area in your down time or further afield either before or after your programme. Many decide to travel after volunteering, solidifying the lifetime friendships established on the programme.

Our long term field staff are a great source of advice and are here to help you make the most of your time abroad. Remember to ask about discounts on local activities and side trips through your association with GVI. Our Yucatan field teams have helped us put together the following information on trips and travel options in Mexico!

Optional Side Trips

As a large and vibrant country, Mexico can seem daunting at first, but here are a few ideas to get you going in the Yucatan Peninsula on your weekends off:

In this region you are spoilt for choice in the number of opportunities to explore a stunning underwater world. You could start with snorkeling with turtles of all sizes in Akumal Bay, where they are protected and come to feed; dive or snorkel within the unique cenotes (the underwater river systems); dive Cozumel, where the wall dives along the island have been voted as part of the world’s best top ten diving locations; or, for a full weekend, try Isla Holbox, a small island off the north of the peninsula. It’s a beautiful, tranquil place, great for a quiet weekend away. Whale sharks (the world’s largest fish) migrate up near the island from June to September and snorkeling alongside them while they filter feed is a truly breathtaking experience!

Alternatively, if you are looking for a break from the water, make your way to Río Lagartos where flamingos flock and river crocodiles abound; visit Bacalar – known as the lake of seven colours due to the various shades of blue; or visit prime breeding areas for the hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and green turtle (May to October).

Immerse yourself in the surviving Mayan culture of the area and visit remote and untouched Mayan archaeological sites, such as the famous and easily accessible sites of Tulum and Coba, or visit the beautiful and majestic Mayan ruins of Palenque in the Chiapas region. And finally, the colonial city of Mérida is the peninsula’s cultural capital and the local artisans of Izamal will be sure to offer you some souvenirs of your trip.

Further Travel Opportunities

If you want to travel throughout the rest of Mexico either before or after your time with us, there is more than your fair share of interesting places that are well worth a visit. Take a trip to the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and experience lowland tropical forests and have an opportunity to try and seek out threatened species; the island of Espíritu Santo offers kayaking with whale sharks (seasonal) and sea lions; if you are keen to try surfing, Puerto Escondido is rated as one of the world’s best surfing spots.

Oaxaca is a beautiful city to visit on the Pacific Coast, a colonial city with some of the nation’s most magnificent architecture, also offering several archaeological sites including the Zapotec ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further south, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, is definitely worth a visit. Colourful buildings, historical architecture, and impressive nearby ecological sites with fun activities will easily keep you entertained for days.

Neighbouring countries to the south, Guatemala and Belize offer something different yet again. In Belize, island hop all the way down the coast, stopping to dive the Blue Hole, another world-class dive site. Guatemala can be reached easily by bus and offers everything from the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Antigua, to volcanoes, the beautiful Lake Atitlan, adventure sports such as mountain biking, and the majestic Mayan ruins of Tikal.

If you do decide to spend time travelling through Central America, make sure to allow yourself time to take it all in, because this region will pull you in and not let go!