Shark research, embalming, carpentry

The unconventional internships pursued by S’porean students

- BNB Diviyadhaarshini

For four months of her university studies, the Bahamas was home for Ms Inez Alsagoff.

Then 19, the environmental studies undergraduate had applied to be a shark research intern at non-profit organisation Bimini Shark Lab to pursue her passion for marine biology.

"My father used to do competitive kite surfing, so I grew up around the ocean and began to love it," said Ms Alsagoff, who is now 26 and working as a global partnerships coordinator in Singapore at non-profit organisation Coral Gardeners.

"I had previously followed Bimini Shark Lab on social media, so when the position opened up when I was in university, I applied for it," she said.

But going abroad cost a large sum, so she was able to fund her stint in the Bahamas only through grants from the National University of Singapore (NUS).

During her time there, Ms Alsagoff assisted student researchers who were pursuing their further education. Some of her responsibilities included tagging sharks, performing workups on sharks and stingrays, collecting blood and tissue samples as well as studying the distribution of sharks.

Even though she had no prior experience in the field, the people she worked with were nice enough to teach her everything from scratch - including how to steer a boat. She already had diving skills and was a member of the dive club at NUS.

Upon graduating in 2021, she worked for an ocean clean-up organisation and was based in Singapore and Indonesia. Her current employer is working towards coral restoration, and she plans to remain in the space for the foreseeable future.

"My mother was initially concerned whether this industry paid well," said Ms Alsagoff. "But after reassuring her that I can pay my own bills, she was supportive of my decision."