Lily Riddle

Current Employer/Organisation Name

Marine Management Organisation

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

Working full-time as a Marine Officer in East Sussex. This has been my only job since leaving Exeter University last July.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

I didn’t exactly choose this career, but I was always interested in fisheries and aquaculture – particularly through doing modules in Marine Biology and my final year research project – and I happened to find this job description whilst searching for vacancies online. However, I am incredibly happy that I did find this career path and that I chose to apply! I love how diverse my work is; last week I was away at sea on a fisheries patrol, conducting boarding’s at sea using a fast rescue craft, and today I’m in the office writing intelligence reports. Tomorrow I’ll be out on the coast again talking to fishermen, inspecting the fish that they’ve caught and making sure that they are complying with regulations. It’s very rewarding to know that what I do is underpinned by conservation and that I am helping to ensure sustainable fisheries for the future.

Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?

I was a member of the climbing society throughout my time at university, and in my first year I was part of the kayaking club and rifle club.

Were you part of the Exeter Student Ambassador Scheme at any point during your studies?

Yes.

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

I think that my research project in my final year was my biggest highlight; it was extremely demanding but I loved working in the aquatic research centre and being able to collaborate with a fantastic supervisor, PhD students and other staff at the university. My internship with the university at Plymouth Marine Laboratory was also a fantastic experience that I won’t forget.

What did you enjoy most about studying here?

I think that what I enjoyed most about studying at Exeter was how research-led the lectures were, as a lot of material was taught by lecturers who actually conducted the research and are at the top of their respective fields. Being supervised by some of them over the course of my degree was fantastic.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

I chose Exeter due to their research facilities for Life Sciences subjects and due to the beautiful location (which was also within a reasonable distance of family and friends!)

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

All of the internships that I did and the jobs that I had over the course of my degree, including being a residence life mentor during my second year of university, have been incredibly useful for my career. I couldn’t say that any one of these alone has helped me to get to where I am today, but collectively they have contributed to my skill-set.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

Gain as many experiences as you can whilst at university; the 3/ 4 years will fly by and you will need as many jobs/ internships/ placements as you can to demonstrate the skills necessary for job applications and interviews. In my experience, every place that I have worked or interned at has taught me something different and has added to my confidence, and that is invaluable. Try and get as many interviews as possible; even if they go horribly, you learn from every single one as they all tend to be conducted differently.

What are your plans for the future?

I hope to continue my role as a Marine Officer as I am still constantly learning. In the future I may potentially look at getting involved with research again, but who knows!