Skipper scores scholarship
A FAR North man will be able to take over his family’s fishing vessel after his parents fell ill thanks to a scholarship which gave him the training he needed.
Ashton Davenport, of Wonga Beach, has completed a Certificate III in Maritime Operations with a $5000 TAFE Queensland scholarship.
“I took over running the boat for my family as it’s the only source of income we have,” he said. “I attained my commercial fishing ticket and enrolled at the Great Barrier Reef International Marine College for training.”
Mr Davenport said he was the fifth generation on his dad’s side to fish in Australia.
“I have been helping on the boat since I was five years old when I did my first trip during my school holidays,” he said.
“I have spent many holidays on the boat, driving and mooring it under my dad’s supervision and helping him to maintain it.”
“I completed a coxswain course while I was at high school and when I finished Year 12, I started working with my dad full time as first mate.”
Mr Davenport said he enjoyed
what he does now.
“There are a lot of challenges in the maritime industry including, weather, tides, finding qualified crew, being away from home, staying on top of rules and regulations and now, impacts from
Covid-19,” he said. “Despite the hardships, I have a good outlook. I don’t class what I do as a job, it’s a lifestyle. It’s peaceful and relaxing to wake up to the sun rising over the water and to watch it go down at the end of the day.”
The scholarship helped Mr Davenport follow in his parents’ footsteps. “Getting the scholarship was really helpful as it covered fees and my travel expenses to study away from home,” he said.
“It’s great that I now have
two qualifications as it expands my career opportunities. If I ever wanted a change from commercial fishing, my qualifications could help me pursue work in tourism or tug and barge. My ultimate goal is to work internationally on boats.”