My name is Satria Pranata, and I was a member of the 2013 MantaWatch Internship Program. I feel so lucky that I was selected for this program, and I gained so much new knowledge and experience. Skills such as scientific diving, manta ray conservation, and scientific research. And of course I had the opportunity to develop my communication skills by giving presentations to divers.

For me, the MantaWatch Internship Program is not simply a memory. The knowledge and experiences that I gained continue to be useful in my career. In addition to learning about shark and ray conservation, I gained many skills that I now use every day. Professionalism, team work, project planning and management, communication, and so much more.

The team work was one of the highlights of the program. I worked with three of my friends – Riza, Ranny, and Vidlia – and we supported and helped each other. Our mentors also gave us a lot of feedback and suggestions to help us develop.

One year has passed since my internship, and I am no longer a student. I now work for PT. Sinta Prima Feedmill, one of the leading agri-food companies in Indonesia. I am responsible for technical support and sales for the Jambi area, where I work with fish farmers to help them improve the quality and environmental impacts of their operations. I was very happy to get this job, especially so soon after finishing my studies at Bogor Agricultural University. I think that the experiences I gained from the MantaWatch Internship Program were one of the reasons I found this job so quickly.

I look forward to meeting this year’s MantaWatch Interns, and to welcoming them to the MantaWatch family. But even if you don’t join this year’s program, I urge you to learn more about our ocean resources, and to take action to protect them. Indonesia’s oceans need you. Together we can conserve manta rays and the many other unique species that make their home here.

Satria and Riza preparing our video diary