My officially approved application for the job

FINALLY, MY SIMPLE CLIP for the best job in the world is officially approved by Queensland Tourism. Im happy to receive your comments and dont forget to vote and please visit my travel sites and blogs as well for updates of my application.

INSTRUCTION: PLEASE CLICK HERE TO CAST YOUR VOTE.

THANKS ALOT FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

My GBR environmental (green) agenda

THE MAIN MESSAGE OF MY VIDEO IS BEYOND THE MARKETING STRATEGY for the Great Barrier Reef. It is more focused on how to sustain this world heritage site as a marine protected area. Marine tourism is one of the biggest economic boosts not only for Australia but for other countries like my home country, the Philippines. Having 7,107 islands, the Philippines has a significant portion of the population that solely dependent to eco and marine tourism considering that majority of these islands have beautiful coastlines and beaches where locals and tourists could enjoy the sun, corals and sand.

On the contrary, like Australia or Queensland in particular, tourism is a threat to the social, ecological and cultural dimensions of the region. In other words, there are environmental challenges and issues that need to be addressed in GBR both for the short and long term periods.

One of the members of Island caretaker Ning's community website asked me some basic questions on relation to environmental management of GBR as part of my application - being the first Filipino Island Caretaker of this world heritage site.

Many people are interested in visiting Queensland because of this promotion. What do you think about the effects of mass fly-in tourism on the environment?

Generally, it will entails additional routes/schedules both land, sea and air going to the region which somehow leads to the increase of traffic and additional usage of aircrafts, at the same time more land travel both cars and trains, including commercial/domestic vessels. With this increase in the various modes of transport going in and out of the region, more pollution will be created on air, water and land.

Specifically, there are short and long-term direct impacts of recreational and marine tourism on the environment. Some of these effects will manifest immediately and some of them will be compounded through time if these problems will not be addressed accordingly.

With this global job search for GBR, it is expected that more visitors will travel to the region which could bring additional ecological, social and cultural impacts. These impacts are explicitly identified in the CRC Reef Research Centre's 2003 report.

What do you think are the unique environmental challenges faced by the Great Barrier Reef?

Mainly, these challenges are mostly directed to activities created by tourists and business operators such as follows: (a) water based activities (diving, snorkeling, fishing); (b) marine life interaction (watching of whales, turtles, seabirds, fish feeding); (c) ship/boat related activities (anchoring, mooring, fishing, racing); and waste generation (liquid and solid wastes from the above activities).

This is "not" really unique to GBR, but also happening to other islands around the world, like in my home country the Philippines which has 7,107 islands. Unlike GBR, the Philippines is experiencing more degradation of marine life because of illegal fishing through using explosives and large-scale commercial fishing.

If you win the position, how would you like to showcase the message of environmental protection?

A six-month contract is not enough to focus on these environmental issues and challenges that this marine eco-system is facing. But in my own little way and initiative, taking advantage of my position as the island caretaker, I will do my best to identify short term strategies to mitigate these impacts for QT to implement towards proper long term management of this heritage site.

In addition, hopefully maintaining a blog and media exposure will increase the awareness of people on practical and simple things to save these corals and other marine life in GBR. Regular consultations with the local people, operators and tourists will be a strategy to bring out the importance of environmental protection.

What I am really envisioned during my employment, aside from doing my regular responsibilities, I will do a massive campaign on solid waste management. Brochures and flyers will be distributed to all business establishment operators and the like, which are readily accessible to visitors and guests. These materials highlight relevant information on basic tips on enjoyable stay without a significant "footprint" on GBR. Finally, this information dissemination campaign could also cover DO'S and DON’TS while visiting the world heritage site in terms of restrictions on bringing-out marine specimen as souvenirs and promoting codes-of-practice in snorkeling, fishing and diving.

What do you think? Am I qualified to do the job?

Well, my environmental slogan for the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is Go...Ban...Rubbish

Click the image for one of the useful links for Marine Debris.

My best Filipino competitor

I WILL TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE one of the candidates from my home country, Philippines. I think there are a number of potential aspirants for the job and one of them will be featured here. Im hoping that at least two or three (including myself) to be shortlisted. If you did watch these films: Cloverfield, Rec or Quarantine, then you will like Nic's video. Dont think twice, click the link for you to vote!

http://islandreefjob.com/applicants/watch/o868dRggvJg

On the other hand, this is a wishful thinking but who knows, QT will be interested to include my application in the top 50! Frankly speaking, my video is simple and got responses from friends that it is not strong enough to convince QT to hire me as the island caretaker. Why? they told me that my clip did not really show what my personality, talents, and potentials are, aside from "lip-servicing" of them...

Anyway, I did it differently from what others expected to have it in the video by showing to QT that "an ordinary worker of a food chain (with a basic salary) has the same opportunity to dream and apply for the best job in the world". My video serves an aspiration to ordinary working class people to have their ultimate dream job that will provide happiness and fulfillment in life - helping their families for a better future!

My Aussie co-candidate breaks the top

AS OF TODAY (UK time), the battle for the job is getting popular after 4 weeks being announced worldwide. QT announced that more than half of the people sent their video clips rejected than being approved and posted online in the official site, islandreefjob.

Even up to now, I havent receive any confirmation yet from my future employeer that my video (above) is approved for viewing. Im anxious to see my clip in the site and ask my friends to watch and vote for it.

For the meantime, today Im sharing another potential hopeful for the position, of course direct from Australia. She lives in Queensland where the GBR is located and she is currently on the top board for the most popular application. Watch her video and find out why she is popular. What do you think of Hailey Turner, could she make it to the top 50. Maybe yes! 4 stars from me...


It is also fascinating to see that the applicants who are now in the top positions for popularity and most viewed are mostly ladies! It seems that men are watching too much nowadays...

My georgous competitor from the UK

It is inspiring to watch beautiful faces around the world and she is one of them from Britain but at the moment a tourist in Dubai. She is also inspired to apply as the island caretaker in the Great Barrier Reef. If the selection panel chose her, she can be an excellent model for advertising the island...

Find more videos like this on Island Caretaker - Best Job in The World

The other things that impressed me and why I featured her video here in my blog is that, we have the same objective why we want the job - to help QT preserve, protect and manage this world heritage site where people around the world could enjoy and will be sustained for the next visitors - 50 years from now or more! What do you think, is she georgous as the island caretaker, then vote now!

My future job's profile

QUEENSLAND TOURISM prepared a two-page flyer for the job description of the caretaker of the island. Click the photo above for details.

My adviser - BBC News UK

BBC NEW UK posted an article that provides helpful tips to be in the top of the competition and successfully securing this coveted position. Unfortunately, I did not follow all as part of my one-minute video clip considering my time and resources to do it. Honestly, I love outdoor activities, love nature, forest and animals and wildlife. This is the environment that I was born and raised back in my home country, the Philippines. So, there is no point of telling this, except for people who did not experience really living in an island or tropical environment like Australia.

As quoted from the article and my reflections: (watch the video as well, photo above from BBC News UK site)

1. Get the basics things right - in terms of video format application - I have the right format using my Sony DSC W55 digital camera and using the Microsoft movie maker software available in my Sony Viao notebook.

2. Make the video as strong as possible - I dont have a camrecorder which might gives better quality; nevertheless my digicam really reliable to capture my quest for this job. It is candid, relax, and clear.

3. Demonstrate a spirit of adventure - Well my blogs show this adventures and travelling experience. Unfortunately, I dont have extreme sport activities but I will try if it is necessary.

4. Mention all your relevant experience - I dont have a scuba experience but I have experience to find food under sea while growing up in the Philippines. It does not really matter if I dont have a geography background as long as I know the basic things to stay alive in the wild! I think my strong qualification is really my knowledge in water, wasterwater and waste management which is really essential in sustainable tourism in Hamilton Island.

5. Know your marine wildlife - Again, it is bias for people who do not have background (both academic or actual working experience) on marine life and wildlife. There is always time to study/review about these things if I will be shortlisted.

6. Show your genuine love of animals and the outdoors - I love animals but there is no point to mention it or have it recorded for the sake of convincing the judges that I love outdoors! I dont to show them that I can sit besides the tiger or lion or even carrying a python. There are more dangerous than that - pirates and thieves!

7. Enhance your application - 60 seconds not enough to show all but I have included the url of my blogs for them to see that I do blogging and I have the communication skills both oral and writing.

8. Balance the fun factor with a more serious side - Im not nervous but calm doing my clip and at the end my friend who took the clip did something which made it funny to watch, then I laughed!

9. Dont waste money on a course - This is the reason why I make my clip simple and besides I do what QT needs for the job. I can take photographs, record events, and write blogs, including reviews online.

10. Are you sure you're the right person - Honestly, I am left-handed person but Im the right person for the job and I can start in July as soon I receive my airticket from Northern Ireland to Australia. Philippines is just up of Australia so any time I could have a weekend break and market the island to my "kababayans".

What do you think, can I make it in the top 50?

My Informant - Telegraph UK

SEVERAL SOURCES AVAILABLE in the internet to find more about this hype job search - looking for the candidate to work as the caretaker of one of the islands in the Great Barrier Reef with a 6-month contract salary of £70,000 (A$150,000).

Is it indeed tempting to have a try. Why not. I have the qualifications, expertise and personality to do the job...I am an islandeer - ready to explore new things in a desert island!

Click here for Telegraph Article 1

Article 2 ; Article 3

My informant - CNN London

NUMEROUS TV NEWS fascinated by this unusual job search for a job - a caretaker of the island in the Great Barrier Reef. One of them is captured by the clip below from CNN London (posted by Se7enKamachi in youtube). I suspect that this will really inspired Britons/British people to grab this rare opportunity - escaping from the economic crunch and weather that the region is experiencing at the moment.

My Australian Employer

QUEENSLAND TOURISM announced the opening for the best job in the world as posted by Yahoo! news today and it is open to everyone around the world until 22 Feb 2009.

For details watch the clip and visit Island Reef Job. The clip is posted in the official youtube site of islandreefjob. Good luck!

Click the link for the Yahoo!news article