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- Marketing/Business (June 2009)
- Customer Service (April 2009)
- Serving/Hospitality (October 2008)
- Adventure Guiding (September 2006)
- Biology/Research (September 2006)
(Please click on my previous Employer to visit their website)
Management/Supervisory
Interpretive/Adventure Guiding
Biology/Research
Hospitality/Service
My employment in the hospitality/adventure tourism industries over the years has been extremely varied, allowing me to develop skills in various disciplines.
While attending the University of Victoria, I completed three work terms as part of the Biology Co-op which provided excellent field experience. During the summer of 1996, I was stationed in Grand Forks/Christina Lake, B.C. as the program supervisor for a mosquito control program (operated by D.G. Regan and Associates). I was responsible for all relations with the local communities and government officials in ensuring the effective control of mosquito populations in the resort areas.
The following summer I was employed by the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria as an entomology collections assistant, where together with a colleague, I updated the collection database for a large percentage of the museum’s insect collections and created distribution maps for the Sympetrum genus of dragonfly using the computer programs FoxPro and ArcView.
During the summer of 1998, I was employed by the Pacific Biological Station (Dept. Fisheries and Oceans, Canada) as a dive biologist where I traveled to the Queen Charlotte Islands and Tofino, B.C. to perform research by SCUBA on northern abalone and red sea urchin populations. I was also responsible for public education exhibitions funded by the Pacific Biological Station. (Please click here to view the newspaper clipping entitled "Watery Wonders" published in the Nanaimo Daily News, featuring Paul in his role as a dive biologist).
After completing my Bachelor of Science in December 1998, I spent a season working as a ski/snowboard technician at Sunshine Ski Resort in Banff, Alberta and returned to Victoria for the summer of 1999 to work as an interpretive guide for Prince of Whales Whale Watching!
Traveling to Australia at the start of 2000, I worked as a server at beachfront restaurants in Sydney and Noosa Heads (Rimini’s Restaurant and Bistro C) before moving to Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. I began working as an interpretive guide for Ocean Rafting, escorting 25 guests at a time on nature walks and snorkeling adventures by zodiac to the nearby Whitsunday Islands.
After my Australian working holiday visa expired, I returned to Canada where I moved to the resort town of Whistler, B.C. in February, 2001. I was employed by Intrawest Corporation of Whistler Blackcomb as a server/special event staff organizing functions for up to 1000 guests. I continued working in adventure tourism as a snowmobile and ATV guide for Whistler ATV/Blackcomb Snowmobiles and as a canoeing, mountain biking and hiking guide for Whistler Backroads. (Please click here to view the article "Guiding Takes Special Talents" printed in Whistler's Question newspaper, featuring Paul in his role as an interpretive guide).
In 2002, I returned to Australia with a temporary residency visa and began work as a dive instructor for Discover Dive in Port Douglas and as a dive biologist/instructor with Undersea Explorer a live-aboard visiting the outer Great Barrier Reef.
In September 2002, I traveled to Thailand and was hired as the head dive instructor and manager of Leisure Dive Center at Maprao Resort on the island of Koh Phi Phi in the Andaman Sea. I was responsible for all company operations for the 2002-2003 dive season including teaching many courses in French for overseas visitors.
I returned to Whistler again briefly in the summer of 2003 and worked as an interpretive guide for Ziptrek Eco-tours before traveling back to Australia and working as a dive instructor for Dolphin Dive, near Perth, Western Australia and later leading whale shark tours on Ningaloo Reef, off Exmouth,W.A.
In April 2004, I returned to Koh Phi Phi, Thailand and was manager of Longbeach Dive Shop for 3 months before returning home to Victoria, Canada.
Since my return, I have been working in the hospitality industry as a server and bartender for the Temple restaurant and lounge, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, and Lure restaurant at the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa. Most recently, I was recognized as one of Victoria’s top servers while employed at the award winning Rosemeade Dining Room. (Please click here to view the article entitled "A Life of Service" featuring Paul in the Sept./Oct. 2006 issue of EAT Magazine). I have also been teaching diving on a more casual basis to friends and volunteering with Seachange, a non-profit marine conservation society.
Since 2007, I worked with C Restaurant in Vancouver, supporting their efforts to promote sustainable seafood products, in co-operation with the David Suzuki Foundation and the Vancouver Aquarium. I have also been involved with the creative design and layout of e-newsletters for Vancouver's "Say No to Junk Mail" campaign (www.reddotcampaign.ca) and a real estate website (www.cannewhomes.com).
After completing my BCIT Marketing Management practicum in the environment industry working with the GLOBE Foundation as a Marketing Specialist, I continued with the company as the Conference Program Manager, working to help plan and coordinate GLOBE 2010, one of the world's largest and longest running conferences and tradeshows on the business of the environment. I am currently working with the GLOBE Foundation as their Special Projects Director, where I have recently completed a Provincially-funded report on BC's low-carbon economy entitled "British Columbia's Green Economy: Building a Strong Low-Carbon Future".
(Please click on name to see letter of reference)
- Paula Pothier (April 2005). Applied Career Transitions Project Coordinator, University of Victoria.
- Claire Durrant (March 2005). IRRA Administrator, PADI Asia Pacific.
- Lesley Vaughan (October 2004). General Manager, Temple Restaurant & Lounge.
- Philip Brock (June 2004). Employee Experience Representative, Intrawest Corporation at Whistler Blackcomb.
- Jennifer Thompson (March 2004). Owner, Rimini Cafe & Bar.
- Andria Allen (August 1999). Business Manager, Prince of Whales Whale Watching.
(Please click on title to see article featuring Paul)
- "A Life of Service" (EAT Magazine - September/October 2006)
- "Guiding Takes Special Talents" (Whistler's The Question Newspaper - Thursday, June 28, 2001)
- "Watery Wonders" (Nanaimo Daily News - Saturday, August 1, 1998)
(Please click on certificate to view)
- Open Water Scuba Instructor, PADI International (May 2002)
- Tourism Staff Certificate, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (May 2002)
- Oxygen Provider Certificate, Diver's Alert Network (May 2002)
- Occupational First Aid Level 3, Worker's Compensation Board of B.C. (November 2001)
- Canoeing Level II, Recreational Canoeing Association of B.C. (May 2001)
- Divemaster, PADI International (January 2000)
- Binding Technician, LOOK Bindings (March 1999)
- Serving It Right (Proper Sevice of Alcohol)
- Food Safe (Proper Service of Food)