How the salty spray of the Far South Coast saved school student's education

Two years ago, the Eden Marine High School student was close to becoming a dropout and had little direction on his future career.

Noticing that her son was becoming more disengaged with school, his mum, Hayley, worked closely with Jackson to brainstorm how they could align his interests with a different kind of learning.

"I was kind of getting bored of school and was deciding whether I should drop out in year 10," Jackson told Bega District News.

The pair chatted with the school's careers team, which resulted in him joining the school-based apprenticeships and traineeships (SBAT) program.

"I wanted to break up my schooling a bit, get out and make money, and gain experience, so the school mentioned an apprenticeship where you get a certificate and it's paid," Jackson said.

"I did a one-week work placement at Port Stephens Department of Primary Industries, which helped me realise I wanted to learn more about aquaculture.

"Now I want to get more knowledge about it while I'm still at school."

Jackson's apprenticeship was as a deckhand with South Coast Mariculture, a restorative aquaculture company with marine leases in Jervis Bay Marine Park and Twofold Bay, Eden.

"I have learned how to farm mussels. I help look after and use the equipment, they have shown me how to maintain and drive the boat, and operate machinery. I'm out on the water a lot," he said with a smile.

"They have also taught me how to predict and choose the right weather patterns to go, and as a bonus I get to see a lot of marine life, like whales, pods of dolphins, and I've even a seahorse."

As the inaugural recipient of the Sea Your Future Scholarship, established by the Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre, Jackson will receive financial support for travel, accommodation, personal protective equipment, and training-related expenses.

In addition, Jackson was named the recipient of the 2026 Eden Amateur Fishing Club Coxswain Certificate Scholarship valued at $6,500, which will cover the cost for him to complete the course and its practical training in Newcastle.

"In the future, I hope to make a positive difference in the aquaculture space," he said.

"For now, I'm really enjoying building connections, jumping into new opportunities, learning new skills and meeting great people along the way."

The salty spray of Twofold Bay and the hum of a boat engine were a far cry from the high school classroom, but for Jackson, he said the shift in learning had saved his education.

In a world that often pushes university as the only option, Eden Marine High School's Michelle Bond said Jackson's experience only proves that trades - and the ocean - offer a powerful alternative.

"Often a parent's goal is to send their children to university, but there's a skills shortage with trades," Ms Bond said.

"If students can get a school-based apprenticeship and get that sorted, they have the first year of their trade done by the time they graduate.

"It gives students the opportunity to be out in the workforce, mixing with adults, and improving communication and critical thinking skills - all those things that employers want."

Hika Rountree, marine farms operations manager at South Coast Mariculture, considered himself "living proof" that traditional schooling was not designed for everyone.

He admitted school was mainly about rugby and the specific maths required for his skipper's qualifications, but he saw the long-term value in balancing studies with a trade qualification.

Mr Rountree said 10 students had gone through the SBAT program at their sites in Jervis Bay and Eden, and noted the benefits for both employers and students.

"Jackson gets the work experience in a field he's chosen and we get the ability to influence a young person who is pursuing a career in aquaculture," he said.

Mr Rountree said traineeships could lead to job offers, which would place successful students undertaking SBATs in a stronger position when they graduate high school.

"If we have a young person that comes on and shows initiative, who is very interested in the job and picks up the skills, and if we have a trainee position available, it would be offered to them," he said.

"I'm hopeful that when Jackson's finished his school career and his time with us, that if he wants to continue with aquaculture in the local area, there could be an opportunity."