Quest to become Lakes Aquarium’s Young Apprentice 2012 begins

Children with aspirations to work with animals as a career can get a fabulous foot on the ladder if they enter a competition that is searching for a young apprentice creature keeper.

Lake District visitor attraction, Lakes Aquarium, is to launch its second Young Apprentice contest, following the success of its inaugural competition in 2011.  The contest is open to children aged 7-11 and can be entered either through a school, or independently.

Children who enter are first asked to complete an application form, available at www.lakesaquarium.co.uk or picked up during a Lakes Aquarium visit at half term – a good idea for those wishing to pick up information about the creatures before the contest.

By the closing date of March 9, children need to have answered a question about their favourite aquatic animal then stated, in 50 words or less, why they would make a good aquarist and keeper.

After the closing date, all entries will be reviewed by Lakes Aquarium’s education officer, Dave Conway, who will select the five finalists for 2012.  These five will attend the grand final at Lakes Aquarium on Saturday, March 24, when the second part of the contest will take place.

This will be full of hands on activities, with the children assisting the Lakes Aquarium team with their daily talks programme and delivering information on creatures such as a giant land snail and a baby snake, while holding the creature.  They will also explain to the audience why they deserve to win.

After this, one winner will be chosen and the others ‘’fired’ in the nicest possible way, with great memories and experience to take away and note on future job applications!  Runners-up will also receive a goody bag of gifts and treats from Lakes Aquarium.

The overall winner will be presented with a trophy and crowned Lakes Aquarium Young Apprentice 2012.  They will follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Bethlyn Wickens from Burlington C of E Primary School in Kirkby in Furness who impressed with her team play, calm nature and natural affinity with animals.

In addition, the winner will be able to enjoy a half-day ‘Keeper for a Day’ experience at Lakes Aquarium, either that day or on a later date.  This will see them involved in lots of activities with the keepers and talks team, tackling behind-the-scenes tasks such as making fruit kebabs for the pygmy marmosets, hiding meal worms for the otters, chopping up squid for the rays and even cleaning out the tortoises!

Lakes Aquarium’s Dave Conway says: “Children entering this contest need to communicate a love of creatures and be prepared to participate, learn and get a little mucky.  We will be judging them on all sorts of attributes, so any child that is passionate about animals has a chance of winning”.