It took years to set up, this wasn’t entirely my fault as a recalcitrant management did everything in their power to thwart my efforts. However, their tactics were exposed and they finally conceded they were in the wrong. Their strategy was simple, every question, every request, every action and every obstacle was erected to prevent justice. Their deceitful actions were finally defeated through a superior strategy, a comprehensive and disciplined series of maneuvers that showed them to be the amateurs that they are.

This required perseverance and patience, you could not just create an aggressive stance, you would need them to try to put one over you before you call them out. So, did they like being called out? Well no, but who would? So where does this lead us? Well, I am a little unsure. What happened next? Firstly, we should stop and reflect as to how we got here. That’s easy, I uncovered corruption, then I informed them I was aware corrupt practices were occurring.

Big mistake, I should have made an official complaint. I did take them to court where they tried to get the case thrown out. When that didn’t work, I re-engaged with discussions with them and wouldn’t you know it. They were willing to negotiate this time. So now I can go and consult as I please, as I am now protected by the provisions of the public interest disclosure act – better known as a whistleblower. They now let me come and go as I please, leave without pay is an excellent instrument for consultants.

Not only could I take them to court, it will be the Equal Opportunity Commission where I get to ask managers questions under oath. Naturally, I have already written the bulk of the questions, I have prepared the evidence to tender to court so I am assured that the answers I will ask are answered correctly on the record.

If you are down in Dunsborough, it is not far to Yallingup and just before you get there is the Caves House Hotel. I cannot recall the last time I was at the Caves House Hotel, but I recall I had a gallbladder operation the next day.

I remember copping an absolute spray from the anesthetist, he was complaining he couldn’t call me for a consult before going under. Even worse, he was unhappy he could not find a vein to give me the knockout juice.

My excuse was I had to fast for 24 hours, he informed me this didn’t include fluids but I already knew that. I was hungover, it was that simple. We had headed southerly on Saturday morning that involved a stay down at Caves House in Yallingup. They have a wonderful beer garden where live bands play, we had been around the Margaret River wine region tasting wines for the weekend having a good time. Not really the greatest pre-op preparation, but the weekend away down the Caves House Hotel was worthwhile regardless of the spray I received.

The Glashütte Original reference 1-39-11-09-81-08 SeaQ is a decent looking dive watch from the deep blue dial, ceramic bezel insert and 39.5 mm case. The finish is excellent as would be expected from a Glashütte Original.

I love the deep blue galvanised sunray dial with applied index and oversize numerals. The SeaQ alternates between index markers and roman numerals and the large pano date is tastefully done. This is unusual as I dislike date windows, mostly because I change watches frequently and I can’t read the date anyway.

For technical specifications, the 39-11 inhouse automatic movement has 25 jewels, the 28,800 vibrations per hour, or 4 Hz is industry standard. The 40 hour power reserve is sufficient but I see the benefit of the 60 hour power reserve so you can take the watch off on a Friday and it still is running Monday morning.

It is not cheap, this dive timepiece will set you back around $13,900 AUD but I feel the SeaQ is way beyond the Rolex Submariner that it will no doubt be compared against. To be fair, the SeaQ should be compared against the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, the real measurement of the dive watch. This is a fantastic dive timepiece, I like the domed crystal, the sunburst blue dial and Arabic numerals on every second index, the three link bracelet is pretty decent too.

I am very much in favour of university graduates undertaking a Graduate Certificate in either a related field, or alternatively, a totally unrelated field if they are seeking to totally change career direction.

For only four units, a Graduate Certificate provides an introduction to the field as the foundation units such as critical thinking, deductive reasoning and reflection are already grounded in under-graduate qualifications. There are no real reasons for undertaking a second Bachelor’s Degree as they usually require twenty four units and the commitment is usually too great for career orientated individuals.

Once the Graduate Certificate is completed, a further four units is required for a Graduate Diploma and the best part is with the growth of eLearning platforms, there is no need to lose time off work and the learning is better embedded through immediate practice. Online discussions, group work through virtual teams and online tutorials build competence through non-traditional means. Whilst you don’t engage in face-to-face discussions, virtual discussions are peer reviewed and referenced.

Naturally, some qualifications are better suited to online learning with leadership, business administration, management, human resources, occupational health and safety, and training and development qualifications are business related courses available online. If you add a Graduate Certificate to a trade qualification then a technical skill-set is enhanced with business and management knowledge. I have always maintained that a business degree supplements technical skills; you actually have to be able to produce a product or service, the business degree enhances technical skills.

I don’t hate Rolex, that’s for sure. I don’t have one in my collection but that is just because either the style is not for me or the premium you pay for the style I prefer that is way out of my price range. What I do respect is the Rolex marketing machine, they are industry leaders in promotion, advertising and product placement.

Rolex has some pretty decent brand ambassadors from tennis ace Roger Federer to fellow tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. Is Rolex the leading watchmaker? No, it is not? Is Rolex the greatest exponent of haute de horlogerie? Nope, not even close. Rolex makes solid toolwatches with in-house movements and original designs. Rolex is a relative newcomer to watchmaking, it is not a member of the holy trinity of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet or Vacheron Constantin. Neither is Rolex in the second tier of Breguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre or A. Lange & Söhne but Rolex makes decent tool watches and markets them exquisitely.

A margarita with Cointreau, now this is a time I don’t mind mixing my Cointreau. Whilst I normally drink Cointreau with ice, I store my Cointreau in the refrigerator so it is always cold and ready to drink.

According to the Cointreau website, Dallas socialite Margarita Sames blended tequila and Cointreau with lime juice to create this now world famous cocktail in 1948 whilst on holiday down in Acapulco. Other stories suggest it was Carlos Herrera, a restaurant located between Tijuana and Rosarito, right up in the north of Baja California in Mexico who came up with the cocktail. First served at the Rancho La Gloria, a restaurant opened in 1935, Herrera mixed the drink for showgirl Marjorie King who was allergic to hard liqueur, with the exception of tequila and one presumed triple sec.

• 2 ounces tequila.
• 1 ounce Cointreau.
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice.
• Salt on the glass rim.

Hanging out on Alona Beach is always relaxing for me, my first visit in the mid 90s saw a much different beach infrastructure and attitude – no complaints though, I like the current development as much as the almost uninhabited beach of the early 90s.

There wasn’t much there in those days, not like the bars and restaurants all set up on the beach these days, a different atmosphere to that of today – well, that was before covid anyway. During the day after diving, this is a great opportunity to sit on the beach and grab a bite to eat and wash down with a few drinks.

I used to bring my study materials with me, some people ask why I would bring study materials on holiday with me? I have to study during this period, why would I only take my break between units? I set my laptop computer up, bring my textbooks along with printed readings and get into it.

I loved this style of study in the past, I really couldn’t do it again though and I am glad there is no more study on the horizon. This part-time study and full-time work model is great, it is tough on the individual, how people with kids study is beyond me.

Let’s face it, I couldn’t think of a better location to study as I have the time to read, write up essays and enjoy the beach between dives. I couldn’t actually think of a better place to study – it was a great time.

Diving in warm tropical waters presents its own set of problems, these are mostly stingers that wetsuits normally offer sufficient protection. Titan Triggerfish and to a certain degree currents are problems encountered too.

The waters are mostly warm and clear in the Philippines, dives are generally from banca boats but as currents and islands in close proximity to each other tend to produce strong currents and at times cloudy water. Getting caught in a down current, that\’s excitement I can do without, a wall of water dragging you down to the depths? Getting behind the wall can help but you cannot stay there forever, deco loads and gas management are then tricky.

Surprisingly, up currents can also present problems caused by deep walls, difficult to perform decompression stops when you are swimming down as hard as you can. I have gone from a massive down current on a deep wall to struggling to hold depth near the surface to complete my stops. Even though the water is around 28C, I always wear a full length 3 mm wetsuit, I should be wearing a hood, even if it is just a rashie hood to protect my head from the sun on the surface and stingers when below the waves – I just never learn.

For me, Beefeater Gin is a slightly unusual tasting gin, this is not a complaint and I do like it on occasions. For me, it makes this gin distinctive and that’s what I like about it although I don’t partake in drinking gin all that much and I have to admit, I drink Beefeater Gin even less but I do partake every now and again. Still, it makes a pleasant change.

The predominant flavour of any gin is juniper berry coupled with Beefeater Gin’s array of angelica seeds, angelica root, Seville orange peel, coriander seeds, lemon peel, orris root, almonds and liquorice root giving Beefeater Gin its distinctive and bold flavour. Well, that’s according to their website anyway and also according to their website, they are the world’s most awarded gin as they proudly gush – that was something I didn’t know.

I then had to partake in some research to discover the difference between London Dry Gin and other forms of gin and I found out are the botanical ingredients. I see this advertised on bottles all the time, I needed some answers. Anything added after the juniper must be natural and can’t be added after the distillation process for London Dry Gin. Whilst distilled gin is manufactured essentially the same as London Dry Gin, they can pretty much do as they please.

Flavours may be added after the distillation process and compound gin is purely bottom shelf alcohol that isn’t governed with juniper flavours infused after distillation. So I’m not going to head out on a gin drinking binge, I do like gin when I am in the tropics and I have a trip planned so I might just give Beefeater Gin some forethought.

I am a big fan of undertaking an apprenticeship and getting oneself a trade. I really support workplace based training and believe a four-year apprenticeship forms the foundation of a great career.

Not every job description is designated as a trade, yet options exist for workplace based training to gain a specific skill-set without undertaking a four-year trade, a traineeship is such an option. A traineeship is a one-year workplace based training program as opposed to the more arduous four-year apprenticeship training model. Not every person is motivated to attend university to gain a bachelor degree.

Furthermore, the high school system attempts to push everyone into a university education when their desire or grades do not warrant such a pathway. This is based on the incorrect assumption that everyone has to have a university degree because a teacher needs one. So many young people begin university undertaking a course they have no interest in, run up a large debt and drop out before they complete the course. The job market for university graduates isn’t brilliant with so many young people left disenchanted and financially stressed.

A traineeship is supplemented with academic learning, some learning is on-the-job, some learning outcomes may require off-the-job training and assessment may be a combination of on-the-job and off-the-job methodologies. A traineeship on the other hand  allows you to earn a full-time wage as you are undertaking training. For some traineeships, admittedly, you do earn a lower salary than a qualified person, but after you graduate you are on full pay.

You are not left with an outrageous debt and limited career options with no real work experience. A one year traineeship gains credits towards a trade, so an apprenticeship may be shortened with credits gained during the traineeship. What’s even better, with new university pathway options after a number of years in the workforce and a CV with actual workplace experience you are able apply to university financially secure and a work history.

Even better, with the study options available you don’t have to give up full-time work and study part-time just as you did during your traineeship. You can also gain some credits for a degree from a traineeship but by far the most important aspect is actual industry experience that the average school leaver does not possess. A traineeship is a great option, after 12 months of part time study and work, the graduate is not only job ready, they have genuine work experience added to their CV.

A traineeship is not a second-class qualification by any means, a graduate does not have to undertake further study to generate a solid income and strong employment history. A traineeship is a qualification in itself leading to great employment prospects. I always highlight further study options for motivated individuals who might not seek further options right now but in the future – who knows? From a traineeship you move to an apprenticeship and then progress to post-trade studies.