North American students spill the beans on how to ‘Catch a Crab’

The students enjoyed an ‘unforgettable Australian outdoor lifestyle experience’ on the multi-award winning boat cruise tour, with pelican feeding, yabbie pumping, trapping for live mud crabs, viewing the oyster farms, fishing and watching the entertaining, educational crab show against the backdrop of beautiful scenery.

Catch a Crab has been operating on the Tweed River for 25 years, and has been a longtime Southern Cross University industry champion by taking international students onboard for work experience and other unique learning opportunities.

Southern Cross University Study Abroad student Krystal Rhaburn, from California, is studying a Bachelor of Communication and said she was excited to help design the social media project before she returns home in June.

“Through the University’s Volunteer Connect Program we are able to get real-world experience by helping a local business put together ideas for social media from a different perspective, because we are from the USA which is the market they’re trying to reach,” she said.

“The way we plan holidays is often by looking through Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat so using those platforms can definitely help businesses to reach a larger audience.”

Study Abroad economics student Riley Smith, also from the USA, said Southern Cross University’s Volunteer Connect Program had given him valuable experience in the workforce ahead of applying for graduate positions in less than two years.

“This experience helps me narrow down my ideas for what I want to focus on and for what my passions are as well as helping with my resume,” he said.

“In a couple of weeks we will all get together in a focus group to come up with ideas and help plan the social media campaign for Catch a Crab.”

Environmental science student Sophie Johnson and graphic design student Alisha Hernandez said they had never pumped a yabbie back in the United States.

“When I looked on the Catch a Crab website, I just thought we’d be watching the activities on the tour, but it was great we actually got to pump the yabbies and catch the fish ourselves as part of the experience,” she said.

The work experience opportunity is an integral part of Southern Cross University’s Volunteer Connect work integrated learning program, co-funded through StudyNSW’s Partner Project program.

“The University designed Volunteer Connect to improve the study experience and employability of our international students,” said Volunteer Connect coordinator Angus Collins.

“Three weeks of workshops focusing on training in Australian workplace culture, verbal and non-verbal coaching, plus networking and job search skills, is followed by a session where students are matched with an alumni mentor and 15 hours of workplace experience at a local business.”