Meet Chris, 25, to find out more about life as a volcano vlogger and guide as part of our Bitesize world of work series.
I’m Chris, I’m 25 and I’m a volcano guide.
Anywhere there is a volcano with a massive lava lake I climb inside there and take film crews into some of the most difficult places on this planet. The volcanoes we operate on, have got huge lava lakes and these pump out huge volumes of SO2 so that's sulphur dioxide and the extremely corrosive environment that we face up there destroys our equipment in a matter of days.
It's amazing to stand next to a lava lake and then look around you and see all the different layers of volcanic activity.
I mean what I’m seeing in front of me is a boiling pot of molten magma and around me is its solid form. It's constantly changing and it's a really amazing place to study.
At school I had a real interest in Science, Geography and also Maths. I apply the skills and knowledge that I learnt in school into the world of volcanoes.
Currently I’m using drones to map these volcanoes we can analyse the depth of the lava lake, its height and proximity to the top of the crater, and also measure if there's been any significant collapses that could signify a new eruption. I started travelling and I went to more and more extreme places picking up a camera along the way, I started with photography until that led me to a volcano in the South Pacific.
I’m so grateful to share that experience with other people and hopefully push people more into this crazy world of volcanology.
I apply the skills and knowledge that I learnt at school to help people understand volcanoes.
Chris has built an exciting career as a volcano vlogger and guide for a company called Going to Extremes. He uses photography and film to record and write about his experiences exploring and climbing inside volcanoes for his blog. He is currently working with drones to map lava lakes. They measure the height and depth of the lakes, and help to identify any potential signs of new eruptions. Chris loves sharing his passion for volcanoes with others, helping them witness science in action first-hand, including helping to guide film crews on how to safely access these dangerous environments.
What to expect if you want to be a vlogger
- Vlogger average salary: Variable
- Vlogger typical working hours: Variable
What qualifications do you need to be a vlogger?
You could get into this role via a college course, an apprenticeship, volunteering, teaching yourself or short private training courses.
Sources: LMI for All, National Careers Service
This information is a guide and is constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed.
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
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