Kathleen Leavy has landed what many students would brand a dream job. Kathleen will be braving some of the world’s harshest conditions as she jets off to the South Pole to start her second season working for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.

Kate, a Leeds graduate, will have a colony of over 2,000 penguins to keep her company and is continuing work to restore a historic base on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Speaking to Leeds Student, she says that the harsh conditions and tiring work haven’t fazed her and she’s eager to return: “it gets quite cold but it also gets warm as it’s summer, each day is different and we are busy. I couldn’t do it for more than four months at a time – I  was knackered by the end of last season.”

Kate will also begin helping to run the world’s most southerly post office, where tourists from cruise ships send their postcards, as well as at the local museum that is only accessible by boat.

Bagging a job in Antarctica isn’t the typical career path for many of  graduates but Kate encourages students to look out for similar chances. “It’s just finding the opportunity, I would encourage people to look out as there are some really amazing opportunities out there, you just need to find them.”  The job hunt begins now.

Author: Rebecca Peartree

Photo: Fotopedia