Surf Life Saving Queensland Magazine
Surf Life Saving Queensland Magazine
UNDER THE CAP: REAL STORIES, REAL CAREERS, REAL LIFESAVERS
If you’ve ever stood on patrol and wondered how the person next to you wound up in their day job—or what your own path might look like beyond the flags—SLSQ’s new podcast, Under the Cap, is made for you. Hosted by two familiar voices in our movement, Zoe “Mac” McLeish and Sarah “Sez” Fettell (aka Sez and Mac), the series dives into the messy, motivating, very human career journeys of lifesavers who’ve been exactly where you are now. Think practical insights, left-turn career pivots, and the kind of honesty that usually happens after a long patrol and a late-arvo debrief. Under the Cap sits within SLSQ’s Youth Collective, our growing platform for life skills, wellbeing, and pathways on and off the beach. The show’s flagship format—“How Did I Get Here?”—unpacks the steps (and missteps) that led members to meaningful work, whether that’s paramedicine, engineering, teaching, entrepreneurship, or roles inside the surf lifesaving world itself. The aim is simple: real stories that help you figure out what’s next, delivered by people who speak your language. WHY UNDER THE CAP? We know our young members are curious, capable, and time-poor. Between patrols, training, study, work and life, you want information that’s useful and easy to absorb. Podcasts fit perfectly into that rhythm— download, hit play, and learn while you drive to training or prep gear for the weekend. More importantly, SLSQ wanted to create a career resource built by lifesavers for lifesavers. The Youth Collective already offers life skills content and mental wellbeing tools; Under the Cap is the missing link that turns big-picture inspiration into practical pathways. “We kept hearing the same question from members: ‘How do I actually get from patrol to the career I want?’ Under the Cap answers that, with real people mapping the steps,” says Zoe McLeish. “It’s not a lecture—these are open conversations about choices, detours, pathways and payoffs. If it helps even one member take the next step with confidence, that’s a win for them and for our movement.”
Co-host Sarah Fettell agrees. “So many of us learn by example. We wanted to bottle the best chats from camps, carnivals and clubhouses and put them in your ears—honest, practical, and a bit of fun. If you love the red and yellow, you’ll love hearing how those values translate at work.” WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT Each episode pairs a candid interview with clear takeaways you can act on straight away. Expect: • Career roadmaps without the spin – guests talk about what actually helped (and what didn’t): study choices, first jobs, networking, setbacks, and the moment things clicked. • Transferable skills from lifesaving – leadership on patrol, communication in the tower, teamwork in the IRB—all reframed as strengths recruiters value. • Tactical next steps – simple actions to try this month: short courses to explore, who to call for an informational chat, how to position patrol experience on a CV, and where to find scholarships or entry programs. • Diverse voices – from rookies making bold moves to seasoned professionals, regional and metro members, water-athletes and club workhorses, plus roles inside and outside surf lifesaving. Episodes are paced for busy lives: tight intros, plenty of story, and a lot of laughs. And if you’re just starting out, the Youth Collective site connects you to Pathways and development programs that complement what you hear—so you can keep momentum once the episode ends.
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