Case studies: Environmental consultant: David

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David gained a degree in environmental management at Northumbria University.

I chose an environmental career as I wanted to work in a field where I could apply my interest and passion for environmental issues in a practical setting. I also wanted to help reduce the impact of people on the environment.

I studied and gained a Bachelors degree in environmental management before taking on my first job as an environmental officer. In this job, I assisted an environmental manager and developed my skills. During this time, I also gained my Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) qualifications and gained IEMA membership status.

My degree enabled me to develop skills in oral and written communication, data management and analysis, problem-solving, project management, and working as part of a team. I also developed a deep understanding of environmental issues in addition to learning about global and local environmental policy, business and environmental management, sustainable development, and environmental legislation.

For the last two years, I’ve been working as an environmental consultant with SEQM. Much of my work is focused on the housing sector, and I’ve specialised in providing environmental solutions for housing associations and related organisations. Alongside my work, I’m also studying for a PhD investigating the impact of energy-saving solutions and advice on tenant behaviour.

I like the reward of hitting environmental targets and engaging employees and stakeholders in environmental management issues. However, I dislike some of the administrative tasks such as managing databases and spreadsheets even though they are essential for managing and monitoring progress.

My advice for anyone interested in the profession is to recognise that people can have differing opinions and attitudes on environmental issues. It is important to try and work with fellow employees, rather than against them, to seek outcomes which satisfy all parties. In some cases, this may be harder than you think!

My role is developing all the time, and although it is still a relatively new field, environmental issues are becoming much more of a focus. Most organisations these days have had to look at the environmental impacts on their business. I’ve found that it is important to keep up to date with changes in policy and legislation as well as the key drivers for businesses in order to keep pace with the environmental agenda.

I perform a variety of duties on a typical day. In fact, it’s fair to say that typical days are quite rare as my role and responsibilities are so wide and varied. I tend to have a number of different projects on the go, and I work closely with the team to share ideas and learn from each other. Duties include an element of research, assessment, monitoring and report writing. However, it’s being out and about on site and meeting with clients that I most enjoy.

I hope to continue to progress in the future - adapting to and meeting the challenges of this developing field and working towards higher targets that reduce environmental impacts, improve efficiencies and reduce costs through continued innovation.

AGCAS