Environmental consultant
An environmental consultant works on commercial or government contracts to address a variety of environmental issues for their clients. They cover a wide range of disciplines such as assessment of air, land and water contamination, environmental impact assessment, environmental audit, waste management and the development of environmental policy and environmental management systems.
According to the 2009 Environmental Data Services (ENDS) survey of environmental professionals, the majority continue to be employed in the consultancy sector. In second and third place are the construction and manufacturing industries.
A career as an environmental consultant offers the opportunity for a structured professional path with good prospects for development and the potential to specialise in an area of interest.
As there is such a variety in the type of work that an environmental consultant may undertake on a day-to-day basis there is clearly a wide range of typical activities. A key task is to identify whether land, air or water is contaminated by means of desk-based research and field work, and then undertake an assessment to identify if that contaminant source can have an adverse impact on a receptor (such as humans or groundwater, for example).
Typical activities include:
Relevant degree subjects include biological sciences, environmental and earth sciences, chemical and physical sciences, urban and land studies, engineering, agricultural and horticultural sciences, and social/economic/business studies. In particular, the following degree subjects may increase your chances for employment in this sector:
A good honours degree is the minimum entry qualification. If you are studying for a relevant degree, choosing a dissertation title which is relevant to your field of interest is important. Ideally, a work-based placement through an employer will build the best contacts and experience.
Entry is not possible with an HND only.
These days, in addition to a first degree, it is common for applicants to have a postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject or some work experience in that field. Employers will often expect this now and sometimes offer summer placements and work-based placements linked to Masters programmes.
Local councils and other government agencies, e.g. the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) , may also provide project placements at times.
Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:
A driving licence is often required.
Student membership of a chartered institution or society will demonstrate your commitment to your career and desire to engage with professionals in your sector. It will also give you the opportunity to network and market yourself to potential employers.
Although many posts ask for experience there is a general trend for employers not to insist on this. A number of consultancies, recognising the need to be more proactive and take the time to invest in junior staff, have established graduate training schemes. In order to identify potential employers, candidates should research companies in their area of interest (see ENDS Environmental Consultancy Directory ) and look for graduate opportunities on their websites. Employers in this sector are also open to speculative applications, so contacting a consultancy with a CV is worthwhile.
It is illegal for employers to discriminate against candidates on the grounds of age, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation or religious faith.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Training is mainly on the job.
There are many training organisations and institutions offering short courses to enable environmental employees to gain specialist knowledge or a specialist qualification. Many of these are listed on Training Pages . Some short courses on offer lead to professional qualifications. These are assessed by exams and/or a work-based project. Training courses are often provided by chartered institutions and professional societies. For future career development within environmental consultancy it is worthwhile considering gaining chartership via a professional body e.g. the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) or the Geological Society .
Support for anyone who is trying to plan their own personal professional development is available through the IEMA Skills Map . It helps those in environmental jobs to see the knowledge and skills they will require throughout their careers.
Many higher education institutions offer distance learning courses leading to higher qualifications. These are listed by the International Centre for Distance Learning . The ENDS Environmental Consultancy Directory also lists relevant training and postgraduate courses.
Employers who subscribe to the Investors in People scheme offer a comprehensive training programme and opportunities for personal development for those who join them. Some professional institutions also offer specific training to their members. In addition, attending conferences can also provide a useful opportunity to gain information on up-to-date developments, as well as further opportunities for networking with professionals.
Typically the first two years of consultancy will consist of a large proportion of site-based experience, e.g. intrusive ground investigation, ecological surveys, ground and surface water sampling etc. Other experience will include data assessment, desk-based research, liaison with sub-contractors, clients and regulators, report preparation and writing. As experience is gained consultants may be asked to manage small projects in order to take on more responsibility.
Consultants can then progress to senior consultant grade, typically when they have around five years' experience. Senior consultants are usually responsible for the management of staff, site investigations, contracts and the allocation of resources. Another facet of a senior's role is business development, with responsibility for marketing the business to new clients and developing relationships with existing clients. They are also often involved in identifying and submitting tenders for new work. After a number of years at senior grade, consultants can develop to principal consultant grade, where responsibilities are mainly team management, commercial development and being a technical specialist. Principal consultants are often required to have professional membership of an appropriate body. Some people then have the opportunity to progress further, to director level.
Some vacancies are filled through personal contacts and word of mouth, so it is important to keep building up and maintaining contacts during the early stages of your career. However, a lot of vacancies are now handled through specialist recruitment agencies. Being willing to relocate either within the UK, or abroad, may help to increase opportunities for career progression.
The London 2012 Olympics will create major demand and development opportunities, particularly for environmental impact assessment practitioners, planners, and contaminated land and geotechnics experts.
There are a large number of companies offering environmental consultancy services in the UK, and many of the smaller ones concentrate their work in particular industries. Others specialise in particular work across all industries, in areas such as environmental impact assessment or audit. The larger consultancies have generally grown out of companies that originally made their names in areas such as waste management, civil engineering or water and sewage. The client bases of consultancies include all sectors of commerce and industry, as well as local and central government, in the UK and internationally. Other employers of environmental consultants include local authorities, central government organisations, non-governmental and wildlife organisations, and, less commonly, pressure and conservation groups.
Consultancy forms the single largest recruiting sector for environmental specialists. Legislation remains the major driving force for growth in the UK environmental sector, closely followed by new development and infrastructure/regeneration. The strongest growth areas in consultancy are predicted to be climate change/emissions management and waste management and sustainability, followed closely by environmental impact assessment and contaminated land.
Recruitment agencies handle a large proportion of vacancies in this sector. Many have links advertised on some of the recruitment websites listed above. Alternatively, you can find agencies online through the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) .
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