Emily P.
About me
| Emily P. | |
| Environment | |
| Environmental Geography | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Vanbrugh | |
| 2014 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Graduate Air Quality Consultant | |
| United Kingdom |
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A day in the life of a Graduate Air Quality Consultant in the United Kingdom
I create extensive models of air quality across the UK
My career goals when I graduated
I knew I wanted to do something related to Environment, but overall I had no idea what that was. I decided going travelling for a year would narrow it down for me, which it didn't. So I just applied to everything environment related.
My career history
I've pretty much gone from Uni to South Africa volunteering for a year, to my career now (which I've only been at for a month).
What has helped my career to progress
Perseverance.
How my studies have helped my career
My dissertation was massively related to the work I'm doing now, which has helped a lot. I learnt all of the background knowledge I need now in my third year, so all the lectures did actually help.
What surprised me about my career so far
Being an adult, getting a job and having a career is not as scary as you think it will be.
Where I hope to be in 5 years
Working abroad, working within the environment rather than at a desk for the environment.
My advice to students considering work
Be prepared for competition. People always say there are so many people competing to get jobs.. but seriously there are. Be prepared to wait. I had to wait four months before I heard off a company about being invited to an assessment day.
My advice about working in my industry
Don't worry too much about not having the exact qualifications or experience. If you're confident and show you have the willingness to learn, it's better than not even looking in the first place.
Other advice
Enjoy yourself. If you can, take the time to travel and see as much of the world as you can. So many of my friends regret not taking that chance, and now they're stuck working full time with 28 days holiday to fit it into.
Jobs will always be around, especially in the environment sector.
Contacting me
Life as a graduate, someone lost in the space in-between, and as a full-time career woman.
What I do
Air Quality Analysis - I create extensive models of air quality across the UK allowing clients to proceed with planning applications for a range of development projects.
Skills I use and how I developed them
Willingness to learn; I'm only just starting out in my career, my boss knows that, but he also expects me to get stuck in and take on as many challenges as I can.
Being adaptable; Every project I do is different and I have to be able to know what needs to happen where, and when. Easily developed by doing more and more projects - everything just takes time!
A degree and dissertation in the field I'm working in now might have helped too!
What I like most
How challenging every day is.
What I like least
Having to read all the legislation.
What surprised me most
How much I'm enjoying it. I never wanted to go into Air Quality after my dissertation, but it's turned out to be the best thing I could have chosen to do.
Next steps...
If you like the look of Emily’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Emily a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Emily to be your mentor.