Thanks to Sarah Innes, Careers Consultant, for this great overview of a career in the environment and sustainability. Sarah also give tips on how to make the most of our #EdEcoCareers mini-fair.
As we face the reality of climate change and our damaged environmental there is a need for committed professional people to work to protect our planet and manage its natural resources.
What’s it like…
- Working with like-minded people who are passionate about making a difference in climate change, reducing plastics, renewable energy technology, sustainability and much more.
- It’s impossible to generalise about the work done in this sector – you are as likely to be working in a forest as an office!
- Anyone working in the sector is extremely likely to have done relevant volunteering or have hobbies connected to the environment and outdoors.
- There are only a few formal programmes to get work experience or for graduate jobs – you don’t need to have worked for a well-known brand, but you do need to be able to talk about how what you have done is relevant.
- Did you know that environmental and sustainability roles cover a wider range of degree backgrounds than almost any other sector? As well as technical roles (requiring science, engineering, geography, agriculture and so on), there are quantitative roles, data and IT jobs, marketing, education, charity work and creative positions. Add in sales, policy, community work, food and hospitality and much more, and you can see that a pathway in sustainability and the environment offers huge possibilities.
Making the most of Careers in Sustainability and the Environmental Careers mini-fair
This event brings together recent Edinburgh graduates, employers and professional and 3rd sector organisations who are as passionate about the environment as you are. Although some of these organisations are recruiting, that’s not the main purpose of this event. This is all about meeting early stage career professionals, getting advice from like-minded people and hearing how they forged a path in this sector.
Use this event to:
- Ask early years professionals how they started out in the sector.
- Get advice on the sorts of skills that are in demand – and how you can develop these.
- Talk over your job search strategy – what are the best ways to find work?
- Find out about the professional bodies you should be joining (yes, even while you’re still a student!)
- Find out about new emerging job roles – and what’s happening in the industry.
However taking that first step into a ‘graduate’ role can be daunting. Not sure where to start? Our blogs will give you some inspiration and fantastic advice from graduates talking about their experience. On Tuesday Sarah Innes will be talking about ‘How to find jobs in the environmental sector’ in this Collaborate session – sign up via MyCareerHub.
We look forward to seeing you at Wednesday’s networking and panel event – and to hearing about your journey into this dynamic and important sector.
(Image credit: annca on Pixabay)
