What's your job about?
Alluvium works closely with clients to solve complex social and environmental issues. Specifically, I work on environmental management, policy, and climate-related projects.
With each project comes different responsibilities and expectations, as a graduate I provide support to projects. This could include undertaking preliminary research on projects – identifying previous research and where there are gaps, attending client meetings and taking notes, reviewing policies, supporting the analysis and write-up of reports, and taking up ad-hoc tasks such as restructuring reports, developing diagrams, and creating workshop materials.
What's your background?
I grew up in Bronte, NSW, where I attended Bronte Public School and did nippers every Sunday at Bronte Beach until I was about 15. I attended St Catherine’s High School which was a 10-minute walk away from my house.
After finishing school, I had no idea what I wanted to study and wanted to experience life, so I decided to take a gap year and venture out of the Bronte bubble. I traveled around Europe for four months with five good friends, and I know it sounds cliché, but I did have the greatest time of my life. I had such a good time experiencing new cultures, foods, landscapes, and environments.
When I got back I still didn’t know what I wanted to study, so I decided to apply to the Australian National University (ANU). I enrolled in Commerce and Arts, however after a year realized I was more interested in environmental issues, so I swapped my Arts degree for a Science degree. I enjoyed my time at ANU, a highlight was a sustainable development trip I did in Fiji. As a group we engaged with local communities and industries, which deepened my understanding of the added complexities of achieving sustainable development in a developing country. During the trip I had various conversations with people about what they did for work, and of course, as it was a sustainable development trip a lot of them worked in the environmental industry, typically in government or consulting roles. So, when I got home I searched up local environmental consulting firms and sent out emails to each that popped up, expressing my interest in the industry and asking if they would take up an intern. A few weeks later I got a response from the manager in the Alluvium Canberra office, went in for a coffee and a catch-up, and got the job.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
YES! I believe if you are passionate about sustainability and the environment the best thing to do is to enroll in an environment-related university degree. Studying at university will give you the knowledge and tools to succeed in a role like mine. Whilst you are studying find out if your university runs an internship program and apply for it. Undertaking an internship whilst you study allows you to better understand what working in the environmental industry can look like, it will also make you more employable once you graduate, as you develop communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and time management skills that are crucial in a consulting role.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
The great thing about the Alluvium Group is that it consists of three core discipline areas: biophysical sciences and engineering, social sciences and human welfare, and economics and public policy. This means that I usually work with a team of people with diverse working backgrounds. Working closely with people who specialize in different disciplines has been great for expanding my knowledge of the above areas and deepened my understanding of the interconnectedness between the environment, the economy, and society.
What are the limitations of your job?
I think the only limitation with consulting is that the workload fluctuates, which means work commitments can change each week. However, the silver lining is that during quieter periods you pick up tasks that you wouldn’t typically do, which means experiencing different types of work and working with people you may not have worked with before.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to know what you want to do once you finish university. Take time to travel – reflect, reset, and experience new things.
Fit in an internship or two during your time at university. They are an excellent way to learn and work out what you enjoy.
Apply for any field trip opportunities that arise whilst you are at university.