CAREER & EMPLOYABILITY GUIDEwww.ljmu.ac.uk/careers 1A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCES, INSIGHT & SUPPORT SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES Read student and graduate case studies from the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences
BRACKEN STURGESS GRADUATED IN 2015 WITH AN ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR DEGREE AND NOW WORKS AS A TRAINEE TEACHER - PGCE
I love getting to know the personalities of different pupils and how they each bring something different to the learning environment. There is no better feeling than seeing a child gain confidence in themselves and their abilities. Teaching isn’t just about a curriculum, it’s about developing children into well-rounded, resilient, successful adults who can make a positive contribution to our society. Anything you are not so keen on/challenges: It involves a large amount of admin work such as lesson planning, marking and assessments, but you can learn ways to reduce this and it also takes less time when you gain confidence in your subject knowledge. It is difficult to start with, but it does get easier. What did the application / selection process involve for the PGCE and how did you prepare? In preparation for the application, I needed to complete 10 days’ observation and experience in a school setting. I chose to spend one day in a primary setting, and nine days in secondary at three different schools that have very different student bodies. I needed to undertake a subject knowledge enhancement course in Physics, which you do in your own time. I applied for the School Direct option, so I was interviewed by the director of the teaching school and a member of staff from Edge Hill University. The interview also involved a micro teaching sessions based on a topic in my subject area. I finally had to pass professional skills tests in numeracy and literacy. What work experience / skills / volunteering did you do? I completed work experience at a vets, Blackpool Zoo, a boarding kennels/cattery and an animal rescue centre. Whilst employed at Guide Dogs, I was a My Guide, where I volunteered to help blind/partiallysighted people to get out and gain independence. I was also part of focus groups aimed at morale and team building, which has been essential in helping me to work as part of a team. What advice would you give to other students studying Animal Behaviour to improve their employability? Take all possible opportunities to volunteer and discover different career options. I think if I hadn’t done all the work experience, I wouldn’t have been confident making the decision to train as a teacher. I know people who have also trained as teachers, and others work as ecologists, estate agents, kennel assistants, animal trainers, vet nurses, zookeepers and a range of other roles. Figure out where you excel and go for it!
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
I loved my previous job, but I wanted to contribute to something more actively. As I am very ambitious and career progression in my previous job was limited, I made the extremely difficult decision to leave. When I went to a school for a day to observe, I felt like I was where I needed to be. What are you enjoying most about your teacher training?
Why did you decide to go into teaching as a career?
GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 2 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Can you briefly outline what the selection process involved and how you prepared?
My director of studies went through the scholarship application with me after having found a host at a university in South Africa who had a suitable project location for my research. Once the application was successful and I received the scholarship, I then applied for the ‘Matched Funding’ scholarship from LJMU and again was successful. The registration process was easy and straightforward: I came up with a short project proposal of what exactly I wanted to research and with that, was accepted as a PhD candidate!
What relevant work experience/skills/ volunteering did you refer to during the selection process? My BSc provided me with the basic skills of statistical analysis, field work, how to design a study and how to carry out research. My MPhil was very ‘hands on’ and provided me with a lot of experience in terms of working with wild animals in captivity and how to not only design a study, but also deal with problems and hurdles along the way. Additionally, I was a volunteer at a local shelter and, before starting university, did volunteer work with wild animals in South Africa and Central America. This provided me with experiences as to what it’s like to live in the bush and how to approach new cultures. What advice would you give to other Zoology/Animal Behaviour students to improve their employability? Don’t be afraid to approach lecturers and ask them about possible placements or jobs. If I hadn’t bugged everyone about how much I want to work with elephants, it probably wouldn’t have been on Nicola’s radar when the possibility for a PhD scholarship arose. I also worked as a student advocate throughout university (and will again once I finish my fieldwork). It’s a great job and super flexible with great pay. They are always looking for postgrad students so keep this in mind if you’re looking for a job!
Tell us about your postgraduate career to date: I graduated in 2014 and worked full-time during the summer to earn enough money in order to cover my tuition fees for the MPhil. From October 2014 to 2015 I did my MPhil working with captive Rhesus macaques. During my MPhil, Dr Nicola Koyama approached me about the possibility of applying for a scholarship which would allow me to carry out research for my PhD. The application was successful and I am currently in Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa, studying the behaviour and welfare of wild African elephants, Loxodonta Africana. Why did you decide to pursue postgrad study? During my BSc I realised I was most interested in cognition and welfare of wild animals, and elephants are simply amazing. In order to be able to contribute to their conservation and to improve conditions under which they are kept worldwide, research is the strongest and best way forward, changing legislation and public opinion. The PhD gives me the chance to pursue this career as well as to develop my skills and knowledge under the guidance of successful researchers and leading figures in this area. Three things I love about my PhD: ❙ I live in the middle of the bush, the elephants and other wildlife are on my doorstep. ❙ Carrying out sound research means there is a chance to make a real difference to these animals’ future welfare. ❙ I get to meet interesting people all over the world who are just as obsessed with elephants as I am.
PHD IN BEHAVIOURAL ECOLOGY AT LJMU POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 3CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
ISABELLE SZOTT IS AN ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR AND MPHIL PRIMATE COGNITION AND WELFARE GRADUATE WHO IS NOW COMPLETING A
GRADUATE CASE STUDY www.ljmu.ac.uk/postgraduate Whether you are looking to specialise, change direction, enhance your earning potential or boost your employability, staying at LJMU for postgraduate study is a great investment in your future success, with increased earnings of up to 18% for postgraduates compared to graduates. BBC April 2019 GET A 20% DISCOUNT OFF YOUR LJMU POSTGRADUATE COURSE To discover more, call 0151 231 5090, or go to: SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 4 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Key points in my career development to date: My sandwich placement at Living Coasts, Devon. PGCE – University of Wolverhampton. Founding member of Reaseheath College Teaching and Learning Knowledge (TALK) Group – a group designed to show case best practice and help deliver CPD to cross-college staff.
What advice would you give to other students studying at LJMU to improve their employability? Seek additional work experience – even if it’s only the odd day here and there. Utilise the expertise of staff members. Establish which elements of your course really interest you – this will help you identify your career aspirations/options. Most importantly don’t just sit back and wait for opportunities to come your way – they won’t!
What does your current job involve? Since first joining Reaseheath College in 2012 I have been supported in completing my Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) alongside teaching post-16 students on a range of modules that have included Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Environmental Interpretation and Zoo Animal Health and Husbandry, amongst many others. As well as the day-to-day teaching responsibilities I am a ‘Course Manager’ making me responsible for closely monitoring and supporting a specific tutorial group, helping the students to achieve their potential. With my current role as an ‘Advanced Practitioner’ I lead on a range of additional projects that include developing students’ Maths and English abilities, listening and implementing the learner’s voice along with working closely with industry to deliver courses such as the Level 3 Award in Education and training for those wishing to pursue a career in education within the animal sector.
What was the application process like? For my position at Reaseheath College I had to submit a written application along with my CV which was graded on my ability to link my previous experience to ‘competencies’ the college valued as important e.g. accountability, honesty and integrity. Once shortlisted I attended an assessment centre which involved a panel interview, a written task, a group activity and delivering a micro teaching session. This was a full day of activities, which provided a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the range of skills I possessed relevant to the job. In order to prepare I undertook research into the college’s history/provision, the awarding body for the courses they delivered and also the subject on which I was to develop my micro teach. This combined with speaking to staff I knew that already worked at the college enabled me to gain an insight into their roles and ultimately identify examples from my own experience that would benefit the college were I to obtain the position.
How did you get to where you are today? During my time with LJMU I undertook a sandwich placement as a ‘Student researcher’ based at Living Coasts, Devon. The practical animal husbandry and behavioural research skills gained during this nine-month month placement along with the knowledge acquired during my degree have benefited me in every role I’ve obtained since. In fact, all job roles I have obtained can be traced back to the industry contacts and skills I gained during my placement year.
Tips or advice for those looking for jobs in your sector: Consider completing the Level 3 Award in Education and Training/PGCE. Contact individuals working in the sector and speak to them about how they got into the role/what their day-to-day is like. Attend conferences –meet like-minded individuals and form valuable connections.
HAYLEY WORSFOLD IS AN ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS AN ADVANCED PRACTITIONER IN ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AT REASEHEATH COLLEGE
Did the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team at LJMU help you in any way? During my final year at LJMU I benefited greatly from the staff working in the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team. They helped me to review my skill set and identify the skills I had developed during my degree programme and placement year. This proved valuable when putting together a skills-based CV for job applications.
Typically, participants on the Leadership Development Programme (LDP) spend 39 weeks in the classroom teaching compared to the 13 weeks that student teachers on other courses spend. During this process, you get continued support from your placement school, your university and also alumni of the programme. Over the two years on the programme you work towards a PGDE which is also worth more credits than the standard PGCE.
2019 BIOLOGY GRADUATE KATIE FISHER SECURED A PLACE ON THE TEACH FIRST GRADUATE SCHEME AS A TRAINEE SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHER GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 5CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
What did the application / selection process involve and how did you prepare? The first stage involved completing an online application form describing specific examples when I had shown Teach First competencies. I was successful and then invited to a day-long ‘development centre’. During this, I had a one-to-one interview again based on the Teach First competencies. I then had to take part in a group task during which we had to discuss an education-related topic. The final task was to carry out a seven-minute lesson from a list of topics that were provided to you. This was delivered to two Teach First employees who were in character as pupils of the age you were teaching. Self-evaluation forms a large part of the day and after the group task and the seven-minute lesson, I had to evaluate how I thought I performed and what I would do differently next time.
What work experience/skills did you refer to? I tried to keep any examples within the last two to three years so that they were recent. I referred to work experience I had in helping out at university during open/applicant days and the tasks I performed within the laboratories on such days. The volunteering experience I gained in a palliative care hospice was also something that I talked about as I was able to refer to the skills I gained from this experience like communication and understanding others.
To prepare I went over the Teach First competencies, thinking of specific examples where I had previously demonstrated each one in either a professional, academic or personal capacity. There is a very strong emphasis on your ability to show that you have the ability to develop the competencies that Teach First believes in. I took advantage of all the advice that Teach First gave on their website and emails and made contact with my personal application manager to get more advice on how to succeed on the day.
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Ensure that you have some kind of work experience, whether paid, voluntary or both! Once you get to the interview stage of any job it ensures that you have experiences and examples to talk about. In addition, undertaking work experience may help you decide if you actually want to work in that sector. For example, I completed work experience in a fertility laboratory and realised that this wasn’t really something that I wanted to pursue after all.
BIOLOGY
I am truly passionate about my subject and want to pass on the knowledge I have gained and the enthusiasm I have to secondary school aged pupils. From my own experience in education, I know the huge difference a teacher who loves their subject can make to how students view a subject and the life choices they later go on to make. What attracted you to the Teach First graduate scheme? I was attracted to Teach First as you gain experience in the classroom from day one which is different from other teacher training courses.
Why did you decide to go pursue a career in teaching?
Three things that I like about the course/training:
Any general other general advice you would give to other biology students? Get as much experience as possible, it doesn’t need to be in a hospital.
GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 6 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
2. Half of the course is made up of placements, so we can get plenty of practical experience right from the start.
Three things that I like about my job:
Did you do need to do any volunteering or work experience?
POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY
Tell us about the course you are on and what attracted you to it? What really drew me to the Physician Associate course was the ability to use my background in science to work directly with patients as part of the medical team. A Physician Associate (PA) is a relatively new career but is growing rapidly, PAs work alongside doctors and other healthcare professionals to diagnose, manage and treat patients.
Anything you are not so keen on: As the role is relatively new many people don’t understand it.
There is no specific amount of experience needed for the course, but it all helps! I was able to find an opportunity to shadow a Physician Associate for a day, however I mostly talked about my experience as a gymnastics coach and as a committee member.
What does your current job involve? I run the wheat breeding program at LS Plant Breeding. This involves being able to do every job from chemical handling and field applications, compiling and analysing genetic data to picking parents for the program and mass phenotyping. All of this culminates in choosing what new genotypes make it to the next stage and ultimately out into farmers’ fields. Tell us about how you got to where you are today: Studying biology at LJMU gave me a good understanding of many different aspects of biology. In my final year however, I completed my dissertation looking at plant genetics and this stuck with me. After graduating in 2013, I started a job with Unilever as a microbiologist. The job was fun and gave me valuable experience in industry and in a for and was accepted onto a PhD program at the University of Reading. It was unlike anything I had done before, there were difficult times throughout my 4 years there, but it was worth it. In 2019 I then started my current job as a Wheat Breeder. Completing my studies gave me many skills employers are looking for but I also gained as much work experience as I could or volunteering experiences. For example, I spent 3 months working at Kew Gardens working on Red Listing. Everyone was helpful and I got to experience the work Kew does on international co-operation and wild relative conservation.
1. The variation - every year is different, with new challenges
2. Collaboration. I visit colleagues in The Netherlands and Germany several times a year, and I work with researchers across the country.
1. There is never a dull day; I am constantly being challenged and learning new things.
3. I get to spend a lot of time outside. Anything you’re not so keen on: The hours over the harvest period can be difficult, but it is well balanced at other times of the year. What advice would you give to other natural sciences students to improve their employability? There are more internships and opportunities than people realise. Many institutions have summer programmes specifically for undergraduates, and some companies will accept speculative applications. So be pro-active and organise something yourself if you can!
3. There is so much variety in our training, one day we will be in the lab learning anatomy and the next we are seeing patients and learning clinical skills.
Contact charities, care homes and hospitals to find volunteering or shadowing opportunities. You will also need to write a personal statement and attend interviews.
PETER JACKSON GRADUATED FROM LJMU WITH A BIOLOGY DEGREE AND NOW WORKS LS AS A WHEAT BREEDER.
Start writing your application as soon as possible, then you can keep tweaking and updating it. For the interviews you really need to do your research, so learn as much about the role as you can!
How do you become a Physician Associate and how do you apply? As it is a postgraduate course you need a bachelor’s degree, ideally in a biological or health science. It also helps to have relevant experience.
Take on some volunteering, get involved with a society, even a parttime job in Tesco will help! Anything where you are directly working with people is going to improve your application. Talk about these experiences, what you have learned from them and then explain why this will make you a good PA.
Although it can be difficult to explain the role when I’m just learning it myself, it’s great to have the opportunity to educate people and increase awareness.
Any tips for the application and interview process?
BETHANY STELFOX GRADUATED WITH A BIOLOGY DEGREE IN 2019. SHE IS NOW TRAINING TO BE A PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATE AND IS COMPLETING THE MSC IN PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATE STUDIES AT KEELE UNIVERSITY.
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PLANT BREEDING
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❙ The career development opportunities at Eurofins. Further development is actively encouraged and new ideas are always welcome. I have the freedom to set up my own project or research study and involve others in a collaborative effort to try and solve a problem or improve a current process.
❙ How my job challenges me on a daily basis.
❙ The work I am carrying out could potentially lead to the production of a new Meningitis vaccine that could save lives.
My role involves carrying out DNA profiling of samples taken under the PACE Act, covering all stages from sample delivery to genotyping of analytical results. We then report the profiling results for submission to the National DNA Database®.
Work experience is valuable even if it is not relevant. My previous job roles have been in a museum, book shop and sales. A world away from a forensic scientist! However, skills such as communication, working in a team, organisation, planning and the ability to multitask were all developed during these roles that I could then talk about and give examples of during my interview. So don’t worry if you can’t get relevant experience. It also should go without saying that you should aim for your highest grade possible and stay focused from first year. The things you study, especially statistics, research methods and using SPSS for data manipulation, were essential and an excellent foundation to then build upon.
MARCUS STARR GRADUATED WITH A BSC IN BIOLOGY AND AN MSC IN FORENSIC BIOSCIENCE AND NOW WORKS AS A HEALTHCARE SCIENTIST PRACTITIONER
What did the application and selection process involve?
What do you do in your work?
Organisations like ours sometimes offer work-based learning and professional development years for students so if you can get something like this, then do not hesitate. I currently work with students who are on a yearlong placement from LJMU and they are a pleasure to work with. They are actively engaged in development projects and will genuinely be missed when they go back to university.
The first step was sending my CV and cover letter in response to the role advertised on their website. I was then asked to attend an assessment centre, followed by an interview. In preparation, I revised and looked over lecture notes from the Forensic & Anthropological Genetics module to refresh my memory of the PCR process. That module, and the support given throughout my third year from the module leader, was invaluable in preparing me for the interview and the role. I also used the LJMU Careers Guide a lot! It contained example interview questions that I could use when preparing. I also studied the Eurofins website where they gave great advice regarding the interview, even mentioning the STAR style for answering interview questions which I had only heard about previously from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team. This was all excellent advice that I could put to use on the day! What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Get experience! I selected modules throughout my degree that gave me the maximum amount of time working within a laboratory. Try and work out what you want to do after you graduate, and then try and get as much experience as possible. Be proactive. Constantly check careers pages of websites for who you would like to work for and make contact with them. I emailed Eurofins Forensic Services in my second year to enquire about volunteering but due to the sensitive nature of the work, this wasn’t possible. I then mentioned this at interview to show my commitment to that role and the company.
❙ The team effort at Eurofins - it’s great to work with like-minded people who are also passionate about what they do.
❙ Working with like-minded individuals who have a passion for scientific research. What did the application/selection process involve and how did you prepare? The application process involved a series of questions related to my skill set and how I could apply my skills to the role of Healthcare Scientist Practitioner. Nine other candidates were selected for the interview, and we were required to complete a Maths and English test as the first task. I passed both exams and was invited back for an interview that afternoon. I prepared for the interview by researching the composition of a vaccine, how vaccines are tested in a clinical trial setting and reading up on Public Health England. I looked at the organisation and the projects they had participated in over the last few years. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Do not get disheartened and lose motivation when unsuccessful in applying for graduate roles after university - there is no time limit in finding the perfect graduate job. Try to get laboratory experience any way possible, as this will make your CV stand out from the crowd when applying lab-based roles. When interviewing for a graduate role, do your research on the company beforehand and come across as a confident individual, as confidence in your work is critical when working in a laboratory environment.
❙ The part we play in the criminal justice system. I wanted a career where I would have the opportunity to make a difference and what we do matters every day. That’s a great motivator and helps to keep me motivated and continue learning.
MARK SMITH IS A BIOLOGY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS FOR EUROFINS FORENSICS SERVICES AS A FORENSIC DNA ANALYST
GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 7CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Tell us about how you got to where you are today: I got to the position I am in today by working extremely hard during both my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Achieving a First Class Honours in Biology caught the attention of my current employers and I was later told I was offered the job due to the strong grades I achieved. In addition, my motivation to apply for roles based within biological sciences and being willing to accept lower paid positions has been a key factor. Between my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, I worked as a Quality Control Laboratory Assistant for a molecular DNA diagnostics company. Despite being quite low paid for a graduate role, I gained invaluable laboratory experience that has benefited me massively in my current role as a Healthcare Scientist Practitioner.
Three things that I like about my job:
I am involved in researching the efficacy of Meningitis vaccinations using a Serum Bactericidal Activity (SBA) assay. To successfully carry out the SBA assay, I follow a validated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on a daily basis. My role requires high attention to detail, the ability to follow complex instructions and good laboratory practice.
What does your current job involve?
Three things that I like about my job:
of new time-lapse technologies in recent years has allowed us to learn more about embryo development. Cameras fitted inside of the incubators take photographs every 10 minutes providing us with a video of each embryo, allowing us to identify those with the best pattern of development and those displaying any abnormalities.
How have your skills and experiences acquired from LJMU helped you in your role? Basic scientific skills picked up in practical assessments, such as using Neubauer chambers and staining slides using Diff-Quik gave me a head start in my training, and are practices I use every single day. Getting to know new people and working with different groups of people on each project at university helped develop communication skills and was a good introduction on how to quickly get to know, and work with others. It has also given me the confidence to approach colleagues about potential research projects, discuss different ideas, and submit abstracts and present at National Fertility Conferences.
What the application / selection process involve and how did you prepare? At the time of my application the training programme was different to the scheme currently in place. At present, training is provided through the Scientist Training Programme (STP), an annual national recruitment process through Modernising Scientific Careers (MSC). For more information about the Scientist Training Programme: www.nshcs.hee.nhs.uk/ Recruitment is very competitive and involves an application and online exam, after which successful candidates are shortlisted for interview. Training consists of a three-year
Why did you decide to pursue postgrad study?
I decided that I loved studying the health and disease module at LJMU and wanted to learn more about the topic. I have always had a passion for nutrition and fitness and wanted to pursue this more so that I can potentially become a nutritionist.
What relevant work experience / skills did you refer to during the selection process? Whilst studying at LJMU I volunteered weekly at the Hewitt Fertility Centre which led to getting an honorary contract at the unit. I was involved with the day-to-day running of the lab, such as stock, paperwork, witnessing and being an extra pair of hands, helping out wherever I could. During the year I spent at the unit, I got to know the Embryology staff well, and was able to discuss the possibility of carrying out some research. I was lucky enough to get involved with the implementation of a new embryo grading scheme, which I based my final-year Honours project on. What advice would you give to other students interested in pursuing a career in this field? When it came to applying for a position in embryology, having practical, first-hand experience working in the lab was invaluable. I was already familiar with most of the staff and the running of the unit, and had picked up some skills during my experience which gave me a head start compared with other applicants. All recruitment processes are very competitive, and anything you can do to make yourself stand out from the crowd and show your passion and dedication will go a long way.
Stimulation encourages the ovaries to produce and grow multiple follicles containing oocytes which are used for treatment. When the follicles are mature the patient attends the unit for oocyte collection. On the day of the oocyte collection, the male will produce a semen sample which is processed and brought together with the oocytes later that day. The oocytes are checked for signs of fertilisation, and the embryos are cultured for three to five days before transferring one back to the Thepatient.development
What did the application process involve and how did you prepare?
What do you enjoy most about the course? I love that we get to go on clinical visits and ward rounds at the UCLH Hospital. We get to visit patients on the intestinal failure ward and see those who are having parenteral or enteral nutrition. We also get to sit in during live bariatric surgery procedures which is fascinating! I would like to work as a nutritionist where I can help people develop their personal wellbeing and livelihood to make a difference in their lives. Helping people with intolerances, such as coeliac, with guidance on nutritional meal plans is also an area that interests me.
Everything! There is no better feeling than going to work and knowing that I am going to potentially change someone’s life. Embryology is a specialised area and takes years of studying and intensive training. There is no room for error which makes the lab a very high pressure environment to work in, but seeing the photos of the babies we created makes all the hard work worth it.
What do you do in your work?
SHAHANA BHASKARAN IS A BIOLOGY GRADUATE WHO IS NOW COMPLETING AN MSC AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
For UCL I had to write a personal statement and CV and then submit it directly to the university. I was lucky as I didn’t have to do an interview however some people on my course did have to have an interview. I had done some previous work experience at a GP surgery observing healthy eating clinics. I had also volunteered at an orphanage in Nepal a few years ago. In addition to this, I highlighted the importance of nutrition in my personal life and my passion and interest for nutrition. Did LJMU help you in any way?
(UCL) GRADUATE CASE STUDY POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 8 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
What do you enjoy about your job?
PUBLIC HEALTH AND CLINICAL NUTRITION
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Postgraduate study is a lot of work! If you’re half-hearted about the course, then maybe think again before applying and explore your options. However, if it’s a subject that you love, you will have an amazing time during postgraduate study and it’s a great way to enhance your employability whilst doing so!
The unit is comprised of doctors, nurses and scientists providing cutting edge treatment for patients with all aspects of infertility. Following diagnosis, patients who are likely to only achieve a pregnancy through assisted conception will start on a course of medication which will prepare their body for in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
LAUREN WALLACE IS A TRAINEE CLINICAL EMBRYOLOGIST AT THE HEWITT FERTILITY CENTRE, LIVERPOOL WOMEN’S HOSPITAL
Yes definitely! Dr Elaine Hemers had been an amazing help and without her confidence in me and my ability, I would never have thought I was good enough to apply. The Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team were great with looking over my CV and personal statements which helped a lot. Any general advice for those looking to do postgrad study
RUBY BURNTON GRADUATED FROM LJMU IN 2019 WITH A DEGREE IN BIOLOGY. SHE SUCCESSFULLY GAINED A PLACE WITH MARKS AND SPENCER AS A GRADUATE MANAGEMENT TRAINEE (SELLING). GRADUATE CASE STUDY
THERAPEUTIC RADIOGRAPHER GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 9CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Three things I’m not so keen on: There are aspects of the role that require significant emotional resilience. I find it challenging treating patients who are very ill or in pain as well as patients that are nearing the end of their life. I also find it can be challenging treating young children.
What attracted you to the Marks and Spencer graduate scheme?
Three things that I like about my job: I find my job extremely rewarding as the treatment, care and support that we provide to patients makes a difference to their lives. I thoroughly enjoy the patient care and communication involved and the professionalpatient relationships that develop while a patient is on treatment. Also, I enjoy the teamwork involved, as therapeutic radiographers always work in teams of at least two and this is an important part of the role in ensuring that patients receive the best standard of care. It is also a very innovative career where technology is always evolving and therefore I will never stop learning throughout my career.
What does your current job involve?
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Try and arrange some work experience in a radiotherapy department or another healthcare environment to help them to develop their communication skills when talking to patients. In addition, I highly recommend that other students use the support provided by the advisers in the Careers Zone at LJMU, as they were very important in helping me gain a place on this programme.
Tell us about the postgraduate programme you are completing?
What did the application/ selection process involve and how did you prepare? The entry requirements for the PGDip Radiotherapy programme at the University of Liverpool are a 2:1 Honours degree in a relevant science subject, a half-day clinical visit to a radiotherapy department and a personal statement. As a successful applicant, I was invited to a selection day at the university, which involved an interview with academic staff and a teamwork exercise using the virtual environment for radiotherapy training (VERT) technology. To prepare for this, I visited the Careers Zone at LJMU, and the advisers offered advice and guidance on writing my personal statement and also helped me to prepare for the interview process.
What experience did you refer to during the recruitment process?
What work experience did you refer to during the selection process? I referred to my voluntary work at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. I volunteered on the tea trolley in the radiotherapy department and I found that this was highly beneficial in helping improve my communication skills, empathy and confidence, and it allowed me to develop a greater understanding of radiotherapy treatment from a patient’s perspective.
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability whilst at university? Definitely make sure you get a part-time job or volunteer, even if it isn’t in a directly relevant field as it helps you to develop interpersonal skills and experiences you can refer to the during the interview process. They will ask you for examples of times when you have demonstrated skills so the more experiences and examples you have the better! Take any opportunity offered at university as it can help you stand out against other applicants. Also remember to take any help offered to you at university; the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team are amazing at helping you with your CV, cover letter and interview preparation. A final piece of advice would be to manage your time appropriately, as applications can take a while to complete with a short time frame to submit them so make sure you keep an eye on the deadline!
The first stage of the process was an online application form, followed by an invitation to complete three online tests, situational judgement, an ability test and a personality questionnaire. Once the results of these tests were screened, I was invited to an assessment centre. The day consisted of completing different tasks including a group discussion, analysis exercise, solo presentation and a role-play. The final part of the day was an interview with a member of senior management. To prepare, I thoroughly researched the company to ensure I was aware of their values, current challenges and any new directions they were taking with products and campaigns. I also booked an appointment at the Careers Zone for help preparing for the assessment centre tasks and more importantly for the interview.
I applied for a graduate training scheme as they provide high quality training and career progression and look for candidates who are interested in innovation and as a graduate, I feel I can bring new ideas and aid the direction the company wants to take. Marks and Spencer also provide opportunities to experience their different departments through a series of rotational placements.
What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare?
During my interview I referred to my part-time job as a customer assistant and the strong customer service and communication skills I have developed. I also referred to the many transferable skills I have gained from my degree, particularly those important to the graduate scheme such as my ability to work in a team and my interpersonal skills. I also detailed my leadership skills from my voluntary post as a sports coach.
LOWRI JONES GRADUATED WITH A BIOLOGY DEGREE AND IS NOW A STUDENT
Therapeutic radiographers have the specialist role of using advanced technology to administer radiotherapy treatment to cancer patients. Radiotherapy is the use of ionising radiation to target and destroy cancer cells and it is a treatment modality for a large proportion of cancer patients. Therapeutic radiographers also play a vital role in creating treatment plans for patients as well as working within an oncology multidisciplinary team to provide patients with care, support and advice on how to manage radiotherapy treatment side effects.
I am currently a first-year student on the Postgraduate Diploma Radiotherapy programme at the University of Liverpool. This is a two-year full-time programme comprised of academic teaching coupled with clinical placement within a radiotherapy department. Upon completion of this programme, I will be able to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and work as a fully-qualified therapeutic radiographer.
www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 10 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Since graduating from LJMU, briefly tell us about your postgraduate career to date: I have just finished my PhD in Biological/Physical Anthropology at LJMU. I’m now looking for a post-doctoral research position to continue doing research.
Firstly, I had to find a potential PhD supervisor(s) and develop a viable PhD project that they were willing to oversee. From there, I had to write a small research proposal as part of the application form with how the project would be funded.
SAMUEL RENNIE IS A FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY GRADUATE WHO IS NOW A PHD RESEARCHER IN BIOLOGICAL/PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY AT LJMU
I am eager to learn and to be part of current research in the field of biological/forensic anthropology. What do you enjoy about it?
Why did you decide to pursue postgrad study?
What relevant work experience / volunteering did you refer to during the selection process? I had two years of archaeological fieldwork experience whilst doing my degree.undergraduateThishelped me to understand the cost of travelling for research and highlighting potential ideas for research by discussing current problems in relation to skeletal analysis with site managers and colleagues. What advice would you give to other students studying at LJMU to improve their employability? Take every opportunity to travel and to network. The people you meet might be your next employer or collaborator for a research project. If you want to do a PhD then enjoy your subject/research question - it is going to be a minimum of three years of your life so you need to enjoy it! Be driven and self-motivated.
❙ Opportunities to travel ❙ Independent study ❙ The chance to meet like-minded people What did the application process involve and how did you prepare?
SCHOOL
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY
POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
A CONVERSATION WITH ... DR CARLA BURRELL, OSTEOARCHAEOLOGIST AND POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCHER SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 11CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Currently I am researching the Medieval Norton Priory Collection in Cheshire providing a detailed study of the human skeletons to provide a biological profile (age, sex and stature) of the collection for the museum to use in their gallery displays. My job allows me to review all the skeletal elements and teeth, review bone morphology and function as well as disease and pathology.
❙ Sharing our research with the public is something I really enjoy. At Norton Priory, I teach children and local school groups human osteology and teach them the methods I use to do my job. I also incorporate my research and any results from it into the classes, so they can learn directly about the collection.
❙ I love research. As an independent researcher I can pursue my own research interests to tell the story of past populations. This information is not only valuable to the academic field but also to share with the public as people love to learn about people.
What does your job involve?
Three things I like about my job:
❙ Having the opportunity to work with human skeletal remains is truly amazing. I have had the chance to work with collections from across the world dating from the Roman period through to Georgian/Victorian era. My favourite was working with the Egyptian mummies at the University of Liverpool.
As an osteoarchaeologist, I study the bones of past populations.
Tell us about how you got to where you are today? My background is not archaeology-based. I was on route to teach fine art and mixed media but had a change of heart. I applied for the Forensic Anthropology undergraduate degree at LJMU which started my career path. It’s a very practical-based course and the staff are very enthusiastic which suited my background. I became particularly interested in the field of anthropology. Here, I could review the bones of past populations and develop a biological profile of the person. Not only could I learn more about a single person’s life, but when you collectively review a population, you start to learn more about the demographics of the site, discuss their lifeways and the manner of death and burial. It was at this point that I realised research was for me… delving deep into books to find information and discover published research is quite fun!
I graduated in 2012 with a first class honours and continued to pursue my research career and applied for an MPhil with transfer to PhD at LJMU focusing my research on the Poulton and Gloucester human skeletal collections. To expand my research I signed up to volunteer on the Norton Priory Collections and met with the Senior Keeper to discuss my background with human skeletal remains which led to the inclusion of this collection in my PhD. This progressed to the preparation of osteological reports for Norton and exploring Paget’s Disease of Bone in their human skeletal collection which now forms my postdoctoral research area.
What work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? I took the opportunity to volunteer and gain any experience throughout my degree including applying for work placements to develop the skills needed for this field. I started off volunteering within the laboratories at LJMU assisting with cleaning and sorting of archaeological material and later assisted with the curation of the human skeletal collections. I completed a four-week archaeological investigation in Bulgaria and successfully applied for a three-week internship at St Mary’s University. It was during this internship that I had the opportunity to work alongside leading experts and assisted in autopsies, crime scene investigations, forensic bone cases, odontology, forensic photography, ballistics and forensic facial reconstruction. I also completed a 10-week work-based learning module at Poulton Chapel which led to a permanent position at the site as their head osteologist. Today, I now volunteer at Norton Priory Museum and Gardens and do contract work with them working on their human skeletal collection and facilitating educational sessions to disseminate osteological research to the public. All this experience has allowed me to develop the knowledge, skills and experience needed to continue my research routes.
What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue this career route? I recommend that you explore various volunteering opportunities including public engagement activities. This is valuable experience and is often required on your CV and in research proposals. Try your local museum and/or galleries, as they are always keen to take on new faces and this will get you the experience. When volunteering on osteological collections and at archaeological sites, offer to clean, record and categorise bones, even the fragmentary ones. Some may find this boring but it is a crucial step in research to be able to identify fragmented remains, so it will be beneficial to your personal development. If you can, consider publishing work, whether manuscripts, newsletters or articles, practise your writing skills and get your name out there. With this, attend local conferences and events and share your research, as networking leads to opportunity.
What do you enjoy most about working in the forensic anthropology/archaeological field?
What does your current job involve?
During our studies at LJMU, we became interested in Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) and the applicability of forensic anthropological methods to bio-archaeological contexts. We participated in several excavations and volunteered with a number of local and international organisations helping catalogue and curate their skeletal collections. At UCLan we were able to further develop our knowledge of soft tissue anatomy, taphonomy and the methodologies used to identify skeletal remains. Since graduating from UCLan in December 2019, we were incredibly grateful to participate in an internship at CMP: the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus. Getting to where we are today has not been easy! Since starting university, we made sure to attend and remain up-to-date with CPD workshops, seminars, webinars and conferences. Starting to attend these events early on in our career enabled us to build a good support network, which made it a lot easier to reach out to people for advice and work opportunities.
❙ Each new set of remains or site we work in is an opportunity to discover new and remarkable stories.
Our work involves excavating and recording archaeological remains (building foundations, animal and human skeletal remains, pottery, etc). We are also responsible for producing and maintaining written, photographic and drawn records of the site and excavated trenches. Preliminary work carried out on the site earlier last year indicated the presence of human skeletal remains. Techniques such as GIS will be used to record and interpret the finds. From taking inventory to establishing a biological profile we hope this experience will allow us to add to our experience outside the excavation site.
Geophysical Survey in Buncrana Co. Donegal, Ireland Following the completion of our geoforensics module (final year) we started looking for opportunities to learn more about the applicability of these methods of investigation. We contacted Dr Alastair Ruffell, senior lecturer at Queens University Belfast, and asked whether we could be of assistance in his up-coming work. We agreed to assist a geophysical survey a few months later. The aim was to identify areas of free space for future inhumations.
Researcher at the National Museum of Archaeology in VallettaThe aim of our research was to examine part of the archaeological skeletal collection stored at the Museum in Valletta, Malta. The assemblage containing human skeletal remains was previously undocumented, heavily fragmented and commingled. The data collected was used as part of our undergraduate dissertations and the project provided an opportunity to experience working with commingled and fragmentary remains.
Building up relevant work experience and skills is so important in this sector. What work experience / volunteering have done over the years and how did it to help?
During this investigation we were involved in mapping the site and using GPR to identify areas which did not contain a burial. This experience allowed us to improve upon our field skills and to understand the different available geophysical methods.
Forensic Laboratory and Archaeological Field Team Volunteer at the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus (CMP)
It is also a good idea to keep a portfolio detailing the conferences/ workshops attended, work undertaken (who supervised it) and a log of the skills developed throughout your career. This portfolio can later be submitted in support of an application towards certification offered by professional bodies such as CIfA or the RAI (anthropology based).
Tell us about how you got to where you are today?
There are several organisations you might like to get involved with such as the British Association for Forensic Anthropology (BAFA) and the British Association for Human Identification (BAHID). There are often opportunities for students to present their work or help with the general running of conferences. Both of these organisations offer discounts to volunteers and are an excellent places to meet professionals, as well as other students.
ALEJANDRA BORG AND JACOB STONEWALL JACKSON BOTH STUDIED FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY AT LJMU GRADUATING IN 2018. THEY THEN WENT ON TO STUDY FOR A MASTERS IN FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY AT UCLAN. THEY ARE NOW WORKING AS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE ASSISTANTS.
GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 12 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
At CMP, we had the opportunity to work alongside a number of experienced Forensic Anthropologists during the forensic examination of human skeletal remains. The work involved preparing the remains for analysis, preparing personal belongings, clothing and artefacts for the family viewings, assisting with the documentation process and assisting with DNA sampling. The experience gave us a chance to refine our administrative and practical skills in an environment that demanded meticulous work.
Our current work with the Forensic Missing Migrant initiative involves conducting research related to current migrant issues in Malta and Cyprus. This position allows us to expand on our previous work with unidentified bodies this time focusing on medico-legal frameworks and investigation procedures. We work as part of a team compiling data on national forensic stakeholders, humanitarian actors and non-government organizations. We found the work incredibly important and we were lucky to be able to attend several workshops and conferences to learn from and talk to many experienced people. What advice would you give to other Forensic Anthropology students to improve their employability?
Keep an eye out for any volunteer positions (local mortuary, archaeology sites, etc.) and don’t be afraid to reach out and build your network. Seek out funds made available by the university or external bodies to travel and experience working in organisations based abroad. We would highly recommend developing archaeological skills alongside your forensic anthropology degree as this will make you more employable. Finally never give up and always ask for help and demonstrate your will to work and be proactive.
Volunteer Researcher at Forensic Missing Migrant Initiative
❙ Being able to give an identity to an unknown assemblage of skeletal remains and bringing closure to families.
❙ The opportunity to utilise our skills, to conduct independent research and then share our findings with the public and the scientific community.
❙ The variety of my work and the people that I work with. It is a challenging environment and I am constantly learning new things.
❙ Go to relevant conferences, meet and talk to people who are working in forensic anthropology. Make yourself known.
❙ My war crimes work in Kosovo
❙ Be prepared to move to find work.
Three things I like about my job:
❙ The role that I played in the National Cremation Investigation in 2015, which led to a change in legislation surrounding the cremation of pre-term and new born babies and infants
❙ Work hard and keep an open mind. Don’t be too blinkered and focussed only on a career in forensic anthropology. If you see a job in a related subject, try for that. You might really enjoy it and want to stay there, or you might be able to use it as a stepping stone into forensic anthropology.
During the day I might also be working in the laboratory, examining skeletal remains. This may be prior to them being sent for radiocarbon dating or DNA analysis, or it may involve microscopy of bones showing evidence of possible traumatic injury. If I am not involved in crime scene, mortuary or laboratory work, I may be teaching students, police officers or military personnel and I have a number of research projects that I am engaged in too.
What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today?
❙ Completion of my PhD after far too long!
❙ Get lots of practical experience in looking at skeletal remains, preferably burnt and fragmented ones. It doesn’t matter if the remains are archaeological, in fact that is better for learning skeletal anatomy.
❙ Deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq
❙ Ignore people who tell you there is no point pursuing a career in anthropology as there are no job opportunities at the end of it or that you have to have forensic experience to get a job in forensic anthropology .
❙ Find a good mentor. Someone that you can ask for advice and who will help you find opportunities for practical experience, for e.g. good field schools, training excavations, internships with NGOs.
How did you get to where you are today?
❙ It helps if you have more than one skill set, e.g. anthropology and archaeology. Transferable skills and knowledge in other areas such as languages, engineering, statistics or database skills can also make you more employable.
❙
What does your job involve?
Three things I’m not so keen on: The administrative duties! ❙ Not being able to follow up research questions which have been generated by casework. I can do this to an extent, but only as far as time allows. Some of the work can be emotionally demanding, particularly in such things as mass fatality incidents and where there has been deliberate cruelty and violence.
❙ Helping the families of the deceased achieve some kind of closure particularly when they have been waiting for a long time to hear what has happened to their loved one.
❙ Taking the lead role for anthropology in the London bombings
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❙ The work that I did following the Shoreham air-crash in 2015, in particular repatriation and reconstruction of the victims for the benefit of their families
❙ Being able to piece back together the story of what has happened to the deceased and to give them back their identity.
Whilst working in Glasgow I examined many large assemblages of cremated and unburnt bone from cemeteries dating from the prehistoric to the post-medieval periods. As a result of the expertise I developed in the analysis of burnt and fragmented remains, the pathologists from the Department of Forensic Medicine and Science started asking for my assistance in homicide cases. As my involvement in this type of work increased, myself and a colleague set up a forensic unit within the department. A defining moment for me was being asked to go to Kosovo to help gather evidence for the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. This involved excavating and examining the remains of hundreds of victims of war crimes. During this time I also worked on my first case for the military in Iraq and started a part-time PhD relating to my war crimes work. In 2005 I was at work when I received a phone call from the Head of HR for a private forensic laboratory in Oxford (Forensic Alliance, later taken over by LGC) inviting me for an interview for the post of Forensic Anthropologist/ Archaeologist and Team Leader for a group of environmental scientists. I stayed at LGC for five years and gained valuable experience as a forensic anthropologist in homicide cases, terrorist incidents (including the London bombings) and military deployments to places such as Afghanistan, Lebanon and Kuwait. In 2010 I received an offer to join Cellmark to start a Forensic Anthropology and Archaeology Service and I have remained at Cellmark since.
I left school and didn’t really know what I wanted to do so I trained as a nurse and worked on a general surgical ward and then specialised in orthopaedic nursing. I worked in orthopaedics for a short while and then decided to go travelling (Greek island hopping) as I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue with nursing. After travelling I decided I wanted to get a degree and decided to study Archaeology and Ancient History at Manchester University and then went on to do a Master of Science degree in Osteology, Palaeopathology and Funerary Archaeology at the Universities of Bradford and DuringSheffield.and between my two degrees I was able to work as an agency nurse to support myself. I often worked night shifts in A&E, on orthopaedic wards and in care homes. During my undergraduate degree I had a regular job at a local plastic surgery clinic. I also went on as many training excavations as I could! After I graduated from my MSc I moved to Scotland and worked as a freelance osteologist and agency nurse. I moved to Scotland because there seemed to be more opportunities in osteoarchaeology than in England. I was doing lots of self-employed osteology/archaeology consultancy work for Glasgow University Archaeology Research Department (GUARD) and after a few years they offered me a permanent job.
❙ The role that I played in the successful conviction of Mark Bridger (who abducted and murdered April Jones)
I worked very, very hard looking at lots of skeletal remains often in my own time. All the excavations that I went on as an undergraduate and MSc student were voluntary and on an expenses only basis. I accepted every self-employed job that I was offered, even if it wasn’t very good, and once I obtained a job at the university, I worked above and beyond the hours that I was contracted to do examining of archaeological skeletal remains and writing reports. What general tips and advice would you give to any undergraduate students wanting to pursue this career route?
Sometimes the above activities are planned, so my day can be scheduled, but often it is a case of just coming into the laboratory in the morning and trying to prioritise the huge number of tasks in front of me. I can have a great plan for the day or the week but then a phone call can change everything!
My typical day varies depending on what requests come into the laboratory. I may be called out to a possible crime scene where some human remains have been discovered and asked to assist with their recovery, ensuring that all of the body is present and providing information on how long the remains have been there and who the deceased might be. I may be involved in a search for a missing person believed to have been murdered and disposed of, and/or I may be asked to go to a post-mortem examination to examine the decomposed, burnt or dismembered remains of somebody who is no longer recognisable. A lot of documentation needs to be completed during and following this, and back in the laboratory quite a lot of my time is spent writing witness statements for the police and peer reviewing the statements of my colleagues. I may be asked to present my findings in court as an expert witness. Occasionally I will be asked to write a specialist report for a non-police related investigation.
Stand out moments in my career as a Forensic Anthropologist include:
A CONVERSATION WITH ... DR JULIE ROBERTS, SCIENTIFIC LEAD AND TEAM LEADER AT CELLMARK FORENSIC SERVICES SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 13CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
❙ The evaluation and investigation of geological hazards for disaster management for new infrastructure.
For approximately 23 years, I have adopted geological strategies and applied these to policing and law enforcement. As such, this has given me some of the most satisfying moments in my career and the opportunities to apply geology to criminal investigations. This enabled me to pioneer and develop new search strategies now used by the Police in the UK and internationally. This involves designing, implementing and managing ground searches for graves, missing persons and other burials and advising on the geological (trace) evidence in cases related to homicide, terrorism and organised crime.
What tips and advice would you give to any undergraduate students wanting to pursue this career route?
My working day as a/job title: Geologist Forensic Geologist & Police Search Adviser Engineering Geologists & Geohazard s Mineral Exploration & Mining
Following on from my time at BGS I was seconded into consultancy, which provided commercial, financial and enhanced skills to continue developing as a professional geologist.
A fixed number of 20-day funded internships are available to level 5 and 6 students. In a range of disciplines, the internships will be with local employers, working on graduate-level projects. Internship opportunities will be advertised via Unitemps, LJMU’s own recruitment agency. www.ljmu.ac.uk/LJMUinternships more information, visit: LJMU DISCOVERY INTERNSHIP SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures
For
PROGRAMME SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
In 2002, I was invited to the Houses of Parliament, to deliver a presentation on Forensic Geology and the search of Saddleworth Moor for the last remaining Moors Murders victim. I subsequently spoke on BBC Radio, then set up the Forensic Geoscience Group of the Geological Society of London where I served as its first Chair.
A CONVERSATION WITH ... DR LAURANCE DONNELLY, FORENSIC GEOLOGIST AND POLICE SEARCH ADVISER, AND CHAIR INTERNATIONAL UNION OF GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES (IUGS) INITIATIVE ON FORENSIC GEOLOGY (IFG)
My areas of work principally include: Mineral exploration and mining for resources.
Develop links with professional and/or amateur organisations whilst you are an undergraduate. Photos
DRAFT Possible
There will be limited opportunities to work as a forensic geologist immediately following graduation, however, a BSc degree with post graduate training (e.g. MSc or PhD) in forensic science may help. Identify niche skills or a capability that may be of value to law enforcement, for example I focused on the application of mineral exploration and ground investigating techniques to search the ground for burials.
Working as a geologist is reasonably well paid, rewarding and there are likely to be career opportunities in the years ahead, especially in mineral exploration, mining geology, engineering geology, geotechnical engineering, geohazards and hydrogeology.
I work as a Consultant Geologist and my job involves the provision of geological expertise to a variety of clients such as police officers, lawyers, mining engineers, civil and geotechnical engineers, planners, accountants, finance experts, investors, the public, media and sometimes politicians.
From an early age it was my ambition to work as a professional geologist. Obtaining a first class degree in Applied Geology and PhD in Geology, then working with the British Geological Survey, provided a firm foundation for a prolonged and successful career in geology.
A conversation with…… Dr Laurance Donnelly, Forensic Geologist and Police Search Adviser, and Chair International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) Initiative on Forensic Geology (IFG)
14 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
❙ Searching the ground for burials related to homicide, serious organised crime and counter terrorism and the provision of geological trace evidence.
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What does your job involve?
Tell us about how you got to where you are today?
Go postgrad YOURTRANSFORMFUTURE WITH STUDYPOSTGRADUATE For more information, go to: ljmu.ac.uk/postgraduate Thanks to postgraduatemy degree I am working in a job I didn’t even know existed 12 months ago. Jess Irwin Masters in Art in Science
I started applying in the October of my final year and was still applying in August 2018 after graduating. I applied for about 60 jobs and had over ten interviews and assessment days, always getting to the last stage but never getting the job. I then broadened my horizon. After researching transport planning, I became interested in the role and the projects it involves. After nearly a year of applying, the majority of graduate roles were full, and
16 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
How did you get to where you are today? If I’m honest, before I started looking at my career options, I had no clue what I wanted to do! I asked family, friends, tutors and guest speakers who came into university if they had any work experience opportunities relating to geography. Luckily, I spent a week in United Utilities within the Renewable Energy section shadowing a project manager. I was also fortunate enough to get in contact with a director of Town Planning at Mott MacDonald who gave me advice on interviews and assessment days. I then started to apply to consultancies looking for environmental engineering or town planning roles.
Work experience is the key! Make as many contacts in the sector you are interested in as you can – connect with people on LinkedIn, ask tutors if they know anyone in the industry, ask family and friends etc.
What does your job involve? Supporting planning applications for a wide range of new developments such as residential and transport schemes and taking them through the whole process.
❙ Diversity/flexibility: there are so many different themes within the projects I work on which makes every project interesting and challenging (HS2, M5 motorway modelling, new Thames crossing, housing developments, lawsuits etc).
Can you tell us three things you like about your job?
GEOGRAPHY
❙ Getting the inside scoop! Most clients come to us with planning applications before they are made public, so we usually know what is going to be built around the country before anyone else.
GRADUATE
CHLOE DUGGAN WORKS AS A GRADUATE TRANSPORT PLANNER. CHLOE TELLS US HOW, AFTER COMPLETING A DEGREE IN GEOGRAPHY IN 2018, SHE BECAME INTERESTED IN TRANSPORT PLANNING AND AFTER GOING THROUGH THE RIGOROUS RECRUITMENT PROCESS, WAS OFFERED A ROLE AT PETER BRETT ASSOCIATES IN READING. CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures
I had applied to Peter Brett Associates for a Graduate Transport Planner role at their Manchester office but was unsuccessful. However, surprisingly I got an interview via Skype during which they explained they still have one position for their 2018 graduate scheme in Reading. I got the job and moved to Reading in November 2018. What did the application process involve and how did you prepare? Applying for jobs is tough especially during your final year so you need to be determined. For every job you apply for, it’s important to tailor your CV to the role and show you have the specific skills required. Most of the jobs I applied for also involved completing an online assessment which can be very difficult so practise! I also completed a number of video interviews where you have to video yourself answering questions on screen. Assessment days usually involve another test of some sort, an interview or two, a group session and a presentation. Be prepared for rejection as it is very competitive, but you have to use the rejection to work on what went wrong.
applications opened for the following year.
❙ I get to work on a variety of multi-disciplinary projects and so my job is very interactive with chances to build good working relationships.
What top tip would you give to other students to improve their employability?
Remember if you need help completing application forms, practising online tests or preparing for assessment centres and interviews the Careers, Employability & StartUp Team are here to help and have a range of useful resources to help you prepare www.ljmu.ac.uk/careers
COMPLETED A PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIP AT MOTT MACDONALD IN THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL CONSULTANCY TEAM DURING THE SUMMER OF 2019. INTERNSHIP CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 17CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
There are staff who can help you build your CV, practise interviews and review your applications making the job application process an easier experience. It’s at your fingertips. Why wouldn’t you use it! I wouldn’t have this job, without the skills and feedback I received from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team.
Why did you decide to do a summer placement and what would your
Tell us about how you got to where you are today?
ALEX CAMERON IS A GEOGRAPHY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A GRADUATE PROJECT OFFICER IN FLOOD RISK AND DRAINAGE FOR LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL GRADUATE CASE STUDY
Tell us about your summer placement? I joined the Mott MacDonald ENS (Environmental and Social Generalist) Team for two months in their Brighton office. I was lucky enough to gain valuable consultant experience working on environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA) for international renewable energy projects. I was able to learn all about the role of an environmental consultant and gain inside knowledge and perspective on the renewable energy industry at an international level. My tasks included baseline data interpretation, chapter writing for ESIA’s, scoping reports and business proposals, as well as compiling monitoring from on going construction and operational activity at developing projects.
I saw the job advert, knew that I had developed the skills required during my time at university and applied for it. I got the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team at LJMU to review and fine tune my application. I was then accepted for an interview and was offered the job! What did help my application was the fact I achieved a 1st class degree, had worked for the university as an ambassador and an advocate as well as working with PhD students, giving me great experiences to talk about during the recruitment process.
❙ Interacting and developing relations with residents of Leicester to help address and correct issues raised.
I’m responsible for interacting with, addressing issues raised by and managing the expectations of all residents of Leicester who get in touch with our department. It is my responsibility to review, evaluate, and suggest improvement of drainage strategies presented to the council during the planning application process. Leicester is known as the ‘green city’ and subsequently we encourage the use of sustainable drainage systems as mechanisms to manage surface water flooding, increase biodiversity and help address the city’s carbon footprint. Working in partnership with local and national organisations, I am involved in major council projects such as the latest phase of the surface water management plan, implementing the local flood risk management strategy and helping drive integration of sustainable drainage systems into development.
❙ Having the privilege to work on international collaborative projects such as the EU Horizon 2020 funded POWER Project where I have attended consortium reviews with members of the European Commission in Brussels.
Firstly, I had to construct an online profile within the Leicester City Council recruitment portal which included uploading my CV. I then completed an online application form for the job in question and worked through the person specification outlining examples of where I had demonstrated the skills required with concrete examples. I then had to complete a timed pre-interview test in which I was presented with theoretical scenarios which I had to prioritise and give a justification. Finally, I had to complete a 30 minute interview with Leicester City Council’s flood risk manager and lead conservation officer. The majority of interview questions were based on the person specification, so I had a couple of specific examples of where I had demonstrated each skill and why that was important to the role I was applying for. What relevant work experience and volunteering did you refer to during the selection process?
Did the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team help you at LJMU?
What advice would you give to students to improve their employability?
Tell us three things you like about your job:
What does your current job involve?
It’s not just your degree that gets you into a graduate position, your personaility and experiences are also realIy important. Your previous employment and the opportunities (employed or volunteer) you got involved with whilst doing your degree demonstrate your ability to manage time effectively, your productivity, they highlight your interpersonal, communication and academic skills. Also if you don’t have a skill that’s specified in a person specification. Rather that say you don’t have that skill, demonstrate to the employer or interview panel what steps you’re putting in place to address it. Finally, speak to the employer about the position before you apply for it, this means if you’re offered an interview you’re already acquainted with at least one member of the interview panel. This reduces the pressure and might help you obtain some nuggets of information beforehand to help you prepare for the interview.
❙ Being responsible for managing my own workload and time. What was the application process like and how did you prepare?
I had plenty of experiences and volunteering examples that I could refer to. For example, my volunteering with the National Trust, my role as a student advocate and ambassador and my work with various PhD students assisting their research. All of this demonstrated my proactivity, enthusiasm and willingness to represent my academic institution. I also mentioned all the skills gained from studying geography with particular reference to GIS as that is one of the most valuable skills I developed!
What did you enjoy most? Learning from all individuals in the team from across the globe. I was lucky enough to work alongside one of the world’s leading consultants of Solar PV operation monitoring and environmental assessment for the world’s largest Solar PV farm in Egypt – an experience I won’t forget! I truly have loved being able to speak to the specialists and understand what they believe the future issues and opportunities will be in the industry… those that I really hope to be a part of in my future career.
tips be for other students about finding one? I chose to do a summer placement because of my passion for the renewable energy industry, and I knew that the only way to “get my foot in the door” was to push my boundaries and gain relevant experience that industry employers are looking for. There were times when I found the internship quite tough, and I was pushed out of my comfort zone, but it has really helped me to grow both as a student and a hopeful professional too. My tip for getting an internship or work experience role, would be to put yourself out there as much as possible and send as many emails, CV’s and cover letters as you can to as many different people and employers as possible. What’s the worst that can happen?. How do you feel that the placement has benefitted you? I truly believe that my internship has shown me exactly what I want to do for my future career, and I am so focussed now on completing the relevant steps to get there as best as I can. My internship experience has been invaluable, and I would thoroughly encourage other students to do the same, I believe at has been just as important as my degree so far – so just go for it! SHE
LUCY SHAW IS A LEVEL 6 GEOGRAPHY UNDERGRADUATE AT LJMU.
❙ Field work – I really enjoy getting out of the office and going into the field to collect data.
What are the key points in your career development to date? Completing a hydrology internship at the Environment Agency. This equipped me with the technical knowledge and professional capabilities to continue a career in hydrology and get the job I do now.
How did you get to where you are today? After leaving University in July 2017, I initially struggled to find a job. It was only in the November 2017, after months of working in retail that I acquired a basic trainee role in the shipping industry. This wasn’t the job I had in mind when leaving university, but I needed somewhere to start and went in with an open mind. As time passed and the work days started to feel longer, I realised how much I wanted to pursue a career in the environmental sector. Although this time was difficult, it was also essential as it provided me with the motivation and focus to work harder, whilst also allowing me to have a greater appreciation for the profession I am now in. What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare? After identifying the role online, I specifically tailored my CV to the job description provided. This involved referencing key modules I completed at LJMU such GIS & Geomorphology, River Monitoring & Management and Environmental Modelling & GIS. During the interview, I produced pieces of work which highlighted my skills within ArcGIS and how they related to the job description.
❙ Challenging work: The work is challenging and intense. The use of initiative is required on a day-to-day basis in order to solve complex problems. This makes each day different and exciting.
❙ The next stage was a competency based interview and short test. I revised for the test using my university notes and assignments. I practised interview questions and in particular used the STAR technique. So you ‘set the scene’ (S), then you ‘describe the task’ (T), then list the ‘actions your took’ (A) and finish with the ‘result’ (R). This really helped me to focus my answers and not talk too much in the interview!
What relevant work experience/volunteering did you refer to during the selection process?
Tell us three things that you like about your job:
I mostly used the field work experiences and techniques I had learned at university. I also used my third year research project as this included data management, report writing and organisational skills. I also used examples from my job at the time. I was working as a swimming teacher and although it was not directly related to the hydrology role, the skills I had were transferable and did have relevance to the professional aspects of the role not just the technical needs!
For your first job, what did the application process involve and how did you prepare? My first job was a Hydrology Internship at the Environment Agency. The application involved a number of stages:
❙ I submitted an application which included writing a 400 word personal statement about my capabilities. The job advert listed three or four key competencies needed to fulfil the requirements of the role, therefore in just 400 words I had to provide examples of how I met these.
What does your job involve?
As an analyst consultant, I support the delivery of projects by assisting the project managers and senior consultants. My main responsibilities include managing data, mapping using GIS, conducting statistical analysis of hydrological data, writing reports and environmental statements, and conducting field work on rivers and reservoirs.
❙ Teamwork – as most of our projects need input from various technical specialists, I regularly get to work with different colleagues and learn about their areas of work and how they relate to my area (hydrology).
EMILY WOODS IS A GEOGRAPHY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS AN ANALYST
CONSULTANT (HYDROLOGY) FOR RICARDO ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT GRADUATE CASE STUDY
What does your current job involve? I am currently working on the RFM project (Reservoir Flood Mapping). This involves modelling and mapping the UK’s reservoirs via programmes such as ArcGIS and TUFLOW. Once results have been analysed, reports are produced to present the predicted consequences of a sequential dam break. These reports can then be used in risk management and mitigation plans by the Environmental Agency and local authorities.
❙ Culture/environment: JBA promotes a healthy team working atmosphere, whilst encouraging individual development via training and support. In my case, I have gained experience using programmes such as Python and TUFLOW.
IN GEOGRAPHY
JBA CONSULTING GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 18 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
❙ Developing knowledge and skills: My job requires the use of skills I’ve directly learnt whilst at LJMU. My day is predominantly centred around using GIS. The modules at LJMU allowed me to gain knowledge on the fundamentals of ArcGIS, which I have now built upon.
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Gain work experience! Contact companies to get some work experience during your free summers. Whether it is a month internship or a week of volunteering, even this small experience can be the difference between getting a job or not. Whilst at LJMU make use of LJMU’s Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team. Speaking with colleagues of mine it is clear other universities do not offer the same levels of support and guidance as LJMU. When attending career events, networking with employers is a great way to figure out what field you wish to go into if you are currently unsure.
What advice would you give to other students studying Geography at LJMU to improve their employability? Take any opportunity to do voluntary work or summer placements in a consultancy. Showing that you can apply the skills you are learning at university is really appealing to employers. Join the CIWEM institution; a lot of employers ask that you have membership in their job specifications. Sign up to job alerts from the companies that you would like to work for and keep looking for opportunities to gain more experience to develop your technical capabilities or professional capabilities.
❙ Variety – no two days are the same as I work on a variety of different projects and proposals. It makes work interesting as I am constantly learning new hydrological methods, concepts and wider water environment knowledge.
SAM DOBINSON GAINED A FIRST CLASS DEGREE IN 2017 AND NOW WORKS AS A TECHNICAL ASSISTANT WITH
Tell us three things you like about the job:
Work through LJMU’s nine employability skills programmes and earn points towards your Skills Checker certificates. You can track your journey from your ‘My Skills Scorecard’. Developing these skills will:
more effectively at university and at work ❙ Build good relationships with the people you are studying/working with ❙ Increase your confidence as you know you have what employers are looking for ❙ Help you be better prepared for the job application process ❙ Enable you to adapt to working and studying in different situations https://careerszone247.careercentre.me/u/8cr1tw5pStudentFutures : Careers, Employability & Start-Up Service CONNECT WITH US: careers@ljmu.ac.uk ❙ startup@ljmu.ac.uk ❙ unitemps@ljmu.ac.uk www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures ❙ Analysis, problem-solving and decision making ❙ Creativity and Start-Up ❙ communicationProfessional ❙ ICT Skills and Digital Capability ❙ Numeracy and financial literacy ❙ Planning and organisation ❙ Team working and collaboration ❙ Leadership and mobilising others ❙ Intercultural LJMU’S EMPLOYABILITYNINE SKILLS SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 19CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Mingle with students from other years on the Geography programme, attend geography themed events or socialise over a cheeky drink (or two!). It’s an open door!
LJMU Geography Society
Could you provide evidence at an interview of key employability skills that employers look for from graduates?
We are a social group for students who study, or have an interest in, anything geographical at GSLJMU!!aimsto provide a platform for like-minded people to meet, chat and take part in a myriad of geography related activities (and we don’t just study rocks!).
We are currently planning a schedule of events for the coming year - should you have other good ideas for the GS, or simply wish to get involved, please come along to one of our GS meetings or email Kostas Kiriakoulakis, staff-GS liaison: K.Kiriakoulakis@ljmu.ac.uk
Skills Checker is exclusive to LJMU and helps you recognise and rank your skills against the nine key employability skills employers look for from graduates
SKILLS CHECKER
Retake Skills Checker at regular intervals during your time at LJMU and monitor your progress in recognising and developing these key skills. To get started with Skills Checker, scan the QR code, or visit: Help you work
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For my placement I had to work independently to boost public engagement with the Greenspace Challenge and the City Nature Challenge 2019. In order to do this I arranged public events, liaised with the community and voluntary groups and ran wildlife workshops in schools. This opportunity really appealed to me as I am due to graduate soon and I was unsure about the career path I wanted to take and so I was seeking some work experience to try and narrow down my options.
I work in the flooding and drainage team. Our day to day activities involve working on flood alleviation schemes and drainage strategies. We often carry out flood risk assessments in order to identify the causes of the flooding we have been commissioned to investigate. We develop hydraulic models in order to replicate this flooding, which provide an important platform to test different mitigation options. The mitigation options can range from Property Level Protection to £1m+ schemes. Surface water flood risks are managed through drainage strategies. We produce these for new developments to ensure that effective and robust drainage systems are installed that will not increase the risk of flooding on-site or elsewhere.
What did you enjoy most? I really enjoyed the freedom this role gave me to go off and organise the events I wanted. It allowed me to use my creativity to create fun and exciting events for the City Nature Challenge and helped us come 2nd in the whole of Europe and Asia. I also enjoyed working alongside the people who are involved with the Wildlife Trust, be that employees, volunteers or other organisations and schools. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and I really felt like I slotted into the team. It was also great to work alongside the other interns and make new friends during my placement as well. How has the internship benefitted you? The internship really helped to boost my confidence in the work place to organise meetings, do media interviews and lead presentations. It also helped with my written work as I had to write press releases and other promotional material. In addition I gained valuable work experience as I leave university and start to think about my career.
What does your job involve?
Tell us three things that you like about your job:
❙ I enjoy the optioneering element of flood alleviation, which means that on-the-ground the solutions I devise are actually making a difference to the level of flood risk facing some of the hardest-hit communities in the UK.
❙ I have developed valuable hydraulic modelling skills, which allow me to model complex river systems and predict areas of flood risk.
I also knew I wanted to work for an organisation that allows me to feel like I am making a positive environmental impact and working alongside these two organisations really helped that happen.
LUCY VESELY COMPLETED ONE OF LJMU’S PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, EARNING MONEY WHILST GAINING GREAT EXPERIENCE. SHE COMPLETE THE INTERNSHIP IN HER FINAL YEAR WITH THE WILDLIFE TRUST AND MERSEYSIDE BIOBANK AS A ‘GREEN SPACE CHALLENGE PROJECT OFFICER’. INTERNSHIP CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 20 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Make good use of all the resources available to you, including lecturers, the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team and alumni. Be brave and get yourself stuck into networking at events, it’s a really vital skill that will get you talking to people in the industry and could potentially present you with an opportunity for employment.
Find out where you think you would like to work and send speculative applications to them. It might seem like the ‘long game’ whereby a job might not be available immediately but you will come across as a proactive, motivated individual who might just stick in their mind when the time comes for them to think about recruitment.
What ahve been the key points in your career development to date: I was promoted from a temporary technical assistant to a permanent assistant analyst after eight months at JBA Consulting. This promotion felt like my hard efforts had been recognised and rewarded, which gave me a much greater level of job security. After my promotion I was asked to change teams and began training to become a hydraulic Aftermodeller.18months at JBA Consulting an ex-colleague of mine told me about the opportunities in the flooding and drainage team at Mouchel Consulting, where I would have the opportunity to further develop the basic hydraulic modelling skills I had acquired at JBA Consulting. I moved to Mouchel Consulting in January 2015 and feel that my hydraulic skills have flourished. After my promotion review meeting this year, I am hoping to be promoted to Assistant Engineer.
I attended one of the first geography alumni careers events after my graduation. I was struggling up to this point to get anywhere with applications for graduate positions. After a presentation by a number of alumni about the organisations they worked for, I sent out speculative applications referencing the event and how I had heard their employees speak so positively about their jobs. From one of these applications, I got invited for an interview at JBA Consulting and was offered a job as a technical assistant. I prepared for the interview by researching the company and making some notes on key points that I could discuss with the interviewers as well as thinking of good examples of my experiences that I could recount if asked.
Tell us a little bit about your internship:
❙ I get to use and develop my GIS skills almost every day to create detailed maps for our clients.
For your first job, can you briefly outline what the application process involved and how you prepared for each stage?
What advice would you give to other students studying Geography at LJMU to improve their employability?
What relevant work experience/volunteering did you refer to during the selection process? I had been a geography ambassador for LJMU and an associate mentor for Aimhigher Greater Merseyside during my time as a student. These provided me with examples of both working in teams and individually to lead and inform others. I also volunteered for Groundwork before commencing my employment with JBA Consulting, which gave me some relevant examples of working with the environment.
JEN SUTTON IS A GEOGRAPHY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS FOR MOUCHEL CONSULTING (KIER GROUP) AS A GRADUATE ENGINEER GRADUATE CASE STUDY
Has the internship helped you with your long-term career plans? It has definitely helped me decide on what kind of career path I would like to take and I would love to work for The Wildlife Trust in my future career. I am applying for another internship with the trust for the summer and I am hopeful I will be successful.
Since graduating from LJMU, tell us about your postgraduate career: After finishing my undergraduate degree, I applied for an MPhil to PhD position in studying the palaeoenvironment of the Homa Peninsula in Kenya. I successfully received funding for this and have been researching this topic since October 2015.
❙ I applied before I graduated – some people think it is best to give themselves a few months off working/studying so decide to apply late summer/September (like a lot of my friends), but many of the jobs have gone by then. The amount of volunteering/work experience in a variety of fields helped show that I was a hard worker and that I have enthusiasm to learn new things. I had researched the company, so I knew exactly what type of work they could offer me.
❙ I enjoy engaging with peers that take an interest in my research.
Why did you decide to pursue postgrad study? I decided to pursue postgrad study as I think it is now necessary to have more to separate yourself from other graduates. I also genuinely enjoy my research topic and jumped at the chance to pursue it further.
What did the application process involve and how did you prepare?
CEIRE MCGOUGH GRADUATED IN 2017 WITH A GEOGRAPHY DEGREE AND WORKS AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT FOR WATER CO GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 21CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Would you do anything differently if you were an undergraduate student again? I would try harder to obtain a placement year. I think this is a valuable experience that will also appear attractive to employers. What advice would you give those looking to pursue a career in research? People always believe that the research is the hard part of a research degree.
What work experience / skills / volunteering did you refer to during the selection process? Although I had little work experience in the environmental field prior to my employment, I had gained plenty of other work experience and had volunteered. I worked as a hiking and nature instructor for a summer in the USA and volunteered in a lion and elephant sanctuary in Zimbabwe. I also included other experience from working in restaurants/hotels/offices/festivals during high school and university on my applications. I think the amount of work experience I had, even though it was not in the same field of work, showed that I was a hard worker and could turn my hand to many different types of work, which is exactly what this company is about. The skills I referred to were mainly ones I gained in university that were relevant to the job, e.g. GIS, data analysis in the lab and in the field, and geographical writing, presenting and research skills.
What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?
Tell us three things that you like about your job:
What does your current job involve?
❙ I can pursue what interests me and what I believe is necessary.
What do you enjoy about doing research?
I think I was quite lucky in obtaining my position here at Water Co. I sent a cover letter and my CV to the head of the company, via an email on the website, asking if they had any work experience or positions available. They contacted me the following day asking me to come for an interview when I returned from my trip to Africa (with LJMU Go Global). I researched the company extensively before I had my interview, and looked over any of my university notes that might have been relevant in case I was asked any tricky technical questions. The company wanted to employ young graduates in the local area, so it would have been silly of me not to apply!
❙ There are plenty of opportunities to increase my knowledge in the field, with endless qualifications on offer, two of which I have already achieved in the six months of being employed and one is currently ongoing, e.g. becoming a member of CIWEM (Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management), water hygiene certified, CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme).
My job has a lot of variety. I started by travelling all over Wales and the North West on site every day, climbing up mountains to carry out surveys on potable water pipe bridge crossings. I am currently working on a large project which involves renewing and cleaning the entire water system that runs beneath Swansea. This involves using GIS and CAD to design the new system and carrying out geo-environmental assessments to determine the type of land, its quality and its history.
❙ The company I work for is very diverse, and I am able to experience many different types of work areas and use various software for modelling, designing, assessing etc. I also like that I am able to work in the field and practise skills that I learnt in university.
❙ Because I contacted them directly, instead of waiting for a position to come up.
Tell us about how you got to where you are? Did you need a postgraduate qualification? After my undergraduate degree in Geography, I secured my current position as a Graduate Environmental Engineer. No postgraduate study was necessary for this. However, there are opportunities to complete further study and qualifications through the company. I have already learnt a lot in the past six months whilst working for Water Co.
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TOM VINCENT IS A GEOGRAPHY GRADUATE WHO IS NOW STUDYING FOR A PHD AT LJMU
What did the application process involve and how did you prepare?
What relevant work experience/skills did you refer to? I referred to my undergraduate degree and the skills I had taken from that (e.g. field work, GIS, report writing, data analysis etc.). I also referred to a research poster that I had been part of that was relevant to the topic. I listed previous work positions and how skills such as problem solving and team work were relevant to the course of study. I also mentioned societies that I was part of (British Society of Geomorphology, Royal Geographical Society, etc.)
❙ The job is very flexible in terms of time and location.
❙ Solving problems in innovative ways.
I feel that the biggest reasons that this company took time to read my CV and interview me was:
❙ I asked for work experience – which showed I was willing to work for free to gain experience in this field.
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The PhD was advertised by the geography staff. I had previously studied something similar as an undergrad, and so decided to apply and was successful in obtaining an interview. Before attending the interview, I researched the topic and listed why I might be a suitable candidate.
For me this hasn’t been the case; motivation and drive are the most difficult things to keep intact. Make sure you are passionate about what you intend to study if you are going to undertake postgrad study – especially a PhD!
GEOGRAPHY
The majority of my time is spent investigating and managing the legacy of the abandoned metal mines in Wales, which are polluting over 600km of rivers. This can include designing monitoring programmes to identify sources of metals, analysing water quality data, writing scientific reports and supervising construction works. Tell us three things that you like about your job:
❙ Seeing my work being used (e.g. flood schemes to protect communities). What are you are not so keen on? Working in consultancy is not always easy, and it can be challenging and stressful at times!
❙ Spending time in some of Wales’s amazing countryside. I’ve also been fortunate to travel further afield including the Lake District, Cornwall, Germany and even Kazakhstan.
❙ The day-to-day variation in what I do. No two days are the same.
Tell us three things you like about your job:
Tell us about how you got to where you are? What postgraduate study did you need to complete? Specialising in water resource management and technology during my postgraduate study helped me to break into this career area. Within the companies I have worked for, I have built on a mixture of training and project experience to progress to my current position. What did the application process involve and how did you prepare?
❙ Get your applications in early. Ensure they are correctly completed, read well and have been spell checked.
❙ Spend time preparing for interviews to show that you understand the company and the work they do. Have a number of questions ready to ask. Remain calm and confident. Get your enthusiasm across.
What does your current job involve? My role involves developing and supervising river modelling studies and hydrological assessments aimed at quantifying existing and future levels of flood risk. I then use model outputs to produce flood maps and flood forecasts to inform future floodplain development and prepare business cases for future investment in flood schemes. My day-to-day work involves a mixture of project management and technical work on projects across the UK.
❙ Working within a multi-disciplinary company and team allows lots of diversity and continued project learning.
I was able to refer back to the modules I took whilst at university and my BSc dissertation and MSc thesis to demonstrate my interest in the position I applied for. As an undergraduate I became a member of CIWEM (Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management), which impressed employers during the selection process. What advice would you give to students to improve their employability?
❙ Consider your university choices carefully (modules, dissertation), as they will be used by employers to understand your interests and suitability for the position. You need to make yourself stand out.
KRISTA KEATING IS A PRINCIPAL WATER ENGINEER WITH MOTT MACDOANLD
❙ Be proactive in applying for relevant voluntary work and summer placements.
Tom, can you tell us what your job involves?
❙ The variation - no two days are the same. One day I can be getting my hands dirty whilst trying to establish water levels in a mine shaft and the next I’m being interviewed in front of camera for a Welsh Government film on a project they’ve funded.
❙ Using knowledge and skills gained during my degree and being able to indulge my love of maps on a daily basis!
How did you get where you are today? After graduating with a BSc in Geography in 2009, I went on to study for an MSc in Environmental Dynamics and Climatic Change. I completed my MSc dissertation as part of a six-month project placement with NRW investigating the impacts of abandoned metal mines on the River Teifi. Following the MSc placement I was offered a full-time position on a Wales-wide project investigating the sources of metals pollution, essentially rolling out the methodology developed during my dissertation across all mine-impacted catchments in Wales.
TOM WILLIAMS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OFFICER AT NATURAL RESOURCES WALES. HE COMPLETED A BSC IN GEOGRAPHY FOLLOWED BY AN MSC IN ENVIRONMENTAL DYNAMICS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
A CONVERSATION WITH A PRINCIPAL WATER ENGINEER A CONVERSATION WITH TOM WILLIAMS SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 22 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
I attended a graduate recruitment day that included an introduction to the company, tests and an interview, where I was required to deliver a presentation I had prepared in advance on a given subject. What work experience / skills / volunteering did you refer to during the selection process?
Over the past eight years I have been involved in numerous metal mine projects, as well as assisting with some of my team’s other monitoring activities, such as electrofishing (Google it!). I am currently the Project Manager for the design of a full-scale minewater treatment scheme at one of the sites investigated during my MSc placement, so it’ll be nice to see the job through from start to finish. What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? My MSc project placement was my foot in the door and instrumental in securing my first job with Environment Agency Wales. A number of colleagues have also followed the same route into the organisation. What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue a career in this field? A geography degree puts you in an excellent position for a wide range of jobs at NRW, and previous employment in the field isn’t necessarily essential. Enthusiasm goes a long way – nothing ventured, nothing gained! Take any opportunity you can to gain work experience. Dissertation project placements are an excellent way of doing this. If nothing is being offered through the University then take the initiative and contact organisations with your own project ideas. You can also keep your eye out for placement opportunities through our ‘Cyfle’ scheme and jobs on our website.
Natural Resources Wales is the largest Welsh Government Sponsored Body. Our purpose is to ensure that the natural resources of Wales are sustainably maintained, enhanced and used, now and in the future. I am a Water Quality Monitoring Officer in our South West Analysis & Reporting Team based in Swansea and I am also part of our national Metal Mines Team.
Chiefly analysing data/information and writing a range of reports. A lot of my work looks at the impact of large infrastructure projects on the water environment, normally falling within the categories of river water quality, morphology, water resources or flood risk. A lot of this work contributes to Environmental Impact Assessments. Part of my role also involves writing proposals to bring new fee income into the organisation. This will involve selling the services that our organisation has to meet the requirements of clients, and also working out roughly how much we would charge for the work.
❙ Every day is different.
What do you wish you had known when you were a student?
A CONVERSATION WITH A PRINCIPAL WATER ENGINEER A CONVERSATION WITH A CHARTERED SENIOR ANALYST SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 23CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
What are the key points in your career development?
On application forms I’m looking for something short and snappy that is well presented and doesn’t contain any spelling errors. You should be able to sell yourself on a maximum of 2 sides of A4. Employers probably aren’t interested in everything you’ve done, so try to be specific. For example, if it’s a GIS job then you want to really sell your GIS skills on a variety of different projects.
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One significant professional achievement was the publication of a journal article in the Town Planning Review journal at the University of Liverpool with colleagues Dr Karen Potter and Dr Carol Ludwig. But how I got to progress my career has been framed by key decision points such as: During my Geography degree from LJMU in human geography I learnt about places and people, representation and time/space and sustainable development which led me to life as an acquisition surveyor then planner.
❙ I did a Masters in Town Planning part-time at the University of Manchester. That was a tough three and half years part-time.
Tell us about a typical day in your job: Every day is different and can involve all types of enquiries or projects from the different offices ranging from development management, to policy, to consents and environmental assessments. These enquiries are mainly internal from our various offices and can come with no advance notice. My work often involves working on projects which involve an evaluation role working with Lead Local Flood Authorities and Local Planning Authorities, on the development of policy appraisals and strategic environmental assessments. A key part of my role is identifying planning related opportunities with our technical directors across the UK.
What are the key points in your career development to date?
In terms of a career in planning - take a look and get over misconceptions and get some experience within a LPA. If you like shaping the way places look, enjoy interacting with different disciplines and communicating ideas and complex problems and decision making, it could be the job for you.
I finished my physical geography degree in 2004, then my MSc in 2005 and PhD in 2009. Just before finishing my PhD I got a job working on the Marine Conservation Zone Project, and after about a year I was offered the position of Project Manager. In 2012 I moved to the Environment Agency to focus on fluvial geomorphology, and how that can help to deliver environmental improvements. Then in 2015 I moved to Amec Foster Wheeler to broaden my work in the water sector. What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? It might sound as though it has nothing to do with my current job, but working in a bar was actually very useful in developing my interpersonal skills. Between the end of my undergraduate degree and MSc I worked in the planning department of my local council. There I taught myself how to use GIS (in a basic, but effective way!) and worked on several reports. That served me well when I got my first ‘proper’ job. What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue this career route? You’ve got to make yourself stand out from the crowd, so maximise your ability to learn and develop. Like I said above, I worked in a bar and have used this to my advantage despite it being nothing to do with water management.
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I have always had a “can do” attitude and have done lots in various roles. I was once a veterinary assistant and I have volunteered to help deliver planning events to local groups and nationally at seminars. My role as RTPI Cymru Policy and Research Forum member has been transformational, it helped me to develop skills and networks and provided opportunities to get involved in policy development in Wales at a national level. Get involved in your area of interest whether it be the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Town Planning Institute or CIWEM or the British Hydrological Society.
What does your job involve?
Tell us three things you like about your job:
CHARLOTTE BEATTIE IS A CHARTERED SENIOR ANALYST AT JBA CONSULTING
Play hard but work harder, and build good life skills. Good communication and project management skills are essential whichever career path you choose. An employer wants someone who can write a report that is technically sound and who can communicate well. What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today?
Most situations in life present learning and development opportunities, it’s your job to make the most of them. If you do, an employer will probably conclude that you’ll do likewise in their company. Any tops tips for the recruitment process?
❙ Planning: Local Planning Authority Wrexham CBC. You need at least ten years in a Local Planning Authority to make it in the real world of planning and I was an awesome Development Management Planner. My Senior Planner told me I would be and he said there is nothing like working as a planner in LPA and he was right.
What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue this career route?
At interview, I’m looking at somebody’s technical ability. I tend to ask fairly basic questions, as the more experienced I become, the more I value people who get the fundamentals of their technical discipline correct. However, just as importantly, I want to know if I can work with the interviewee on a personal level, and I want to get a feel for their enthusiasm for the work. So be confident, but not arrogant (believe me that is a very important skill!). Don’t worry if you don’t know how to answer a question technically –demonstrate what you would do to find out the correct information. And be yourself – try to relax, and treat the interview as more of a discussion in a cafe. Good luck!
GREG WHITFIELD IS A PRINCIPLE CONSULTANT AT AMEC FOSTER WHEELER
❙ JBA is employee owned and has a great set of people and values. The opportunity to develop and drive forward innovative projects.
❙ It has a direct impact on the lives of Wirral residents (I am one too!) ❙ It’s central to the Council’s agenda for change and new ways of thinking ❙ It provides a platform for ideas to become a reality
With mounting financial pressure, the local authorities must find new and innovative ways of generating income in order to maintain the current level of services, whilst investing in the future of the authority. I am part of the team that oversees and supports this agenda.
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Tell us three things that you like about your job:
After my degree I went to Greece for a year to support a sea turtle conservation society which gave me practical conservation experience. I also became involved with organisations such as Plant Life and the Wildlife and Wetland Trust to continue developing as a budding conservationist and naturalist, whilst improving my chances of gaining employment in this sector. By this point, local conservation issues were at the forefront of my interests and I was looking closer to home to make a difference. Through necessity, I gained employment unrelated to my degree in a GP surgery. Whilst unrelated, the role played no small part in where I am today. It was here that my passion for people, in terms of health and social inequalities, really started. I realised that my passion for nature conservation did not have to sit in isolation to my passion for people; in fact this was a prospect that really excited me. It also ignited a new path that took me back to education. I decided to study for an MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management at the University of Liverpool. I began to develop my thinking towards understanding the connection between our built and natural environment and its implications for human health. I started to explore how we can use our natural assets, green infrastructure, and built environments to create positive social and health impacts. After graduating, I was lucky enough to land a spot on a graduate programme for a global environmental consultancy (RSK). Here I was ‘the voice’ for the environment, influencing developments through Environmental and Health Impact Assessments, guiding them in a way that conserved and enhanced biodiversity whilst ensuring equal benefits for people. However, I wanted to contribute to an organisation that directly influenced everyday life for people, and encourage and promote the idea that by celebrating, conserving and protecting our natural assets we will generate a host of benefits for both the environment and people. That’s when I decided to apply for a graduate programme with Wirral Council. Although this was very much a sideways step careerwise, it afforded me the opportunity to gain a broad overview of how local government works and how I can contribute to improving the lives of its residents. On the back of the programme I was appointed as a Commercial Business Development Officer, where I support and generate new and innovative ideas to generate an income for the Council. I believe Wirral boasts some incredible natural assets, namely its coastline, the benefits of which I’m keen to explore. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Stay authentic and genuine and bring as much of you as possible to your role. Your individuality, passions and goals are what define you and your contribution to any organisation. Be willing to challenge the status quo, just because something has always been done a particular way, doesn’t make it the right way. Stay relevant. Keep up to date with any relevant legislation, research, news, and opportunities within your chosen discipline. Many sectors are constantly evolving and it’s important to keep up. Volunteering in your chosen field is a great way to motivate you in doing this.
JAMES ROBERTS GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN WILDLIFE CONSERVATION IN 2013. AFTER WORKING IN CONSERVATION AND IN A GP PRACTICE, JAMES WANTED TO COMBINE HIS INTERESTS IN NATURE AND IN PEOPLE AND COMPLETED AN MSC IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT BEFORE TAKING UP ROLES IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANCY AND WITH WIRRAL BOROUGH COUNCIL
What does your current job involve?
GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 24 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
How did you get to where you are today?
❙ The variety - I could be undertaking bat surveys in one area of the country one day and the next day doing an otter survey somewhere else. There is also a really nice mix of practical field work and then office reports/project management.
What does your job involve? As a graduate ecologist, the main aspect of my role is to perform ecological surveys. Although my professional specialism is bats, and the majority of the work I do is with that species, I also conduct: Phase 1 (or preliminary ecological assessments) otter, water vole, invasive species, great crested newts, badgers, reptiles and breeding bird surveys. This involves going on to a site that is proposed for development (whether construction or demolition) and recording whatever wildlife I see.
❙ Working towards a European Species Licence. If you are interested in ecology then pursue a licence in great crested newts by contacting local nature conservation groups and the local amphibian and reptile groups as soon as possible. This licence is the easiest to pursue and will almost certainly make you stand out within the crowd of other graduates if you obtain it.
❙ I like seeing a project from the start point of the fieldwork to the end point of having accurate and realistic ecological recommendations written in a report. There’s a real sense of ownership within project management.
❙ Participating in the year of experience within university. Without this year, I wouldn’t be where I am. By actively participating in the placement year it shows you are a motivated and dedicated individual and it really increases your chances of employment.
I approached two ecologists during a wildlife networking event and asked to assist with their bat surveys. I originally started off as a volunteer but eventually became a part-time paid ecologist once I learnt the ropes. As soon as I had been on one survey, I knew that being an ecologist/ecological consultant was for me. I was being paid to watch animals in their natural environment and ultimately protect them/mitigate the impacts of development on that particular species. I felt like I was giving back in some sense and knew to pursue a career in ecology.
I undertook a placement year between my second and third year of university in which I had a variety of roles within the conservation/ environmental sector. Firstly being a Science and Education Officer with a marine charity (Sea Trust) and secondly a Volunteer Assistant Ranger (National Trust). During my time with the National Trust I knew that practical conservation was not for me, the scientist in me wasn’t content with practical work as opposed to surveying and collecting ecological data Therefore,sets.
What are the key points in your career development to date?
❙ Once within employment, starting to project manage. This significantly increases your communication, time management and financial/commercial skills.
I had a family connection who gave me the e-mail of a director within WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff. I e-mailed this person with my CV and request for work and had the mentality of ‘he can either ignore me or just say no’. I had nothing to lose and if you don’t ask you don’t get! When he replied he asked if I could come to interview. For the interview I prepared material on what experience I had (particularly in wildlife surveying), and printed off examples of work that I had produced at university which received good marks and prepared for ‘typical’ interview questions. I also learnt to identify pictures of common wildlife species along with their Latin names as I was sure that I was going to have to undertake a short species quiz at my interview. In the interview I was quizzed on my species identification. Pictures that came up were: Himalayan balsam, red kite, great crested newt, cow parsley, Japanese knotweed and hawthorn. What relevant work experience did you refer to during the selection process? I referred to all three of my roles as part of my placement year as it showed that I had varied experience (public engagement/conservation education/practical conservation and consultancy). The fact that I had been the president of the LJMU Conservation Society and was the Wildlife Conservation course rep also worked in my favour as it showed leadership, communication and time management skills.
Be pro-active; seek volunteering opportunities to participate in surveys as soon as you can! The ecological season starts from April and runs till September. Lots of consultancies will ask for extra hands during this period. E-mail around and see if any consultancies would be willing to take you on board.
Join CIEEM (the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management) as a student member – consultancies/ecologists look for this when recruiting.
❙ I feel like I am protecting the wildlife in the UK. As conservationists, we will never be able to stop development from happening, therefore I might as well join an ecological consultancy so I can have the power to halt development projects until the appropriate ecological measures are in place.
I also spoke about my dissertation as an example of a project that I managed. As an individual you create the hypothesis, organise time to collect data, analyse this data and make suitable conclusions and recommendations dependent on your results. This in principal is a consultancy style project and showed that I was capable of managing a project. What advice would you give to other Wildlife Conservation students to improve their employability?
Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today?
The information gathered from the field is put into a report and given to the client. I detail the existing ecological conditions of the site, what notable and/or protected species are present and in some cases won’t let the development go ahead until they’ve done something to protect the wildlife that is there!
CHARIS RUSSELL-SMITH IS A WILDLIFE CONSERVATION GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A GRADUATE ECOLOGIST FOR WSP PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF AND
GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL
Tell us three things that you like about your job:
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 25CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
For your first job, can you briefly outline what the application process involved and how you prepared?
Participate in the placement year or try and get as much experience of performing wildlife surveys as possible. Also, try and get a basic understanding of botany and common UK plant and tree species as no matter what role you go in to within conservation, you will need to be able identify basic plant species!
❙ Achieving a first within my degree.
Recently I have started to involve myself in Ecological Clerk of Work projects where I attend a construction site as an ecological advisor and stay on site full time to advise contractors on how to perform their work in an ecologically friendly manner.
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My application process was not conventional in that I knew someone already working at WSP who recommended me for a seasonal position which was yet to be advertised. I emailed over my CV and was invited to an interview. This shows that who you know can be very useful, which is why it is important to always make a good impression with everyone you meet, to swap contact details and to stay in touch, as you never know when having a contact at a particular company may come in useful! In preparation for the interview, I familiarised myself with the work of the company and revised my ID skills of common British species (and their Latin names) as I knew for a seasonal position you are often tested more on your identification skills than on your technical experience. Needless to say I was successful.
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION GRADUATE
GAME
As well as these I manage projects, carry out report writing, risk assessments and fee proposals. three things that you like about your job:
In this position I work on development projects and carry out a variety of ecological surveys including: Great crested newt surveys and translocations; Habitat suitability index assessments; Bat emergence/re-entry and transect surveys; Reptile surveys and translocations; Water vole surveys; and Phase 1 habitat surveys and ecological assessments.
The variety of work - I work on residential, rail, highway and recreational jobs, which range in size from rail schemes spanning the entire country to surveying a small neighbourhood wildlife patch. Travelling all over the country and visiting places I’ve never been to before. The variety of people I work with. From WSP ecologists, ecologists from other firms, contractors and clients.
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What does your job involve?
What things are you not so keen on? Late night, early morning combination of bat emergence and dawn re-entry surveys. Spending several nights away from home each week during the survey season.
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STUDENT (LANGHOLM MOOR DEMONSTRATION PROJECT) GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 26 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
During university I undertook a placement year between the second and final year at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Slimbridge. This enabled me to realise the type of role I wanted in wildlife conservation after university and made me more focussed in my final year. After graduating, I spent six months as a research assistant for a PhD student in Galloway where we radio tracked bats. After this, I spent two months volunteering with The Nature Conservancy in the USA. After coming home and some time spent applying for jobs and attending interviews, I got a job at WSP on a temporary contract as a Seasonal Ecologist. After six months they kept me on as a Graduate Ecologist and I was promoted to Assistant in October 2017.
GILL BIRTLES IS A WILDLIFE CONSERVATION GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS AN ASSISTANT ECOLOGIST FOR WSP GRADUATE CASE STUDY
How did you get to where you are today?
Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team with my CV. What did you enjoy most? The freedom and independence of work and being outside every day watching wildlife!
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Tell us
Tell us a little bit about your placement year? My placement was a full year from August to August and it was all about the raptor grouse conflict in Scotland. I was responsible for large data sets, telemetry of grouse and monitoring of raptor populations. In the summer it was busy but rewarding with the ringing and tagging of hen harriers and a variety of other raptor species. There was a good balance of fieldwork, lab work and office work. I also got the opportunity to work with a variety of stakeholders, gamekeepers, fellow scientists and members of the public. I wanted to do the placement year to improve my potential employability, build contacts and develop my skills. I got to see different parts of the UK through helping out on other projects such as Capercaillie in the Cairngorms, lapwing in Teesdale and fisheries in Fordingbridge. I really enjoyed the whole experience and it directed me to pursue a career in research. What did the application process involve? I had to send a tailored CV followed by an interview. I was helped by the
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What work experience or volunteering did you refer to? I referred to my placement year at WWT Slimbridge as this was my only experience of working ‘long-term’ in a conservation role (as opposed to my other volunteer placements which were just a few months). I drew on the ID skills I learnt during this placement as well as the fact that I worked with many different disciplines, which is an important skill to show in the work place and especially important at WSP which is a multidisciplinary company. I also drew on my three month placement in radiotracking bats, as this gave me a great understanding of bat ecology, which is important knowledge to have when working as an ecologist. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Do as many placements as you can and volunteer with local wildlife groups e.g. bat, reptiles and bird groups. Carry out a placement year whilst in university. There are many aimed at university students which offer skill development and it’s a great way of working out exactly what you want to do after university, as well as being an introduction to the environmental sector. There’s a real difference to carrying out a placement during university as opposed to afterwards as you have more security so can concentrate on the learning side (rather than spending all your spare time on an extra job to pay the bills) and it helps you focus more with your final year studies. Finally, in your spare time, learn how to identify British species. Becoming experienced in identification is a long road (especially with vegetation) so the sooner you start, the more impressive you will be when entering the job market.
What did the selection process involve?
How do you feel the placement has benefitted you and what advice would you give other students to improve their employability? It has developed my skills in many ways and also developed specific skills such as telemetry that I would have not learned through university. Start early with your volunteering! Build up contacts and skills with local or ganisations while you have free time (so before the third year), or over the summer period. Ask if there is any additional work you can do for charity organisations and also for lecturers. Be proactive!
HANNAH GREETHAM IS A WHO NOW WORKS THE AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST AS AN UPLAND RESEARCH
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 27CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES Meet your future employer or get clarity on your future direction &EMPLOYABILITYCAREERS,START-UP EVENTS To see what’s coming up, go to: studentfutures.ljmu.ac.uk Events include: ❙ Careers and employability sessions ❙ Start-Up events and meet-ups ❙ Employer events ❙ Recruitment fairs ❙ Guest speakers
What do you wish you’d known as a student? I wish I’d known more about the career options for working in conservation and about the Wildlife Trusts! I simply didn’t realise what sort of jobs were out there until after I graduated. If I’d had a clearer idea of what I wanted to do, I’d have chosen different options within my degree (or maybe even a different course). I studied biology; the human anatomy and biochemistry modules are not much use to me now!
How did you get where you are today?
Doing a variety of roles early on has helped me climb the career ladder. Becoming a Countryside Ranger allowed me to develop a wide range of skills that have stood me in good stead for understanding the work of my teams. I also got to know a wide range of people working across many conservation organisations and this helped me get my first job with the Wildlife Trust. Completing my Masters in Countryside Management as a mature student whilst working full-time was also important. This meant that I used real world sites and projects for my assignments and this really helped cement my knowledge. I also think being being brave and putting myself forward to solve problems and try new things helped.
Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer! Any experience you gain in the work place will set you apart from other graduates who haven’t bothered. Even if you only have a day a month, this is better than nothing. Get to know people in the types of organisations you want to work for. Many of our employees at CWT volunteered with us before getting a job. It definitely helps. Read application forms very carefully and make sure you give the employer the information that they ask for in the format they want to see it. And with that, carefully proof read your application before you submit it. I’ve seen so many bad examples from recent graduates and they don’t make the short list.
Telll us three things you like about your job:
CHARLOTTE HARRIS IS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF CHESHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST
❙ The ongoing challenge of finding enough funding to do everything we want to and know needs to happen for wildlife.
EMMA WILDLIFEGROVES,CONSERVATION
❙ The constant battle to maintain protection for the natural environment in the face of decision makers who often, simply don’t care or understand.
The Conservation Society is a society for all those who want to get involved with anything nature related. The society has members from across all of LJMU’s schools and runs a variety of volunteer opportunities, fundraising events and socials.
The society volunteers at a range of Merseyside charities: from animal shelters to National Trust sites. We also run workshops to gain skills in species identification and habitat management. Our socials try to cater for everyone so we hold a range of events from quiz nights and meals to nights out. We regularly fundraise and raise money for a number of charitable causes.
❙ The variety and constant new and interesting challenges.
Do some extra training courses, particularly to develop your ID skills. Cheshire Wildlife Trust as well as many other conservation organisations offer courses that are not that expensive and are sometimes free to registered volunteers. This can be a great way to boost your skills and your CV to set you apart from the competition.
If you would like to get involved with the Conservation Society or find out more, either join our Facebook page ‘LJMU Conservation Society’ or ask your personal tutor for more information. What does your job involve?
The LJMU Conservation Society
Being part of the Conservation Society was the highlight of my university experience. From being a member of the society I made a fantastic group of friends, gained experience in the field of conservation and learnt some key life skills.
❙ Being based on a beautiful wildlife friendly farm and working with a fantastic and dedicated group of people. What aspects are you less keen on?
❙ The satisfaction that what I do makes a difference to wildlife.
What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? I volunteered through my teenage years and through university. As a student I was hoping to work with animals so I volunteered at an equine rescue centre and with the RSPCA. This helped me secure my first job within a ranger service that had a small petting zoo. From there I moved sideways into conservation work. What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue a career in this field?
STUDENT “ A CONVERSATION WITH ... CHARLOTTE HARRIS SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 28 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
❙ No longer having time to do the practical side of conservation work.
There is no such thing as a typical day. I spend a lot of time in meetings but I also get the chance to go and visit our nature reserves and our projects. It’s always great to see the work on the ground but most of my job nowadays is about making sure that the organisation runs smoothly. This includes writing and reviewing strategies and annual work plans, keeping an oversight of the finances and dealing with any day-to-day problems. It’s also my job to be an ambassador and advocate of the Trust’s work.
What does your job involve? My typical day now involves spending lots of time squinting at a computer screen, but this is not as tedious as it seems. What I’ve learnt (having thought that I wanted a field-based career in ecology) is that there are many ways to make the difference that inspires many of us. I am able to make decisions that can really change the environment and ecology of my area, mainly through enabling others to help me deliver our vision. This can be other charities and statutory organisations in my Meres & Mosses role or businesses in my other role, and I am able to help secure funding, advise on new ways of working, and sometimes it’s enough just to get everyone in the same place at the same time to hope they will say (roughly) the same thing!
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 29CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
During the first two years of my degree I did water vole surveying, otter surveying, habitat management, small mammal trapping, breeding bird surveys and various other things. What general tips and advice would you give to any undergraduate students wanting to pursue this career route? My experience was essential to gaining employment so quickly (I secured my first ‘proper’ job two weeks before my final exams).
I want people who are able to give clear examples of their skills, experience and knowledge both in the application form and at interview. My number one tip when applying for jobs (and something that many people do very badly or not at all) is to take the key points (usually bullet-pointed already) from the job description and person specification and use them as sub-titles in the application form. This makes shortlisting so much easier (and therefore subconsciously makes us like you already!). ... TOM HAYEK
Louise, can you tell us what your job involves?
What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? I had a rule whilst I was doing my Ecology degree: if I wasn’t studying, eating, sleeping or commuting I should be getting experience.
LOUISE SINNOTT COMPLETED A BSC IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AT LJMU IN 2013 AND IS NOW THE RESPONSIBILITY PROJECT MANAGER AT BURBERRY IN LONDON. WE CHATTED TO HER TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HER ROLE AND HOW SHE GOT TO WHERE SHE IS TODAY
❙ Being allowed the space to find creative solutions to all kinds of issues. Spreadsheets!!! Key points in your career development to date: Having spent five years in the recruitment industry (including two years abroad), I decided to make a change and requalify in ecology. I went back to university as a mature student and studied for a BSc. The two key points that helped me along the way were firstly making a last minute change from marine biology to ecology (which has suited me much better) and secondly the amount of volunteering I did whilst doing my ecology degree (enough in fact to secure a paid role delivering a stand-alone project for a conservation organisation before I graduated).
A CONVERSATION WITH
A WITH ... LOUISE SINNOTT
Tell us three things you like about your job:
TOM HAYEK IS PROGRAMME MANAGER AND CORPORATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT MERES AND MOSSES NETWORK, SHROPSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST
❙ As above, the opportunity to inspire and make a real impact on the way other individuals and organisations behave.
I project manage Burberry’s energy and carbon goals which are to be carbon neutral and achieve 100% renewable energy procurement by 2022. I work with teams across the business to embed the responsibility agenda into the business strategy and departmental objectives. I am also involved in exploring alternative materials and processes to move towards a circular economy. I also work collaboratively with external groups and other retailers towards enacting wide reaching change and work with suppliers to reduce environmental impact such as reducing energy and water consumption and promoting renewable energy. What do you like about your job? Working on varied projects at any one time and the opportunities for stakeholder engagement. Most importantly, I feel I can make a difference. The fashion industry is the second-most polluting industry in the world but companies are increasingly aware of their responsibility to do something to change that. How did you get to where you are today?
The knowledge gained from your degree is so important, but is almost meaningless without the practical experience to back it up. No point in being able to answer the ‘what’ questions without knowing the ‘why’ and the ‘how’. Any top tips for the recruitment process?
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I always say yes to new projects, which keeps me very busy, but ensures that I have varied projects to work on and have many examples of where I have achieved results. In terms of how I got to where I am now, I originally had ambitions towards a career in environmental consultancy and completed voluntary work as a biodiversity officer in the planning department of Cheshire West and Chester Council. I did three months unpaid work in their biodiversity team. I volunteered three days a week whilst working the other four at my local pub. It was hard work, but really helpful to have relevant biodiversity and office based experience for my CV. I then studied for an MBA in Environmental Management and set my sights on a more commercial role. Further experience as an environmental business adviser at Groundwork in Suffolk and a sustainability engagement manager at Queens University in London helped me secure my current role at Burberry. What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue a career in this field? Be proactive, email local companies and ask whether you can come in and help them for a few weeks. We have recently taken on a paid intern within our team for 8 weeks, all because she contacted us and asked the question!
What did the selection process involve? How did you prepare? I was required to fill in an online application (containing questions such as; How are you suited to the role (Include relevant experience)? Why do you want to work at West Midland Safari Park? How do you think you will fit into the current team? How would you benefit the company?). After my application was reviewed, I was asked to attend an interview where I was asked further questions about my relevant experience and what I wanted to get out of the placement. I prepared by researching the company and common questions that come up in interviews for zookeeper jobs. I can remember the university paperwork looking quite daunting however I received lots of help from both my personal tutor and the Placement Learning Support Unit, which made the paperwork a breeze. How do you feel that the placement has benefited you? It has increased my confidence in my ability and in voicing my opinions where appropriate. Previous to my placement I had little experience and confidence in a customer-facing role. It is an important part of the job to approach all customer interactions in a professional manner to enable the maintenance of a good standard of welfare, and customer satisfaction. By the end of the placement my confidence in talking to customers was greatly improved. I was also able to learn key skills required for a career in zookeeping which I had little experience with before. Has the placement helped you with your long-term career plans? Definitely! Throughout the placement I was given much more responsibility than I thought I would, and was treated like a member of staff. This gave me an insight into the job allowing me to discover the bits I enjoy and those that I do not. I started my placement not fully convinced as to what I wanted to do with my career, but I now know zookeeping is for me. The placement also gave me the opportunity to do some networking, both within the safari park and in the wider zoo community, which will benefit my future career.
Tell us a little bit about your placement - how long was it and why did you want to do it? My placement was a year-long, unpaid position. I wanted to do this placement as I knew zookeeping is a very competitive field and I wanted to increase my experience within the field to increase my likelihood of employability. I also wanted to determine whether this was actually the career path I wanted to pursue.
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 30 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
ZOOLOGY
EMILY DAVIES IS A ZOOLOGY GRADUATE WHO DID A PLACEMENT AT WEST MIDLAND SAFARI AND LEISURE PARK AS AN ASIAN HOOFSTOCK INTERN, FOLLOWED BY A ROLE AS A SEASONAL ASIAN HOOFSTOCK KEEPER PLACEMENT CASE STUDY
Where did you find out about the placement? I had heard about zoo internships via lectures from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team. I subsequently looked at work experience/internship opportunities at various zoos in the UK. If opportunities were not advertised on their websites, I emailed their Careers, Employability & Start-Up Teams asking if there were any placement opportunities available. For West Midland Safari Park, the application was on their careers page. What did you enjoy most? I really enjoyed the daily close contact I had with a number of highly endangered species and being one of the few people responsible for their wellbeing. I also enjoyed the close relationships I formed with the people I worked with. I never expected to create such incredible friendships with people I am still in contact with, and this is one aspect which made my year so enjoyable. There was not one day where I woke up and thought negatively about the day ahead (even when it was freezing cold)) and the team and animals I worked with definitely contributed to that.
HARRIET THATCHER IS A ZOOLOGY GRADUATE WHO IS NOW COMPLETING A PHD FUNDED BY AESOP AND THE LJMU MATCHED FUNDING SCHEME. THE AESOP SCHOLARSHIP IS A COLLABORATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL IN SOUTH AFRICA POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY
FUNDED
Tell us about your postgraduate career to date:
❙ I enjoy the people you meet who are also determined and committed to their field; they are full of helpful tips and always willing to lend a hand.
Three main things really:
What advice would you give to other Zoology students to improve their employability? Gain a variety of experiences. Specific skills are useful, but sometimes it is difficult to know what you will want to do until you have experienced it.
What relevant work experience and skills did you refer to during the selection process? I referred to all of my experience gained from my degree, my placement year and my dissertation. I did a placement year between my second and third year with the Nematology Research Group at Bristol University. It was a great experience as it gave me first-hand experience in a research environment allowing me to develop advanced research skills, attend conferences, become more focused on my future direction and it also developed my maturity for my final year. It was also a great opportunity to network with researcher within this area. I was able to refer to all of these experiences.
JAMES CUTLER GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN ZOOLOGY IN 2016. HE IS NOW COMPLETING A PHD AT LJMU
What relevant work experience/ volunteering did you refer to during the selection process? I took the option of the placement year which I feel benefited me in the application process. I conducted six months as a research assistant for an NGO in Tanzania and six months working as a husbandry and research assistant at Manor House Wildlife Park in Wales. In these placements I learnt the most applicable skills to my postgrad career. However I have also worked at a farm park centre since I was 16, volunteered at Chester Zoo through my three years at LJMU and volunteered at a monkey rehabilitation centre in my summer. I believe work experience is key no matter how irrelevant you may think it is to the position. There are always skills to learn, whether it be team skills, presentations or numeracy. Also volunteering shows commitment, which is always a good quality to show in applications.
Any general tips for those thinking about doing postgrad study?
Three things I love about my PhD:
❙ The independence of planning my own research around my interests.
Independence. Having the freedom (to an extent) to conduct my own research and manage my own time. Also being part of a vibrant research community. I hope to potentially continue in research, however a lot can change in three years!
❙ Correct place: A university in a location you will be happy to be at.
POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 31CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
In my final year I looked into Masters courses but none seemed to cover what I wanted as I really just wanted to be collecting data! I approached Dr Emily Bethell after seeing her advert for a placement student wondering if she could offer anything similar to gain field experience. As a result I agreed to a six-month internship shadowing her postdoc. This then led onto my Masters focusing on primate behaviour and welfare. Towards the end of my Masters Dr Nicola Koyama spoke to me about funding opportunities for a PhD and now I am in South Africa researching Vervet monkeys! Why did you decide to pursue postgrad study? My interest has always been primates. To develop my skills I partook in a variety of volunteer positions both in husbandry and research; though I enjoyed both, I enjoyed the research aspect more. After conducting my placement year and being able to intern for an NGO in Tanzania I came back to my final year more determined than ever to succeed and continue onto a postgraduate route.
❙ I enjoy the challenge, I enjoy structure and self-motivation. I have never been as tired since starting my research but I still wake up every morning with energy for what the day in the field may bring.
❙ Correct project: Something you are interested in and motivated by.
Current postgrad position: Postgraduate Researcher at LJMU. My research involves looking at the ‘Discovery and Development on novel parasitic nematodes to control slugs in agriculture’. This is a jointly funded PhD by LJMU and BASF. Why did you decide to pursue postgrad study? I had an interest in scientific research, specifically in parasitology and nematology, and going into postgrad study allowed me to follow these interests.
What do you enjoy most? Any plans on what you want to do next?
What advice would you give to other Zoology/Animal Behaviour students to improve their employability? The best way to make yourself employable is to gain work experience. Gaining experience in different fields also helps you to decide what your next step should be and what is the most suitable course for you. If you are interested in a topic, speak to the specific lecturer or ask your tutor for advice. Lecturers are always happy to chat about their work and that is how opportunities arise and you get your name known.
❙ Correct supervisor: Someone approachable and helpful.
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What work experience / skills / volunteering did you refer to during the selection process?
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For my placement year, the interview included a bird identification test to ensure that I knew common UK species. For my current role, the interview included a written test which required interpretation of the spatial distribution of a seabird following a pollution incident. The interview also included questions about key areas of the job. I prepared by studying facts about key seabirds and general information about the relevant statistics used for spatial modelling. I think it is fairly commonplace for interviews to have some sort of competencybased test nowadays.
I continue to be a desk-based volunteer for charities when I can as I really enjoy it and it fits easily around my job. There are so many more opportunities for desk-based volunteering nowadays. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?
I decided to complete a placement year because it would provide me with essential work-based skills. The placement gave me a lot of great skills, notably an understanding of GIS, and I made some great friends too. I was able to use my mentor as a reference for all my job applications after university. I still keep in touch with people from my placement now.
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What does your current job involve?
Three things that I like about my job: The interesting nature of the work. Diversity of the work – project-based environments usually present new challenges. The career progression and new skills I have learnt. Things I’m not so keen on: Pressurised deadlines – the environment of a consultancy is often fast-paced and dynamic with priorities changing on a daily basis. Coping with multiple, competing deadlines. Completing a timesheet – all my time has to be accounted for so that project managers can monitor the progress and budget.
Tell us about how you got to where you are today: After being hired as a Graduate Scientist, I completed a part-time Masters degree in Conservation Biology whilst working full-time by attending evening lectures twice a week over the course of two years. I applied for an internal vacancy for a Consultant Scientist and was successful; a couple of years later I was promoted to my current position of Senior Scientist. The postgraduate study allowed me to develop an understanding of the R statistical programme, which was one of the key reasons for my career progression.
I had an employment record since starting college through working in various establishments: clothes stores, camping stores, coffee shops, and care homes. I think having an early history of employment shows that you have a strong work ethic. Throughout university I continued to work in various care homes on a part-time basis. I have had employers mention to me that they respected people who work in a care-orientated environment as it shows that you can work with different types of people. If you’re applying for a job in a new career, I wouldn’t underestimate the value of your experience even if you don’t think it is relevant.
After graduating from university, I continued to work in care and applied to job adverts all over the UK and Europe. It took me over a year to get offered a job that was relevant to my degree. I think I must have applied to over a hundred jobs that year. For most of them, I didn’t receive any news about my applications even to inform me I was unsuccessful. It was really disheartening after working so hard at university. I realised one day that it wasn’t necessarily my experience, but also the experience of other people who were applying that mattered. Changing my perspective on the situation allowed me to not take the process personally and to keep applying. I was offered two interviews that year, and I was successful for one of them. I have now been with the same company for almost seven years. Your experience of applying for your first job after university might be a lot easier than it was for me. If you find yourself in a similar situation though, just remember to keep applying and try not to let it affect your confidence. In the meantime, stay relevant by volunteering, read around your subject, or join a society. Eventually you will find a job which fits your experience perfectly and you will be the preferred candidate.
APEM LTD GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 32 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
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What did the application/selection process involve and how did you prepare?
I had previously completed a sandwich placement in the GIS office at a conservation charity and also volunteered at a local children’s zoo every Sunday for a year during my second year of university. Those experiences allowed me to have an understanding of working outside in all types of weather and also in an office environment and with a wide variety of people.
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LAURA JERVIS IS A ZOOLOGY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A SCIENTIST FOR
I work in the ornithology team of an environmental consultancy which specialises in the aquatic environment. I act as project manager for high resolution digital aerial surveys on behalf of clients such as renewable energy companies and statutory nature conservation bodies. I ensure the surveys are undertaken as per the specification required by the client and that all information is provided by the deadline.
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How did you get to where you are today?
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EVALIN CASSON IS A ZOOLOGY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS AS A WILDLIFE CONSULTANT & AVIAN BIOLOGIST FOR SAFESKYS (AN AIR PARTNER COMPANY)
Visiting airfields: RAF bases are incredibly interesting, and part of my job involves visiting aerodromes, including several RAF bases we hold contracts with.
What does your current role involve? As a self-employed veterinary physiotherapist, I work in and around Merseyside, both for private clients and following referrals from veterinary surgeries. I work with a range of animals, including horses and dogs, using a variety of assessments and treatments for many different problems. In addition, I am a part-time lecturer of veterinary physiotherapy at the Moreton Morrell branch of Warwickshire University Group, teaching first-year undergraduate students. Three things that you like about your work:
❙ The freedom that I have working for myself, and also the freedom I have as a lecturer to make my own decisions and change things independently.
BSC (HONS) ZOOLOGY GRADUATE JOHN WHITE IS A SELF-EMPLOYED VETERINARY PHYSIOTHERAPIST AND PART-TIME LECTURER.
What relevant work experience and volunteering did you gain alongside your studies?
As my initial aim was to apply for a graduate-entry veterinary science course after completing my Zoology degree, I had been very proactive to gain as much hands-on work experience with animals as possible: I worked on farms as a basic farm hand doing jobs such as mucking out, feeding, cleaning and taking the pigs for a walk; with the Police dog section walking the dogs and assisting in training; and in local vet practices observing and assisting in basic surgery. Once on the postgraduate veterinary physiotherapy course, I also had to arrange my own work experience with local vet physios to learn my trade and gain hands-on experience.
Completing a year-long unpaid internship at Chester Zoo opened career opportunities in the zoo environment for me, and as a result I secured further zookeeper roles, including at Birdworld in Surrey. Unfortunately, there is a lot of zoo politics which I did not enjoy, and it is also really difficult to live on a zookeeper’s wage, especially when living near London. Fortunately, I found my current job, which still lets me work with animals. I get to study birds, their intelligence and behaviour on a daily basis along with their environment, so it is incredibly interesting. What work experience/ volunteering did you do during your undergraduate studies? I got involved in a wide range of work experience and volunteering opportunities during my undergraduate course, including an RSPCA rehoming centre, Smithills Open Farm (and dairy farm), Turbary Woods Bird of Prey sanctuary, WWT Martin Mere, and Matchmoor Riding School. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Tailor your hobbies to your chosen career: I completed my PADI diving certificates and I am a BTO C permit bird ringer. It shows prospective employers that you are interested in your chosen field and further developed relevant skills outside of work settings. Do your research before accepting a job. Take time to improve your CV and cover letter and tailor it specifically for each job you apply for. Useful websites I used to find previous jobs include https://www. environmentjob.co.uk/jobs and http://zoowork.blogspot. co.uk/ (this website is managed by Zoo news digest, which also has a Facebook page where they posts jobs as well as insightful posts).
What does your job involve? Conducting wildlife surveys and creating the subsequent reports. Mitigation of wildlife strikes. Creating innovative ideas to avoid lethal action taken against wildlife on airfields. This makes us different from many others in the industry that do not value wildlife. We try to avoid any unnecessary harm to the wildlife.
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❙ Making a big difference to both the animals’ and their owners’ lives by getting that animal to start walking again or back to its best condition.
What challenges did you have to overcome in your career so far? When applying for veterinary physiotherapy courses, it can be challenging to gain relevant work experience due to insurance issues, and this was also a problem for me. However, I applied for work experience at various veterinary surgeries and successfully secured a few weeks’ experience at one surgery, where I then also picked up a temporary job on reception. All this experience was taken into account when I applied for the veterinary physiotherapy postgraduate degree. The course was pretty full on, with teaching taking place at weekends, and then work experience with physios, vets and hydrotherapists a few times per week. It was my responsibility to set this up while also working part-time to pay for the postgraduate course, as at the time student finance didn’t fund it. It was basically sink or swim! I did have some setbacks and times when I wanted to just leave and get a job. I also had to pick up skills in working with animals I had no previous experience with. Before the course I had never worked with horses and now my main client base is horses and I am more confident with horses than dogs which is surprising for me really, but you sort of find your own way and it helped that I was really motivated to learn. What advice would you give other students to improve their employability? My main advice would be to never give up on the career you want, as there are always different routes to achieve your goals, even if it takes a little longer. Try to network with the right people as early as possible, and start gaining work experience from your first year onwards, as you learn so much more on-the-job than in a classroom. Show your motivation to learn and willingness to go the extra mile, as employers do pick up on this. Get involved in student societies or groups – this is one thing I wish I had done more of, as you meet new people who have similar goals and you can bounce ideas off each other, while also asking your lecturers and the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team as many questions as possible. And finally – be positive! Although I had wanted to study veterinary medicine, the Zoology BSc was interesting and a great foundation for my current role, so everything worked out well and I found a similar and very rewarding career.
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❙ Working with animals every day, which was always my dream.
GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 33CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Three things that I like about my Job: It is very different from my previous jobs; I have a lot more freedom and ability to progress. It pays better than most animal-related jobs, and there is more potential to grow and further my career than in a zoo environment.
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❙ Everyone is so lovely! All the Dogs for Good staff and volunteers are so passionate about what we do. What did the application/selection process involve and how did you prepare? I saw the vacancy on the Dogs for Good website a few months before my graduation (I was checking all assistance dog charities regularly!), and the application form was pretty standard. I took my cover letter to the Careers Zone and they helped a lot. I then had two interviews. The first involved a formal sit down interview with two senior members of staff, and then a section where they gave me one of their dogs in training. I had 10 minutes to ‘assess’ the dog, and then I had to feedback what I thought about the dog’s personality and potential. The second interview was more in-depth - I had to teach a dog to go to its bed, explaining my thinking to a manager as I went along. I then had someone pretending to be a client and I had to teach them how to teach their dog to go to its bed. Following this I had to give a 30-minute presentation to a panel, about The five Freedoms and Animal Welfare, in relation to assistance dogs. Prior to this interview I was told what I’d be doing, so I was able to practise training and my course leader helped me with ideas for my presentation.
Three things that I like about my job:
What does your current job involve? Dogs for Good provide assistance dogs to adults and children with physical disabilities, as well as children with Autism. I work specifically for the physical disability service. Dogs are given their basic assistance dog training at the centre in Banbury, and then they come to our centre in the North. It is my job to look at the dog’s needs, capabilities and personalities, and match them to someone on the client list. If the dog needs any additional training, I provide that, and then take the dog to the client, and teach them how to work together and develop their relationship.
Tell us about how you got to where you are today: When I started my degree I wanted to work in animal behaviour in some way, but I wasn’t sure how. It was doing my placement year that gave me the idea of working with assistance dogs, as I spent six months at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and loved it. Being a dog trainer employed by an organisation instead of being a self-employed behaviour counsellor really appealed to me. I was very lucky that in the final six months of my degree, a job at Dogs for Good came up, and here I am!
Did the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team at LJMU help you in anyway? I accessed help from the Careers, Employability & Start-Up Team A LOT. I didn’t actually realise how much they could do to help until I went to ask about help with my CV. They were great at giving me feedback and I used their CV guides to help improve mine. I also booked a mock interview which was brilliant – lots of the questions they asked came up in my real interview so I felt much more confident. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Get as much experience as possible. Ideally in a specific area you’re interested in, but if that’s not possible, any relevant experience is good as you’d be surprised how many skills you will gain. There are many people with degrees nowadays so you need to have done something different. Work experience also shows you have initiative and a proactive attitude, which is very appealing to employers. Doing work experience can help you to decide what you do (or don’t!) want to do. I’ve done placements at the RSPCA and at vet practices, and these showed me that I did not want to work in those areas, which I think is just as important! If possible, get your volunteering opportunity during university, either as a placement year, or alongside your course. It will be really difficult to commit decent amounts of time to volunteer after university when you’ve got bills to pay and a job to maintain. Remember it’s also always worth asking. Many organisations don’t publically advertise volunteering opportunities, but if you can pop in or give them a phone call, many will be grateful of the help. Try to do a dissertation relevant to the job you’d like. Not only does this mean that you’ll be more interested in it and therefore more motivated, but it will also help you be more informed during interviews.
Top tips from Lisa Holmes, who graduated with a degree in Zoology, and is now a Behaviour & Welfare Scientist at Chester Zoo
ELLA MCNULTY IS A ZOOLOGY (WITH PLACEMENT YEAR) GRADUATE WHO IS CURRENTLY WORKING AS AN INSTRUCTOR AT DOGS FOR GOOD
GRADUATE CASE STUDY “ “ SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 34 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Jobs in this industry can be quite scarce but the opportunities are slowly growing in number as the emphasis on zoo research increases. My advice would be to volunteer at conservation organisations such as local wildlife groups, nature reserves and keep checking the zoo and safari park websites for fixed-term opportunities that would give you relevant and valuable experience. Make sure you get as much practical animal experience as you can and don’t limit yourself to working with favoured species - often the animals you might think aren’t that exciting tend to be the most interesting species to work with.
❙ Making a difference to people’s lives. Lots of my clients have not been able to leave their house independently until their dog came along. It’s so rewarding. ❙ Daily dog contact! All our dogs have to have a minimum of two 40-minute sessions of exercise per day, whether that’s a lead walk, off lead run, or a training session.
I can’t stress enough how crucial my placement year was to me getting this job! Being able to go into my interviews and say that I had a list of work experience and had already spent six months working at an assistance dog charity was a huge benefit. I also spoke about my experience at the RSPCA (where I spent the other half of my placement year), and about the many trips to Chester Zoo and hands on practicals I had done during my degree.
What work process?tovolunteeringexperience/didyoureferduringtheselection
LINDSAY DODGSON IS A ZOOLOGY GRADUATE WHO NOW WORKS FOR PROGRESSIVE MEDIA AS A SCIENCE JOURNALIST (ENERGY FEATURES WRITER) GRADUATE CASE STUDY
I work as part of a very diverse science team. Within our team we have animal behaviourists, nutritionists, social scientists, as well as a research officer and a reproductive coordinator! My job predominately involves undertaking diagnostic testing at Chester Zoo. This means I get to work with a wide range of animal teams across the zoo, including the curators and the vets. Using molecular biology techniques we monitor the cyclicity of our animals as a reproductive indicator which can help inform us if an individual is cycling or pregnant. This is achieved via noninvasive sampling techniques, so a lot of time is spent in the lab extracting hormone metabolites from faecal samples. We also conduct this testing for other collections across the UK and Europe, and it is extremely rewarding to be able to support breeding programmes at this level.
The best piece of advice I could give for online applications is to tailor both your CV and cover letter to each specific job. Before the interview I ensured I knew as much as possible about the zoo and the sector, and particularly the team which I was applying to be a part of. What advice would you give to other Zoology/Animal Behaviour students to improve their employability? I would recommend volunteering where possible to gain experience and network with people. Additionally, when applying for jobs think of the skills which you are bringing. For example, my time in hospitality provided me with excellent interpersonal skills which have proven extremely useful in my current career, particularly with public speaking and networking events.
I start by checking emails! I have a list of features to write every month, so I am always sending out emails to people and companies to try and get interviews. I will then either start working on a feature if I have a deadline, or transcribe an interview that I’ve recorded, or do some research for a future piece. I’m an energy writer, so I tend to cover things like renewable energy technology, the oil and gas sector, climate change and anything under that bracket really. I also write about the mining industry.
How did you get to where you are today?
Tell us a little bit about how you got to where you are today: I studied Zoology at LJMU because Biology was my best subject at school and animals and nature always fascinated me. I didn’t go into the degree with any idea of where I wanted to take it. I originally thought I might do an MSc and then a PhD as I particularly enjoyed the health and disease side of the course. After speaking with a family friend in the field, I realised that talking to people was the part I enjoyed most. I also did English at A level, and I found out that I could combine the two skills if I went into writing. That’s how I came across the Science Journalism course at City University London. This was in my second year at LJMU so I quickly started researching where I could gain experience, as I had no journalistic background at all. I started writing for a couple of student magazines, and my community quickly grew. I took on a role at one called The Student Journals where I helped out with admin and sending out the newsletter, and then I became the science editor for another magazine Kettlemag.
The testing is vitally important to provide us with early detection so we can begin treatment as soon as possible. I’m extremely honoured to work on such a vital project to help ensure the health and wellbeing of our elephant herd. Other aspects of my job include, facilitating biological sample requests for researchers, staff training, public engagement, and supervising placement, Masters and PhD students.
What does your job involve?
I also conduct the EEHV (Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus) testing at the zoo. This virus is a highly fatal haemorrhagic disease for Asian Elephants.
Getting onto the MA opened so many more doors, and I did a few internships. I went to The Independent, the Observer and others over my year at City, which was invaluable experience. After graduation, I applied for a lot of jobs, and interviewed for three before getting my role at Progressive, where I write for MINE Magazine, Future Power Technology Magazine and Offshore Technology Focus. It’s a great step on my journalism ladder, and doing the MA really set me up well for the industry. I also now freelance on the side for a science website called LiveScience, which means I can still write about the things that I find interesting like animals and health. What tips and advice would you give to students wanting to pursue this career route?
Start now, and write, write, write. It doesn’t matter who for, or whether it will even get read by anyone, but the only way you know if you’re good at something or not is to try it. Set up a blog and get involved in a university publication if you have one. If not, there are plenty of amazing opportunities for students on online magazines, so get involved wherever you can. Also, don’t tell yourself it’s too late for a career change. You can make up for lost time with your enthusiasm, so don’t give up! If you’re thinking of going into journalism, get your CV onto one page. It’s hard but often people won’t read past the first page anyway. So condense it and make it snappy. I’ve also added a bit of subtle colour to mine to make it stand out. I’ve been complimented on it in the past, so don’t be afraid to make yours a little less bland.
Three things I’m not so keen on: I have PRs calling and emailing me all day, which can get a bit annoying, but they’re only doing their job! I work in a huge media company too which I’m not so keen on, as it can make you feel a little insignificant. It’s my first job out of university though, so I’m taking it as a first step rather than somewhere I’ll be forever.
Three things I like about my job: The flexibility of my day, I need to hit my deadlines but around this I manage my time as I please. I also love to talk to interesting people like scientists and researchers. They often enjoy explaining their work, and are pleased when someone takes an interest. I also get to go to lots of events, such as ones put on by renewable energy agencies and mining companies. This gets me out of the office and provides great opportunities for networking.
What does your current job involve?
Three things that I like about my job: That it is varied, exciting and applied! All the work I undertake has a direct impact on the animals in our collection and other collections around Europe.
After my undergraduate degree I completed a Masters at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in Molecular Biology of Parasites and Disease Vectors. After this, I worked in hospitality for a year as a restaurant supervisor. During this time working I also volunteered with a PhD student at the Liverpool Vet School. This allowed me to continue to develop my lab skills and provided the opportunity to work in a professional lab. It was during this time when the job at Chester Zoo became available which I applied for and was successful. What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare?
TECHNICIAN AT CHESTER ZOO GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 35CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
JOHN O’HANLON GRADUATED FROM LJMU WITH A DEGREE IN ZOOLOGY (2015) AND IS NOW A LABORATORY
After completing my BSc and graduating with first class, I spent the following three years working in retail whilst saving up money to do my masters, as well as trying to decide what I actually wanted to do with my career. I toyed with a number of options and settled on Medical Parasitology. I did my masters at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. For my thesis, I went out to Africa in Summer 2018 to conduct some fieldwork and research. One of my supervisors for my dissertation is the director of ARCTEC. I spent some of my 7 weeks in Africa with him. I worked very hard during my time in Africa and I obviously managed to impress my now boss, as in December of 2018 he contacted me and asked if I would like to join the ARCTEC team as a research assistant. Just under 6 months later, I interviewed for an assistant trial manager position and was successful. What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? During my BSc, I completed the ‘tropical expedition’ module in Costa Rica, which gave me a valuable insight into the world of fieldwork. I also spent some time volunteering at London Zoo in the reptile house (although this was before my BSc) as I wanted to be a zookeeper initially. I worked in retail for 11 years, but despite this not being the field or industry I wished to be in, I gained many transferable skills including management, customer service and attention to detail. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Don’t be afraid to try anything and everything that you can. It is almost impossible to know at this stage of your life what you want to do forever. Myself specifically I was considering microbiology, mycology and biomedical science before I finally arrived at medical parasitology. I did my masters in that but now I’m a medical entomologist. Things change and if you roll with it then you are more likely to find yourself where you want to be. Do not put too much pressure on yourself. Some of your cohort will immediately start a job in the field, others will not. There is no timeline, I know people from my cohort who now, 6 years later are going back into education. Some have even changed their career path completely! The job market is hard. It is easy to get down about that, and you will see the word ‘experience’ crop up constantly. You will be told you do not have enough experience, or even in some cases too much. However, do not give up. Try to think of your life and what transferable skills you have gained. They may not be science related but you can certainly compare the traits an employer is asking for with your own life experience. Not all companies/institutes are looking for 10 years of experience. This was my first job in the industry (and I was 27 when I got there). What is very important is passion, enthusiasm and determination. When looking at identical candidates education/experience wise, the edge will always go to the person who is fervently passionate about the role. Do your research; learn about a company before interviewing. Interview experience is also a real asset. Always ask for feedback. Most importantly, do not give up! You will get there in the end.
GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 36 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
3. I have the opportunity to travel both around the country and abroad, be that for educational campaigns or field work
How did you get to where you are today? I put myself out there! I volunteered as much as I could to build up skills and experiences. Between my first and second year at LJMU I volunteered in Thailand at an animal sanctuary and the following summer I spent it collecting data in the labs on venom and chopping heads off flat worms. After my degree I completed an MSc in Molecular Biology of Parasites and Disease Vectors at LSTM. I also did a 3-month placement in a hospital in Sri Lanka studying venomous snakebites. I also completed novel research projects (funnel web venom for BSc and Snake venom for MSc) due to asking for collaborations with already established researchers. I was cheeky and asked for collaborations, eventually when one said yes, the research accelerated my career. Before I got my current job I faced many rejections, but I continued and took risks. I started at AstraZeneca in 2017, as a temp employee with SRG as maternity cover. When the maternity cover ended the company permanently employed me. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability? Be prepared to be told no, it only takes one yes for your break to happen. Have your own development plan, ask the employer if this is a route you can complete with them. Make yourself stand out! Remember it’s also always worth asking. Many organisations don’t publically advertise volunteering opportunities, but if you can pop in or give them a phone call, many will be grateful of the help. Try to do a dissertation relevant to the job you’d like. Not only does this mean that you’ll be more interested in it and therefore more motivated, but it will also help you be more informed during interviews. What does your current job involve? My current job involves the management and coordination of both clinical and non-clinical trials for arthropod control products. As well as management, I also conduct laboratory testing of a range of vector and pest control products from repellents to traps and lures as well as the maintenance of laboratory colonies of mosquitoes.
HOLLY HARVEY GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN ZOOLOGY IN 2016. SHE IS NOW AN ANALYTICAL VIROLOGIST AT ASTRAZENECA.
ERIN FOLEY GRADUATED WITH A ZOOLOGY DEGREE IN 2014. SHE IS NOW A RESEARCH SCIENTIST & ASSISTANT TRIAL MANAGER FOR ARCTEC AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE.
Three things that I like about my job:
Three things that I like about my job:
1. There is so much variation, no year is the same 2. I’m constantly learning new things 3. I help make something that improves people’s lives Things I’m not so keen on: There are a lot of different gowning procedures to follow when working in a lab - which takes a lot of time if you just need to pop out!
1. There is a lot of variety in what I do, no day is ever the same
2. The work I do helps towards improving public health
What does your current job involve? I work with viruses that are manufactured into vaccines. I grow various strains and test their potency. I also work with the interference of viruses in the same vaccine. I perform tests under different conditions to determine how stable the virus is. The Flu viruses I work with change rapidly and each season brings new strains and new challenges.
How did you get to where you are today?
❙ Having a Masters can be very helpful, and you can get government loans for this. I would highly recommend a masters even going into any zoology job as it will give you an extra edge amongst the competition.
2. I have learnt so much about myself from them and have met some amazing people.
I volunteered at as many animal places I possibly could including my local vets, a local farm, Cheshire falconry and the laboratories at LJMU. Networking is extremely important when you want to work with animals, so volunteer at as many places as you can. What advice would you give to other students to improve their employability?
❙ Work on your people skills, as any job with animals requires a person to work intimately with the public too.
3. I like my amazing friends and colleagues that are fantastic people to work with, from all over the world.
❙ Network as much as possible and volunteer at any place or area you would like to get a career in.
❙ For any advice or further questions please visit @Alice_in_zoology_land on Instagram and Twitter and feel free to message me
3. Seeing the result after construction and knowing that endangered species and their habitat have been protected.
EMMA HICKSON GRADUATED FROM LJMU WITH A ZOOLOGY DEGREE IN 2017; SHE NOW WORKS AS AN ECOLOGIST.
Three things that I like about my job: PhD: 1. I love being in control of my own research and directing the areas I want to learn about more.
What work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? I did work experience at The Welsh Mountain Zoo as part of my work based learning module at LJMU. I also volunteered throughout university at a stable. While I was working seasonally as an assistant, I also volunteered with Merseyside Bat group and Merseyside and West Lancs Small Mammal group. Learning from colleagues and joining local bat and bird walks are great ways to learn identification skills and survey techniques. What work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? In this job, bear in mind it is usually important to have a driving license. Surprisingly many jobs require it, both in zoos and out. Also having knowledge and enthusiasm about a niche subject such as Flower ID and Bird ID can really help you stand out from the crowd and there a great textbooks and online resources and courses that you can tap into to help you.
What is your current job title? PhD student (the evolution of body shape, locomotion and ecology in terrestrial vertebrates), module lead and Falconer.
❙ Get the best grades you can and learn as much as you can from your university course.
I undertake protected species surveys on development sites for projects such as construction, transport and housing estates. Before any building work is done, and during we monitor the damage that may or may not be done and figure out the best ways to have a biodiversity net gain. This can be by mitigation or by creating other sites nearby in order to compensate. There is also paperwork and licensing that goes along with this which you will find in almost every job! A lot of this involves accessing old records for the geography and the history of the sites and using QGIS to map out our survey sites.
Three things that I like about my job:
Anything you are not so keen on: Sometimes land owners and construction companies make it difficult to get access and do your job which means that surveys sometimes fall short and animals suffer. This can be irritating but on other occasions we have construction workers who are really interested and go above and beyond to help us out which is great!
What does your current job involve?
POSTGRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 37CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
I graduated in 2014 with a BSc first class with honours in Zoology and then went on to do a Master of Research in Advanced Biological Sciences: Evolution, ecology and behaviour. Afterwards I aimed to go on to a PhD but competition was very tough, I ended up doing a teaching degree (PGDE) and worked in a secondary school for a year and spent another year teaching at the University of Liverpool as a demonstrator before I got the opportunity to do a PhD. In terms of how did I become a falconer, when I started my zoology course at LJMU I immediately volunteered at Cheshire falconry to gain as much experience as possible. After I finished my degree my boss hired me to work weekends as a falconer.
What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today?
1. Being outside in the countryside for most of the summer which is when we do the majority of our site surveys.
Falconer: 1. Birds of prey are very emotional animals every one of them has a completely different personality and I cherish each one of the birds I work with.
ALICE MAHER GRADUATED FROM LJMU WITH A BSC IN ZOOLOGY AND HAS SINCE COMPLETED A PGDE ACHIEVING QUALIFIED TEACHER STATUS (QTS) AND IS NOW COMPLETING A PHD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL. SHE IS ALSO A PROFESSIONAL FALCONER.
What does your current job involve? As PhD students I am basically conducting research, writing and teaching. As a falconer feeding, cleaning and training the birds of prey in my care.
❙ The most important advice is be prepared to have many jobs before you find the right one.
How did you get to where you are today? During university, I volunteered at Zoos and stables and when I graduated I did an internship at Chester Zoo in their bird team. After my internship, I struggled to find work and applied for a seasonal role with a small ecology firm just assisting ecologists doing surveys. It really peaked my interest and I learnt as much as I could. I also built on my bat, bird and flower knowledge with the help of local volunteer groups. I worked for 2 seasons, alongside completing my MSc in Conservation Biology. After my masters I secured the role I am in now.
3. Because not a lot of research is done into birds of prey welfare in captivity (something I want to fix). You have to get to know the birds very intimately to be able to tell when they are happy, sad or just in a mood which means you create an incredible bond with them.
How did you get to where you are today?
❙ Never give up, you’re going to have years of hard work and let downs ahead of you, but you will get your dream job if you keep fighting for it.
2. Being hands on especially when doing amphibian trapping, nest searching or bat endoscoping. There is nothing better than climbing a ladder to peer in a nest and seeing barn owl chicks!
2. I like the amazing places you go to whether it be for studying, conferences or just networking.
toIinterviewsDuringinternship.gotsayanIlatermonthsagainreceivedemailtoIhadthethemadesurebeconfident and worked hard during the working interview. My goal was to try and impress them with my work ethic and I was not afraid to ask questions, as it shows your interest. How do you feel your placement has benefited you? The placement gave me the necessary skills and required experience to be considered for future animal keeper jobs. I also secured my current job at a farm based on my experience at Knowsley Safari Park. I also developed some amazing relationships and have some amazing memories that I will never forget. Has the placement helped you with your long-term career plans? Before going on placement I had a much narrower mind set of my future career and purely wanted to work with large carnivores. However, after working with the mix of animals I now would be delighted to get a career working with reptiles, ungulates or small mammals too. Also, all animal keeper jobs I have looked at required at least one year work experience in the zoo industry, which I can now happily say I worked hard to get, already putting me ahead of the competition in future job applications. SAFARI
Tell us a little bit about your placement - how long was it and why did you want to do it? My internship was at Knowsley Safari Park. I started my internship in October 2016 and ended in August 2017. I wanted to complete a sandwich year as an animal keeper to increase my employability after graduation and to give me an insight into the job role to ensure it was the right career for me. I worked on the foot safari with a wide array of different animals, from elephants and giraffes to meerkats, bats and reptiles. I carried out the daily husbandry cleaning routines, prepared food and medications and also participated in training regimes with elephants and giraffes. Many other opportunities presented themselves during my time at Knowsley Safari Park, such as observing veterinary procedures, doing bat catch ups, taking part in animal moves etc. Where did you find out about the internship/placement? I carried out my own research when looking for my placement. I searched the internship page of many zoological collections and decided Knowsley Safari Park was best for me as I unfortunately couldn’t move house during my placement and Knowsley Safari Park was local enough for me to get to without a car. What did you enjoy most? The part I enjoyed the most was, of course, the connection with the animals. Particularly when training Rigsby the giraffe and feeding the Equatorial Trail (sitatunga antelopes, capybaras and tapirs). Doing any sort of enrichment with the animals was also amazing as I got to watch the animals find enjoyment out of items I made for them. Summer jobs were also very enjoyable - such as applying fly cream to tapirs. I also had an amazing opportunity to go to a recording studio to talk for the Knowsley Safari App, meaning my voice can be heard telling the public facts about the animals. What did the application/selection process involve? How did you prepare? I started by completing an application form in December 2015. A few months later I was invited to a group interview with six other applicants. I was then taken to the African Lion House and had a working interview. This was to see how well I worked with the team and how I tackled the heavy duty jobs. I then had a formal interview where I was asked a few interview questions. A few
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR GRADUATE ASHLEIGH WINDROW COMPLETED AN INTERNSHIP AT KNOWSLEY
PARK. SHE TELLS US ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE ... INTERNSHIP CASE STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 38 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR STUDENT SANDI DANIELLE MONGER COMPLETED TWO
PLACEMENT
I spent eleven months on placement, with five months in South Africa (Primate and Predator Project) and five months in the UK (Easton & Otley College). For a month I also chose to gain some zookeeper experience at my local zoo (Africa Alive in Suffolk). I would encourage all students to consider a placement year; when people finish university, they often talk about taking a gap year, and a placement year is essentially that. I never wanted to do just one placement because I was not 100% sure about my career plans, so I thought that completing a few placements would help me to eliminate some options. I loved the college I went to (due to having reptiles, companion and farm animals), so that’s why I went back there for my second placement. Also, I am highly interested in research, so that’s why I picked my first placement in South Africa.
Tell us a little bit about your placementshow long were they and why did you want to do them?
For the Primate and Predator Project placement, I attended a lecture on the project during my first year and then sent in my CV and covering letter. I secured my placement at Easton & Otley College after sending them an email. For the Africa Alive experience, I emailed them to express my interest in completing work experience and then attended an interview. How do you feel that the placement has benefited you? They have benefited me in many ways. Having undertaken relevant experience, I can now say that I would not like to work as a zookeeper or within an animal care unit housing companion animals. I know for certain that I would like to go into research, mainly on endangered predator species, but I also like birds and reptiles, so possibly would enjoy research into them as well. The placement has given me experience of research already, so I have an understanding of what to expect as well as relevant skills to offer to prospective employers.
What did involve?processselectionapplication/the
Has the placement helped you with your long term career plans? Yes, without the placements I could only imagine what these job roles would involve, but having done them, I know for certain what I do and do not like. To get into research careers, I know that I need lots of experience, which I have already started to develop, so I am now one step closer to achieving my plans.
Where did you find out about the placements? I attended a talk within the university about the Primate and Predator Project. I started looking for placements during semester two of my first year at university by sending emails to organisations asking if they took on placement students and sending them a CV and cover letter. What did you enjoy most? I enjoyed the placement in South Africa the most. My placement within the UK was good, but it wasn’t challenging. The work was very similar to experience I had gained at college before university, so I knew what I was doing, and there was no variation. I was lucky with my placement in South Africa as they have two sides to the project (primate and predator). I initially worked on the primate team collecting behavioural data from dawn to dusk, but I changed to the predator team after about six weeks. This involved hiking to and from camera traps (walks of between five and 13 miles), identifying African animal species and leopards, and sorting out metadata files. There were always other activities to get involved in, such as the earth watch groups, scat washing and boma building. Collecting data for research on endangered species was amazing, let alone doing it in another country.
STUDY SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 39CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
PLACEMENTS; AS A RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT THE PRIMATE AND PREDATOR PROJECT IN SOUTH AFRICA AND AS AN ANIMAL TECHNICIAN AT EASTON & OTLEY COLLEGE ANIMAL CARE UNIT CASE
What work experience and volunteering did you do to increase your chances? Admittedly, a lot! I managed to secure a job as an animal care assistant at a local veterinary practice for a number of years before my application. I completed a National Diploma in Animal Management prior to my Zoology degree which required weekly animal handling sessions. I also made sure I had a varied selection of animal husbandry work experience placements, from dairy and sheep farms to catteries, specialised dog training facilities, zoo placements – you name it!
❙ I’m really glad our course is split between both the city (Bristol) and countryside (Langford campus). It means you can have a bit of fun in the first few years while also enjoying the university experience and everything Bristol has to offer.
How did you decide which course to apply to and why did you choose Bristol? Although the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) sets the criteria and guidance for each vet school on what they expect students to learn, there is some variation among each of the courses offered. I chose Bristol as this is where I received an offer, which is something you will hear many vets say. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else now and love not only the university and course but the community feel we have.
What advice would you give to other students studying Animal Behaviour and Zoology to increase their chances of getting into veterinary medicine? All of the above really, as it will show you know the industry and you know what you’re getting yourself into. Impress them! Everyone has the grades and the basic work experience requirements so what makes you stand out? You need to show you are committed and enthusiastic, as it is a long haul. I am in my final weeks of my course now and I wouldn’t want to change the last five years, although it hasn’t been easy… but it’s definitely worth it.
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
40 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Funding is a major concern for students who want to study Veterinary Medicine as a second degree. How have you funded your route? Any advice/tips?
ZOE VEYSEY GRADUATED WITH A ZOOLOGY DEGREE FROM LJMU IN 2013. SHE IS NOW IN HER FINAL YEAR OF THE BVSC VETERINARY SCIENCE COURSE AT BRISTOL UNIVERSITY MEDICINE CASE STUDY www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures
❙ The lecturers / clinicians are amazing too. We have some excellent teaching here at Bristol and are very lucky to have exceptional veterinarians who really help and encourage us while on clinics and in lectures. Anything you are not so keen on/challenges: I was never a big fan of chemistry, so I didn’t enjoy the biochemistry side of the course. I couldn’t get around this though and when I struggled with it in first year, the university provided me with a tutor to help. I actually began to enjoy it eventually and it did help my understanding later in the course. The final years can be quite challenging as the pressure seems to intensify going from fourth to fifth year.
VETERINARY
(From 2020 Bristol University are introducing a four-year graduate entry veterinary programme which aims to utilise the skills and knowledge graduates can bring to an entirely different style of teaching - so some of this may not be the same).
❙ The practical elements of the course and how they are taught. We are given plenty of opportunity to work through these and the clinical skills labs can be useful to practise. They have a whole team of people helping to create newer and more realistic models to ensure we can get the most out of it (including a robotic haptic cow to practise reproduction).
I was lucky that with the lowered fees (down to £9,000 a year from £19,000) my family were able to save between them and help to pay my tuition fees. Unfortunately this seems to be the case for many of the graduates in my year. In some cases parents alone can pay or anyone in the extended family coming together to help pay fees. You are however entitled to maintenance grants towards living costs and there is an ‘Assistance to Living Fund’ you can apply to for assistance with living (this cannot be used for tuition though). I have also continued to work part-time in various jobs throughout my degree, however the frequency of work has varied with workload. You must remember that outside of term time you are required to complete a number of weeks of Extramural Studies (EMS) - 12 weeks in the first two years and 26 weeks in the final three years.
Three things you love about the course:
I wish I had some secret advice or special tip about funding. Unfortunately, as many people will find, there isn’t really anything out there. There are some charities who can possibly help such as the Wellcome Trust, but I had no luck in gaining funding from anywhere.
Similar to the course at Liverpool University, we spend our first three years in the city at the Southwell Campus where we learn ‘what is normal’. Back to basics - anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology etc. However, unlike at Liverpool University we spend an increasing amount of time in the first three years at the Langford campus for lectures and practicals. We then spend the last two years of the course at the Langford Campus (within the beautiful Somerset countryside) initially in lectures before spending our final year in clinics at the Langford Veterinary Hospital. The year I started at Bristol a new curriculum was introduced, which has placed emphasis on incorporating clinical teaching from the first year and learning in a systems-based approach. We have a large amount of practical teaching the whole way through the course and are provided with a student barn at Southwell Street to practise our animal handling and clinical skills laboratories at both our campuses to practise clinical practice.
Why did you decide to pursue a career in veterinary medicine? It was something I had always wanted to do, however I never had the confidence to apply and pursue it until I had completed my Zoology degree and then felt as though I had developed academically.
SHE IS NOW STUDYING FOR A BVSC VETERINARY MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL VETERINARY MEDICINE
Gaining laboratory based work experience can really help your chances of securing employment in a laboratory setting after graduation! our guide about looking for paid or voluntary laboratory work experience to find out more about: type of work experience
or paid placements are available ❙ Strategies for approaching scientific companies ❙ Laboratory based employment options for after graduation ❙ How to emphasise your laboratory skills on your CV You can download a copy of the guide from the resources page of our website: www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures MINI GUIDE SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 41CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Consult
How did you decide which course to apply to and why did you choose Liverpool University?
GENEVIEVE HAND GRADUATED FROM LJMU WITH A DEGREE IN ZOOLOGY IN 2014.
Things you love about the course: I love most aspects of the course. I love learning new things and getting the opportunity to put the theory I’ve learnt into practice in the clinical skills lab, on placements and, during the later years, within the university’s teaching hospitals has been brilliant. I also enjoy seeing and experiencing the different aspects of the veterinary profession through placements, teaching and the different events hosted by various British veterinary societies. Anything you are not so keen on: The quantity of information that we have to retain is tough so I don’t particularly enjoy the long hours spent studying in the library but keeping the end goal in sight helps! What did the application / selection process involve and how did you prepare? The application processes involves applying through UCAS like for other undergraduate degrees. In order to be considered for interview a minimum amount of work experience is required (check each individual university’s prospectus) which for me meant undertaking voluntary placements at a variety of types of veterinary practices, farms, laboratories and an abattoir during the holidays whilst I studied zoology.
WORK EXPERIENCE
❙ What
At interview various skills were assessed to identify my understanding of what type of person I am and
CASE LABORATORYSTUDY
What work experience / volunteering did you do to increase your chances? I made sure that I had volunteered at a variety of different types of veterinary practices and farms. What advice would you give to other students studying Animal Behaviour and Zoology at LJMU to increase their chances of getting into veterinary medicine? Do not underestimate how much time you need to spend doing work experience in the related fields (not just veterinary practices) and how important these experiences will be when being taught about the industry later on in the course. You will also have to undertake EMS (Extramural Studies) placements during the course so having those farming/veterinary practice contacts will make finding EMS placements easy! Also make sure you have some hobbies. I was asked about my hobbies and how I like to relax away from studying at interview. It is really important that you know how to relax and have other interests too when embarking upon such an intense, and at times, very stressful course.
andveryfoundstructure.andprofessionveterinarytheitsIthisrelaxednot as intimidating as I had previously thought it would be. It is a good idea to keep up to date with good veterinary journals/newspapers.
I have always wanted to be a vet in order to help animals and I have always been interested in a medical career. There are only a few universities in the UK which offer the veterinary science/medicine degree. I based my choice on the type of teaching of the course (I avoided courses offering a lot of problem-based learning and focused on practical-based teaching), the location of the university (as five years is a long time to live somewhere for) and like most graduates choosing a veterinary science course, the price of tuition fees.
❙
After I completed my MRes I came to LJMU to study for a PhD working with Dr Claudia Mettke-Hofmann on personality and leadership behaviour in Gouldian finches. After graduating with a PhD I worked as a Conservation Scientist for RSPB, where I worked on a number of projects mostly focussing on seabirds. I joined Chester Zoo in 2015 as Scientific Officer before changing roles to Behaviour Officer in March 2017. What work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today?
❙ I get to work at Chester Zoo- the top zoo in the UK! I work within a great team, the Applied Science team. We all have different jobs but we are all passionate about animal welfare and conservation.
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Three things I like about my job: What I like most is that I’m helping to address one of the biggest threats to our (and future generations) lives. The threat of climate change can feel overwhelming and like there’s nothing we can do about it but working in this area means I know I’m doing what I can to help clients in the UK and internationally adapt to and mitigate against climate change. I also really enjoy starting a new project and working with colleagues and clients to develop solutions that address climate related issues.
Taking risks and being willing to step outside of my comfort zone. I’ve changed jobs and career direction several times, although always within the area of environmental sustainability and community resilience. Whenever new opportunities have been presented to me, even when in an area in which I have little experience, I’ve jumped in as long as there is supporting technical expertise to help me through. Having a can-do attitude and a willingness to embrace new challenges has definitely helped me along with making good working relationships with every colleague and client I’ve worked with. In the long term these relationships prove invaluable when trying to find an expert subcontractors to join the team on a project.
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What I wish I’d known as a student: Don’t worry about not having a vocation or a clear idea about what you want to do. Some people have always known what they want to do from being a child, most do not. I’ve always worked broadly in the environmental arena but changed direction from planning to external funding to regeneration to economic development to climate change, and I’ve worked in organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors. Go for an opportunity that’s right for now, it might not be right forever, but the world has changed and staying in the same organisation for 30 years rarely happens – portfolio careers across organisations and agendas are increasingly common. What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today?
What does your job involve?
Occasionally I deliver lectures and talks to local universities on animal behaviour and welfare.
I am lucky that my job is very varied. I usually spend some time in the zoo conducting behavioural observations on any number of different species. Sometimes we use different technologies to collect behavioural information, such as camera traps and video cameras, so some of my time will be spent analysing videos and photos. Part of my day may then involve data analysis and report writing for the animal managers at the zoo. I also supervise a number of university students conducting projects at the zoo, from one-year industrial placements to Masters and PhD students. I meet with them on a regular basis to help them with their research.
Three things I like about my job: I like how varied my job is, I am often working on a number of different projects at once.
Like any job, the rest of my time will be spent answering emails and doing administrative tasks.
What does your job involve?
RACHEL BRISLEY, DIRECTOR FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE AT STEER GROUP
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 42 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
Three things I’m not so keen on: ❙ My job is very busy. Sometimes I wish there were more hours in the day! Working in a zoo can be challenging. Sometimes changes happen part way through a project (like an animal move), but there is usually a way to account for it. Conducting scientific research within a zoo can be logistically difficult due to the small sample sizes and lack of controls.
CHESTER
How did you get to where you are today? I studied for a degree in Zoology with Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Liverpool. For my dissertation I studied play behaviour in liontailed and Sulawesi macaques at Chester Zoo. After I graduated I worked for an RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) nature reserve for two years as a Public Engagement Officer running various public events. I went on to study for a Master of Research at the University of Leeds in Biodiversity and Conservation where I conducted two research projects, the first of which investigated the impact of avian malaria on the immune response and flocking behaviour of yellowhammers. The second project focused on the impacts of selective logging on understorey bird diversity in Malaysian Borneo.
How did you get to where you are today?
Steer is an infrastructure and economic development consultancy and I joined last year to build its Low Carbon and Climate Resilience Service aiming to ensure that current work is taking full account of climate resilience and minimising carbon emissions and looking to develop new opportunities related to climate change. My job involves developing proposals for project opportunities that are provided by Government, national agencies, local Start-Ups and delivering such projects. These usually involve a mixture of desk research and stakeholder consultations through meetings, interviews and focus groups or workshops. I also spend quite a bit of time on business development so attending seminars and conferences, and developing marketing materials to publicise the new service.
A CONVERSATION WITH ... A CONVERSATION WITH ... DR
When I was doing my planning degree, I had a short work placement at Norwich City Council in the planning department, which was helpful to understand what it was like to actually be a planner! I also did volunteer work for the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, helped out on soup runs with the Salvation Army and Liverpool Students Union and was Director of the Sefton Park Palm House Preservation Trust which raised the money to refurbish this fantastic glasshouse. LEAH WILLIAMS, BEHAVIOUR OFFICER AT ZOO
I volunteered for RSPB Conwy nature reserve every summer during my undergraduate degree which helped me get experience and contacts. I also still volunteer regularly for the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) as a volunteer bird ringer and surveyor. What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue this career route? Make the most of your degree course, especially data analysis training (often the least favourite part). Take advantage of volunteering opportunities, as they provide you with work experience and you can make valuable contacts for future jobs. Any tops tips for the recruitment process? Be explicit in your job application about how you meet the job specification - make it easy for the reader to see that you are the best person for the job. I also recommend practising your interview skills, as the more interviews you go to, the easier it gets!
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1. Getting to handle and work with objects which connect us to the past and working out how best to use that object to tell a story.
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I work for a social housing provider in the North East & North Yorkshire, which manages 34,000 homes and offers a wide range of support services. In my role I am responsible for the maintenance, upkeep and development of the companies mapping data and mapping system. A few of the tasks I am involved in include the creation of boundary plans for property sales, updating and sharing land ownership information, and analysing and presenting data in a geographical and visually friendly way for a wide range of departments.
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During interviews providing good examples is really important. A good proportion of the examples I have given in interviews have come from experiences I have had as a volunteer.
I did a degree in History and Archaeology at Bangor University and then an M.Phil in Medieval History at Trinity College Dublin. After a bit of temping I found my first archaeology job and worked on commercial excavations in Ireland for two years. When I moved to England I struggled to find an archaeology role so went back to temping before I spotted a part time role as the Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Liaison Officer with National Museums Liverpool. After a while I became full time and was the FLO for Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside for 9 years before moving into the curatorial role I have now.
Three things I like about my job:
What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue a career in this field of GIS? If you are enthusiastic about GIS, enjoy problem solving and presenting data then GIS might just be for you. Take advantage of the opportunities and experiences you get to learn new GIS skills, especially whilst you have the support of your lecturers. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box and tackle problems using GIS. A major part of my role is listening and understanding the needs of colleagues in order to solve their problems using GIS. Hold on to any work that you feel you did well, you may be asked to provide some examples of your work to employers so keeping a portfolio will always come in handy.
How did you get to where you are today?
What kinds of work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are today? I worked for three months with Teaching and Projects Abroad in Peru reconstructing Incan pottery and a couple of student digs. I also volunteered on a site in Mellor near Stockport when I first moved to England. However, I didn’t do much volunteering before starting paid work as I was very lucky to be graduating during the so called ‘Celtic Tiger’ in Ireland when lots of big road schemes were being built and there was a shortage of archaeologists to do the archaeological work required by law ahead of each scheme. Since starting work however I’ve been really lucky to work with supportive people who have allowed me to take lots of opportunities and training to help me continue to grow in my career. What advice would you give to students wanting to pursue a career in this field? Definitely check out BAJR – British Archaeological Jobs and Resources http:// www.bajr.org/ It advertises jobs, is packed with great training resources and how to guides and will agive you a good idea of different types of jobs in archaeology. It also really cares about the well-being of people in archaeology campaigning for the RESPECT campaign and the Seeing Red guide http://www.bajr.org/ FindBAJRread/BAJRGuides.aspspecialistgroupsyoucan join; these are my main go to groups: ❙ MuseumLiverpoolArch/https://www.facebook.com/ http://www.findsresearchgroup.com/ https://www.merseysidearchsoc.com/ https://new.archaeologyuk.org/ https://www.yac-uk.org/ ❙ http://socmusarch.org.uk/ ❙ https://finds.org.uk/
3. Running the Mersey and Dee branch of the Young Archaeologists club. It is always fun coming up with sessions which often involve messy crafts!
Three things I like about my job:
A CONVERSATION WITH ... A CONVERSATION WITH ... REBECCA DICK, GIS CO-ORDINATOR, THIRTEEN VANESSA OAKDEN ABOUT ARCHAEOLOGY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CAREERS SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESwww.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 43CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
3. You get to work with a very wide range of different departments and stakeholders. It’s great to be able to build collaborative working relationships with so many people and create bespoke mapping applications to fit their needs and solve their problems. How I got where I am today? I studied Biology as an undergraduate before moving on to study an MSc in Ecological Consultancy. Early on in my MSc we had an intensive GIS module and then I continued to utilise this valuable tool throughout the rest of my degree. I always enjoyed using GIS. The analysis it provided and the ability to present information on a map was so powerful when I was interpreting data and writing reports. What I wish I’d known as a student: After graduation I was applying for ecology related jobs when I heard about my current role. Before this I hadn’t considered that a role focussed solely on GIS even existed. If I was being asked what I wish I had known it would have been about the amount of different jobs, in a wide range of sectors, available in the GIS field. There is a lot of opportunity for people who have had a good level of training in GIS like that you receive as part of your geography degree. What work experience and volunteering did you do to help you get to where you are? I have volunteered with the Wildlife Trust and the Scout Association. Through volunteering you develop a wide range of new experiences and undertake new challenges, which provide you with a whole range of transferrable skills. These skills help you build your CV whilst having fun and making a difference at the same time.
I am the Curator of Regional and Community Archaeology at the Museum of Liverpool so my role involves looking after our regional archaeology collections which involves caring for the objects in our stores and thinking about what to display and also engaging the public with archaeology. I do this through a mixture of outreach activities such as community digs, pop up finds, running the Young Archaeologists Club and social media. We have our second Twitter conference for the Festival of Archaeology coming up soon on the theme of archaeology, climate and environment which I’m very excited about!
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What does your job involve?
2. I love digging, there is a lot of work involved in planning an excavation but once it is up and running I love being outside and the excitement of what we might find, and working with local communities to explore their local archaeology is always rewarding.
What does your job involve?
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2. There is always plentiful new ideas to implement as GIS software is developed. You have to be watching what is happening in the GIS world and continually learning which can be very exciting.
1. No day is ever the same which makes it a very interesting role. There is always a good mix of proactive project work and more reactive map requests.
What does your job involve? Supporting planning applications for a wide range of new developments such as residential and transport schemes and taking them through the whole process.
SCHOOL
Top tip for current students: Work experience is key! Make as many contacts in the sector you are interested in as you can – connect with people on LinkedIn and ask tutors if they know anyone in the industry.
The NGDP provides me with training, development and a qualification, so I can apply for management positions in local authorities at the end of the two-year scheme. It fast-tracks my career in the public sector and gives me the opportunity to have placements in key strategic areas across the council, such as policy, social care, transformation or human resources. Councils across the country are involved in the scheme giving you the ability to choose where you want to work.
❙ Don’t apply unless you can see yourself doing the job. Do some research into the scheme – it will be obvious in interviews if you’re not really bothered.
SPOTLIGHTSTUDY ON GRADUATE TRAINING SCHEMES OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures
For more information about the Peter Brett graduate training scheme: https://www.peterbrett.com/careers/graduates
What was the recruitment process like?
AFTER GRADUATING WITH A HISTORY DEGREE IN 2017, GEORGE LANDALE GAINED A PLACE ON THE NATIONAL GRADUATE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (NGDP) AS A NATIONAL MANAGEMENT TRAINEE.
44 CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
My top tips for applying for a graduate scheme are:
❙ Don’t be put off by how long the process takes.
For more information about the National Graduate Development Programme: programmewww.local.gov.uk/national-graduate-development-
AFTER GRADUATING WITH A GEOGRAPHY DEGREE IN 2018, CHLOE DUGGAN PROGRESSED INTO THE PETER BRETT GRADUATE PROGRAMME AS A GRADUATE TRANSPORT PLANNER.
The application process took about six months in total from the closing date to the final interview. During this time I registered my interest and eligibility, and then completed four online tests (verbal, numerical, and logical reasoning skills along with my understanding of the NGDP key behaviours), a video interview, a halfday assessment centre, and finally my interviews at my chosen councils.
❙ Don’t get disheartened if you’re not successful. I was rejected by nine different schemes before I got my job. What I wish I had known as a student: How much help the university offers to improve your employability, such as CV support, careers advice, work experience opportunities etc. I regret not making the most of the resources available.
Three things I like about my job: ❙ I get to work on a variety of multi-disciplinary projects and so my job is very interactive with chances to build good working relationships.
Why did you apply for a graduate scheme? A number of reasons! I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do after university but knew that many graduate schemes accept any degree subject, so I applied for a variety of positions. You can also climb the career ladder quickly and most have some form of qualification to complete at the same time, which puts you in a good position to advance your career quickly. The competitive starting salary is also a perk for a first job after university!
❙ Getting the inside scoop! Most clients come to us with planning applications before they are made public, so we usually know what is going to be built around the country before anyone else.
❙ Diversity/flexibility: there are so many different themes within the projects I work on which makes every project interesting and challenging (HS2, M5 motorway modelling, new Thames crossing, housing developments, lawsuits etc).
❙ Practise the online tests - it can make all the difference.
Tell us about your role.
GRADUATE CASE STUDY GRADUATE CASE
It was very rigorous! The first stage involved completing an online application form describing specific examples when I had shown Teach First competencies. I was successful and then invited to a daylong ‘development centre’, which involved a one-to-one interview and a group discussion on an educationrelated topic. The final task was to deliver a seven-minute lesson from a list of topics to two Teach First employees who were in character as pupils of the age you were teaching. Self-evaluation forms a large part of the day and after the group task and the mini lesson, I had to evaluate how I thought I performed and what I would do differently next time. For more information about the Teach First graduate scheme www.teachfirst.org.uk/our-programme
In the second year of the programme, you are able to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and practise as a newlyqualified social worker while getting paid a standard social worker salary.
MARK COLEBOURN GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES IN 2019 AND SECURED A PLACE ON THE THINK AHEAD PROGRAMME, WHICH TRAINS GRADUATES TO BECOME QUALIFIED MENTAL HEALTH SOCIAL WORKERS. GRADUATE CASE STUDY
I have a passion for mental health and the Think Ahead programme focuses on this. Additionally, there are no student loans or tuition fees to worry about as all costs are covered by a bursary during the first year.
SUCCESSFULLY GAINED A PLACE WITH MARKS AND SPENCER AS A GRADUATE MANAGEMENT TRAINEE (SELLING). GRADUATE CASE STUDY
What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare?
For more information about the Marks and Spencer graduate management trainee programme: https://careers.marksandspencer.com/early-careers/graduates
What attracted you to the Marks and Spencer graduate scheme? I was attracted to the high-quality training and career progression opportunities. The M&S graduate scheme looks for candidates who are interested in innovation, and I feel I can bring new ideas and aid the direction the company wants to take. M&S also provide opportunities to experience their different departments through a series of rotational placements.
Top tip for graduate scheme success: Definitely make sure you get a part-time job or begin volunteering as soon as you can, even if it isn’t in a directly relevant field as it helps you to develop interpersonal skills and experiences you can refer to during the interview process. Interviewers will ask you for examples of times when you have demonstrated relevant skills, so the more experiences and examples you have the better! During my interview, I referred to my part-time job as a customer assistant and the strong customer service and communication skills I developed. I also discussed the many transferable skills I gained from my degree, particularly those important to the graduate scheme, such as my ability to work in a team and my interpersonal skills. I also detailed my leadership skills from my voluntary post as a sports coach.
The application process was split into three stages:❙ Online application form, which included making two short videos. ❙ An online situational judgement test (SJT).
What work experience and volunteering did you refer to in the selection process? During my voluntary work and university placements I came into contact with service users of different ages, genders and with a variety of often complex issues. Throughout the selection process, I had to demonstrate how I interacted with service users with particular emphasis on having good communication skills and being able to develop relationships based on trust. For more information about the Think Ahead scheme: https://thinkahead.org/
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare?
www.ljmu.ac.uk/studentfutures 45CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY CASE STUDIES
What attracted you to the Teach First graduate scheme? You gain experience in the classroom from day one, which is different from other teacher training courses. Typically, participants on the programme spend 39 weeks in the classroom teaching. During this process, you get continued support from your placement school, your university and also alumni of the programme. Over the two years on the programme you work towards a PGDE (postgraduate diploma in education). What did the selection process involve and how did you prepare?
What attracted you to the Think Ahead scheme in particular?
The first stage was an online application form, followed by an invitation to complete three online tests - situational judgement, an ability test and a personality questionnaire. Once the results of these tests were screened, I was invited to an assessment centre. The day consisted of being marked completing different tasks including a group discussion, analysis exercise, solo presentation and a role-play. The final part of the day was an interview with a member of senior management. To prepare, I thoroughly researched the company to ensure I was aware of their values, current challenges and any new directions they were taking with products and campaigns. I also booked an appointment at the Careers Zone for help preparing for the assessment centre tasks and more importantly for the interview.
❙ An assessment centre which required taking part in a number of activities linked to the day-to-day work of a mental health social worker
RUBY BURNTON GRADUATED FROM LJMU IN 2019 WITH A DEGREE IN BIOLOGY. SHE
2019 BIOLOGY GRADUATE KATIE FISHER SECURED A PLACE ON THE TEACH FIRST GRADUATE SCHEME AS A TRAINEE SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHER. GRADUATE CASE STUDY
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