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Kadi is an environmental consultant who coordinates and project manages the environmental inputs for big infrastructure projects. She’s also a York Environmental Science graduate. In this episode Kadi and Kate talk about what she does each day, the parts of the job she likes the most, and what York students interested in environmental consulting can do right now to prepare for their future careers.

Kadi’s bio:

Kadi is an Environmental Consultant at Jacobs with three years’ experience in coordinating environmental inputs for infrastructure projects. She has worked on road, rail, waste water and flood alleviation projects for private and public sector clients. In addition to technical environmental elements from air quality to land contamination, her role includes project management such as managing budgets, programme, resources and risks. She is passionate about connecting people through employee networks, STEM and a book club. Kadi graduated from York in 2018 with a MEnv in Environmental Science with a Year in Industry.

Useful links:

• About Jacobs company
• Environment and energy job sector page
• Environment and agriculture job profile

To hear more Environment and Sustainability related podcast stories:

• Tom Padget- Environment dept
• Oscar Bentley, Sustainability Programme Internship
• Daniel Arda, Corporate Social responsibility
• Aiden Heely-Hill, Atmospheric Chemistry

Transcript:

Kate:

You’re listening to the ‘What Do You Actually Do?’ podcast. Each week we want to bring you an inspiring interview, a useful tip or encouraging message to help you find your place in the professional world. Hello, and welcome to this episode of ‘What Do You Actually Do?’. My name is Kate Morris, and I’ll be your host today. In today’s episode we’ll be talking about the environmental sector. Today we’re joined by Kadi Tanjarv, who is an Environmental Consultant for Jacobs, an international engineering firm. So, Kadi, what do you actually do? 

Kadi:

Hi, Kate. Thank you for the introduction. So I work as an Environmental Consultant, but the more descriptive way to put it, I guess, would be Environmental Coordinator or Environmental Project Manager. So I manage the delivery of all environmental inputs for our clients to build new infrastructure, and be in compliance with all the necessary legislation. Typically, that’s through getting them planning consent to construct their new infrastructure, and basically looking at all the environmental elements from air quality to land contamination, and making sure that we are delivering a project that is to the client’s brief, and also sustainable and meets the client’s expectations. 

Kate:

Are those clients big companies that are having major infrastructure projects, or are they individual people who are doing building work at home? What sort of clients do you have? 

Kadi:

So our clients are typically big organisations. So from my project portfolio, I have worked with Highways England, Network Rail, Environmental Agency and Thames Water – so that’s just to mention a few. So they are quite big organisations who are bringing forward major infrastructure typically, sometimes some smaller infrastructure as well. For example, if it’s, say, a coastal flooding scheme for the Environment Agency or a river restoration scheme, then it can be a bit smaller scale as well. 

Kate:

Are you, in terms of sort of daily tasks, are you going out on site to inspect progress of builds and advise, you know, what type of equipment to use to manage air quality and stuff like that and measuring different environmental impacts? Or is it more of a desk-based kind of work? 

Kadi:

So my role is typically desk-based. I go out on site, but not very frequently. The stage that I get involved in is before construction starts, so making sure that the client has planning permission to go ahead and build the new infrastructure. So typically that’s the stage that we get involved in as consultants. And then there will be a contractor on site who will be kind of acting in accordance with what we prescribed, are going to be the measures to take to avoid any harmful impacts, and how to properly improve as well when they leave site. So say, for example, planting new trees or grasslands to then enhance what they leave behind as well. 

Kate:

And typically, how long would you be working with the client then? If you’re coming in at the early stages, are you kind of working for a few days or a couple of weeks compiling recommendations? Or is it more like months of liaising back and forth? 

Kadi:

It’s certainly long term. So one of my key projects or main projects that I’ve been working on for the longest, I’ve been on this project for two years. So that has been through coming up with a concept design for the scheme, then developing that into more detailed going through a procurement process as well to find the contractor who could build this and then working with them to refine that design even further. And all the while working on assessing the environmental impacts and getting more and more detail to do so. On smaller schemes I could be working maybe half a year, and sometimes my colleagues will need some ad hoc support, so then it could be, you know, a few weeks here and there just to get a certain board document over the line. But typically, it’s quite long term that you get involved. 

Kate:

And how has the pandemic impacted on your work? 

Kadi:

Interestingly, I don’t feel like us as Environmental Consultants have been impacted too bad. So the only maybe elements that have been impacted have been the site surveys, which you do need to do to then undertake certain assessments. So, for example, ecology surveys: we have had to be careful a little bit when we could have gone and, you know, to make sure that people are keeping their distance and not too many people are on site. But because the kind of assessment side of things and the reporting side of things, and client liaison is all desk-based, then we’ve been able to adopt really well the virtual working. And I quite miss going back to the office to work with colleagues more closely, but in due course, I hope. 

Kate:

Yeah, one day. So your degree was in environmental science with a year in industry, so it seems like you’ve been planning your career for a long time. What was your starting point and where did your interest in the environment come from?

Kadi:

Yeah, so I went to a science-orientated secondary school, and what I mean by secondary school – back home that starts from when you’re about 11, you could call it. So from 11 till 19, when you graduate from secondary school, I went to a science oriented one. And to those who might have been guessing my accent, then back home is in Estonia, so that’s where I’m from. And I think that got me to kind of understand STEM subjects, and also appreciate them more. But I felt like, you know, Maths and Chemistry and Physics – I was not too good at them and I didn’t, you know, particularly enjoy them, but I was decent. But more my interest was taken by the Biology and Geography classes. And at about maybe 13-14, I thought, you know, I am really enjoying these and started doing some more kinds of extracurricular activities, and even some competitions and like summer school side of things. So all the way up until kind of 16, when you have to pick your equivalent of A-levels. I then decided, you know, I’m going to pick Biology and Geography and kind of look into them more. And I got good feedback as well from teachers that I was kind of like grasping the concepts well. So more and more, as I was absorbing knowledge, it became clearer and clearer that at university it would make sense for me to do something in the environmental field. 

Kate:

So on that, when you were at university, it looks from my – I had a little stalk of your LinkedIn profile – you’ve gained a huge amount of work experience as a student both in your Year in Industry, but also through shorter internships and volunteering. 

Kadi:

Yep. 

Kate:

How have these impacted on your career, do you think? 

Kadi:

hat was a very conscious choice. I jumped straight into that from my first year, really. And the idea behind it was that I wanted to improve my CV, but also, I think it’s prime time as a young person to figure out what it is that you want to do. And through those internships, which were in outreach, there was an energy one, there was a climate one, I did some with Scottish Power, which was on environment management systems, and then I did some environmental consultancy ones. So throughout that, the more and more I learnt about myself, the more and more it became clear that the environmental consultancy route is the one for me, as I felt like I was quite a good communicator, quite good at kind of like grasping data, but then interpreting that to a wider audience. And that’s definitely skills that I need today. So it’s a very conscious choice, and it’s advice I would give to other students as well. 

Kate:

And with Jacobs, obviously, they’re international, and quite a lot of your experience you’ve had different places in the UK, in England, in Scotland, you’ve done other work abroad. Do you feel like the role that you’re doing is quite transferable if you wanted to take up a similar position working abroad? Or would there be a chance to do, you know, to work in an office in one of Jacobs’ other offices in a different country? Is it quite interchangeable or do you sort of pick the location and you become a specialist in that area, and the rules in that area? 

Kadi:

So I think it’s definitely transferable, and our company is quite open for people to move around should they wish to. And before the pandemic, there was even this kind of scheme orientated towards the junior staff where you could be placed for, say, six months up to a year in a different office entirely, and maybe in a different role as well, as kind of like this rotation. Definitely it’s very possible. I think the one thing, as you mentioned, is the rules and regulations. So they do differ from country to country, but I feel like as an environmental consultant, and I think the best way to describe my role is Environmental Project Manager. I think that entails so many transferable skills that you can easily adapt to a different environment because the basics will always be the same. 

Kate:

What kind of personal strengths or qualities would you say you need to have to be happy and successful working as an environmental consultant, and particularly this project management side of things you’ve mentioned? 

Kadi:

You definitely need to have good organisational skills, so time management and also managing kind of tasks and how they’re progressing. One absolutely key element is communication, so everything that comes with it – listening, trying to interpret the information in different ways, understanding that people come at topics from, you know, different level of expertise or different understanding, so being mindful of that and adapting the way that you communicate is very important. And you’re always balancing those views as well, so as an environmental coordinator, a project manager, you are getting the client’s view, you are getting your own project manager view who kind of manages the main budgets, you’re also getting the technical aspect from the environmental specialists, then there’s the evolving engineering design that you need to also work in tandem with. So balancing all those views and being a good communicator to move towards that shared goal is a really key kind of skill to have. 

Kate:

So it sounds like you’re collaborating with lots of different people there, and I’m imagining that they don’t always agree. 

Kadi:

That’s correct. You’re spot on there. So I think the main, kind of, that is the main challenge of the role, but at the same time, because we’re working towards a shared goal – that’s what also makes it really fulfilling to overcome those challenges and find solutions that work for all. And sometimes that can involve, you know, conflicting agendas, conflicting views, but I take it as a really good learning experience as well, because the skills that I can take away are useful both in my personal and my professional life. 

Kate:

What would you say is the sort of the key thing that you love about the job? Obviously, as you said earlier, you’ve since sort of your early school days have honed your skills and interests, and you’ve been sort of leading towards this career in the environment for a long time. What’s the thing that makes you stay within it and feel like – Yeah, well done me, I made the right choice when I was 11 or whatever it was.

Kadi:

Yeah, so I think solving problems is really satisfying, and being able to do that within a field that I’m interested in. So I think the environment and environmental challenges, climate change, sustainability – they are only going to get more and more important. So I feel like I feel good about being able to contribute to that agenda. But what makes it kind of more me is the fact that I’m coming at it from my quite rational, practical approach in terms of tackling challenges. So starting with trying to avoid any negative environmental impacts and then moving into, you know, hopefully enhancing the environment. So that’s the kind of my view on it, how to try and cope within this world and how to adapt to climate change as well and all these sustainability challenges. So it’s putting the knowledge into practice that’s what makes me happy. 

Kate:

And you mentioned the challenge of marrying up different people’s agendas and perspectives. Is that the sort of the worst aspect of the role? Is there anything else that’s sort of less enjoyable that you, you know, you’re prepared to do it because of this bigger picture? 

Kadi:

I don’t think there is a worse or the worst aspect of my role. I take everything, you know, if it’s a challenge, it’s a learning opportunity. But yeah, I think the greatest challenge is managing, you know, different timescales, changing budgets, the designs could be changing, the client could have, you know, some changes in what they actually need. Sometimes stakeholders, statutory stakeholders, or the public can oppose, you know, some elements of the scheme, so we need to adapt to that. And it always has greater knock on effects that then need to be communicated across the whole team. But I mean, I wouldn’t be in this job if deep down I didn’t get a kick out of all of that, because it gives the variability and the variety in my days which keeps me going. I think one of the other things that is, maybe not a negative, but something to overcome, and especially I think now, is any task that could be quite manual. And I think the digital agenda is going to be really big, you know, it has been over the past year and will be in the coming years as well, to automate some of those mundane tasks so that you can free up your time to do more of the valuable, you know, human resource needed work. 

Kate:

So you’ve touched a bit upon it there, but I’m just wondering what you see as the key challenges that will be important for consultants in the environment sector in general over the next few years? You’ve mentioned the move towards more digital stuff. Is there anything else? I’m wondering, particularly if legislation changes as a result of Brexit, is that something that’s particularly affecting your industry, or are there other things that it’s worth students researching a bit more and thinking about, if they want to break into the sector? 

Kadi:

Luckily, in terms of legislation, quite a lot of the EU legislation has always been imposed into UK legislation quite independently, and the UK has always done things a little bit, not differently, but sometimes a little bit more in-depth, sometimes a little bit less, but still in accordance with the EU legislation. So no big impacts there. But in addition to the digital move that I mentioned, I think something for students to think about is, I think in the future, and we talk about this within the company as well, it’s not always beneficial to hone in on one really specific topic, or skill, or agenda, for example, only Biology or only Geology. It’s always important to kind of have an understanding of other topics and how things tie in together as well, and that what makes you agile in the future, as a future employee, as a future graduate. So that’s maybe something to keep in mind. And that’s certainly, in my role I can see I’ve made the conscious choice to be a generalist, if you will. So I have an understanding of each of the kind of environmental topics a little bit, but none in specific detail. I think that’s what helps me drive projects forward, to help create those connections. And maybe something else that is quite relevant these days with the pandemic, I think there will be a change in what kind of infrastructure is needed. So especially, for example, rethinking transport, you know, driving maybe not going to be as popular anymore, but equally, maybe trains underground maybe not going to be as popular anymore, either, with people being a bit more hesitant. So then the focus will be on walking, cycling and all those routes. So, you know, possibly rethinking transport could be one of the sectors that is going to be relevant. And linked to that as well, you know, how are we addressing housing – residential is going to be much more important compared to building offices. So understanding kind of the drivers, I think, is something that is important for the students to understand and kind of have a broader understanding as to what kind of field you’re going into, and what the challenges might be. 

Kate:

You mentioned how beneficial it was for you to do work experience, both to clarify your career ideas, but to help you get your actual proper graduate job. Any specific types of experience that you’d recommend students do? I noticed you did a range of actual environmental consultant type internships, but also volunteering in local nature reserves. Is there anything that you found particularly helpful, and that you’d recommend people to have a go at? 

Kadi:

I don’t think there is anything particular, and I think if you look on my LinkedIn and, you know, look at my CV – yes, the field is environmental, but I think I’ve come at it from different angles. So a broad general direction is helpful, but at the same time, not to get too bogged down, basically, at such a young age, overthinking it. I think any work experience during your university degree is helpful because, if not anything else and you don’t enjoy it, you at least know how the working world works and also hopefully are gaining confidence as well in tackling the next move, basically, or your next internship, or your grad job. So I don’t think there’s any kind of specific… Probably if you are in a very specific field like law, for example, or you want to work in a lab as a biologist, then if you know what you want to do specifically, then yes, obviously there is going to be merit in doing those sorts of internships. But if you’re just heading in a general direction, just starting somewhere is the best that you can take. 

Kate:

And is there anything that would help an applicant stand out from the crowd if they were applying? Anything that they could do in terms of research or reading certain publications, or anything else that would help impress an employer if someone wanted to break into the environmental sector? 

Kadi:

I think on top of work experience, any sort of extracurricular activities that you could have been doing during university. So say, if it’s being part of a club or being on a committee, or if you’ve maybe done a side project, which is… You know, maybe taking part in a competition of some sort, and you don’t have to win at all. If you just, you know, mention or use it as an example that you’ve done this extra, something extra, just to make you stand out, because it shows that you’re thinking, you know, along the lines of what are the challenges in the industry, not just, you know, trying to get work experience and get into a job, and then you might not even have the kind of broader understanding. So anything you can do that is a little bit different, I think I always notice in, you know, new graduates coming in, for example. And that can also be if you have sports interests, say, you’ve been quite successful in a sport – that just shows that you’re a team player, for example. Or if it’s a single person sport – that you are motivated, you are willing to put in the time to achieve something. All those sorts of things make you you, and it’s worth bringing out in interviews, and your CV, and your covering letters. 

Kate:

That’s really great advice and I think reassuring that sometimes people come to their career plans, you know, much, much later in life, possibly at the end of their degree or even after their degree. So it’s nice to know that you don’t have to have honed your experiences all towards one specific goal. You’re getting valuable experience from whatever you do, and that employees really do acknowledge that. 

Kadi:

That’s it. 

Kate:

Brilliant. Well, for more info about the careers we’ve mentioned today, I’m going to add some relevant links to the show notes and a link to the full transcript of today’s show. But Kadi, thank you so much for joining us. Really interesting insights into your role there, and thank you for all that really helpful advice, I’m sure lots of students will benefit from that. So thank you for taking the time to talk to us today. 

Kadi:

No worries, Kate. Thank you very much. Thank you for listening. 

Kate:

Thank you for joining us this week on ‘What Do You Actually Do?’. This episode was hosted by me, Kate Morris, edited by Stephen Furlong and produced by both of us. If you love this podcast, spread the word and follow us. Are you eager to get more tips? Follow University of York Careers and Placements on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. All useful links are in this episode’s description. This has been produced at the University of York Careers and Placements. For more information visit york.ac.uk/careers