My sister has a slightly mocking nickname for me — she calls me a joiner. It’s not amusing enough for her that I work with rubbish (waste professional, if you don’t mind) but she seems to be equally amused by my involvement in work-related activities. I’ve always been a member of different clubs and societies, from Brownies and Guides at school to the chemistry society at uni (yes I know, not the society of choice for everyone), but it was while I was studying for my environmental master’s degree that I became aware of different environmental institutions and their activities.
Across the UK environment sector there are many institutions ranging from ecology and environmental engineering to environmental science and renewable energy including CIWEM (Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management), IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment) and CIWM (Chartered Institute of Wastes Management) which is my institute of choice.
If you’re just starting out in your environmental career are considering a career move or would like to advance your career, these are fantastic places to gain a wider knowledge of the sector and importantly for your career, to meet new people. Some of the chartered institutes also allow you to follow a chartership process. For CIWM this is to become a Chartered Waste Manager (MCIWM). Chartership has the benefits of being able to command increased wages, apply for jobs which specify a professional qualification and feel part of a wider community. Many of the UK institutions are also members of worldwide organisations so you can expand your network globally. This is especially pertinent in the current jobs market as overseas positions are increasing more rapidly than the current UK market and environmental professionals are sought after — this is particularly true of climate change and low carbon technology specialists.
Environmental institutes are easy to find on the internet by searching for your field of interest, alternatively ask colleagues or lecturers to see what they would recommend. Many universities also have degree and postgraduate courses that are accredited by environmental institutes so you can start attending industry events and begin your professional development while studying.
Membership for most institutes is free or nominal if you’re a student and allows you access to regular magazines, events and a network of industry professionals. Graduate membership increases over four or five years until you become a full member or become chartered, when fees can range from £100 to £250 depending upon institute and level at which you join. Many organisations will pay for their employees to become a member as they see the value in professional development, my current employer, AEA, pays £2,000 for any staff member becoming chartered by an institute appropriate to their industry.
Institutes also provide a structured environment for accessing mentors, networking and career professional development. Starting off in the industry I found mentors to be incredibly useful. My head of department when I was doing my master’s degree, Professor Sue Grimes, ensured that our lectures were delivered by a wide range of industry experts and it was one such visitor, Dr Adam Read, that became my first mentor and subsequent boss. Both Adam and Sue have introduced me to the great and good of the industry and have supported my development both in the workplace and beyond.
If you are considering becoming a full member of an environmental institute one of the things that you’ll be required to have before your chartership/membership interview is a broad knowledge of the sector, a knowledge beyond your own specialism. This is where a mentor can be particularly helpful. Selecting a mentor that works in a different field to you can provide you with an insight into other areas and perhaps even make you think about the direction you’d like to take in your career.
If you’re interested in getting involved in your sector’s institute, there are lots of opportunities. I currently chair the new generation group for the London and southern counties area which allows me and my fellow members to organise site visits to waste and recycling facilities such as composting plants and energy from waste facilities, practice our presentation skills by holding meetings and seminars about hot topics such as alternate weekly collection, food waste and the future of waste management and also host social sessions with other members to develop our local network. It’s an excellent way to find out more about a sector and also to give a little back to your industry. Giving advice to those new to the industry doesn’t just give you a warm glow it may also help to improve your future job prospects — you never know who will be a CEO in the future.
