How to get an internship in….The Environmental S ector

1. How to get an internship in….The Environmental Sector Amy Townsend Placement and Internship Officer

2. Contents • An Introduction to the Environmental Sector • Types of Roles • Sectors to look for vacancies and some examples of current internships • Top tips & insider info • Where to find advertised opportunities • Hidden opportunities.. and how to find them • A note on unpaid internships

3. An Introduction to the Environmental Sector • Very broad and growing! Why? • Increase in environmental legislation • The Energy Act 2013 • The Energy Act 2011 – ‘Green Deal’ • The Climate Change Act 2008 • Greater public awareness • Employers wanting to develop more efficient processes • Rising cost of energy • Rising scarcity of natural resources • Extreme weather • High level of competition • Lack of low-level jobs

4. Types of Roles • Environmental Conservation • Climate Change • Renewable Energy • Carbon Management • Environmental Protection and Control • Environmental Scientists and Engineers • Eco-Tourism • Environmental Law & Litigation • International Environmental Cooperation • Organic Agriculture • Pressure Groups • Sustainability advice

5. Typical Employers and examples of Internships • Voluntary & Charity Sector • Public Sector • Intergovernmental & International Sector • Private Sector

6. Voluntary and Charity Employers • Environmental NGOs • Wildlife & Habitat Conservation Charities • Pressure Groups • Trusts • Expeditions Carbon disclosure project

7. Charity Internships available…. Charity Insights • Careers Service internship scheme for undergraduates • A chance to experience work in the UK non-profit sector • Bursary of £245 per week for a four week internship • You choose the charity and project • Applications open very soon, deadline 16 May • www.imperial.ac.uk/careers/internships/charityinsights

8. Charity Internships available….

9. Charity Internships available….

10. Charity Internships available….

11. Find Voluntary and Charity Employers • www.charitychoice.co.uk • www.do-it.org • Volunteering is also a great way to get experience!

12. Intergovernmental and International Employers • United Nations • Environmental research institutes and think tanks • Commissions • Consultative bodies Environment Directorate

13. Find Intergovernmental & International Employers • Policy Library list of world think tanks - www.policylibrary.com/ • Another list of world think tanks - bit.ly/ttanks14

14. Public Sector Employers • Local Authorities • Regulatory Bodies • The Environment Agency • Met office • Research Institutes • Education • National parks • MPs - www.w4mpjobs.org/

15. Public Sector Internships available….

16. Public Sector Internships available…. 31 Jan deadline

17. Find Public Sector Employers • http://www.jobsgopublic.com/ • http://www.lgjobs.com/

18. Private Sector Employers • Multinational Companies • Resource management (water, forestry, gas, chemical, nuclear, electricity, oil, mining) • Environmental or low energy consultancies • Research • Eco-Tourism • Alternative Energy

19. 24 Feb deadline Private Sector Internships available….

20. Private Sector Internships available…. • All in Reykjavik, Iceland, 2 March deadline

21. Private Sector Internships available….

22. Find Private Sector Employers • Low energy consultants directory - www.crc-compliance.co.uk/directory/ • ENDS Directory (environmental consultancies) – www.endsdirectory.com

23. Top Tips - Getting Started • Keep up to date with the New Scientist and The Guardian’s Environment section. • http://careers.theguardian.com/environment-careers • http://www.iema.net/access-environment-careers-advice • Join a relevant society • Volunteer part-time • Choose relevant modules • Use social media

24. Top Tips – Insider Info 1 • “Be flexible. You are unlikely to get your ideal job straight away, but most employers will allow you to mould your workload to a certain extent (especially if you're taking on extra projects), and you can build up your work experience that way. • Build up good relationships with contacts. I found being known in the area incredibly helpful in getting both my internships. • Think in terms of human impact of your work/expertise. There is an increasing recognition that for environmental projects to succeed, they need not only to be beneficial to the natural environment, but also have to be workable culturally, economically, and in terms of local impact. • If you can't get the work you want in a paid manner, think about working in a paid part-time job and volunteering part-time on relevant projects. Even if you have to make do with less money now, you'll probably be glad you did in a few years.” Susan McNaughton Activity Project Officer – Rouken Glen Park Environment Department

25. “As a conservation charity, conservation experience is obviously important, but it depends on the position. We recently recruited for an Events Manager and in this case conservation interest was an added bonus rather than a requirement – we would always hire someone with events experience over someone just with a huge conservation interest.” Cath Lawson, Save the Rhino International Top Tips - Insider Info 2

26. How to find advertised opportunities • JobsLive • www.environmentjob.co.uk • Stopdodo – www.environmentjobs.com • Organisation/ Council Websites • College emails or departmental noticeboards/intranet • Many more resources on hand-out

27. Finding hidden opportunities • Who do you know? • Networking • Some organisations may advertise internally (amongst current employees and volunteers) before advertising a vacancy more widely. • Social Media

28. Finding hidden opportunities – speculative applications 5 steps to making a speculative application: • Find a company • Use your network of contacts • LinkedIn • JobsLive organisation search • Trade shows/Events • ENDS Directory and other resources mentioned today & on hand-out • Research the company • Google news • Annual report

29. Finding hidden opportunities – speculative applications 3. Find a contact name • HR team on careers website • Lots of recruiters are on LinkedIn 4. Prepare a targeted CV and covering letter • Use your research to specify the department you wish to work in and what you have to offer • 5. Send your application • Keep records!

30. A note on unpaid internships…

31. A note on unpaid internships… • Think about: • Do you need the experience? • How much time will it take? • Can you afford it? • Will it lead to paid work? When?

32. Summary • An Introduction to the Environmental Sector • Types of Roles • Sectors to look for vacancies and some examples of current internships • Top tips & insider info • Where to find advertised opportunities • Hidden opportunities.. and how to find them • A note on unpaid internships

33. Summary • Competitive but rewarding • If you’re interested in an environmental career it may well be worth doing a post-graduate qualification in a relevant subject • Keep on thinking about gaining experience as early as possible – one internship may not be enough

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