I completed my BSc in Geography at the University of Worcester in 2014, followed by an MSc in River Environments and their Management at the University of Birmingham in 2015. In 2016, I applied for the role of Assistant Flood and Coastal Risk Officer with Devon County Council. I was excited to see a Local Authority with such established environmental teams, where I could have the opportunity to apply my knowledge gained from my time at University.
Since joining the team, I have greatly enjoyed working in the Flood and Coastal Risk Management team and the wider Environment Group, with varied tasks including involvement in Natural Flood Management projects, processing Land Drainage Consents and compiling Flood Investigation Reports. Having grown up in Devon, being able to be involved in environmental work with communities I was familiar with growing up has been incredibly interesting and valuable for me.
A fantastic element of the job has been the people I’ve had the pleasure to meet and work with. Embarking upon my first full time job after graduating could have potentially been quite daunting, but my colleagues made me feel at ease straight away. The help and support they provided, and continue to provide, as I have taken on this steep learning curve at the start of my career, has been completely invaluable.
Having already progressed from Assistant Officer to Officer level, my aim now is to continue my development in the role, and with continued support from management, to work towards chartership with the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM).