Ester Koneca

Environmental Scientist, Severn Trent

After graduation I worked as a seasonal ecologist at a small consultancy company. I learned a lot about protected species, plant identification, habitats, mitigation/enhancement strategies, reporting and safety. Afterwards, I started to work as an environmental scientist at Severn Trent and my work is related to biodiversity enhancement.

Why did you choose to study Environmental Science at Birmingham?

I wanted to study something related to nature but also with a strong scientific background. I was interested in trying field, laboratory and computer work. The environmental science degree also offered the option to study many environmental fields such as pollution, ecology, hydrology, climate change and others. The University of Birmingham is also known for its amazing research work, and its project BIFoR - Birmingham Institute of Forest Research just solidified why to choose this university and this degree.

What skills/knowledge did you develop at Birmingham the helped you to follow your career path?

I developed strong scientific/research knowledge and skills, learned advanced laboratory methods and tried different forms of fieldwork. Thanks to computer based modules I was familiar with software such as GIS that is crucial for many environmental jobs. Volunteering and working for BIFoR made me prepared for my future career as I could see and try real science, and it also improved my laboratory and field skills. Working for such an amazing project also made me confident and proud and I had no problems answering many competency questions during my job interviews.

What advice would you give to current students studying on your degree programme?

I suggest to try as many different modules, placements, activities, volunteering opportunities and projects as you can. It will help you understand what type of science work/field you prefer, and very importantly, what you don’t like. I recommend using all resources the university offers, especially the careers network. This will help you gain experience and feel more prepared for your future career.