Graduate Profile - Environmental Management

Name: Natalie Stalenberg
Degree: Bachelor of Environmental Management
Currently employed: Environment Protection Authority
Previously employed (ABC journalism)
Position Title: Graduate Water Catchment Officer
Commencement Date: 6 Jan 03
Employment Status: Full-Time 12mth Contract

Could you give us a description of what your position involves?

Most recently developing information sheets to assist in the implementation of the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy 2003. I have also given presentations to business and local government on the implications of the Water Quality Policy on their activities. Other projects include developing a Pollution Avoidance for Building Sites Handbook and a Pollution Avoidance Code of Practice for Industrial, Retail and Commercial Premises. Where necessary I provide advice on communications issues and research relevant topics such as Water Sensitive Urban Design and stormwater reuse.

What are the most interesting aspects of your work?

I am most interested in providing community, business and industry with the information they need to motivate them to change the way they carry out their activities to benefit the environment. I also enjoy consulting with various stakeholders during the development process of communication products such as those mentioned above.

Have the skills you developed at university been an important part of your job? Please Comment.

The research skills I developed in Research Methods in Geography/Environmental Management have been useful and also the broad range of environmental topics I learnt about have enabled me to understand the topics I write about.

Many employers presenting employment information sessions have commented on the importance of students undertaking extra curricular activities during their time at university. Could you comment on this?

Definitely, I don’t think you can rely on just your degree. Every time I’ve been to interviews they’ve wanted some sort of example of experience that you’ve had actually out there in the workplace. So it’s really important to make some time during your degree, just a few weeks, to get some work experience.

I accessed the WorkReady program at the Careers Centre - they helped out with insurance and organised a couple of my work experience placements.

I put in place some of my research skills when I worked with the Upper Torrens Land Management Project when they initiated a phone survey. I helped out in regards to ringing up land holders and finding out how successful they thought the project had been and also analysing those statistics and summarising the survey questionnaires and results, so that was useful. This was a contract position that I won following a work experience placement.

I also got a contract through the Careers Centre with the Nature Foundation for a couple of months as Media Liaison Officer for a forum they were doing (this was paid work).

I also went to some of the Graduate Skill Development Programs put on by the Careers Centre. I think employers do look for more than your academic skills. They want skills in communication, conflict management and so on. You can at least show and acknowledge that by attending these workshops and learning these skills.

I found the project management one really useful because that’s something that hasn’t really been touched on as a part of my degree, yet it’s important in the industry. It was good to hear from someone who has extensive experience in project management, and how they go about initiating a project and seeing it though.

At what stage during your studies did you begin to think about employment choices and options?

At the beginning, I really wanted to get into water catchment management so I was really conscious of choosing subjects to get into that area.

How did you go about finding employment?

I registered with GRADJOBS email list at the Careers centre and also with NRM jobs. I kept an eye on what was in the paper, and I applied for Federal Government Graduate Programs and the State Government Graduate Program.

Can you briefly describe the application process relevant to your position?

I went to the Careers Centre and had my CV and applications checked.

I had to provide a CV and a statement answering questions about where I wanted to go and what experience I’d had. I was placed on the register, which the different state departments could search, and select people for interview. I was called to an interview with the EPA. They gave me the job and person specification for the position. I then got the job!

What did you do to prepare for the interview? What sorts of questions were you asked?

I looked at the job and person specification and wrote my responses to the person specification, even though the EPA hadn’t asked for this. I found this was a good way of familiarising myself with what they wanted and matching my experience to the skills sought.
I looked at their website (which they recommended), and familiarised myself in a general way with the legislation they were under.
I came up with examples of team skills, initiative, research skills and experience, verbal and written communication skills. Plus I saw the Career Counsellors at the Careers Centre for tips and strategies for the interview.

What factors do you think contributed to your success in being appointed?

I think one of the factors was I put so much work into the application process-they said it was an outstanding application because they hadn’t asked for the person specification to be filled out but I gave them copies of my responses. I think that impressed them and also because I do have previous experience in research and communication skills.

I think it helped that I had shown an interest in catchment management through the project work that I had done in work experience.

How did your previous experiences help you in your job search?

I think it helped a lot in that the positions I’ve been focusing on have required communication skills so my journalism experience gave me that, as well as research skills.

With your experiences in securing employment what advice would you give to undergraduate students (first, second, and final year of study)?

I don’t think you can under prepare.

Really know, and have examples of how you do have experience in whatever requirements they’re after, like team building skills. Have some sort of example whether it was from uni about an assignment you did and go through the process of briefly explaining: this was the situation, this is how I contributed, this was the end result.