Hello, my name is Fiona and I am a graduate of the University of Manchester’s MSc Environmental Impact Assessment and Management programme. Before deciding to come to the University of Manchester, I completed a BSc Marine Science with honours from the University of Galway in Ireland. I have always been someone who loves nature and cares about the planet – so choosing these programmes was a no brainer for me!

Why I chose to study the MSc Environmental Impact Assessment & Management, and why the University of Manchester

While I’ve always been passionate about sustainability and environmental issues, figuring out what type of career I wanted didn’t come easily to me. On one hand I was interested in a lot of things, while on the other hand I didn’t truly know all the types of careers and industries out there. It took trial and error (and a bit of research) for me to figure out what I wanted to do. During my undergraduate degree, we gained lots of invaluable hands-on experience, though through this, I realised that I didn’t want to work in a lab, and I didn’t want to be out at sea on a research vessel for a month at a time.

From doing some market research, I learned that those with my background could work as consultants to help reduce impacts posed through the development of infrastructure projects – something that aligned with my interests and values. I looked at the skills section requested on job adverts and realised that environmental impact assessment is a highly sought-after skill – hence my decision to complete a master’s degree in this area. I decided to complete the MSc Environmental Impact Assessment and Management programme due to the demand for this skill in the job market and my passion for mitigating climate change and environmental harm. I also wanted to study at a top university, as I understood that the connections made here and the networking opportunities available would last a lifetime. Once I began my course, I made an effort to go to as many networking events as I could to meet with employers and gain a better understanding of their work and what they were looking for in candidates.

Some memorable experiences from my time at UoM

During the first week of university, I learned of the Stellify Award, which can be earned through dedicated volunteering, holding a “Champions for Change” position, and through taking additional educational modules on sustainability, environmental and social justice issues. I decided to pursue this award, which I successfully received at my graduation. I really enjoyed being a Sustainability Champion, as this position gave me the opportunity to work with a great group of like-minded students that care about sustainability like myself. I also participated in volunteering, which led me to meet even more people from outside of my degree. It was wonderful seeing that people from all backgrounds have an interest in nature and sustainability. My favourite memories from these programmes were gardening with Ardwick Climate Action and running two educational events, one for sustainable transport and another for digital sustainability.

My career development and current role

I currently work as a Graduate Environmental Consultant at AECOM, an interdisciplinary, global engineering and design firm. I enjoy the work I do because I get to work with so many different teams and I get to work in both sustainability and environmental impact assessment. I came across AECOM by attending the fall STEM career fairs at UoM. I engaged with several companies at the fair, but the friendliness and positive energy from those at the AECOM stand really stood out to me. I then attended an open office event to hear more about the company and the work they do. Later in semester 1, I applied to an open position for an internship on the EIA team, which I was fortunate to receive.

Throughout this time in semester 1, I was applying to graduate programmes in parallel to my in-person networking. I was fortunate to receive several offers, one of them being a return offer from AECOM! I chose AECOM because of their commitment to sustainability and to building a better world, their supportive and welcoming culture, and the fact that they have an office in my hometown. The company’s values align with my own, and I can still see the impact that has on the work we do. I have now worked for AECOM for almost 1.5 years!

Advice for future students at UoM

UoM has so many amazing opportunities right at your fingertips – be sure to make the most of them! Careers fairs, networking opportunities, clubs and societies, volunteering, you name it – enjoy all of it because this will open so many doors and will allow you to meet so many new people.

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