Top Tips To Land Your Perfect Environmental Job

Want to know how to get started in an environmental career, or how to get an environmental job? An experienced environmental professional explains all.

I’ve been working in the environmental sector for 20 years now. Initially I worked as an academic researcher in sustainability, before working in local government, again in sustainability, for a couple of years. Then I switched to the charity sector, where I stayed for 10 years working on environmental projects. And, for the last few years, Moral Fibres has been my full-time job.

Recently, I’ve received a couple of emails from younger readers asking how to get an environmental job. Or from those looking for advice in starting off in the environmental sector. 

It got me thinking that it would be useful to address these points in a blog post for anyone starting off in their career or looking to change their career.

So, based on my own experience, here are my top tips to landing an environmental job – from the routes you can go down to gain qualifications or experience, the places to look for jobs, and the things I wish I’d known before going into the sector.

I’ve also included tips on how to make any job an environmental job, because climate change should be part of everyone’s job, regardless of sector.

Top Tips For Getting An Environmental Job

My experience is completely in the sustainable transport sector. It’s an area I’ve mainly worked in since I graduated 20 years ago (ouch!). Even so, my experience should be broad enough to help you navigate your way through the education and job-hunting maze and help you find your perfect environmental job!

College/University Routes to Get An Environmental Job

College

I didn’t go to college, so I can’t give firsthand experience. However, from what I understand, there are heaps of one-year courses that would provide great access to finding work in the environmental sector, without having to do a full three or four-year course at university.

Anything around environmental sciences, green energy, conservation, or countryside management would all be good routes in.

Undergraduate Level

If you want to go to university, then any social science or biological degree is a good choice for getting into the environmental sector. Geography, Sustainability, Geology, Biology, Ecology, Zoology, Botany, or anything else in the natural sciences is a good bet.

Even courses such as Community Education, Teaching, Marketing, and English are good degrees to have in gaining an environmental job. If there’s one thing I learned from my degree, it’s that the key is emphasising your transferable skills!

Personally, I studied Environmental Geography at the University of Aberdeen. It was a really good course that gave me a wide overview of environmental policy and practice. At Aberdeen, you are able to choose between studying Geography as a BSc (Bachelor of Science) or an MA (Master of Arts).

There’s no difference in the course. The only real difference between the BSc and MA programmes is the other subjects you will study alongside Geography in the first two years of the degree. If you opt for a BSc, you’ll need to choose mainly science subjects. Meanwhile, MA students can choose subjects from across the humanities and social sciences.

I opted for the BSc and chose to study mainly Biology, Zoology, Ecology, and Conservation Biology courses. I chose these because I was interested in them – and if you’re interested in a subject, then it’s easier to pass them!

Whilst you’re at college or university get involved, and have fun! It’s not just about studying. Join the student newspaper and write environmental articles for them. Join or set up an environmental group. Help organise environmental events. Get involved in student politics. I could go on! As well as helping you to meet people, any one of these things will look great on your CV.

I’d always suggest talking to a careers advisor – especially if you’re in higher education and can access them free of charge. Take advantage of these services whilst you can!

Masters Level

A Masters isn’t necessary to get a job in the environmental sector unless you want to go into the world of academia or want to specialise in a particular field. I did initially, so I went on to study for a Masters in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Edinburgh.

After graduating, I worked in academic research, looking into the links between transport and climate change. I do feel it was worth it. I really enjoyed the course, and I did land a good environmental job as a climate change researcher at a university, looking into the links between transport and climate change, within months of graduating.

Most of my classmates have gone on to great environmental jobs. Some are lecturers, one works for the United Nations in the climate change division, some have set up environmental consultancies, and most others have directly related environmental jobs, so it has definitely been worthwhile. It’s certainly a useful way to stand out in a crowded market.

Alternative Routes to Get An Environmental Job

Of course, higher education isn’t the only route to getting an environmental job. A lot of the environmental jobs I’ve seen advertised do say a degree is desirable but not essential. Therefore, if you can’t afford to go to higher education, or simply don’t want to go, then all is not lost.

There are alternative routes to getting into the environmental sector, too:

Volunteering

One of the best alternative routes, and probably by far the most important thing you can do to help you get an environmental job, is volunteering. Granted, it’s not always easy finding the time, particularly if you are working another job to financially support yourself. However, most organisations are completely flexible with volunteering opportunities, and even if you can only commit to two hours a week, then it’s well worth offering your time.

Although you don’t get paid for volunteering, a lot of charities will pay your travel expenses and lunch expenses as a thank you for your time and to help ease the financial burden. Some will even let you work from home, negating the need to travel.

Not only is volunteering a great way of gaining vital experience in the environmental sector, but it’s also a great way to make contacts and make a name for yourself. I have known countless people who have gotten a job with an organisation after volunteering for them.

Let’s face it, if you were an employer, would you rather take a chance on someone you knew who was committed to the organisation, versus someone who is a complete unknown? Even if no job opportunities don’t arise whilst you’re volunteering, keep an eye out after you finish up. You never know what might come up.

And even if a job doesn’t come up within the organisation, it’s still worthwhile volunteering. Most will give you a reference when you apply for a job, which is really invaluable.

Charities I’ve volunteered for in the past are sustainable transport charities Living Streets and Sustrans. Both were invaluable in finding paid employment within the environmental sector.

Internships

Internships weren’t really a thing when I was at university/after I graduated, and I’m not sure how I feel about them. If you can get a paid internship, then that’s fantastic. It’s a great way to gain experience, whilst being paid for your time.

However, I would be very wary of unpaid internships. Certainly, I know I wouldn’t have been able to afford to take on an unpaid internship after graduating – especially a full-time one. Personally, I would prioritise finding a suitable volunteer position in hours you can fit in around paid work.

As an aside here, I also wouldn’t be fussy about the paid work you take on whilst job hunting, studying, volunteering, and /or interning.

I had all sorts of completely unrelated jobs during university and after graduating. I worked in shops, pubs, restaurants, cafes, call centres, cinemas, music venues, and theatres, as well as a summer spent caring for older adults.

I’ve done it all,and there’s no shame in it. We all have to make money to house, feed, clothe ourselves, etc. In fact, the call centre work has bizarrely been a plus point whenever I’ve mentioned it in environmental job interviews. It all boils down to that key point – transferable skills – again!

Blogging And Social Media

At the risk of sounding like a dinosaur, beyond MySpace, blogging and social media weren’t a thing when I was younger. So while this isn’t something I did, I would completely recommend setting up an environmental TikTok, Instagram, YouTube account, or blog.

Whatever platform you choose, this is a great chance to show your enthusiasm and commitment, skills, and knowledge of your particular area of expertise to potential employers. You can even put a link to it on your CV.

Other Tips and Advice On Gaining An Environmental Job

This one is aimed at school leavers and new graduates. If you’re interested in an environmental job or a volunteering position then, whatever you do, DO NOT get your parents to phone up or email an organisation about it on your behalf. Always do it yourself.

It looks so bad on you when your parent phones up or emails about a possible volunteering position on your behalf. Trust me, the organisation will question your interest and enthusiasm. Be proactive and take matters into your own hands.

Environmental Job Sites To Know

There are a few really good environmental job sites out there that I love:

• Environment Job (UK-wide) – this is my favourite site. It has a wide range of jobs advertised and its free email service is fantastic.
• Countyside Jobs Service (UK-wide) – this is a great site for anyone looking for jobs or volunteer placements in the countryside, conservation, ecology, and wildlife sectors.
• Goodmoves (Scotland only) – this site lists jobs within the Scottish charity sector. It’s not exclusively environmental jobs, but there are generally quite a few environmental jobs on here. I found my last job on Goodmoves!

Things To Consider About Jobs In The Environmental Sector

It’s not all roses in the environmental sector. There are a few points about working in the environmental sector that I don’t love, and wish I’d known before going down this route:

The Downsides

For a start, particularly in the charity sector where a lot of environmental jobs tend to be, permanent contracts are few and far between. This is because many environmental projects, and therefore jobs, rely on external funding. As such, fixed-term contracts are the norm and are often dependent on being able to secure external funding. It can be a bit stressful.

Don’t expect to be rich, especially if you’re working in the charity sector. I find wages to be on the lower end of the spectrum, and now twenty years down the line, I’ve realised my pension is not in great shape, as employer contributions in the charity sector were not particularly high. That was something I hadn’t really considered early on. If I could go back, I’d have set up a private pension and paid into that too.

My experience within the charity sector is that there often isn’t much scope for career progression, like in some industries. As such, make sure any jobs you go for offer training opportunities, or funding to access training, such as PRINCE2 project management training. These can really help you progress in your career.

The Plus Points

It’s not all doom and gloom though. Do expect job satisfaction to be very high, especially if you are working on a project that provides tangible outcomes.

I’ve worked on adult and child cycle training programmes and set up walking groups for older adults. Seeing the impact that learning to ride a bike has on someone, or the joy an older person gets from joining a walking group, is worth the bad points a million times over.

I’ve also found that jobs are rarely boring. Especially if you work in small charities, every day is definitely different, and you get to help with a lot of different projects. My experience is that it’s much more exciting than standard office jobs. If the idea of being tied to a desk all day is not for you, then working in the environmental sector is a good place to be!

I’ve also found that environmental jobs are always good conversation pieces. When someone asks you what you do, I always get asked a ton of questions. Compared to when someone tells you that they’re an accountant, it’s certainly a much more interesting topic! No offence to accountants!

How To Make Your Existing Job An Environmental Job

Of course, not everyone can work in the environmental sector. However, there’s no reason why every job can’t be a climate change job. Here are tips on how to make your workplace more sustainable, regardless of where you work or what your job is, that can help green your organisation.

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