Category Archives: Environmental Work

Student Case Study: ClearLead Consulting

Degree subject, Environmental Work, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Management and Consultancy, Sector, , , ,

Name of Student:  Josh Marshall

Degree Subject: MSC Global Sustainability Solutions

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: ClearLead Consulting

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: ClearLead Consulting is an international energy and sustainability consulting company founded in 2012, with offices in Canada, the UK, and Ireland.  ClearLead takes pride in giving our clients straight, practical advice and support, with a commitment to conduct work that is useful and makes a difference to clients.

ClearLead specialises in helping commercial, industrial and public sector clients reduce their energy costs, operate more sustainably and comply with complex environmental regulation, both in the UK and internationally.  They aims to lead by example and are therefore working to become carbon neutral as a company.

ClearLead’s services in the sustainability and energy field include corporate sustainability and carbon neutrality/net zero strategies and assessments; Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) audits; energy audits and surveys; energy metering and monitoring systems; renewable feasibility studies and appraisals; resource efficiency (water and waste) programmes; carbon footprinting; training and behavioural change management programmes.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Izzy was my mentor and she gave me a long list of actions an example of this was – data entry. She also wanted me to work out how much carbon they are saving clients – extracted data.

From day to day I would help with scoping of clients emissions under the GHGP and ISO 14001, which mainly looked at key sources of emissions and whether they could be reduced in anyway. I did a number of small independent research projects over the course of the 3 weeks, the particularly exciting ones involved assessing the safety of mixing natural gas and hydrogen to emit less CO2 on combustion, looking at sound pollution for a new housing development and researching ways Clearlead themselves can reduce their carbon footprint.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

I had a massive variation of the outputs I delivered. One thing I did was create a GIS visualisation to make public more engaged with activity for a client who wanted to blend natural gas with hydrogen.

The were a number of emissions scoping projects that were delivered directly to clients, mainly in the form of a PP presentation. This included small word documents on a given research topic that the client had asked for.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Presenting to directors on project work and the directors took my work to the clients and won the bid. Clearlead offered me a job which was amazing. This was for a new client who was looking to reduce emissions but the business model was complex. This created problems is establishing scope boundaries and determining which emissions were directly a result of the clints industrial operations and which were as a result of 3rd party operations.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

More contact time with business – go to office more.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Decision Making
  • Researching
  • Time and Work Load Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Professionalism
  • Confidence
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“My advice would be to engage as much as possible with recruiters and organisations in the industry. Experience is key to your development, but more importantly it’s a way for you to learn what you enjoy about the sector and what you’re good at. The same can be said for what you don’t like about working life. Start to build up a picture of your ideal job and think about the small things that make a difference like work-life balance, purpose and working environment. All of them have a huge impact on the enjoyment you’ll get from your career.”

Student Case Study: SITU

Degree subject, Environmental Work, Geography, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Leisure, Sport and Tourism, Real Estate and Property, Sector, , , ,

Name of Student:  Olivia McDonald

Degree Subject: BSc Geography

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: SITU

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: Our range of serviced apartments in Exeter have been handpicked for corporate and leisure travellers. Across our range of Exeter accommodation, guests can enjoy the luxury of fully functioning kitchens, comfortable beds and spacious rooms in their own home-away-from-home. Our Exeter apartments options are located close to the city centre too, convenient for whatever your trip entails, whether it be for business or leisure.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

The main focus of my work was exploring and proposing ways to improve the sustainability side of the company. With SITU already having taken several steps to improve its environmental impact, this required me to think beyond basic suggestions. Some of my tasks therefore involved researching what other serviced accommodation providers were doing, completing an aspects and impacts register, exploring carbon offsetting options for the company and clients, and creating a sustainability questionnaire for suppliers.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

I was asked to complete and present several outputs, each being specific to a different task. These included a breakdown of twelve carbon offsetting projects, with included the project details, benefits and costs. Additionally, I had to complete an aspects and impacts register and write a presentation about sustainability for other workers. I also kept a document with suggestions for ways to improve the office’s environmental footprint, office item alternatives and sustainable gift options for clients.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

When I began my internship, I was somewhat thrown in at the deep end and given a long list of tasks (all of which I was asked if I was happy to tackle, and I was). However, many of the tasks I had no previous experience doing which meant that I learnt a huge amount as I went along. As I completed each task, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. My proudest moment was the company saying that they would love to have me back again in the future!

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

I honestly cannot think of anything that did not go well; the whole experience was wonderful! I was particularly grateful to be able to work every other day over two weeks, this turned out to be a really good working pattern.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Decision Making
  • Researching
  • Time and Work Load Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Confidence
  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Professionalism
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“I could not recommend this enough! It is thanks to the Green Consultant Scheme that I was able to gain insight into the world of sustainability consulting, and as a result I am now certain that this is something I would love to pursue in the future.”

Student Case Study: Axminster Heritage Centre

Degree subject, English, Environmental Work, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Libraries and Heritage, , , ,

Name of Student:  Alice Walters

Degree Subject: BA English with Study Abroad

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: Axminster Heritage Centre

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: Axminster Heritage Centre has a vision to delight and entertain visitors through interactive and innovative displays. We hope to exceed expectations by creating both an online and a ‘hands on’ experience that young and old can touch and interact with. In addition, we have a unique collection of original Axminster carpets artefacts and aim to tell the story, from fleece to floor, of this world famous ‘brand’ name in an enjoyable and educational way.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

I worked for Axminster Heritage Centre every Thursday for five weeks – two of those days at the centre itself. Over the course of my internship, I assessed how well Axminster Heritage Centre was performing from a sustainability perspective. I then wrote a detailed report that gave recommendations about how they could improve their environmental credentials in the future. I found this to be both highly rewarding and an enjoyable experience.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

Within my formal report, I included background information about sustainability within the museum sector, information on waste management and energy usage, assessments of partner organisations, and case studies of best practice. When researching other museums in Devon, I noticed that none of them had an environmental policy published on their website. I brought this to the attention of my employer, and suggested that this represented an exciting opportunity for Axminster Heritage Centre to be the first Devon-based museum to prioritise environmental sustainability in this way. I also wrote an Executive Summary that summarised my full report for the benefit of the museum’s trustees.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Writing my report: it was 6000 words long, well-researched, and highly detailed.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

My employer asked me to recommend some ways in which the museum could invest its money sustainably, but this was something that I had no prior knowledge about. I overcame this by completing some research, and ensuring that it was at least mentioned in my report so that it would be flagged up to the trustees.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Problem Solving
  • Researching
  • Time and Work Load Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Personal Awareness
  • Cultural Awareness
  • Logical thinking
  • Creative thinking
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“This role combined arts and culture with environmental sustainability, and this truly reinforced the importance of taking a holistic approach to protecting the environment – it’s not just one sector’s responsibility to operate sustainably, but everyone’s! I’d recommend a similar role to anyone who is interested in both sectors, and wants to know how they might intersect.”

Student Case Study: Northcott Theatre

Degree subject, Education, Teaching and Research, Environmental Work, Geography, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Libraries and Heritage, Sector, , , ,

Name of Student:  Alice Thornton-Kemsley

Degree Subject: BA Geography

Type of Internship:  Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: Northcott Theatre

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: Exeter Northcott Theatre is a flourishing mid-scale regional theatre offering high quality performance and participation programmes engaging c.100,000 people per annum. We are based on the Exeter University campus and have been in existence since 1967. The Exeter Northcott Theatre Archive is housed in the University of Exeter Special Collections to ensure its preservation and enable access for research and learning. The Archive comprises of operational and production records spanning the period from its opening in 1967 to its refurbishment in 2007 and is a valuable piece of South West theatre history, showcasing the theatre as a training ground for writers, makers and performers of note.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My key duties and responsibilities were to assess current sustainability measures in place and then to suggest any further changes which could be made in the theatre to improve the sustainability in both the short and long term future.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

After my initial meeting with the client – where we discussed current sustainability measures and potential changes, I wrote up a detailed report – including other examples and images – which was then sent to the client. There was also the option of a follow up meeting at a later date if required.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

My biggest achievement on my internship was developing a good client rapport. Due to COVID-19 after a number of emails beforehand, we had an initial meeting on site, where I had a tour of the facilities and discussed options. This set up an open conversation about the logistic and feasibility of changes.  I was working alone, from home, meaning I had to be organised and independent.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

With such an open aim of improving sustainability practices I struggled to choose which output to hand back to the client. I decided a document would be most comprehensive which I then confirmed with the client.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Communication
  • Problem Solving
  • Persuasion
  • Organisation
  • Time and Work Load Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Creative thinking
  • Independence
  • Work Ethic

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“This experience has been truly rewarding and has taught me so much. Even if I do not end up going into the sector, I have gained a wide range of skills which I know will go on to help me in other work environments. Working for a client has been such a key aspect of this project, and I have seen the importance of client rapport, independent research and organisation.”

Student Case Study: SageTech

Degree subject, Environmental Work, Geography, Green Consultants, Health Care, Information Technology, Internship Schemes, , , ,

Name of Student:  Hannah Woodward

Degree Subject: BA Geography

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: SageTech Medical Equipment Ltd.

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: SageTech is a medical equipment company that has developed a comprehensive way to capture, extract and purify volatile anaesthetic gases to PhEur monograph standard.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

The key aim of this internship was to improve SageTech’s corporate social responsibility (CSR). I looked into gaining B Corporate certification for SageTech and also investigated its engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals. Due to SageTech being a relatively small company without extensive policies in place, the corresponding questionnaires insinuated that the company was only 17% aligned with the SDGs; since SageTech’s technology is designed to reduce the NHS’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, I deemed this to be an inappropriate representation of the business. After further discussions with the client, the chosen method for improving SageTech’s CSR was to investigate the possibility of joining a carbon credit scheme. I looked at numerous options, including the UK government’s new cap and trade scheme that was implemented this year post-Brexit. However, ongoing communication with the client led to the decision that I would work on creating a methodology that would be required for SageTech to join the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), a voluntary carbon credit scheme.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

I created a presentation for my client that outlined what information would be required from SageTech in order to join the VCS. I generated this after looking at previous accepted templates from other companies that joined the scheme. This presentation and all my sources were sent over to my client, who passed it on to the relevant team to begin putting the information together in the required format.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Helping a company like SageTech improve its reach was a significant achievement in my internship. SageTech’s technology is revolutionary for organisations like the NHS, which emits extensive of volumes of anaesthetic gas annually. If more hospitals install the technology to tackle this, encouraged by schemes such as the VCS, GHG emissions could be reduced significantly. The ability to join a carbon credit scheme would promote the technology on an even greater scale, encouraging investment and the potential for implementation internationally.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

It was challenging to not be able to access SageTech’s offices, as it limited contact with the client. However, through multiple Zoom calls and email correspondence, I was able to overcome this due to how helpful my contact at SageTech was. Finding a sustainability solution for an inherently environmental company in the first place was a challenge and required me to think outside of the box from my Green Consultant training. Coupled with communication with the client, an appropriate solution was found, and the project was a success.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Decision Making
  • Researching
  • Time and Work Load Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Professionalism
  • Confidence
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“It is always best to be confident and to not be afraid to ask questions, as it ensures that you are on the same page as the client when it comes to producing a piece of work or conducting research for them. Communication is key as it inherently establishes confidence in both parties. Suggesting your own ideas will demonstrate your ability to show initiative too, so it is important to back your own thoughts rather than being scared of being wrong!”

Student Case Study: RAMM

Degree subject, Environmental Work, Geography, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Libraries and Heritage, Sector, , ,

Name of Student:  Matt Inwood

Degree Subject: BA Geography

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: RAMM

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: RAMM will enhance people’s quality of life. It’s a place of discovery which encourages everyone to be curious. RAMM uses its local and global collections to connect people to the world and inspires them to shape a better future.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My key duty was to focus on the energy efficiency assessment.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

My biggest achievement was understanding the different challenges of the museum especially that it is a listed building and what comes with that.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

One of main challenges was technical understanding. – basic understanding of why insulation is important, for example – passivhouse.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Decision Making
  • Researching
  • Time and Work Load Management

Attributes Developed:

  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Professionalism
  • Confidence
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“If you are willing to put the extra time and effort into this program, you will benefit immensely from the opportunities and experiences that it provides whilst also learning many new skills associated with consulting.”

Student Case Study: Sutton Council

Degree subject, Environmental Work, Geography, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Politics and Government, Sector, ,

Name of Student:  Alice Dunsmore

Degree Subject: BA Geography with European Study

Type of Internship: Green Consultants Scheme

Company Name: Sutton Council

Job Title: Green Consultant

Description Of Company: London Borough of Sutton Council offers a range of statutory services to the local community.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

I had two main duties during my internship. One of them was to go through an environmental report and write justifications for actions in a manner which the general public could comprehend. I also rang all schools in the borough and tried to get them to separate waste and food waste, this also caused me to set them up with a specific waste collection company.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

Justifications for report and arranged food waste collections in all schools in the borough.

 What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

My biggest achievement on my internship was reducing food waste in over 70 schools and nurseries.

 What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

My internship was very positive. I felt a little lost as the internship was remote and not in person however, I had a really nice team who helped me feel very welcome.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Communication
  • Teamwork and Collaboration
  • Problem Solving
  • Negotiation
  • Persuasion

Attributes Developed:

  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Commercial Awareness
  • Confidence
  • Motivation

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector?

“I would highly recommend working alongside the Council in the sustainability sector. The Council has real power to be able to make significant and positive environmental change, so working alongside them has possible significant outcomes for the reduction of climate change and saving the environment for the future.”

Employer Case Study: Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Access to Internships (A2I), Animal Care, Biosciences, Charity and Development Work, Employer Feedback, Environmental Work, Internship Schemes, Sector, , ,

Name of Organisation: Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Description of Organisation:

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK. With the invaluable support of our volunteers, members and corporate supporters we manage over 50 nature reserves, including an island for wildlife and people in Cornwall. We also work with other organisations and landowners to protect and connect wildlife sites across the county and inspire local communities and young people to care for wildlife where they live.

We want to create safe havens in which wildlife can thrive and from which it can spread. We need to inspire people to love and care for the natural environment, and enable more people to experience, enjoy and understand it. We are a charity and rely on membership, legacy gifts and donations from our supporters and on the efforts of our 300 regular volunteers to help us make Cornwall wilder. Our vision is to bring about a Nature Recovery Network to bring back Cornwall’s wildlife.

Name of Employer: Abigail Crosby

Job Title: Marine Conservation Officer

Internship Scheme used: Access to Internships (A2I)

Feedback:

“Our intern became an extremely valued member of the team, as she efficiently carried out her duties within the Marine Stranding’s Network project. As a result of her work, the project now has a well-recognized and highly followed social media presence including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

She also played a key role in the production of our annual 2019 MSN report. She helped process thousands of MSN records. The student created several monthly Mailchimp newsletters to help communicate with our network of trained volunteers. I also really appreciated the intern assisting me with the training days, it was a massive help. A huge thank you to our intern for her fantastic work.

I would highly recommend the internship schemes The University of Exeter has to offer. The process was fairly effortless and for little administration we were able to support a fantastic student who carried out some incredibly useful work for the Trust. She was a brilliant support to the team, and we are very grateful for her time.”

Employer Case Study: Procura Consulting 

Employer Feedback, Environmental Work, Green Consultants, Internship Schemes, Management and Consultancy, Sector, , , ,

Name of Organisation: Procura Consulting

Description of Organisation: Procura Consulting is a boutique management consultancy firm specialising in procurement and supply chain optimisation. Our consultants work closely with all kinds of organisations to improve their profitability by identifying, delivering and maintaining savings in procurement expenditure.

Founded in 2016 we have grown rapidly fuelled by a compelling service offer to clients and a commitment to the highest standards of professionalism and operational excellence. Our success has been recognised with recent nominations for the Management Consultancy Association’s “Best New Consultancy” and “Commercial Excellence” awards.

Name of Employer:  Luke Abbott

Job Title: Manager

Internship Scheme used: Green Consultants 

Feedback:

“We recruited an intern from the Green Consultant scheme to help develop our Sustainable Procurement service. We are developing a new service that focuses on helping organisations become more sustainable by utilising their procurement function and supply chain.

Our intern researched sustainable solutions and suppliers in different areas of spend, for example, IT and completed completed a number of internal projects focusing on the sustainability of Procura as a business and formulated some great ideas for our sustainable procurement service.

She was a fantastic intern who really took initiative in tasks. Her passion for sustainability is clear. We asked the student to come back and work for us, we offered her a one-month internship in October this year to continue her great work which she accepted. I expect we will offer her another internship or possibly a graduate role once our Sustainable Procurement service is up and running.”

Employer Case Study:  Jurassic Fibre Ltd

Employer Feedback, Environmental Work, Green Consultants, Information Technology, Management and Consultancy, Sector, , , ,

Name of Organisation:  Jurassic Fibre Ltd

Description of Organisation: Jurassic was founded by CEO Michael Maltby, a resident of Sidmouth in East Devon. Michael has built fibre and similar networks around the world, including in Russia and the Caribbean, and his goal is to build the digital infrastructure you deserve to support your lifestyle in the 21st Century.

Jurassic Fibre is part of the Fern Trading Group, and has substantial funds available to deliver a top quality fibre broadband network for the South West. We are planning to invest over £250m into building a fibre network in Devon, Dorset and Somerset, passing over 300,000 homes, making gigabit speeds a reality.

With the valued support of our partners – who together form a world-class supply chain to deliver fibre to the region – we started to build in 2019, with continued growth always on the horizon.

Name of Employer:  Gillian Huppler

Job Title: SHEQ Manager

Internship Scheme used: Green Consultants 

Feedback:

“We recruited an intern to work as a Green Consultant. They provided us with a report identifying JFL strengths, weaknesses, opportunities to improve and potential threats associated with current compliance. He gave us an overview of what competitors are doing and gave us recommendations. He used our auditing tool (iAuditor) and build useful audit formats which will enable us to monitor compliance and track our performance.

I was hoping to get the student involved in review our waste management but the manager involved had been given an important task and was not forthcoming with the information. Our intern handled this well and we discussed other objectives, he got on very well with the change of plan.

I would have been more than happy to offer our intern a role if there was one available and I will be discussing this with CEO to see if there is any future opportunities.

The student provided us with some extremely useful information which will add value to our business. He was professional, pleasant, enthusiastic and would be a great asset to any company. He worked well in the office and on site talking to the civils teams undertaking excavations. Our intern provided us with a useful presentation to enable our company to understand our opportunities for improvement and developed useful tools for monitoring progress, which is amazing as we only had him for 35 hours. If this is the quality of Students Exeter can provide, we will definitely be looking to repeat this in the future.”