The jobs market is an extremely competitive place at the moment. With an abundance of high-calibre talent out there, and the environment and sustainability (E&S) market demanding more specialist expertise than ever before, it's not always easy to take your first steps into the world of E&S.
So, what can you do?
Apprenticeship schemes are making a strong comeback across the UK. From a candidate perspective, these offer a great opportunity to explore a variety of roles within E&S.
In previous articles, I have stressed the importance of knowing what you want to do in your career and setting yourself clear paths. Apprenticeships can be a great first step and will help both the employer and apprentice to identify possible progression routes, in a similar way to graduate placements.
Internships are also a great opportunity for you to get involved, and it’s often easier to gain experience with major organisations through this route. Again, you can be exposed to a variety of different skills within E&S, and the experience will help you make an informed decision on what you want to do.
Internships don’t always result in a full-time, permanent role at the end – however, we regularly hear of interns landing a permanent position if they’ve made the right impression during their time with an organisation. This shows how important it is to take such opportunities seriously.
For our clients, both the apprentices and interns can be a breath of fresh air. You are working with eager and passionate individuals who are looking to make a positive impact. They come with new ideas and concepts that can benefit the business; the return on investment can be huge. When looking to add graduates to your teams, think outside the box and look at apprentices and interns too; you never know what talent you’re going to uncover.
Matt Bransby, head of client services at Environment Works
