Sustainable Future For Geography Student
Lucy Ibbetson graduated from the University with a 2:1 in Geography BSc Honours and explains how her degree at the University of Hertfordshire helped her go on to great things.
A degree to help get a job
Lucy felt her work placement year at the Building Research Establishment in Watford was the most beneficial aspect of her degree in terms of helping her to find employment. Here Lucy was able to attend courses to train as a domestic and non-domestic assessor, these have helped Lucy successfully apply for the jobs she has had to date.
She said: “The experience gained during my placement year has both assisted me in gaining employment and went a long way to improving my final year marks.”
She added: “Employers were more interested in the work experience placement I undertook than my degree area of study. Having a work placement really makes you stand out from the hundreds of students that graduate each year.”
Experience since graduating
After graduating Lucy went straight into employment with the construction company Willmott Dixon, working in their sustainability team as a junior consultant.
Lucy explained: “I worked with the company for 2 years before I left and joined MLM Consulting Engineers, where I progressed to become a principal consultant working in Moorgate, central London.”
Current role
Lucy currently works as a senior consultant within the Sustainability Team at a leading global construction consultancy, Davis Langdon. Her role is to advise design teams on the performance of buildings in relation to their resource efficiency (energy and water), the materials used, equipment installed and the general layout.
Lucy said: “This helps keep the running costs of buildings low through energy efficiency and minimises the impact of resource consumption by encouraging the use of responsibly sourced materials while maintaining user comfort.”
After analysing buildings, Lucy can award a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) and a Code of Sustainable Homes certificate, dependent on their overall performance.
University experience and advice
One of the main reasons Lucy chose to study at the University of Hertfordshire was the flexibility that the course offered, with the opportunity to select your chosen degree path and modules as you progress through the years.
She thoroughly enjoyed her university experience, feeling that though it was hard work at times, all her efforts have paid off: “I believe it is important to have fun, but do not lose sight of the end result, it is important to achieve the best degree you can while having fun along the way.”
As advice, Lucy feels it is important to enjoy all of the opportunities that the University provides you with, both socially and academically: “You need to stand out from the crowd, be this from nominating yourself as a class representative or having professional work experience. These will hugely increase your chances of employment after university.”
She concluded: “The majority of my peers who took work placements have found positions with good companies in the sectors they wanted easier than those who didn’t take up a work placement.”
Find out more
Find out more about studying Geography at the University