Jay
Assistant Ecologist, enims.
At age 27, I hit a career crossroads. With a geology degree and three years in geo-environmental consultancy under my belt, I realised I wanted something more varied and challenging than my previous roles were offering.
Growing up in rural Norfolk, with my youth spent in the local forest, the natural world has always been incredibly important to me. After a break, I decided ecology was the right path for my future career. It gave me the chance to explore a new, but not alien, consultancy field, in an area where I could actively contribute to environmental conservation.
Lacking a formal ecology background, I needed a company to take a chance on me. Enims was that company! They saw the value in my previous experience, transferable skills, and passion for ecology. It turns out I am a great fit for the company, and I am so glad they took that chance.
Now a year has passed since my employment, and it has been the most exciting year of my professional career to date, and that includes a year where a global pandemic occurred! My daily activities are so diverse, it’s hard to summarise how much I have done in the year. I’ve embraced an array of opportunities, from conducting sunset bat surveys, to writing reports, analysing bat videos and sounds, creating GIS maps, habitat and species surveys across southern England, and supervising ecological projects onsite. No two days have been the same, and every moment has deepened my appreciation for the field.
The team at enims has been incredible, I have been lucky enough to shadow incredibly knowledgeable senior ecologists, who are happy to share and pass on that wealth of experience. Whilst beginning to learn a new field is extremely tough, especially one so wide ranging as ecology, I have always felt supported by the enims team and have never been asked to go into a job unprepared. This nurturing environment has equipped me to face challenges confidently and continues to inspire me to strive for excellence.
The enims team have also given me hope to look forward to a bright future, whether that’s through exposing me to new and diverse projects or by supporting me through training to become the best ecologist I can be. The small family run team of enims is incredibly caring, making you feel truly valued, whilst at the same time punching far above its weight in the ecological sector, allowing me to experience working on some of the largest infrastructure projects that the UK has to offer.
Joining enims has been a life changing experience, and I wholeheartedly encourage anyone seeking a fresh start to pursue their passion. Enims is a remarkable team, and I highly recommend it to anyone who gets the chance to be part of this amazing organisation.
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