What really drew me to study at Queen Mary was the focus on building up employable skills and the close links the course had with many aspects of the water industry. The course content looked as if it gave a really comprehensive overview of water management which directly related to a lot of topical issues.
Why did you choose to study an MSc in Water and Environmental Management at Queen Mary?
I was looking for Environmental Management masters all over London with the aim to build on my undergraduate course and to be more employable in this sector. What really drew me to study at Queen Mary was the focus on building up employable skills and the close links the course had with many aspects of the water industry. The course content looked as if it gave a really comprehensive overview of water management which directly related to a lot of topical issues.
What did you enjoy most about the programme?
Meeting professionals from a range of backgrounds all working in water management. Their talks were really interesting and shed light on the variety of roles available in the industry as well as tips on applications and dissertations.
Field trips were a great chance to apply what had been learnt in the classroom to real scenarios in rivers around London.
Having the chance to use ArcGIS and Flood Modeller has been really interesting, these are widely used in industry and can be really useful tools to understanding the environment.
How did you secure your job role following your studies?
The course was good in the early stages to help refine career options, with tips on CV and cover letter writing, where to look for jobs and what companies are a best fit for the course and personal interests.
A lot of graduate schemes open and close relatively early in the year, this is the route I wanted to go down in order to get a range of experiences and development opportunities, so applying early was important for me. After a few applications I got offered a place on a graduate scheme with WSP to be based in their water team, advising on a range of projects surrounding the water environment. The university was helpful in preparing for interviews and applications.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
Continuing to learn and applying what I have learnt through the course to real situations. There should be lots of opportunities to develop in many areas that I have really enjoyed in the course, including flood risk management, sustainable drainage and river restoration.