Name:Todd 
Role Title: Catchment Environment Officer 
Location:   Based at DNRE Tatura, works in the Goulburn Broken Catchment

Description of work undertaken:  Todd does environmental assessments of drainage works and of statuary planning. He is also responsible for environmental monitoring (checks remnant vegetation sites and wetlands to monitor salinity levels, vegetation change, weed invasion, nutrient levels, also does invertebrate sampling). Todd provides information and advice to landholders on environmental and drainage issues, such as revegetation, run-off, native fauna on their property, etc. He attends forums and meetings with agency staff, landholders, community groups and others. The work is varied and involves many different aspects of environmental management.

Todd completing a vegetation survey along a transect line

Favourite aspects of work:
Todd particularly enjoys dealing with the public, and being outdoors a lot of the time is one of the best things about the job. He says that it is really nice to see work that you have initiated happening "on the ground". His job gives him the opportunity to meet new people, and he especially likes working with a team of people who all have the same interest in the environment.

Team and / or individual role / responsibilities:
Todd works on specific drainage projects and is responsible for a mandatory environmental monitoring project.

Future? 
Todd wants to stay in the environmental field. He may move to Central Victoria where he grew up. He would take the opportunity to gain promotion and move up in his field.

BACKGROUND:
Grew up where? 
Todd grew up in St Arnaud, and was always an outdoors person. He went camping, fishing and shooting with his father and was always interested in the environment.

Course(s) studied: 
Tertiary /post secondary:
Diploma of Applied Science in Resource Management, University of Ballarat. 

Work experience: 
In Uni, Todd did two weeks with DNRE in St Arnaud and  three months on summer  fire crew.

OPPORTUNITIES: 
Further study: 
Todd is considering more study, completing his degree focusing on environmental legislation.

Learning on job, new skills, etc. 
Todd says that there is a big learning curve going from study to work. Uni can provide you with knowledge but the actual practical, organisational skills you learn as you go. No one can teach you what you are going to learn 'on the job'. He has completed short courses with DNRE (about 75% taught him something new and the other 25% reinforced what he already knew).

Travel, etc.
Todd travels around the Catchment area as in his role of extension officer he is supposed to be out there dealing with the public.. Todd says that one of the great aspects of his job is that he gets to travel around and see a lot of the country and is not stuck in the office all the time.

ADVICE TO STUDENTS NOW: 
"Do your research and know exactly what you want to do and where you want to go so that you can choose the subjects that can get you into the right course and which will give you the qualification that you need. It's never too late to change your field or change careers." Todd went back to Uni as a mature age student at 24, and believes that it is never too late to make a start on a new career.  "Work hard, don't get sidetracked along the way, and if you really want to pursue this field, you should do everything you can to gain more insight into different roles."

OTHER: 
What careers have other graduates from your course entered?
Catchment management, another is with DNRE as a project firefighter (summer crew) and is studying for his degree.