How Volunteering With CIEEM Can Help You

This week has been Volunteers Week (1-7 June) and to mark the occasion we have been asking some of our TECDC members why they volunteer.

The role of a committee member

CIEEM’s Training, Education and Careers Development Committee (TECDC) has oversight of the Institute’s training programme, conferences, webinars, careers promotion, degree course accreditations, apprenticeships, mentoring programme, and new initiatives including the Green Jobs for Nature campaign, as well as involvement in undertaking the annual continuing professional development (CPD) audit.

The role of a TECDC committee member is varied but also very rewarding. Typically members recommend themes for the annual conferences and approve topics put forward by Geographic Sections; identify hot topics for training courses and webinars; and act as auditors by undertaking the annual audit of members’ CPD records. Many of our committee members have found the role rewarding and beneficial to them, with several staying on the committee for a second term.

To give you an insight into what it is like being a committee member, we asked three of our TECDC members to share their experiences with you.

Paul Clack PhD BSc CEnv MCIEEM FLS – Chair of TECDC

What is your day job and how long have you been in the role?

Associate Director of Ecology at Arup. Been in the role for 10 years.

How long have you been on TECDC?

Since September 2016.

What attracted you to volunteer for TECDC?

Interest in CPD, training skills and making a difference for our membership, plus shaping entry routes like apprenticeships and accredited degrees.

What have you been involved in during your time on TECDC? 

Many and various areas including the above and spin off activities like shaping the early careers training programme and raising standards projects; highlights have been seeing the growth of the L6 apprenticeships and taking our first staff via that route, the launch of the early careers programme, interaction with great people including public sector and academic colleagues and a much closer relationship with CIEEM; crucial in my decision and election to Governing Board.

What do you like about being on the committee?

The people (committee and Secretariat team) and the ability to shape CIEEM activities for our membership and wider society.

What is the time/workload commitment?

4 meetings a year, short pre-meets as chair and small activities in between meetings, maybe 2 hours a month in total.

What do you get out of being a committee member?

Change from the day job, and excellent forum to discuss emerging issues and share experience outside private consultancy/client dialogues.

How has being a member of TECDC helped you in your role?

Yes definitely, broadened my network, helped me as a chair of meetings, gained insight into key training, education and CPD activities and allowed me to positively influence my employer (apprenticeship participation, early careers staff, equality, diversity and inclusion, and higher education engagement).

What new skills, experiences have you gained from the role?

As above, and – chairing meetings, participation in spin-off projects including the Defra working group on green skills.

What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about joining TECDC?

Do it! We are a friendly bunch and participation will give you some great access to emerging themes within the industry along with opportunity to work with volunteers from varied backgrounds. You can make a difference!

Dr Carlos Abrahams BSc PgC MSc MCIEEM – Vice Chair of TECDC

What is your day job and how long have you been in the role?

Director of Ecoacoustics at Baker Consultants for 12 years, and Senior Lecturer in Environmental Biology at Nottingham Trent University for 9 years. Worked in consultancy since 2001, and in conservation/ecology since 1992.

How long have you been on TECDC?

Since July 2015.

What attracted you to volunteer for TECDC?

I was/am interested in training and development and conference topics, and with being a member since 1999 I thought it was about time I gave something back to CIEEM.

What have you been involved in during your time on TECDC? 

A range of tasks including oversight of the training workshop programme, commenting on conference proposals, reviewing members CPD entries, degree accreditation and competency framework revisions.

What do you like about being on the committee?

Working with other members and the secretariat on tasks and projects that hopefully have a positive effect on the industry as a whole, affecting how we work – instead of just regular project work on development schemes as part of the normal day job.

What is the time/workload commitment?

Normally quite minimal, except for short flurries of activity before and after each committee meeting.

What do you get out of being a committee member?

The chance to catch up with, and learn from, other CIEEM members outside of my normal circle of work colleagues. A peek behind the CIEEM organisation curtain, to understand the work that is being put in to represent our sector in government, industry and other areas.

How has being a member of TECDC helped you in your role?

As a part-time lecturer, getting to understand more about the wider University sector and how it relates to CIEEM has been interesting.

What new skills, experiences have you gained from the role?

Greater appreciation of the work that CIEEM staff do on our behalf, and getting to hear the viewpoints of members from statutory agencies, charitable sector, other educational establishments, and Scotland, Wales, Ireland.

What would be your advice to someone who is thinking about joining TECDC?

Give it a go. Have an informal call with CIEEM staff and/or committee members to find out more, and please submit an application!

Bethany Lovell MCIEEM – TECDC Member

What is your day job and how long have you been in the role?

I’m a senior advisor in the Environment Agency’s national biodiversity section. I’ve worked for the Environment Agency for over 20 years. I’m currently working on Local Nature Recovery Strategies, these are spatial plans for nature required in England.

How long have you been on TECDC?

I’ve been a member of TECDC since 2018.

What attracted you to volunteer for TECDC?

I joined the committee to broaden my understanding of ecological and environmental management work areas, to meet new people, and because I wanted to do my bit as a volunteer to support CIEEM.

What have you been involved in during your time on TECDC? 

Programme planning for conferences has been one of the most enjoyable activities I’ve been involved with – reading all the proposals for conference presentations is really interesting, and it’s great to see it all come together as a successful conference (after a lot of amazing work by the CIEEM secretariat). A random selection of member CPD records are audited by TECDC each year, this is also really interesting to work on.

What do you like about being on the committee?

I’ve found that being on a CIEEM committee is a really great way to expand my professional network and build awareness of activities of ecological and environmental professionals beyond my day job.

What is the time / workload commitment?

TECDC meets 4 times a year, and there is requirement for a small amount of input in between meetings including supporting the annual CPD audit. There’s also opportunity to get involved in specific working groups or project which generally involves additional time commitment.

What do you get out of being a committee member?

Membership has helped me build my professional network, I’ve benefitted personally from the knowledge and contributions of other committee members and the CIEEM secretariat, and in turn my employer has benefitted. It’s rewarding to feel that I’m doing my bit to help make sure that CIEEM is supporting the training, education and career development of all members, whatever stage of their career, and whatever work area.

How has being a member of TECDC helped you in your role?

In my day job, I have a role in staff training and ensuring technical resilience, which fits well with work on the CIEEM committee.

Could YOU be our next Committee member?

If you are feeling inspired by the experiences of Paul, Carlos and Bethany and would like to join TECDC, then then we would be happy to hear from you.

We are currently looking for 4 new volunteers to join TECDC from September. You would need to be a CIEEM member (any professional grade).

Any CIEEM member can apply, but in particular we are keen to hear from members:

• based in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland
• or those that who work in public sector, NGO, smaller consultancy or academia

In addition to this, the Professional Standards Committee (PSC) is looking for 3 new volunteers to start in September. Volunteers must be Full members or Fellows of the Institute.

If you would like to find out more about these roles, please have a look on the Volunteer Opportunities Page in the MyCIEEM area on our website.