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Green Tertiary Studies Reap Benefits For Graduates

In the past five years the number and variety of environmental specialisations has grown; new specialisations including bush fire protection, carbon management and a range of climate change and sustainability study areas. Ian Thomas, Associate Professor in the Environment, Planning and Sustainability Group at RMIT stresses that new graduates take environmental skills as well general skills to the work force, that of course they need both. "The issue is not so much looking at developing niche specialisations but looking at the generic skills the graduates need as well. They need to be able to critically analyse the issues and problems in the sector using team work for example".

Environmental studies courses were stimulated in the late 1990's by increased community interest in green futures coinciding with jobs increase for this sector.

Examples of environmental study subjects and MBA programs include policy and planning, risk assessment, management, accountability and corporate responsibility and governments. Thomas says that graduates find employment in a range of organisations from the Australian Conservation Foundation to Municipal Councils, to the government and private sector.

One example is Katie Moon, a former Monash Environmental Science Graduate who has spent the last couple of years interviewing key land holders across the cattle and dairy country of Northern Queensland to explore what conservation incentives work best for them. "One of the challenges for policy makers and conservation program designers worldwide is to meet the needs of the diverse range of land holders," she says. She described how she became interested in what motivates landholders to participate in a program that explores what land, landholders chose to conserve and then what flora and fauna are conserved and as well as the variables associated to their commitment to biodiversity".

Moon identified that lifestyle land holders who own up to 40 hectares differ from traditional graziers or very large cattle station lease holders, in their motivation. She was reassured that even graziers had been attracted to the Queensland government program. "They all had a strong sense of stewardship. They thought about the long term and passing the land on to future generations. They were people who committed valuable parts of their land to conservation. They worked to protect environmental sanctuaries on cattle stations even though these protected areas threatened production".

In addition to her PhD work, Moon recently won the Uni Quest Trail Blazer Innovative Ideas Competition for a book idea for the general public that will provide relevant and easy to understand scientific information on the environmental effects of their decision making. She is finalising her PhD after completing a Masters in Environmental Management working as an environmental consultant in Britain and is now looking for a post doctorate research job. "There are bigger issues about how to conserve biodiversity on private land that need to be understood she says." I have a very enquiring mind and research is a very indulgent way to explore your thoughts and to develop a deeper understanding of a particular problem. In many jobs you do not get the opportunity to follow through on your thoughts and come up with answers to your burning questions.

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