Siobhan applied for the Environment Agency’s Summer Diversity Internship Programme (SDIP) after university – here’s what they think about it!
Hi, my name is Siobhan and I am currently working at the Environment Agency as a Security of Supply Intern.
I graduated with a degree in Biology from the University of Southampton in the summer of 2022. I joined the Environment Agency through the Summer Diversity Internship Programme (SDIP) in July 2023 and I had the opportunity to have my internship extended until January 2024, which has allowed me to continue gaining experience whilst applying for permanent roles at the Environment Agency.
Throughout my degree, I gravitated more towards modules related to the environment and climate change and I knew by the time I graduated that I wanted to start my career in the environmental field. I found an advert for SDIP on the Bright Network website and thought it would be a great fit as I was keen to take on a role where I could contribute to protecting and improving the environment.
What I Did During EA’s Summer Diversity Internship Programme…
During my internship, I have worked closely with the Water Resources team in the Environment and Business Directorate. This largely involves addressing the significant challenges for our future water supplies presented by climate change and the growing demand for water. Our team aims to improve the nation’s resilience to drought and plans ahead to ensure that water supplies are secure over the next several decades, whilst also protecting the water environment. One of the projects I am currently working on is related to the review of Thames Water’s Water Resource Management Plan. Being able to contribute to projects with these wider aims of making a positive difference has been both very interesting and rewarding. I have also developed my knowledge of Water Resources Planning from this experience and gained an insight into how much goes on behind the scenes.
The supportive colleagues, flexible hours and work culture has been another great part of working at the Environment Agency. When I first joined, I was assigned an office buddy, wellbeing buddy and a mentor who made an effort to welcome me into the organisation and helped me to take on board all of the new information. SDIP Learning Circle Sessions were also held weekly on Teams, which focused on different topics such as career stories from the Directors at the Environment Agency and interview advice.
I have also had the privilege of exploring other work areas at the Environment Agency by shadowing other teams for a day. One of my favourite site visits involved shadowing the Ecology team and taking kick samples from the river to the laboratory for invertebrate identification. For another site visit, I joined the Hydrometry and Telemetry team to take river flow measurements. The site visits have been a great way to participate in field work and learn about the different career journeys people have taken at the Environment Agency. This has not only helped me to decide which potential routes I could take, but it has also really highlighted how diverse the roles and aims at the Agency are.
Overall, the internship has been a valuable and enjoyable experience! My future goal is to secure a permanent role at the Environment Agency, as I hope to continue making a positive contribution to the environment, and the knowledge and transferrable skills I have gained so far have been extremely helpful when making applications for internal roles.
Environment Agency Careers
The Environment Agency help to make the environment a better place. Explore apprenticeships, graduate schemes, and routes into rewarding green careers!
Environment Agency
