Henrik Wirsching

Graduated spring 2021 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.

Current job: Consultant at EY

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- I work as a consultant in the sustainability department of EY. Here we help our customers with all topics related to ESG, although I personally work closer with the environmental side of things, developing strategies related to nature and climate. I also work with sustainability reporting, EU regulations and assurance of sustainability KPIs

What is the best thing about your job?

- A sense of purpose with the potential for having a positive impact, along with a team of great colleagues from many different educational backgrounds.

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- I got this job while writing my master thesis at NTNU. I started early and applied to many different positions, many of them that didn't interest me too much. There was a lot of "no" before I found the position at EY, which was an instant match with what I wanted to do.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- I don't really use the specific skills that much, although the general understanding of what I studied is still important. Everything I've learned about team work and multidisciplinary problem-solving is however very relevant.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- I have done several voluntary and part-time activities which helped med a lot towards the job I have today.
Most of them completely unrelated to my studies, but all of them feel relevant for what I do today

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- Be active outside of studies and try different things. Jump on every opportunity, pay attention to relevant news and podcasts and go all in on what you are passionate about.

Paul Mjema

Graduated spring 2015 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.

Current job:

GIS Officer at Jane Goodall Institute

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- Responsible for coordinating Land Use Plan mapping, field chimpanzee surveys, monitoring of forest reserves, community mapping and citizen science to engage local community in monitoring their own natural resources.

What is the best thing about your job?

- Working in a diverse environment with people of different backgrounds ranging from local community, district government, researchers, consultants, companies all brought together by the common ground "spatial science".

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- I got this job after applying for it in 2015 when I was finalizing writing my master thesis in Trondheim. I applied the job in early 2015 but contacted for interview in November 2016 when I was already back in Tanzania. I went through two interviews (general and technical) but eventually got the job.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- I Studied GIS and Spatial Analysis which is the core of my current job.
- I also studied natural resources management which is the major theme of my current project.
- I Studied Environment, Development and Changing Rural Livelihoods which enabled me to understand livelihood assets which are crucial for rural livelihoods. This knowledge is key in working with local communities to enhance livelihood alternatives and reduce pressure to forests which is home to endangered chimpanzees.
- Overall the knowledge of NRM enhanced me to understand the politics behind managing natural resources therefore be in a good position to achieve conservation outcome of my current project.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- No I did not work on something relevant to my job today.

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- Nature, environment and livelihoods are one of the most demanded profession in our current world. Given the global issues of climate change and global warming, the only long term solution is to understand our nature, environment and adapt our livelihoods to avoid acts which fuel global warming.

Ida Nilsen Hidle

Graduated spring 2020 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.

Current job: Spatial planner (arealplanlegger) at Trysil kommune 

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- My work involves various tasks related to land-use management on a local (municipal) level. I evaluate private land-use plan initiatives, contribute to forming municipal plans, write case assessments for politicians, and process other applications involving land use (among other things). I also get to be part of local and regional projects related to community development.

What is the best thing about your job?

- I think the best thing about my job is that I can clearly see how my work affects the physical development around me. I also like that every case is different and that the job involves a variety of both environmental and social matters.

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- I applied for a variety of jobs after graduating. When I found the announcement for this position I thought it could be interesting and it was in a town I would like to live in. I applied for it, got an interview and, luckily, got the job.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- My job is very interdisciplinary - just like the master's programme. There are many different interests that must be taken into account in the different cases, such as environmental issues, outdoor recreation, wild animals, social matters, traffic, housing, and ecosystem services. A lot of my work involves balancing these interests. Since the municipality in which I work contains smaller community centers surrounded by large natural areas, I think a degree in natural resources management and specialization in geography is a big advantage.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- I worked both part-time and voluntarily. It was not directly relevant to the topics I work with but I think those jobs were useful experiences anyway, especially regarding communication and teamwork.

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- Be open to different types of positions! During my studies, I did not really think about spatial planning as an alternative. I applied anyways because the job announcement was interesting, thinking that I could always find another job if I didn't like it. Instead, it turned out to fit me perfectly and be something I really like doing.

Maria Angelil Gravelsæther

Graduated spring 2021 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.

Current job: Environmental Consultant at DNV 

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- The Environmental Risk unit at Høvik is within the Energy Systems sector, and our job is to provide best practice advice on the potential effects of projects and operations on their surroundings. My days are spent working in project teams, where the end-product is often a report for an external client. Tasks vary from working with data handling, analytics and digital tools, to writing literature reviews, or even going on field work. I have worked on projects covering several topics, including corporate biodiversity management, sustainability frameworks and standards, biodiversity impact from offshore wind and floating solar, and environmental risk assessments linked to oil spills and subsea leak detection.

What is the best thing about your job?

- The best thing about being a consultant is that I continuously learn something new at work. Since we are a part of different projects during the year, and often several at a time, new topics and challenges are presented as we go along. I think this is a great way of “learning by doing”, and it gives you an opportunity to explore different subjects which can be very valuable for new graduates in finding their passion. I also have to mention the great social life at DNV, where I have met some wonderful people and joined a lot of cool events since I started 

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- I started applying for jobs after finishing my master thesis in the spring of 2021 and got lucky with an interview at DNV not long after. I think what was appealing with my background was the master´s that I took, where the combination of biological sciences and the social/corporate perspective is very useful in a consultant job. My international study background (Bachelors in England and an international master’s program) was also a plus, as we write most of our reports in English.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- Our job is often to help our clients to map and identify the potential environmental impacts from their projects, give advice on how to minimize these impacts and effectively manage their surroundings, and identify relevant stakeholders and regulations they need to deal with. All of these challenges were covered in my master studies. I also remember the NARM program to especially focus on group work and collaboration across disciplines and cultures which I am very grateful for today, as most of our work in DNV relies upon teamwork and learning from each other.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- I have not before worked with something relevant for my job today, but I really wish I did, as this is a big plus in a job-seeking processes!

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- If you are unsure of your passion and interests around the large subject of natural resources management (which I was at the end of my studies), try to get a job where you can explore different topics and alter between your work methods. This is a great way to ensure that you end up with a career that you love!

J. Adrian Chimal B.

Graduated spring 2019 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.
 

Current job: PhD candidat at University of Oslo
 

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- I am currently writing articles as part of my PhD thesis. I help with curating the collections, particularly with the database from previous studies. Moreover, I teach in different courses at the university at a Master's level and I supervise and help Master students with their thesis.

What is the best thing about your job?

- The best thing about my job has been the ability to discover new things in the world, from species to ecologycal patterns. Furthermore, the ability to do fieldwork in Africa has been fantastic as well as helping MSc students finish their work.

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- I applied for several PhD's and got far ahead in a few of them. Finally the project in Oslo was the best one. Rejections are part of the process but I was lucky enough to secure this position less than a year after my studies at NTNU.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- They have been instrumental in my development as a PhD candidate. Many of the skills and knowledge are still in use. The mix nature of the program in particular was a great asset. Learning geography and biology in tandem has allowed me to fill a a niche in biogeography.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- No, however helping fellow students during study sessions is great training for teaching and similar duties.

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- Broaden your search. Apply to as many positions as available that interest you. Rejection is part of life and particularly the job seeking process. Do not think that if you are not a perfect match they will not hire you, apply and you may be surprised.

Manny Eichholz

Graduated spring 2020 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.

Current job:

Wildlife Biologist at Alaska Department of Fish and Game 

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- I use information collected by our wildlife researchers to give recommendations to the Board of Game, our state's decision-making body on hunting regulations. I carry out the Board's decisions by writing, reviewing, and implementing management plans that ensure there are sustainable wildlife populations for beneficial uses such as hunting and viewing. 
I assist researchers in their studies to estimate population trends for species such as moose, caribou, and wolves, work with other agencies on projects to enhance wildlife habitat and reduce human/wildlife conflicts, participate in public education, and design management strategies.

What is the best thing about your job?

- Every day is different. Some days I'm laser focused, writing code, and performing analyses, other days I'm cozy, reviewing studies and management plans, and sometimes, I find myself tracking caribou herds from a helicopter!

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- I spent many years after my bachelor's degree gaining hands on experience collecting data for wildlife studies as a technician. I worked with several different agencies and organizations during that time, discovering what direction I wanted to take my wildlife career. When I decided I wanted to go into management I went to NTNU to get my master's degree in Natural resource management with a specialization in Biology. After graduating from NTNU, I moved back to the United States and began gaining the professional level experience I needed to be competitive for wildlife biologist positions with government agencies. And, after gaining the experience I needed, I found the job I have today!

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- I learned so much from my studies at NTNU that has been essential in my day-to-day work as a wildlife biologist! I use R for statistical and population trend analyses, GIS for map making, and everything I learned in sustainable resource use for writing and reviewing management plans.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- I worked part time as a VBA coding specialist for a water company, as a coordinator for a social and academic student society, and as a technician collecting data for willow ptarmigan projects. All these jobs helped tremendously during my job-seeking process by building experience working in Arctic environments, analyzing large datasets, and creating opportunities for idea sharing between peers.

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- My best advice is to work HARD when you are applying for jobs!!!!! That means studying the background of the position, the agency's mission, and your own work. Then call the hiring manager before you even apply. Introduce yourself, learn about the position, ask prepared questions, take notes. Then tailor your application specifically to the job. Don't reuse generic cover letters and be sure to reference things that you discussed in that pre-application phone call. If you're invited to interview, ask the hiring manager if you can speak with other members of the agency and give them all phone calls.

Learn about what they do, their experience on the team, and ask if they have any advice for your upcoming interview. This is also a good opportunity to get a more honest insight into the work environment so be on the lookout for red flags.

Then study for that interview like it is a life changing final exam!! It very well could be a life changing exam, so study hard!! Think about what questions they could ask and practice with loved ones, peers, friends, or in front of a mirror, a wall of stuffed animals, a fish tank, whatever.

Dress well for the interview and be professional! Ask for a printed copy of the questions and take notes. Be concise and take your time with your answers. Return to an earlier question if you think of something else or want to clarify something. Also come in with some questions of your own.

Interviews should be a two-way conversation, not an interrogation. And be prepared to fail and do it over and over. But once your career takes off (and it will), keep it going!! Use that same initiative to learn new things and be a sincere asset to your agency's mission.

Torbjørn Nilsen

Graduated spring 2022 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.

Current job:

Miljøkontroller at Trondheim kommune

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- I follow up on environmental stipulations made in contracts between the municipality and its suppliers. My tasks are to gather information, follow up on any deviances from the environmental aspects and report any findings.

What is the best thing about your job?

- I get to work "hands-on" with environmental issues with dedicated and competent people. I feel that I contribute to perceptible environmental improvements in both my local and regional environment.

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- I got the job by applying for it and going to interviews.

My job-seeking process lasted for about 5 months. It started in earnest after I delivered my master's thesis, until a few months after its defense. During this time I was in the final interview phase for 4 different positions.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- The work I do is related to management in many, if not all aspects. Especially when choosing which environmental gains we wish to achieve and which consequences those choices could entail.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- I did, but would not say it's directly relevant to my studies. I was the leader of NTNUI-Dykkergruppa (it is a student diving club) during my final year at NTNU. I would say that this experience helped me a lot during my job-seeking process as potential employers gave the impression of valuing this highly.

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- While it is important to line up your studies with your future career, I think it's equally important to remember that any volunteer work or a part-time job does not necessarily have to be "relevant" to be valuable. These will still provide you with valuable experiences that you should bring with you into your future career.

Ashok Baniya

Graduated spring 2013 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.

Current job:    Sr. Environmental Manager at Nepal Water and Energy Development Company Pvt Ltd (NWEDC), Nepal

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- I worked for NWEDC's Hydropower project (216MW) immediately after I graduated from NTNU in 2013. My role as Senior Environmental Manager was to ensure environmental and social compliance of project along with planning and management of environmental issues raised from the preconstruction and construction of hydropower project.

What is the best thing about your job?

- While working at hydroproject I acquired practical skill and knowledge to tackle the pertinent environmental issues embedded with social social dimension.

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- When I graduated from NTNU in August, 2013 and returned to my country immediately, I saw the advertisement looking for environmental manager for hydropower and applied for this position in September 2013. I joined the company in November, 2013 after having interviews and some skill test in October 2013. I got job within two months after graduation from NTNU. Seeing my international degree in NRM, and my experience, it was easy for me to get the job.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- The interdisciplinary course, political ecology course of NTNU, practical knowledge gained through exposure visit in fish ladder site of hydropower of Norwegian river helped me a lot while being in my job. More importantly, knowledge on planning (systematic and muddling through etc.) helped to shape environmental planning and management of hydropower. Observation of fish ladder in Norwegian river also helped to conceptualize the fish ladder design of the project.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- In my case, I did not work part-time or voluntarily. However, I encourage fresh graduates to work either part-time or work voluntarily during studies relevant to the job.

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- Be passionate in desire, confident in knowledge and skill acquired, and be patience in multiple failure to seek job are my best career advice to the fresh graduates.

Hanne Bjørnås Krogstie

Graduated spring 2022 with a Master of Science in Natural Resource Management.

Current job:
PhD Candidate at NTNU University Museum, Department of Natural History

What do you do at work? What are your tasks?

- I am a PhD Candidate at the Department of Natural History, NTNU, working on a project related to sustainable hydropower – SusHydro. We are an interdisciplinary group of seven PhD candidates, all contributing with different perspectives and skills to the challenges we are facing related to sustainable hydropower development and reservoir management. Coming from a biology background, I study the effects of hydropower regulation on the freshwater communities found in lakes.

What is the best thing about your job?

- I like being able to use my knowledge and interest in biology and freshwater ecosystems on a topic that is so important for society. Increasing the share of renewable energy sources is an important goal for sustainable development, but it does come at a cost to nature. Working towards sustainable solutions together with an interdisciplinary group is a challenging and rewarding experience, as you understand more of the complexity of the topic by learning from other fields.

How did you get this job, and how was your job-seeking process and journey after graduating?

- I was exited when I found out that NTNU were searching for candidates for this PhD position, which matched very well with my interests and academic background. I applied for the position during my final year in the NARM Master’s Programme.

How do you use skills and knowledge earned from your studies in your job?

- My studies have given me the academic foundation for the work I am currently doing in my PhD. My master’s degree in Natural Resources Management provided me with different tools for understanding nature-society relationships and conflicts. It also provided a deep dive into both global and national processes of nature management, and the real-world cases we worked on showed the importance of understanding the roles and interests of different stakeholders if we are to successfully protect biodiversity / live together with nature. In addition to the mandatory courses in NARM, I could choose courses in topics like freshwater ecology and statistics which allowed me to tailor my studies to the direction I wanted to go after graduating.

Did you work either part-time or voluntarily during your studies with something that are relevant for your job today? Did this help you during your job-seeking process after your studies?

- During my studies I volunteered in an NGO working on environmental- and developmental issues, called Spire. This was an excellent arena to get experience with science communication and public engagement. One of the great things about Trondheim as a student city is the many activities you can partake in – I believe there is something here for everyone. I also had biology-related summer jobs, where I got to work in the field with seabirds for the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) and with vegetation mapping for Statnett. The people I met and the experiences I had gave me a better understanding of what it meant to work in science as a biologist or in nature management. This strengthened my motivation to find a job within the field.

What is your best job/career advice for our current students?

- Think about what matters to you when you choose a career. I find it much easier to put in that extra effort when it comes to something I find meaningful or interesting. Also, try to find out what both your strengths and weaknesses are. None of us can be experts in everything, but I think it can be useful to be open to developing new skills if you think they are important for the career you want. I would also encourage any new master’s students to also prioritize their social life during their studies. For me, studying at the NARM programme at NTNU gave me the opportunity to get to know many talented and engaging people from all over the world.