Sian Moffitt

Skills developed through Sian’s ecology, biodiversity and environmental science studies were brought to life by her fieldwork and volunteering.

I was initially very set on studying design and photography at university. It took one conversation to help me realise that design wasn't something I wanted to be doing every day.  At that stage it hadn't crossed my mind to study Ecology and Biodiversity, despite getting 'Ranger' as the top result in all the career quizzes I did. Part way through Year 13 I began to question why I wasn't doing anything environmental, considering I was taking up a lot of environmental opportunities at school and loved them. One of these was with Kids Greening Taupō, an environmental education programme working with students of all ages. At that time, this programme offered many opportunities to extend my skills in conservation volunteering, and student leadership.

I really loved the practical side of my Ecology and Biodiversity studies. The field trips and labs gave me a real-life base for the theory, which helped me learn faster and I've retained a lot of that knowledge to this day. In one course we visited Lake Rotoiti in Nelson Lakes. Everyone split off into groups for a research project in the field, then we did a solo mini-thesis. The course really pushed me, especially the testing on-site during the week. I also loved the animal diversity labs and tests as there was a lot of hands-on dissection and observation. My Ecology and Biodiversity major was very specific, which is why the broader Environmental Studies major complemented it perfectly. The marae-based classes were my favourite.

During my university studies I continued to volunteer for many environmental organisations- including Forest & Bird, DOC, BLAKE, the Society for Conservation Biology, and several others. Getting experience in the field, and becoming known as a dedicated volunteer is just as important as the theory, as the conservation network is highly connected. My volunteering also counted towards a Wellington Plus leadership and service award, which I would highly recommend participating in.

Now I work as an Environmental Education Coordinator for Kids Greening Taupō, where I had previously volunteered. I work collaboratively with many community partners, environmental educators, businesses, and volunteers to restore Taupō, plan and run events, build student leadership, and engage the community in environmental education. Covid-19 has had a big impact on the way we do our work, although not in a negative way. In 2020, we finally had time to turn our website into an environmental education one-stop shop. We created over 200 'Nature Connectors'- a bank of ideas and resources for nature connection, and our 'Online Nature Classroom' with week-long units based on different environmental themes with the aim of getting students out exploring nature despite the online learning environment. Our physical events may have been postponed, but that didn't stop us connecting more of our local, and wider community to nature.

You learn so many skills through your studies, but also through taking part in clubs, volunteering and being immersed in university life. These include time management and planning, so that you get things done on time. That’s the same in the workforce - in my mahi I need to self-manage my time and tasks. As education coordinators, we are often termed 'jack of all trades'. I need to use my technical fieldwork skills, networking abilities as well as communication skills – with my team, on paper, and speaking. I also draw on resilience and perseverance as I did during my studies.

I highly recommend doing a double major such as Ecology and Biodiversity, and Environmental Studies. Also, volunteer as much as you sustainably can during your studies, so that you can ground your theoretical knowledge in real-life experiences. Take these opportunities to network, and explore job possibilities so that you come out of your studies with an idea of what you are most passionate about, and what roles/organisations you could possibly see yourself working in. Reach out to others you might know who have been along the same path and are now in the workforce. I'm sure they could offer you a bunch of advice, talk about their experiences, and maybe even connect you to new opportunities.