James Shears
Current Employer/Organisation Name
Overbury & Morgan Lovell
What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?
Since leaving Exeter I have been working as an Environmental & Sustainability Manager for fit out contractors, Overbury and Morgan Lovell. I have been responsible for waste management for the company; assisting our clients with environmental assessments for their projects; ensuring sustainable sourcing of materials and maintaining our ISO 14001 certified environmental management system.
Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?
I didn’t aim to be in construction, I fell into it following my internship as part of the Green Consultants programme. I love my career, and particularly enjoy that every day is so different and varied. I travel a lot with work and see some amazing things; and its great to be involved in shaping the future of a sustainable built environment.
What did you enjoy most about studying here?
I was on the Cornwall campus, and I loved the small size of the campus and that our lectures and classes were small so it was much more or a personalised experience. You knew all of your classmates and your lecturers knew you and your interests.
Why did you choose to study at Exeter?
I chose to study in Exeter based on both the location and the course. I loved the idea of studying by the sea and that the campus was so small and compact.
What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?
I think that the most important skills were the soft skills; such as communication and presentation skills. I learnt the important environmental management skills whilst learning on the job, but the soft skills I had to use from the start; especially the communication skills as I meet a lot of people in my job.
What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?
I would make sure you get some actual experience; through both work experience and internships. Getting some on-hand experience and knowledge will really put you ahead of the competition. I also encourage you to set up a LinkedIn profile and keep it up to date; as a lot of recruitment is now done through LinkedIn.
