Hayden Woodall

"UQ offers high quality learning that provides the necessary skills to work in the environmental field. It includes plenty of hands-on experiences, industry placements, discipline variety, and support structures to round out your professional and personal development."

Why did you choose to study environmental management at UQ?

UQ's environmental programs are highly reputable and include courses that I believed to align with my interests and add value, such as significant field work, courses in stats, GIS, communication, management, etc.

Also, the high-quality teaching, and UQ's facilities and campus are hard to beat.

What was the best part of your time at UQ?

A highlight was the industry placement process. In fact, this is how I got my job. I think this is one of the best ways to prepare students for the real world, even if it is tough.

I also enjoyed the social side of things. At UQ there is an active and thriving community, sporting and social events, and more. I was an active member of UQ GEMS (Geography and Environmental Management Society).

How has studying at UQ helped get you where you are today?

My degree, being one in the environmental science field, was a prerequisite for my job. More specifically, my degree taught me key skills and knowledge that provided me with the foundations for career progression, i.e. critical thinking skills, general understanding of scientific principles (literature analysis, statistics, mapping, field methods), communication with influence, general environmental management principles, and overall, the ability to learn effectively.

What kind of work do you do as part of your job?

My core responsibilities are to administer key environmental protection legislation — integrating environmental science, legislative application and communication. Put simply, I am part of a team that sets the environmental standards for environmentally significant activities with the ability to approve, refuse and condition permits for activities.

I am a team leader, so I am also responsible for training, supervision, support, development and overall team satisfaction and productivity.

What is the best part of your job?

Everything! If I had to pick 3 things, they would be:

1. The workplace culture and flexibility my department offers. These arrangements tend to be super competitive in comparison to other fields, i.e. flexible start and finish times, part time arrangements, 50% office, flexible work locations across Queensland, plenty of leave types, and many more.

2. The bottom line of my work and job is ecological sustainable development, and this empowers real environmental difference in Queensland.

3. I love that I am always learning, and our organisation supports a culture of learning to do so. Whether it is soil science one day, then ecosystem rehabilitation the next, every day is new.

What advice would you give to anyone considering studying at UQ?

UQ offers high quality learning that provides the necessary skills to work in the environmental field. It includes plenty of hands-on experiences, industry placements, discipline variety, and support structures to round out your professional and personal development.

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