What made you choose Arbtech?
If I’m completely honest, when I finished university, I was a bit lost.
My original plan was to complete a PhD and pursue research, but I was very burnt out from finishing my master’s. I did some research, learnt about ecological consultancy, and decided that this was what I wanted to do.
I spent around a year and a half working as a teaching assistant looking for a suitable graduate role for me, but with no luck. I found that companies were looking for people with a lot of prior voluntary experience, even for entry-level roles.
I was getting a bit disheartened by this, but I kept trying.
This was when I started looking for a seasonal bat surveyor role with different companies and came across Arbtech. When looking at their website, I saw that they were looking to hire some BERS interns, and once I read through their website and stalked all the social media accounts, I thought to myself ‘this seems a bit too good to be true!’
After talking to Rob in my interview – which was one of the most pleasant job interviews I have ever had – I knew that Arbtech was the right place for me and I would do anything to stay here. And hey, a few months later, I am now permanently hired as a graduate ecologist.
What do you love most about the company?
The people.
Honestly, everyone is so helpful and can’t do enough for you. No question is a silly question and I really feel valued.
I feel comfortable talking to everybody on the team, and even though we all live so far apart, I feel very connected to everyone.
I also really love the freedom I get. I can choose the structure of my day, I’m trusted to get my work done, and I’m never left feeling alone on anything because I know I can get help when I need it.
I feel so in control and supported by everybody, and the many perks are like nothing I’ve ever had before. I’m immensely lucky.
What do you do when you are not at Arbtech?
I’m a competitive all-star cheerleader, so I spend a couple of nights a week training for that. We take part in competitions across the UK and abroad sometimes. This year, we competed in Barcelona and won!
When not at cheer practice, I’m at the gym, as I’ve recently gotten into lifting weights.
In my free time, I spend a lot of time with my mates, either at the pub, on day trips or at gigs and festivals. I love live music and try to go to gigs as often as I can and attend at least one festival a year.
What is your biggest tip to achieve the most in life?
One step at a time.
Small steps every day make a huge difference.
You need to crawl before you can walk and walk before you can run.
You will get there, but you’ve got to put in steps every day to reach your goals.
Everybody is different and moves at their own pace; as long as you are doing the best you can, ignore everybody else.
What is the best social you’ve been on at Arbtech?
So, I’ve not been to many, but our Christmas parties are always amazing!
I’d also say that ArbCon was fantastic! Every single Arbtecher was present, and it was held in a gorgeous hotel with so many activities to do. I felt that I spent my time at the conference doing a lot of learning due to the talks provided by our senior team.
We had many different games and things to do, including an F1 simulator.
I already can’t wait for the next one!
Where do you want to travel to next?
So many places; the list is so long!
At the top of my list, however, are Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
Hopefully, still working at Arbtech, as I really can’t see myself being anywhere else.
The perks, people, amazing boss and flexible work just cannot compare to anywhere else.
I would like to progress further in the company as my knowledge grows and hopefully get a few licences under my belt. I’ve recently sent off for my newt licence application, and I’m close to sending off for my level 1 bat licence application, but I’m always eager for more.
As I grow, I would like to be more involved in training and mentoring. Nicole has been my mentor, and I cannot thank her enough for how great she has been and continues to be. She’s been my rock and I am now glad I can return the favour to our new graduate cohort. I currently have Trystan, Emma T and Harry under my wing, and it’s amazing to watch them grow into great ecologists.
What is a goal you have for the future, in or out of work?
In my personal life, I have several goals.
I would definitely like to become fluent in Welsh and maybe another language. It makes me sad that I have lost the ability to speak as much Welsh as I could as a child. At the moment, I’m studying Welsh and Greek on Duolingo.
I would also like to level up in cheer and compete at a higher level in competitions.
I also want to live abroad for a while with my besties.
I am not rushing myself to complete these goals. As of right now, I am enjoying working at Arbtech and doing what I’m doing at my own pace.
Alexie joined Arbtech in August 2023.
