What made you choose Arbtech?
I’ve always been interested in wildlife and the natural world.
I studied zoology at the University of Nottingham, and during my second year, I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in ecology.
After graduating, I joined Arbtech as a subcontractor carrying out bat surveys. After listening to previous interns talk about the surveys, training and experiences they’d be involved in, it gave me a clearer understanding of ecological consultancy and made me keen to join the internship myself.
The fieldwork was a big part of the appeal. I enjoy being outdoors and learning through practical experience, so a job that involves observing wildlife and identifying species felt like a natural fit, as a lot of it is what I enjoy doing in my free time.
I also really value the flexible working hours. Being able to manage my regular commitments alongside work makes a huge difference to my work-life balance.
I sometimes feel more productive in the evenings, so it’s great having the freedom to work around that.
The encouragement to develop my career is another big positive, as there are always opportunities to learn something new and explore different areas of ecology.
What do you love most about the company?
The people are easily my favourite part of Arbtech.
It’s the first place I’ve worked where I feel like I can call my colleagues my friends.
Everyone is happy to lend a helping hand and share their knowledge, and their enthusiasm for the work makes it a great environment to learn/work in.
I also love the variety of the work, from the different surveys to the range of animals and plants we see every day. No day is the same at Arbtech!
Visiting interesting sites across England has been a brilliant way to explore places I might otherwise have never seen.
What do you do when you are not at Arbtech?
I enjoy nature walks and hikes, usually stopping along the way to try to identify the plants and animals I come across. It’s something that I’m trying to keep improving during my time at Arbtech.
I also love nature photography, film and browsing thrift shops for vinyl to add to my record collection.
Fossil collecting is another hobby of mine, and I’m hoping to head out on more fossil hunting adventures soon.
What is your biggest tip to achieve the most in life?
You will always succeed if you are passionate about what you do.
Take each day as it comes and make sure to make time for people and things that make you happy.
What is the best social you’ve been on at Arbtech?
The ArbFest camping trip was my first chance to meet almost everyone in the company, and it was such a fun and relaxed way to get to know people.
I really enjoyed the bushcraft activities and trying new things, such as archery, fire-making, and axe throwing.
It was also a great opportunity to spend time with and get to know colleagues from other departments who I wouldn’t usually get to work with.
Where do you want to travel to next?
I really want to go back to South Africa, this time with my camera so I can spend more time doing some nature photography.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
I’d love to be working as a consultant or senior ecologist.
I aim to have gained a lot of experience across a wide range of surveys and gain multiple species licences.
I’m also keen to get my plant identification skills to a high standard and possibly achieve a FISC.
What is a goal you have for the future, in or out of work?
I’d love to be involved in making a nature documentary, particularly helping with the filming.
It would be a chance to bring together my interests in wildlife, film and photography.
Karin joined Arbtech in September 2026.
