What made you choose Arbtech?
I first found Arbtech on Instagram when I was looking for a job in ecology after completing my master’s degree, and I was instantly drawn to their company culture and appreciation of employees.
I’ve kept an eye on their careers page ever since and jumped at the chance to apply when a role became available!
What do you love most about the company?
Definitely the people.
I am very new to Arbtech, but even in a short time, everyone has been really helpful in getting me set up with their systems. Not only that, but the shadowing period when you join is a great opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues.
I also love how respectfully they treat their employees, especially as a graduate ecologist. In previous ecology consultancies, I’ve been overworked or felt as though I am just a number in a very corporate company.
What do you do when you are not at Arbtech?
Outside of Arbtech, I tend to stay busy and spend as much time as possible with my friends.
I’ve recently moved to London, so I’m exploring all that the city has to offer, especially the pubs. I’ve also been on the hunt for the best charity shops and car boot sales, as I’m really into fashion and see them as a way of getting my fix sustainably.
I really enjoy cooking and baking, and convincing my meat-eating friends that vegetarian food doesn’t have to be boring!
What is your biggest tip to achieve the most in life?
Be brave.
The best things in life often come from doing the scariest things. Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone means you are growing as a person.
What is the best social you’ve been on at Arbtech?
As I’ve only recently joined Arbtech, I am unfortunately yet to go on any socials.
That said, I’m really looking forward to joining socials and meeting more of my local co-workers.
I’ve heard great things about the socials from everyone I’ve met, so I have high expectations for the future!
Where do you want to travel to next?
At the top of my bucket list would be Australia. It looks like such a beautiful country (if you don’t mind everything trying to kill you), and from an ecology perspective, it would be incredible to see so many endemic species and snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef. I have family over there too, so it would be great to visit them, and my partner is from Sydney, so it would be amazing to see his home.
On a much closer (and cheaper) note, I would love to do the NC500 in Scotland. There are so many beautiful places in the UK that I have yet to visit and loads of amazing countries abroad that I would love to explore with the people I love.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
In my personal life, I don’t like to excessively plan for the future. As I am young, I feel like this time period should be used for figuring a lot of things out.
I know I would like to travel a lot more, as I haven’t been able to do as much as I originally wanted to over the last few years.
In the professional aspect, I would like to establish myself as a consultant ecologist and find my specialism. As well as that, I’d like to get more licenses under my belt and continue developing my skill set.
What is a goal you have for the future, in or out of work?
As a child, all I wanted to do was be outside and work with animals, and I’ve already managed to achieve that.
When the timing is right, I would love to go back to university and get a PhD. After completing college and undergraduate and master’s degrees all back-to-back, however, I’m definitely in need of a hiatus from education!
Kerris joined Arbtech in July 2024.
