Job Profile

What does your job involve and what might a typical day involve?

My job involves a range of activities. One of the main activities is responding to journalist enquiries. Helping to get them statistics for stories, sending out press releases and sending out statements from our organisation. Not only this but organising for our Energy Doctors to be interviewed and perform Home Energy Checks on journalist’s homes.

I also am in charge of our case study bank where I look after more than 30 Green Ambassador’s who are case studies that we call upon for media enquiries. They are all environmentally minded people who range from being very green to wanting to become greener.

I also do a large amount of assessment of our performance in the media by providing fortnightly graphs and diagrams of how well we are doing in the press. And I help ensure our finance is all up to date.

What qualifications and experience did you have before starting the job?

Before starting the job, I completed my A2s and then I went to the University of Leeds where I studied BA Environmental Management. During this I did work experience at the Evening Standard working on their photo desk and also at Camley Street Natural Park, where I educated youths about the environment.

I also did a five-month trip touring South America, where I experienced lots of different cultures. Two of the highlights of my trip were completing the Inca Trail and going in to the Amazon Rainforest, which had been one of my childhood dreams as I had studied it so much at school and university.

I believe I got where I am today through my hard work, skills and personality. I apply them all to my work to do the best job I can.

What are the best and worst bits of your job?

There are quite a lot of best bits about my job, however I would have to say that one of the main things I enjoy is that the Energy Saving Trust has such a high profile at the moment – so we are in a lot of demand which is great. Not only this, but I enjoy working with the media and organising interviews and seeing the end result. It is really fulfilling spreading the word for more people in the UK to become energy efficient. The Energy Saving Trust is also investing in me with training in the PR world and putting me on very interesting courses.

There are not many bad parts of the job, the only thing I am finding hard, but I am coping better with, is the high-pace that the press office works at, especially when a news story is released.

What satisfaction do you get from your work and how does it make a difference?

I get a lot of satisfaction from my work, as I know I am helping the environment and carrying on with what I studied at university. I know it makes a difference when people are in their homes, making those little changes in their daily lives. When they have seen an article I have worked on and decide to make sure they turn their TV off standby or boil only as much water as they need, it’s the first steps and I have helped influence these steps.

Do you have any tips for someone looking for a career in this area?

I recommend that people looking to work in the environmental sector get the relevant qualifications, not only to show a move in to that area, but it’s a very interesting subject to learn about. Confidence and creativity in the PR sector is a good trait as you are looked upon for ideas and new ways of getting messages into the media.

More about the Energy Saving Trust