A World Where You Can: Meet Ed Shelton-Richards

Jacobs Environmental Management Apprentice, Ed Shelton-Richards is currently in the third year of his degree apprenticeship studying Environmental Management at university and working in the Sustainable Infrastructure team at Jacobs. Here, Ed shares more about his apprenticeship journey, balancing work and study, and the opportunities with meaningful roles in live projects.

What’s your apprenticeship journey been like so far? 

I’ve been able to gain some really valuable experience so far: I’ve been involved in Environmental Impact Assessments, writing and assuring annual sustainability reports and disclosures for global-sized clients, leading the delivery of social value for a multi-million-pound project, and supporting to develop a whole-life carbon tool for a nuclear industry client. It’s great that I have been trusted with such a variety of interesting and engaging work so early on in my career.

How do you find the balance between working and studying at the same time? 

Sometimes it can be a challenge switching between a ‘work’ mindset and an ‘academic’ mindset, but I’ve found that I can apply learnings from both to each other. For example, I am about to start modules at university on Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management in Organisations, so I feel like I already have a great knowledge base built from my experience at Jacobs to succeed at university.

Are there any characteristics that you need to be an apprentice?

I would say the most important thing is to be really open to learning new things constantly. There is so much to be learned from throwing yourself into a new project, as long as you are honest with your colleagues about your prior experience so you can be well supported. The environmental industry is constantly evolving and changing so I think it’s important to remember that you will probably never ‘know it all’!

Are there any considerations to think about when doing an apprenticeship? 

Managing your time well is important, especially when you have project or university deadlines approaching. Again, honesty is always the best policy and sometimes you do need to say ‘no’ to things or block out your time otherwise you won’t get things done to the best of your ability if you are rushing.

Is there anything you’re particularly proud of? 

I would say being trusted to lead the delivery of social value commitments for a large project is something I’m really proud of. It’s a challenging prospect with lots of stakeholders to manage and targets to meet, but the skills I am gaining are so valuable and are something I can take with me in my future career.

Is there any advice that you’d give to anyone who is thinking about their options? 

If you are considering an apprenticeship, I would highly recommend it. However, bear in mind that they can be quite competitive – be prepared to be rejected for multiple applications but stay resilient and keep trying! Otherwise, I think university is of course still a great option for many people looking to start a career in environmental work.