After graduating from his BSc in Environmental Geography with Professional Experience course in 2024, read on to hear all about George’s experience of the course and how it helped him to get where he is now.

“The course provided me with a great wealth of knowledge and skills, as well as my placement, that prepared me well”

Hi George! Thanks so much for coming to talk to us today. First things first, we’d love to know: Why did you choose to study at Salford?

I chose to study at Salford having spoken to a few academics who suggested Salford had a drive for sustainability – Energy House 1 and 2 were mentioned to me as examples and I found that fascinating.

What made you want to study your course?

I am passionate about environmental sustainability but wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to do following university. This course offered me a wide range of topics to keep my options open. The chance to do an professional placement as part of the course was also a big factor in making me choose the course.

Tell us a bit about your course. How would you explain your course to someone who knows nothing about it?

The course offers a broad range of geographical topics in first year allowing for you to dive deep into different topics and further explore your interests in Geography. Second year is slightly different as you spend the first half in university before spending the second half on a professional experience, allowing opportunity to use the knowledge and skills you’ve developed, such as GIS, in the real world to solve issues. Third year is back in University to carry out a Dissertation on a topic of your choice as well as an international field trip.

Have you done or will you do a placement?

I carried out a placement with Jacobs in Manchester as a Transport Planner for 3 months. It was a paid internship. I was well supported by Jacobs during this time with weekly meetings with my line manager as well as being assigned a ‘buddy’ to offer me continuous support and enable me to develop my skills during my time there. I worked on a range of projects ranging from Active Travel Corridors to creating Public Facing Documents and reviewing planning applications. The placement particularly enabled me to further develop and improve my confidence using QGIS – I am now a GIS data analyst at United Utilities.

Tell us a bit about your career journey since you graduated from Salford?

I graduated in July 2024 and joined United Utilities as the Integrated Water Management data analyst – working on a partnership with Environment Agency and Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The course provided me with a great wealth of knowledge and skills, as well as my placement, that prepared me well for my role in which I feel well comfortable dealing with some of the real world issues the water industry are facing.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of studying here?

Be interactive in your lectures – you’ll get more from them and the lecturers are all really friendly and provide good insights.

What is your favourite thing about being a University of Salford student?

My favourite thing about being a University of Salford Student was the social life it provided. Having a campus, with student halls on site brought everyone closer together and created a sense of community. The close proximity and links to Manchester make it a great place to study and socialise.

Where do you want your degree to take you?

My degree has got me a job in the envrionmental sector already and I am hoping to continue my progression with United Utilities.