Inquiry #6

Environmental Geologist

Careers Inquiry Report

Introduction

For my career inquiry, I have chosen to look at becoming an environmental geologist. I have chosen to investigate this career because I am interested in nature and conclusions about climate change, and others may be also. Becoming an environmental geologist involves a lot of study, practice, hard work, and determination. But the benefits are a positive contribution to the health of the planet, plus valuable life and technical skills.

It is good to plan career choices earlier in your life so you know what steps to take. This report will cover everything you need to know about how to become an environmental geologist. It includes the qualifications you need, the best subjects to take in school, what type of person fits the job, what a working day might like, what personal qualities are helpful, what are the pros and cons about the job and much more.

What Is an Environmental Geologist?

Firstly, what is a geologist?

A geologist is a type of scientist who studies the earth, how it was made, and what it was made from. They study volcanos, earthquakes, floods and the prediction of future events. Their work involves studying the earth's history, rocks, soil, and water to investigate the ground for different infrastructures and foundations. This information was provided by my expert, Ben O’Loughlin (an engineering geologist based in Tauranga), and helped by Careers.com.

What is an environmental geologist?

An environmental geologist is a geologist who studies the interaction between humans and the natural environment. They study the geosphere (the earth), hydrosphere (the water cycle), biosphere (life), atmosphere (the gasses surrounding a planet), human activities, and their impact on the environment.

What is an Environmental Geologist - Purdue University

What Are The Great Things About This Job?

According to the Association of Environmental engineering and Geologists, being an environmental geologist can be very rewarding, especially if you love and care about the environment. You could travel around the world, see amazing places, and help protect the environment. Through this job, you can learn a lot of new qualities and skills, such as communication, team work, leadership, you learn more about the land, rocks and formations. You get to go on expeditions to find problems and take samples.

What Are Some challenges of being an environmental geologist?

As well as being rewarding, being an environmental geologist can be very depressing and emotionally impacting because you're having to deal with problems like environmental issues and degradation. Being an environmental geologist would be an awesome job but like most jobs, it can get stressful because of long work days, the physical demands of field work and time pressure to get things done.

What does an Environmental Geologist do?

Based on what my expert, Ben, said, and some information from reddit

here’s a list of activities that a geologist may do:

Fieldwork in the summer and data analysis and rock samples in the winter. They can be away from home for weeks doing fieldwork and taking samples.
Field work for an environmental geologist can include looking at land for potential hazards like landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.
Writing reports and analyzing data in the office using different mapping and analyzing software. For example, some of the software include ArcGIS, Stereonet GEOreint, GoCAD, and lots more.

What Qualifications Do I Need to Be An Environmental Geologist?

To become a geologist, you must spend four to seven years at university achieving a bachelor's or master's degree in earth sciences. To achieve a bachelor's degree you need to study at uni for four years. To get a master's degree you need to spend two more years. Then you can choose to get a PhD which is considered the highest degree and this takes an extra five years of study at university.

https://www.wintec.ac.nz/future-you/explore

What Is The Pay Of An Environmental Geologist?

According to www.careers.com, The pay range of a geologist can range from $70,000 to $180,000 a year. GlassdoorSalaries says environmental geologists can earn $78,000 to $90,000 a year. So therefore the average environmental geologist's salary is $84,000. The average salary in NZ according to nationwidevisas is $97,300 a year. The graph below shows some other related jobs and their salaries.

As you can see the graph has several environmental geologist-related jobs and their pay. You can see an environmental geologist has a relatively average pay compared to the analysis on the graph.

What Are Good Qualities To Have When Choosing To Become An Environmental Geologist?

When looking for a job it is essential to have the right qualities. If you do not have the right qualities the job might not be the best for you. Qualities a good geologist has include good communication, good at mathematics, attention to detail, patience, teamwork, and motivation. It also helps to be passionate about the environment.

Below is my career timeline for my chosen career inquiry pathway. It shows what I need to do and strive for to become a successful environmental geologist. You can see it has the qualities and competencies I will need throughout the years of my schooling at TBC.

What Deliberate Acts Do I Need To Take In My Time At TBC To Become A Successful Environmental Geologist?

To become an environmental geologist there are a few acts I need to take this year at TBC (year 10). To become a successful environmental geologist, I will have to achieve great results throughout my tests this year. By the end of the year, I would like to have an average curriculum level of CL5E to CL6A. If I could achieve this I would be very happy.

Another deliberate act I can take is borrowing books about geology and different things like rocks and landforms from the library. Through books and the internet, I can learn a lot and therefore would have more knowledge to help me be more successful at university and people would be more likely to hire me. Subjects that I am taking are agricultural and horticultural sciences, maths, science, and English. They will all benefit my becoming a successful geologist.

In year 11 and higher, I want to do well in NCEA. I want to become prefect in year 13. I want to get my driver's license in year 11 and get an award for YSAR.

Thesis

What practical steps can I take over the next 10 years to make me the best candidate for my chosen Environmental Geologist career?

There are many steps and pathways I could take to become a geologist. Through the next ten years, the practical steps I can take to become an environmental geologist are:

I will need to achieve NCEA 1, 2 and 3 to go to university where I am planning to achieve a master's degree. So spend 6 -7 years at university.
I need to improve my communication and leadership skills.
I need to identify and take new opportunities with learning, sports, work and personal skills - set myself goals and go for it.
Practice the skills of a geologist so I know more and have more skills for this chosen career.
Get some work experience in this area - my expert said I could spend some time with him at work.

Conclusion

For this inquiry, I’ve investigated and written a report about the role of an environmental geologist. I really enjoyed my discussion with Ben O’Loughlin who is an engineering geologist based in Tauranga.

I found it very interesting to learn more about environmental geology and think I’d enjoy the fieldwork using different mapping software, some of which I know already through YSAR. Environmental geologists study landforms looking for potential hazards and figure out solutions to environmental problems caused by humans or natural disasters. This is an area I’m really interested and think it would be an amazing career to pursue.

I’m clear what I need to do to work towards this career and have set out deliberate actions I can take over the next few years towards this.

Lastly A famous quote by Will Durant, is relevant to this inquiry:

“Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice.”

Bibliography

https://www.wintec.ac.nz/future-you/explore/jobs/science/geologist#:~:text=To%20become%20a%20geologist%20you,Crown%20research%20institutes%20and%20universities.

https://www.cmich.edu/blog/all-things-higher-ed/how-to-become-a-geologist

https://resources.workable.com/geologist-job-description#:~:text=What%20skills%20should%20a%20geologist,work%20collaboratively%20in%20a%20team.

https://www.careers.govt.nz/jobs-database/science/science/geologist/#:~:text=Skills%20and%20knowledge,the%20results%20of%20their%20studies

https://work.chron.com/disadvantages-being-geologist-14478.html

https://www.wintec.ac.nz/future-you/explore/jobs/science/geologist#:~:text=To%20become%20a%20geologist%20you,Crown%20research%20institutes%20and%20universities

https://www.purdue.edu/science/careers/what_can_i_do_with_a_major/Career%20Pages/environmental_geologist.html#:~:text=Environmental%20geologists%20study%20the%20interaction,such%20as%20flooding%20and%20erosion

https://learn.org/articles/What_is_an_Environmental_Geologist.html