Geoffrey Guy
What employment sector do you work in?
Private Sector
How long have you had a green job for nature?
22 years
Salary Range
£40,001 – £50,000
Please describe the work that you do.
I’m the Managing Director at Riverlution, where my focus is all about river stewardship and environmental training. My work combines the strategic and the practical — I guide our team’s vision and also build and manage ‘partnerships’ which provide early career placements and apprenticeships for people making a start in the environmental sector and which perform a range of environmental stewardship and conservation tasks on rivers and riparian areas.
What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?
What I love most is seeing people genuinely connect with the environment. Whether it’s through hands-on stewardship work or gaining new skills that prepare them for environmental careers, I get a lot of satisfaction from helping people see the impact of their efforts. Also, I have a lifelong love for the outdoors and a genuine passion for the environment, so being able to share that passion with others and create opportunities for others to pursue employment, training and education in the sector is incredibly rewarding.
My current role is primarily mangerial and administrative that is in many respects not my natural environment so at times I find meetings, funding bids and administrative tasks difficult but the positive outcomes we work towards make that worth while. To balance all that admin work though I do still manage to find opportunities to get out on ‘the tools’ from time to time perhaps helping with some coppicing on a river bank, or delivering some hands on training.
What inspired you into this career?
My inspiration comes from a love for the countryside and a desire to work outdoors, which I’ve had as long as I can remember. I was a member of junior RSPB back when it was still called the ‘Young Ornithologists Club’ and particularly loved bird watching as a child and involvement in extra curricular programes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme further fostered that interest. This passion led me to early roles in estate work and conservation, then on to pursuing formal qualifications in game and wildlife management at Sparsholt College before working abroad and specialising in deer management, patircularly non-native deer management, for a while. All this eventually led me to decide to teach the subjects I was so passionate about and until joining Riverlution I worked as a lecturer and manager at land based colleges for over a decade. That experience of teaching and working with people at the start of their environmental careers led to many opportunities and learning experiences of my own, including as a Nuffield Farming Scholar, and ultimately inspired me in my current role.
Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far?
I think in the early part of my career the expectation in the sector to volunteer provided a bit of a challenge. Volunteers are really important in the environmental sector and while I did spend some time as a volunteer for the ‘coast and countryside service’ in North Devon in my teens and as a volunteer ranger for the Department of Conservation between jobs while working in New Zealand when I returned to university after some time in the industry at an entry level and in self-employed roles the focus on gaining volunteer experience to enhance a CV was a challenge as by then I had a young family to support as well and working ‘for free’ wasnt something I had the luxury of doing. I think that one of the reasons why at Riverlution we’ve become so focussed on making sure volunteering is always something that could work around other work commitments for people and acts as a route to work for those who want it, and as quickly as possible. We also provide lots of free formal training for our volunteers and trainees to make sure the we arent pressuring people to volunteer when really they need to be working towards paid positions at a time when the rising costs of living are causing real challenges for people and communities.
What education/training did you have?
I have a range of professional and academic qualifications, most gained part time alongside work. Including, a Forest School Leaders qualification, various outdoor leadership qualifications, a Postgraduate Diploma in Outdoor Education from the University of Wales, Trinity St. David and a range of teaching, training and assessing qualifications. Going back to my earliest relevant qualifications I also have a Foundation Degree in Countryside and Wildlife Management and a National Diploma in Game and Wildlife Management. Certificate in Education. I also hold vocational qualifications like the TAQA Assessor’s Award, which have been important for the practical and teaching aspects of my career.
What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession?
First, I’d say get as much hands-on experience as you can, whether it’s through volunteering, seasonal work, or internships. Also, don’t underestimate the value of networking in the conservation and environmental sectors — connections with like-minded organizations can open many doors. Finally, I’d encourage a lifelong learning mindset; the industry and environmental challenges are always evolving, so being open to new knowledge and skills is crucial.
—
Tags: England, Private sector, Environmental educator, Project manager, Freshwater/Catchment