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Shellie Humphries

Year of Graduation: 2001.
Current Employer: My first position was with the City of Prospect in November 2002, on their “Street Smart River Clean” project. Since 2003 I have been working for the City of Playford on their “Be Stormwater Smart” project.
Current Job Title: Stormwater Pollution Prevention Officer
Honours: No, I don’t have honours
Most memorable experience on the degree program:
There are several memorable experiences about the degree program, mostly good ones! Being a student rep for around 18 months was a worthwhile experience. At first I felt a little intimidated but soon overcame that and built a good relationship with staff and other students.

How has your degree helped you in your current job?
Studying for a degree doesn’t give you all the answers that you will need in any job, but it does give you the skills to find the answer. My current job is mainly an educative role and requires an understanding of the Environment Protection Act

What do you do on a daily basis?
The role of a stormwater officer involves us visiting industry and conducting an environmental site review of the premises and daily work practices of the company. Typically we would look at whether the site has evidence of stormwater and soil contamination; how the workplace is designed to see whether any spills or leaks could be carried to the stormwater; chemical storage and handling; spill control and waste management and so on. We also visit building sites to see how they are managed and to ensure that building wastes are not impacting on the stormwater system.

What is most challenging about your role?
The most challenging thing about my role is talking to people who have been doing the same thing for years and expecting them to change. Some people are happy to be given advice while others aren’t so willing to accept change.

What do you enjoy most?
I enjoy a challenge especially where I can put my knowledge into practice. Helping people resolve a problem is also rewarding.

What helped you get this position?
Having a degree and work experience as part of my degree (at Playford Council) helped me get an interview for the position.

I didn’t get the job the first time I applied as it was given to somebody with more experience. However, one of the people on the interview panel called me a few months later and asked if I was still looking for a job and asked me to send my resume to the City of Prospect as they were looking for a stormwater officer.

I guess a combination of; qualifications, general life experience, and contacts, all play a part in any job application. Without any one of them, it could be difficult to even get an interview. Getting to know as many people as possible can make things much easier when you’re looking for a job. Networking is a great exercise and often pays off.

What is the remuneration for this occupation?
What you earn in local government really depends on level of experience, as it does anywhere. However, with a degree you will start at a minimum level 3. The amount of funding a project receives will also determine the level of pay you will earn.

Do you have any advice for students about career progression?
I think it is useful to get involved with as many projects as you can to improve your knowledge and skills and build a network of contacts. Don’t be afraid to put your hand up for anything that is offered and be prepared to do things that a outside your area of expertise.

Can you describe your first recruitment process?
The interview was a little daunting as it was my first interview as a graduate. There were three people on the interview panel, only one of which I had met before. This made me extremely nervous and it showed! The interview also included a task that I had to complete. This involved reading a passage and identifying the issues and describing strategies for dealing with the issues.

The interview for the position at Prospect was similar in that the questions and scenario were the same, however there were only two interviewers and I felt a little more relaxed, having done it all before at Playford. The experience of that interview helped me get through this one and got me the job.

Can you remember any questions you were asked at interview?
I can’t really remember the questions but I do remember that I felt a little lost a couple of times, mainly because I wasn’t working in that field at the time so wasn’t exactly sure how to answer them. On both occasions I was asked to read a scenario about a workshop and had to identify issues to do with chemical handling, waste management etc, all of which are dealt with as part of the stormwater officer’s position.

Were you given any constructive feedback?
The feedback I got afterwards was that if you get stuck and aren’t too sure how to answer the question, try to relate it to something you do know. Draw on your life experiences and make the question fit something you do know.

What do you wish you had done at University?
I wish I had done more work experience on projects like the stormwater project. Had I known more about the kind of projects that are currently underway in Adelaide, I could have been more prepared to work on them when I left.

What advice can you give to students currently studying?
Networking is a great thing to do. Get to know as many people as possible and let them know who you are and what you can do. It’s surprising the amount of people that you meet that might be able to help you or you might be able to help later on. Think of them as a resource, somewhere where you can find information that you might not have otherwise.

Something else that I found useful was keeping all my notes and books. I have referred to them many times since leaving Uni. Again treat this as a resource; you never know when you’ll need it!

 








 

 

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