What an Environmental Planner at HELIX Environmental Planning Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Environmental Consulting Industry
Julia, an Environmental Planner III at HELIX Environmental Planning, found the diversity of projects a surprising and exciting aspect of the job, working on "residential, commercial, industrial, public infrastructure," across various California counties. This variety, combined with the need to navigate differing environmental regulations and stakeholder perspectives, provided continuous learning experiences shaping their professional development.
Project Variety, Environmental Regulations, Client Communication, Problem-Solving, Regional Differences
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Julia Pano
Environmental Planner III
HELIX Environmental Planning
University of California, Davis
N/A
Environmental & Related Sciences
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Climate, Environment and Sustainability
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. The environmental consulting industry offers a wide variety of projects across different sectors and geographical locations. You could be working on residential, commercial, industrial, or public infrastructure projects in various cities and counties.
2. The role involves interacting with diverse stakeholders, including clients, agencies, and the public, requiring strong communication and compromise skills to address varying concerns and find suitable solutions.
3. Experience plays a crucial role; continuous learning from past projects, both successes and failures, is essential for improvement and refining the environmental compliance process.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
Before entering the environmental consulting industry, I wish someone had told me that I would be working on such a variety of projects throughout my career at Helix. I'm super thankful and lucky to have the opportunity to work on varying projects throughout California.
These include residential, commercial, industrial, and public infrastructure, such as broadband infrastructure, pipelines, public parks, and mixed-use development. I have worked on projects in various cities and counties throughout the state, including Sacramento County, El Dorado, Tuolumne County, Contra Costa County, San Diego County, Riverside, and Los Angeles County, just to name a few.
Each day at Helix is super different. I think what makes this industry, especially working at Helix, exciting is that you don't know what type of project is going to come your way or where it might be located.
Throughout my career, I've also interacted with various clients, agencies, and the public. It's interesting to hear different perspectives from those who work in neighboring industries and from the public who might be interested in a project because it could impact their lives.
It is also important to listen to and understand the concerns from clients, agencies, and the public. Then, you need to be able to find compromisable solutions that address the needs of multiple parties.
By working on projects within various cities and counties throughout California, I'm able to learn how each region differs in their California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) or National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes. I've also learned how to most efficiently communicate our needs and our client's needs to produce the highest quality of work.
Also, from working in this industry for about three years, I have learned that I often learn from experience. It's important to analyze and implement solutions and outcomes from environmental compliance documents. Learning from successes and potential failures is crucial for future projects.