Graduate outcome of an Environmental Science student

The right environment

Erica Heaton was originally unsure about going to uni. Turns out it was just the place to kickstart her dream career!

Erica explored a few different career paths before deciding to pursue university.

“I hadn’t performed well in school and thought I didn’t have what it takes to complete a degree,” she says. “When I enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) at QUT, I set myself a simple goal: if I gave it everything, I might just scrape through. I still remember the shock of receiving my first assessment result of 100%.”

While at uni, Erica was open to every opportunity available to her. She became involved in a range of volunteer roles, assisted PhD candidates with research, and participated in committees. “I believe this proactive approach played a key role in developing my skills and giving me a competitive edge when entering the workforce,” she explains.

In 2020, Erica relocated to the Northern Territory to take advantage of the strong demand for environmental professionals. After a brief period in construction, she secured a role as an environmental officer.

In this position, she coordinated and delivered programs including weed management, bushfire mitigation, water quality monitoring, feral animal control, and threatened species monitoring across Defence properties. She was soon promoted and given responsibility for overseeing these programs across the entire NT Defence estate.

That role offered a rewarding balance of field and office-based work, along with lots of challenges. “I’ve had the opportunity to work in remarkable landscapes, collaborate with Traditional Owners to incorporate their knowledge and practices, and undertake aerial operations such as weed mapping and aerial incendiary deployment,” Erica says.

“While I feel fortunate to have found this role, it reflects the time, effort, and knowledge I developed during my studies at QUT, which ultimately helped me secure the position.”

Erica's study path

• QUT Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science)
• Researcher, QUT
• Occupational Hygienist, Safe Air Environmental Services
• Environmental and Sustainability graduate, McDonnell Dowell
• Senior Environmental Officer, Ventia PTY LTD

This article was originally published by Careers with STEM in the Eco Scientist Job Kit.