Career Profile: Ifeanyi Chukwujekwu MIEMA CEnv, principal environmental consultant, WSP in the UK

Why did you become an environment/sustainability professional?

I started with urban planning. I’ve always been interested in how cities emerge and the order of development. Growing up in Africa, I had often travelled on holiday with my family to Europe and America and marvelled at the contrast in environmental features.

There are a few examples of well-planned towns in Nigeria, but most master plans are out of date and development is often haphazard. I decided to become a planner to get involved in reversing this trend. I developed a keen interest in sustainable development and geography was one of my favourite subjects, so I chose to study urban and regional planning.

What is your current role and what does it involve?

I support the development of coastal infrastructure, such as sea defence and other coastal development, and renewable energy infrastructure, particularly offshore windfarms.

I could be involved from the early stages of project development in feasibility assessments and advising on best options to avoid likely significant effects on the environment, to applying for consent from statutory regulatory authorities. The key speciality of my role is environmental impact assessment, mainly within the marine environment.

What’s the most challenging part of your work?

Adhering to project timescales and managing client expectations. Also ensuring that environmental impact assessments are proportionate to the project and its environment.

What are the most important skills for your role?

A knowledge of, and an ability to interpret, key policies and regulations. An understanding of the environment and the pressures that could affect baseline conditions. And, equally, an understanding of the source of those pressures, pathways and the receptors that would be affected.

Where would you like to be in five years’ time?

Continuing to contribute to sustainable development of infrastructure. I’d also like to be more involved with IEMA.

What advice would you give to someone entering the profession?

It is a rewarding career in terms of considering the big picture and seeing that your contribution has helped to create sustainable environments. It requires patience, as the benefits of some projects take time to materialise. Environmental management is also multifaceted, and professionals can come from varied backgrounds. Discover what you are good at and how that can be applied in creating and managing sustainable environments.

Describe yourself in three words

Resilient, creative, inquisitive.

What motivates you?

Seeing projects come to life with tangible benefits for the environment.

Greatest risk you have ever taken?

Moving to the UK as an international postgraduate student. Literally starting my career again from scratch.

If you could go back in history, who would you like to meet?

Ebenezer Howard, the founder of the garden city movement that sought to create towns with a balance of industry, agriculture and residences.

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