Embankment Group had the honour and privilege of attending our first CIEEM event recently and, in true recruitment fashion, we sponsored the evening dinner and drinks. We weren’t sure what to expect from the two days, but we were all excited to learn more about CIEEM, a body we had heard so much about and which is so well-respected in the industry. As recruiters, we spend our lives on the phone or exchanging messages on LinkedIn, but you just can’t beat meeting an Ecologist face-to-face to truly understand their day-to-day work and what motivates them.

We arrived halfway through the first day, settling in during lunch and joining the final talk on the Infrastructure Bill. After that, we put up our Embankment Group banner (complete with a picture of Monty the dog, our official mascot) and started networking over a few drinks. CIEEM were kind enough to invite Justin to sit at the top table with the speakers and industry leaders; it was a real pinch yourself moment to see how far we have come within the sector over the last five years. By day two, we were feeling a little jaded after perhaps one too many glasses of wine, but we dusted off the cobwebs and got stuck into the world of Ecology once again.

So, what did I learn from being surrounded by 180 Ecologists over two days?

• A welcoming and supportive culture. We couldn’t have felt more part of the community. Everyone we met was incredibly generous with their time, asking about Embankment Group and sharing their own career stories while educating us on what they do.
• Ecologists need a lot of equipment. We spoke with suppliers of everything from inspection cameras to bat detectors, and we now have a much better appreciation for the amount of kit an Ecologist needs to do their job.
• The industry loves an acronym. Don’t test me on what they all stood for just yet, but it all sounded very impressive! This is an area we’ll need to work on to upskill, but it definitely seemed to be a running theme.
• The future is bright. There are so many extremely talented young Ecologists coming through who are going to make a massive difference to the sector. From marketing to surveying, there are some amazing young people in this space.
• Technology is shaping the role. There was a lot of talk about how tech can support the way an Ecologist works. There are many exciting improvements on the horizon, but always with a conscious approach to avoid indirectly affecting the environment.
• The market is skill-short. From a recruitment perspective, it’s clear the market is skill-short, which means Embankment Group can really add value.
• Inspiration is everywhere. Passion, enthusiasm, and drive filled every room. It was truly inspiring to see so many people pulling in the same direction to a make a real difference.

We aren't Ecologists, and we certainly looked more like Recruiters travelling up from London, but I feel we now know much more about the field than we did before the event. This added knowledge will help us better understand our clients’ needs and gain a deeper insight into our candidates' challenges, ultimately helping more Ecologists find their dream jobs.

Thank you for having us and for being so welcoming. We look forward to supporting CIEEM at future events.

Sam