Wide prospects in field of environment
By Andrew Ponnampalam
"WHAT is an environmental consultant, who hires you, and what is it that you do, anyway?" are some of the questions which Environment Asia managing director Dr Nather Khan is frequently confronted with. To such questions, he replies that the scope of environmental consultancy is so wide, it can provide a challenging career for graduates in geography, botany, geology, chemistry, zoology, microbiology, statistics, sociology, social science, computer science, forestry, engineering, education, and even law and economics.
"Consider my own set-up: as far as I know, it is one of the first in Malaysia to be a ‘total environment’ consultancy. This means we don’t merely conduct the usual Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for companies seeking a comprehensive range of services for government agencies, private companies, international bodies and even other consultancies!" says Nather Khan.
When pressed for details, he provided a list of services offered by his firm. They include air quality assessment and modelling, environmental audits, pollution monitoring and control, marine ecology and coastal resource management, water quality surveys, soil sampling and geological reports, public health recommendations, environmental education and training, conservation awareness courses, ecology project formulation and design, wetland assessment and management, livestock generic projects, fisheries consultancy, ecotourism proposals and a wide range of research and development services.
Right now, the firm is also involved in recreation and open space utilisation planning for town-planners and urban authorities. Given the wide scope of contemporary environmental consultancy, it is no surprise that there are employment prospects for graduates in a wide range of disciplines.
Preference is given to those with specialised training, but aspiring environmental consultants must realise that their academic qualifications only provide a basic springboard into the complex and challenging field of environmental work.
Nather Khan agrees emphatically. "If you ask me, academic qualifications only give a person the basic competence in a particular field. The qualities which I feel are more important are integrity, commitment, diligence and above all, a passion for this work! If you do not enjoy your work, the highest salary will provide scant satisfaction. Wages alone are insufficient motivation. In a field like environment consultancy, you have to be self-motivated to really produce results. Liking your job is essential here," he says.
How did this energetic and enthusiastic scientist enter the field of environmental consultancy? His career path bears out his belief that your profession is what you make of it, and his standing today is an inspirational testimony to all aspiring youngsters.
"My first love was medicine, but although I qualified to do a medical course, a variety of factors led me to take a degree in botany instead. Zoology and chemistry were my ancillary subjects. I did my Masters in genetics and plant breeding, covering ecology and plant taxonomy. My thesis for the doctorate involved microbiology and aquatic studies on a Malaysian river basin. I have also attended various management courses and picked up some computer knowledge in my spare time. Looking back, my varied academic background and subsequent training have fitted in perfectly for the kind of work I am doing today."
Nather Khan also has linguistic skills and tertiary qualifications in various languages and religious subjects. These no doubt also have some bearing on the scope and professional integrity of his work today. The lesson here for young people just starting out on their career path is that hard work, extra-curricular activities and a curious, keen mind are essential ingredients for those who want to rise above the mediocre and build truly outstanding careers.
As Malaysia rides the crest of an economic boom, the need for responsible and effective environmental consultants will grow significantly. Yet with growth and development, this industry will have to face the inevitable questions about conflict of interest. Some people believe that all environmental consultants should be ardent conservationists and "greenies" whose main priority should be to preserve and protect the environment.
Others believe that environmental consultants should behave just like any other consultants in maintaining a high standard of professional ethics while making as much money as they can at every available opportunity. After all, such. folk argue, the main aim of any commercial enterprise is to be as profitable as possible, and a consultant owes it to his company to be financially effective.
Nather Khan sees no conflict whatsoever. Rather, he takes a holistic approach that encompasses both sides of the coin. "My only personal ‘top priority’ is to give my family the best standard of living I can. If we take ‘quality of life’ as a measure. then it is vital that I help conserve our natural heritage for their future, and this in turn means I have a personal stake in conservation. But ‘quality of life’ also involves finance, And this requires that I earn all I can as a professional! In this regard, I am extremely ambitious and determined to make Environment Asia a financially successful and respected consultancy."
"This is not a unique dilemma," he continues, "environmental consultants face the same situations that doctors in private practice and associates in a legal firm encounter: a constant balance between commercial realities and personal ideals. The only solution is to maintain one set of inviolable professional ethics in dealing with both sides of the equation. It’s as simple as that."
Other environmental consultants agree. One academician from Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, who does EIAs in his spare time, commented, "When you hire someone as an environmental consultant, you are not just hiring him for his professional reputation but also his personal integrity. As such, you have to trust that his findings are balanced, fair and accurate. If that basic trust is not there, you defeat the purpose of having an environment consultant in the first place!"
Nather Khan has an even higher perspective of the role of people in his profession. "On a macro level, environmental consultants have a very important part to play in nation-building. In many ways, Malaysia has become a role model for developing nations and even to First World countries. Local environmental consultants can ensure that our development avoids mistakes made by the West while meeting the needs of the East’s economic boom.
"Malaysia is extremely fortunate in having a visionary and dynamic Prime Minister who is backed by an intelligent and resourceful Deputy Prime Minister. But the Government cannot do things alone; it takes two hands to clap. When we work hand-in-hand with the public sector, environmental consultants become the private sector stewards of our natural heritage. We are also the guides to Malaysia’s continuing development and prosperity because we point industry in the right direction. It is an excellent profession for a responsible and caring citizen," he continues.
Patriotic sentiments aside, the fact remains that there is indeed a stimulating and attractive job market awaiting innovative young people. Apart from the training and qualifications already enumerated, it is advisable that prospective environmental consultants garner valuable experience in the public sector or academic halls before venturing out into the business world.
Working within the government provides the opportunity to learn and grow in a "neutral" situation where there is no pecuniary pressure or constraints. Similarly, any time spent in postgraduate research, education or teaching will be extremely productive in eventual commercial enterprise.
In a field such as this, success comes through word-of-mouth recommendations and a solid track record of integrity and ability. That sort of thing cannot be created overnight; it must be patiently built through years of dedication and hard work. A career in environmental consultancy, therefore, is like planting a fruit tree: there is no short-cut to success or some "quick fix" to profits, but with adequate time and work, one’s labour will bear lucrative fruit indeed!
Another factor to consider is that this career path will demand a distinct team spirit. There is no single science or academic discipline adequate to encompass the scope of work, so the budding officer must learn to work with other specialists for collective and mutual rewards. All things considered, those young people planning to enter the job market will definitely find it worthwhile to examine the environment when choosing a career!
Source : The New Straits Times 25 March 1995
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