THE PROTECTION of the environment has become a major issue in recent years, and as a result increasing numbers of young people are interested in developing careers in the area.
These students opt for third-level courses in a variety of disciplines, all of which deal with the environment. Sadly though, many youngsters find themselves on the wrong courses simply because they have failed to read the syllabus small print.
"There's a great deal of confusion about environmental courses," explains Eoin Gill, who lectures in environmental engineering at Waterford Institute of Technology. "People see the word `environment' in the course title, but often fail to realise that the course may be science or engineering based." If you don't like maths, Gill says, don't do an environmental engineering course; if you don't like chemistry or physics, avoid courses in environmental science.
According to Gill, the environmental specialist is emerging in almost every profession, including law and accountancy. However, the majority of jobs in environmental protection are geared to people with science or engineering qualifications at both diploma and degree level.
These jobs include detecting, preventing and studying the effects of pollution; the design, installation and operation of technology to control pollution and the treatment of polluted areas. There is more work for qualified people due to several factors: the Environmental Protection Agency is well established; new developments require environmental impact statements (EISs); activities likely to cause pollution require integrated pollution control (IPC) licences; the Waste Management Act and the EU Urban Wastewater Directive are both in place.
Employment opportunities include careers in industry - monitoring emissions and operating and developing control technologies; in consultancies - compiling EISs and IPC applications; in state and semi-state bodies and local authorities.
According to Gill, scientists of all disciplines find work in environmental areas. "Most environmental scientists have come through traditional science courses, studying some branch of chemistry or biology," he says.
"Chemists monitor water, air and soil," he explains. "They may be involved in the research and design of new systems to treat chemical pollutants or they may be involved in the improvement of industrial processes to minimise the production of pollutants."
Qualifications in the biological sciences, including zoology and botany, can lead to careers studying environmental change in the living environment. Microbiologists may monitor the safety of air and water or the use of micro-organisms to treat waste.
Ecologists study the natural environment, while physical scientists may be involved in the modelling and prediction of atmospheric pollution or localised water pollution movement, Gill says.
Although many of the university and RTC science courses include specialised environmental subjects, there are relatively few denominated degree courses in environmental science. However, UCG and UL both offer denominated environmental science courses, while Sligo RTC offers a degree programme in environmental science and technology. Such courses usually include chemistry, biology, physics, earth science, ecology, air and water pollution, Gill notes.
Sligo RTC also offers a national diploma programme in pollution assessment and control, from which transfers to the degree course are possible. There are denominated degrees in earth sciences at UCG and UCC. At certificate level Dundalk RTC offers a programme in environmental science, Carlow RTC offers science (environmental monitoring and instrumentation) and Limerick RTC offers science (environmental and analytical). The DIT's diploma in environmental resources management encompasses both science and planning.
DIT's environmental health degree deals with aspects of the built and natural environment that influence health and development. Other science degrees, Gill says, have strong environmental elements.
UCG's degree in marine science, for example, could lead to careers in environmental consultancies or in fish-farming development. UCD's agricultural science degree could lead to a job in pollution control or with rural environment protection schemes.
"Environmental engineering is first and foremost engineering and requires mathematical and problem-solving abilities," Gill stresses. The only denominated environmental engineering courses available in Ireland are at certificate and diploma level, he says. Waterford RTC, for example, offers both certificate and diploma programmes in environmental engineering.
There are also a number of denominated environmental engineering courses available in Britain. However, some of these courses deal only with the internal environment. Unless you read the small print you could find yourself studying the heating, ventilation and air conditioning of buildings, when you really want to do nature conservation.
According to Gill, most local authority engineers involved in environmental protection are civil engineers - and most third-level civil engineering programmes include environmental elements. Civil engineers deal with water abstraction, treatment and distribution and the collection, treatment and disposal of refuse and wastewaters.
A chemical engineering qualification equips graduates with many of the skills necessary to work in the environmental field. Chemical engineers deal with the treatment of chemical wastes and air emissions.
The good news is that environmental standards will continue to improve, Gill predicts. "The laws will get tighter," he says. "They won't be relaxed." This will inevitably mean more jobs in the area.
