Biologist
| Name | Grace Crabb |
|---|---|
| Location | Wales |
| Company | CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology) |
Grace Crabb"My job is meaningful because it reconnects people with the natural resources upon which they depend.
"
I’m Grace Crabb, a biologist working at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales. My job is to manage CAT’s water and sanitation systems, together with the woodland and wildlife.
In my job, it’s important to be practical and hands-on. I have a great passion for the environment, and I love being outdoors in all weather! I really enjoy being based in such a beautiful part of the world, and the fact that I get to work with like-minded people.
Tell us about your job – where do you work and what do you do?
I’m the Biologist at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales. I manage - in a practical sense - the water and sanitation systems, as well as the woodland and wildlife. I like to do my best to combine these systems in a holistic way.What inspired you to do what you do? How did you get into it, did you have a plan?
I started out as a wildlife conservationist but, over time, I’ve become increasingly interested in how humans fit into the equation - in a sustainable way.Why is your job meaningful? Both to you personally, and in how it benefits the wider world in terms of climate change and other environmental challenges.
I think my job’s meaningful both to me and the outside world; it’s meaningful because it reconnects people with the natural resources upon which they depend.Many jobs in this sector are very new, how long has your job existed?
25 years.What personal qualities do you think have got you where you are today?
I think I’m quite hardy; I love being outside in all weathers!I also have a great passion for, and dedication to, the environment.
What are the essential skills for your job?
In order to succeed, you need to be practical.Certain certificates are required for using the necessary machinery. A chainsaw is one example - although I want to move away from this, making more use of an axe instead.
What qualifications do you have? Are these typical for people in your role?
I have a Bsc in Biodiversity & Conservation Management, and an Msc in Water Management.I also have lots of smaller qualifications in field biology and woodland management; these are of a much more practical nature.
What do you think most helped you get where you are now?
I think it’s a combination of academic qualifications and practical skills.Please describe a typical working day
In summer, it might be weeding the reed bed sewage system, or cleaning the drinking water sand filters with some volunteers.In winter, it could be felling some trees in the woodland.
What do you enjoy most and least about what you do?
I enjoy the fact that I get to work in a beautiful part of the world, with like-minded people.What kind of people do you meet through your work or do you work alone?
I meet all kinds of people, including locals with lots of knowledge about land use.I never really work alone anymore because I have to occupy my volunteers.
Do you feel well paid for what you do, or is it not about the money?
It’s not about the money. I work in a co-operative where the top wage is £17,000 (you cannot go any higher). I believe that this is why CAT still exists - it stops greed. However, people do leave to go to better paid jobs.Finally, what do you know now about jobs, careers and the future that you wish you’d known when you were at school?
Nothing - school is a time for discovery.Go to other categories:
Great Outdoors, Food & Drink, Consuming & Waste, People Power, Design & Inspiration, House & Home, Energy & Water
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