Me & My Job - Will Malcolm, forestry graduate, Bangor University

Friday, 03 September 2010

Will Malcolm, forestry graduate, Bangor University - image: Will Malcolm

- What made you choose to study horticulture?

My father, a keen gardener, sparked my interest for working outside and with plants at a young age. Later, I gained some experience with Appleby Landscape & Gardens. Then I chose forestry at Bangor.

- What advice would you give others starting out?

When choosing a course, consider the natural surroundings of where the course is based - they are the best means of enhancing your knowledge and inspiring learning.

- What did your placement at Working for Water in South Africa involve?

In the office, I worked on computer models for costing and systems optimisation of forest operations. In the field, I did productivity studies of harvesting alien invasive species in the Fynbos.

- What was the best part of your course?

Getting out into the Welsh countryside on field trips and applying the knowledge and ideas gained from fieldwork to coursework and seminars. In South Africa, it was being given the opportunity to work in the fascinating and stunning Fynbos.

- And the worst?

At the time, my Congolese colleague's 5.30am singing was irritating. In hindsight, it was quite entertaining and acted as an amusing wake-up call.

- What piece of kit can you not do without?

The metric stopwatch - indispensable when undertaking work studies.

- What is your greatest achievement?

Receiving an Institute of Chartered Foresters award for my BSc at Bangor.

- How did you wind down after a hard day?

Most days in north Wales included rock climbing. In South Africa, all I could manage after coordinating and timing a large workforce for a day was chomping down a few kilos of meat from the "braai".

- What does the future hold?

I would love to work in some capacity within the sector of natural resource management, in other diverse and absorbing locations throughout the world.