In May 2018, I started a placement year with The CDS Group after completing two years of study at Coventry University on the BSc Geography course. During the 14 months I spent at CDS, I experienced working for several sides of the business and undertook various tasks. My time was split between office working and being out on site with the environmental team where we would assess geology and groundwater conditions. On the office days, I would complete Tier 1and Tier 2 Environment Agency Groundwater Assessment reports following site investigations. This element established my understanding of geology and groundwater vulnerability. In addition, I would support the planning team by producing Need Assessments and Planning Policy Statements for cemetery and crematoria developments.
The placement was thoroughly enriching and supported me with new found researching and reporting skills to help me in my final year at university. The team at CDS supported me in my dissertation by inspiring the research topic ‘investigating whether groundwater is more vulnerable where there is a greater need for burials’ for which I received the highest dissertation mark in that year. Upon graduating mid pandemic in 2020, I re-joined CDS and have been building on earlier experience. The company has allowed me to thrive in an area of particular interest, feasibility for new projects which involves GIS skills, demographic analysis and identification/assessment of sites in accordance with a wide range of planning and environmental criteria. I am therefore leaving CDS with a wide ranging knowledge base with relevance to my degree, improved confidence and enhanced skills in: reporting, analysis, viability, presenting and client relations.
I am excited to be moving on to a new role and am extremely grateful for the time I have spent at CDS.
