Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Today we profile James Adamson, Planning Intern in Palmerston North.
First sika! Looked bigger through the scope…
At work…
Some things I do in my job include:
As an Intern I’m lucky enough to get stuck into a wide range of work. This includes Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE’s), consents, business cases, track design, and sign bids and design.
Since December I have been inspecting tracks and it’s been an amazing experience.
This helps achieve DOC’s vision by:
Ensuring our visitor facilities are safe, well looked after and well used.
The best bit about my job is:
Gaining an understanding of the work that DOC does and being able to put my university theory into practice.
The awesome-est moment I have had so far:
Besides being told I had a job, it would have to be listening to whio and deer barking outside Leon Kinvig Hut after a long stumble along the tracks.
The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires me most is:
Although I have only been at DOC for a short time I have found it easy to feel like part of the team. Everyone in the Palmerston North office has made me feel welcome and patiently answered silly questions!
Wicked trip into Hinerua Hut
On a personal note…
My greatest sporting moment was when:
Either taking 3 wickets for 5 runs before getting too cocky and falling over and shattering my elbow; or scoring my one and only century for the mighty Lansdowne Cricket Club.
The thing I’m most looking forward to in the next six months is:
Seeing a lot of new country with my inspection work.
In my spare time:
Hunting and playing cricket.
My most prized possession is:
The air rifle my old man gave me for my 14th birthday.
Deep and meaningful…
My favourite quote is:
“If you ain’t first you’re last” – Ricky Bobby from the film Talladega Nights.
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is:
“You get out what you put in.”
In work and life I am motivated by:
The achievements of others and the drive to reach my potential and make valuable contributions to the team.
My conservation advice to New Zealanders is:
To find out what you are interested in, get off the couch and get involved. You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference.
Question of the week…
What was the last film you saw, and what did you think of it?
The last film I saw was The Wolf of Wall Street. It was outrageous and extremely entertaining! Being based on true events made it even more impressive! Definitely not a movie you’d want to watch with your nana.
Thank you for wonderful information!