Elsa Sim's career path to becoming a Project Delivery Officer for Stronger Shores. Elsa talks about what made her switch careers, the importance of clear communication, and the challenges of moving abroad. Current Job Tell us about your current role I'm the project delivery officer for Stronger Shores, a project that looks at how marine habitats like kelp forests, oyster reefs and seagrass meadows can help with coastal protection, mitigate effects of climate change and benefit the wider community and environment at the same time. Career Beginnings When you were 15, what job did you want and who did you ask for advice?When I was 15, I wanted to be a veterinarian, an inventor or do something in the creative industries. This was not a topic that was talked about much and most of my inspiration came from the activities I enjoyed doing in school or at home.Did you have an interest in the environment at this time?No I don't think I did. That changed when I was studying Architecture and realised that I focused more on caring about designing for the buildings' surroundings, rather than the buildings themselves. My parents and family did not spend much time outside, but the outdoors became a place where I sought clarity and was able to relax. The more I got outside, the more I loved and cared for the environment, before developing the interest in the environmental sector and to have an impact on it. What were your first steps in starting your career? I did not imagine any other route other than going straight into University when I was young - it's something everyone did. I did not see any examples of alternative routes and the question was more "what degree should I get into?" instead of whether going to University was the right step for me. My first degree was not explicitly linked to the environment. However I took opportunities like part-time roles while I was studying, to try out different jobs like being a Communications Officer for a Natural History Museum. That opened my mind up about what I could do with my stacked skills. Career path and skills What does your career path look like? My path was definitely non-linear! I remember wanting to choose environmental science as my University degree, but didn't think that my grades were good enough. I come from a middle-class background with my brother and I being the second generation to go to University (the first being my aunt, while my parents did not). I was not exposed to many professional jobs or role models in the sector. My career path was relatively linear as a Landscape Architect where I worked for three years in a design consultancy after graduation, until I chose to explore opportunities and get into restoration or conservation related work. Alongside other life challenges like moving from Singapore to the UK, having two years to find a job here, and not having UK-based experience, I had to get creative with getting my foot through the door. I volunteered with environmental organisations that I wanted to be a part of, offered my skills (including in communications and engagement) to meet more people in this sector, and attended engagement events to familiarise myself with the UK context and networks. I found volunteering and going to in-person events helpful. Understanding what work I would enjoy doing was helpful in targeting organisations and roles that fit my skill set.What skills were important for you to develop in your career? Communication is definitely a big plus. Being able to get your ideas across clearly and having the ability to work with different stakeholders with different levels of understanding were highly transferrable skills. I had to translate specialist knowledge into simple language, so that those who are not from the sector can understand what I was trying to say, something that really helped with collaboration. If I could create a job in the environmental sector that doesn't exist yet, I would......make a job that contributes to exploring how landscape can be designed as infrastructure - for nature to be incorporated into things like flood and coastal protection, sustainable urban water designs etc. This article was published on Monday 19 October 2026
