2016_03_08_CIE_ortiz_urbina

Íñigo Ortiz de Urbina (Bio 93) has more than 20 years of experience in his curriculum. He now coordinates the Life program for Spain and Portugal at Idom, a multinational consulting firm. In his opinion, it is not so important to know a lot of things as"recognizing your limits and knowing how to turn to those who can help you". This is, for the environmental consultant , the plus offered by the university training , which should always be accompanied by a specialization and the experience internship.

- What is your work as an environmental consultant at Idom?
My current work -I have already accumulated 20 years of work experience, in which your training is not as important as your experience- is as manager of environmental projects, a very general term that in summary consists of managing a project, the team, the resources and the relationship with the client. Right now I coordinate the external monitoring team for the EC Life Program for Spain and Portugal, where I monitor projects. But I have done everything: environmental audits, soils, EIAs, waste, water, atmosphere, renewable energies, restoration, engineering... I have a very generalist profile , suitable to manage a wide variety of environmental projects.

- What did your training contribute to your career?
I think things have changed a lot since I studied until now. In my case, my profile was very generalist (I did fundamental biology with some zoology subject , comparative physiology...). Afterwards, everyone specialized with experience. I started even before starting the degree program. Then I did an internship in an oceanography laboratory in Donostia, summer internships during the degree program in a hospital, in the department of Animal Physiology as an intern student and, when I finished, in a fish farm with the University-business program.

After this experience, I took a Master's Degree in environment and started in the environmental department of an engineering company, where I have been for 20 years. In my business I have done everything - as is often the case in the world of consultancy service-. That's how you learn that the main thing is not to know a lot of things, but to be very aware of what you don't know and to turn to the people who can help you in each status. At final, be a manager of knowledge. And the latter is, in my opinion, the most important thing that the university training provides.

How does a biologist fit into a business like yours?
In my business we are looking for very specific profiles when it comes to biologists. That is to say, sometimes I need a specialist in nature conservation, management of natural areas, knowledge in certain species, habitats or in a specific environmental problem. In many cases they will be biologists, but also graduates in Environmental Sciences and other profiles related to natural sciences. In general, the biologists who come to my business come with a Master's Degree or previous experience, they are usually people with a certain Degree of specialization and, therefore, capacity for autonomy in the work.

- Does the environmental field offer many job opportunities for biologists?
Yes, but it requires specialization and experience internship. You have to face reality to see how things work. In the field of consultancy service, where I work, you need specialization in environmental issues. You can't stop training, reading a lot...

To someone who is just starting out, I would tell them not to stop, not to wait. You have to move continuously and not be afraid to change your path if what you are doing does not make you enjoy it... The volunteer activities and NGOs are very interesting areas to gain experience.