Curriculum Vitae – Alice Venables BSc (Hons)

Address: Llys Eifion, Caernarfon Rd, Penygroes, Gwynedd, LL54 6PP

Telephone: 07971421030                                                                   E-mail: venables_a_1@hotmail.com

Personal Profile

I am an ambitious and highly motivated professional with a keen interest in the challenges of climate change and renewable energy.

I possess a strong work ethic and excellent interpersonal skills, this teamed with my friendly nature and negotiation skills mean that I am able to develop and maintain strong working relationships both internally and externally. I am able to work well on my own initiative and have the ability to prioritise whilst under pressure to meet deadlines.

Education

MSc Renewable Energy & Resource Management, University of Glamorgan, 2008 – Present.

Modules include:

• Water & Wastewater management
•  Solid Resource Management (incl. Landfill, Organic Wastes, Anaerobic Digestion & Life Cycle Analysis)
• Renewable energy modules including wind power (onshore & offshore), tidal, wave, hydro, solar PV & Thermal, Biomass and Geothermal energy.
• Hydrogen energy
• Environmental Legislation & Policy

The assessment for these modules has been based on coursework including presentations, project proposals, grant applications, technical reports of site visit, critiques of technology and methods as well as using computer programmes to carry out studies, including PVSyst (Solar PV installations), SimaPro (Life Cycle Analysis), T*SOL (Solar Thermal) and Excel for Mogden calculations.

BSc (Hons) Geography, 2:1, Swansea University, 2005 – 2008

Modules included:

• Sustainable Development
• Research Methods
• Work experience module (Carried out for 5 weeks at the Countryside Council for Wales)
• Hazard mitigation (including Volcanoes, Earthquakes & Climate Change)
• Dissertation carried out on Ecological Footprinting – Gave me a chance to discover people’s opinions and actions on resource efficiency and climate change. Data handling and Analysis as well as extended report writing.

Coleg Meirion Dwyfor,          A/AS Levels,              2003-2005

            Geography (A-Level), B                                             

            Biology (A-Level), C

            Maths (A-Level), E

            Chemistry (AS-Level), C

Tywyn Secondary School, 12 GCSE’s A* - B Grades, 1998-2003

Employment

Welsh Assembly Government, DE&T, North Region, Environment Executive, April 2009 – March 2010

• Promoting sustainable activity across the DE&T North Wales teams, including Infrastructure, Regeneration, Business Support, Relationship Management and Innovation.
• Key tasks included collecting information and creating databases, writing reports and presentations, organizing and attending meetings.
• I was responsible for the project management of an energy strategy involving dealing with the consultants and working with the other partners (Carbon Trust, Local Authority and Community Stakeholders).
• Researching and collecting information for a business case for possible Convergence funding and researching renewable energy possibilities for a Zero Carbon mixed use development in North Wales. Also providing input into national level projects such as the Assembly’s Green Jobs Strategy.
• Coordinating a Low Carbon Community Challenge application for North West Wales.
• Working with Local Authorities, Local Service Boards, Consultants, Housing Associations, the Carbon Trust and the Countryside Council for Wales.
• Projects carried out through both Welsh and English.

Smooth Financial ltd., Manchester. Office admin and bank charges claims. January to March 2008

• Office based environment
• Working with bank charge claims and Customer Services
• Dealing directly with customers and banks has improved my communication skills

University of Wales Glamorgan, Working as a Consultant for Gwynedd Council creating an LCLIP. July to October 2008.

• Worked as a Climate Research Officer as part of the Changing Climate, Changing Places project.
• Created a Local Climate Impact Profile Report which is based on research of Council archives as well as through talking to staff to collect information and data on extreme weather events.
• Working independently within the Council.
• Research based project resulting in a complex spreadsheet of information and a final report, included one-to-one interviews with Council staff and Heads of Service.
• The project was a Pilot project to be rolled out across Wales at a later date, this meant that the work was done with little guidance.

Transferable Skills

• Advanced communication skills
• ECDL qualification in IT and familiar with use of the Internet and E-mail as well as more specific software packages such as MapInfo and SPSS.
• Fluent in Welsh, written and spoken.
• Full, clean UK driving licence

Hobbies and Interests

• Equestrian Vaulting - my skills of leadership, team-work and working as an individual through competing, training and coaching. I am currently working towards my level 2 UK Coaching Certificate. It also improves my communication and negotiation skills through dealing with committee members. It has improved my decision making skills and my assertiveness, particularly when dealing with highly competitive mothers! I coach able-bodied and less-able groups.
• Horse Riding
• Socialising with friends
• Reading

REFERENCES AVAILABLE ON REQUEST