Whilst looking at the course brochure for sixth form, I came across geology. I already loved geography at the time and this seemed like geography but the physical aspects, and about the Earth. We learnt about geological time, basic mineralogy, basic palaeontology, and I loved it. Before this, I really had no idea what my future held, but now I was certain it was to be geology.
The course at Plymouth was fantastic and everything that anyone could want, with good class sizes, friendly and approachable lecturers, great campus with everything nearby, and best of all, to the envy of my non-geological friends, amazing field trips. In my time at Plymouth, I did fieldwork all over the UK, as well as in Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Sicily and the USA (Death Valley).
During the course we learnt about all the different areas in geology; minerals, fossils, igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, geohazards, fieldwork techniques as well as relevant computer programs such as GIS and teamwork. Towards the end of the course personal development became a focus. We worked on the necessary skills for CVs, job interviews, time organisation and other aspects of working life. Without this course, I would not have a job in geology.
I’m currently working as a Logging Geologist in the North Sea. This entails sampling and analysing rock chippings as we drill, and the monitoring of various parameters. I have been aboard the Rowan Norway rig for a week, and will be for a further two weeks. We generally work three weeks on, three weeks off, so time off is plentiful. From this role, I plan to progress and gain experience within the industry.
