CIWEM Conversations: A fellow and a graduate member on mentoring, career paths and the future of work

02 June 2025

CIWEM fellow Fola Ogunyoye and graduate member Rebecca Wardle discuss how mentorship, flexible working and sector engagement are shaping early careers in FCERM

Fola Ogunyoye is director at TJAY Consultancy, specialising in flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) and resilience. He’s been in the industry for nearly 35 years, having worked as a contractor, researcher and in operational management before moving into consultancy 26 years ago, the past four years of which he has spent running his own business. He became a fellow of CIWEM in 2010.

Rebecca Wardle is a flood and coastal risk management advisor at the Environment Agency (EA), working with risk management authorities like drainage boards and local authorities to help them manage and deliver their flood defence projects and strategies. She has worked in the sector for around two years, having previously been employed as a project manager in construction. Rebecca joined CIWEM as a graduate member in 2024.

They met at the EA’s office in Kettering, Northamptonshire in February 2025, where they began discussing how support in career progression today compares with when Fola started out in the sector…

RW: There are clear steps in the EA, as an organisation, but I also think you make your own luck. If you want it, go get it. I try and get involved as much as I can because that's how you learn what else is out there.

FO: When I was at the EA, more than 20 years ago, very few people were chartered with CIWEM. When I looked within my hierarchy, the first person I found who was chartered was the regional general manager – the number one person in the whole region – so that was quite a challenge. I contacted CIWEM and did it on my own, which was not easy, but then I was able to get one or two people to look over what I was doing and it was as a result of that that I got chartered in 1996.

When I started at Posford Duvivier (now Royal HaskoningDHV) in 1998, I got involved as a mentor straight away because I knew what it meant not to have one, and eventually took on the role of supervising mentor for the graduate scheme. I was always able to tell my story to young graduates, which encouraged them to properly engineer their journey under mentors who can support them.

But it’s definitely a two-way benefit – sometimes I think I gain more than I give. I get so much from the enthusiasm, the bright ideas, and working with someone who's trying to forge their path.

Fola Ogunyoye and Rebecca Wardle

RW: I've had a couple of official mentors but there are also people who probably do fulfil that role, but it's not labelled as such. They've perhaps come up against the same barriers that I have, and they can help by talking through them. That more informal route works better for me, but others might prefer a more defined set up.

Working as a team also naturally provides mentorship. Today is our team's office day so we're all bouncing ideas off each other – if you’re doing something you've not done before but someone else has, you go and speak to them.

FO: When I was junior and working more in offices, there were a lot of principals around – you’re seeing what they’re doing, you’re engaging with and learning from them. You can’t put a value on that, the impact is huge. After a while, of course, I became the person that people came to.

Comparing that to now, post-Covid, where people are having less of that sort of interaction, there’s a lot that’s missing. But if you’ve never been in that situation, you don’t know that you’re missing it.

RW: In this role I’m predominately working from home, but we do come in regularly as a team and prioritise that. For me – I live over an hour’s drive from here, so would I have taken this job if I couldn’t work from home? Probably not. That's a massive positive of flexible working, in that you can get the right people for the job, and location doesn’t matter as much.

There’s a lot to be said for being in the office around other people – but there’s also a lot of distraction that comes with that. I get in touch with people on Teams to ask them things. If you’re willing to do that, I don’t think it’s the same as being in the office, but it’s close enough and it’s almost more focused.

I wouldn't apply for a job that didn't let me work from home because it's about that work life balance as well. I’m so much less tired because I’m not spending two hours in the car every day. It's all about flexibility though – empowering people to make the right choice for them but have the responsibility to make the right choice for the business as well.

FO: These days, now that I work mostly from home, I take every opportunity to attend meetings in person because I need to see other human beings.

RW: I know what you mean. For me, it’s the informal chitchat and things you can get involved in, hands on. The EA had our Minecraft game, RiverCraft at last year’s Flood & Coast conference, for example. Also, you can get into surprising conversations where you broaden your sectoral experience. Seeing people in person who are passionate about things, it draws you into topics you might not even know existed.

FO: Conferences are a good, inexpensive way to bring new knowledge and training to people, especially those at the start of their careers. When I was running a team I would always try to get my graduates to CIWEM’s Rivers and Coastal Group conference because they would really get a lot out of it. I recently attended this year’s conference in fact – it’s just a great opportunity to engage.

Join the CIWEM Member Platform to find a mentor or mentee.

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2025 print edition of The Environment. CIWEM members can read the issue in full (and all back issues dating back to 2016) via MyCIWEM. You can also stay up-to-date with our free monthly 'The Environment' newsletter – subscribe here.

Jo Caird is editor of The Environment