Doing a placement with a local council’s weed management team opened Juman Ashfi’s eyes to the role computer science has to play in sustainability efforts.
Prior to doing his Sustainability Placement Experience with the Huon Valley Council, the Bachelor of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) graduate had only thought about sustainability in terms of its end goal.
“It's also about the efficiency of the processes used to get there,” he said.
“It shifted my perspective to see technology not just as an operational tool, but as a crucial enabler for environmental responsibility that allows organisations to do more with fewer resources.”
Majoring in computer science, Juman is passionate about finding ways to use technology to simplify complex systems, automate processes and improve the way people work.
And it was through the University's Sustainability Placement Experience, during the third year of his degree, that he discovered how those same skills could help address environmental challenges in the community.
“I wanted to bridge the gap between my technical computer science background and real-world environmental challenges.
“The opportunity to take theoretical concepts like data management and automated workflows, and apply them to tangible sustainability initiatives, was incredibly attractive.”
The Sustainability Placement Experience is an elective unit that can be taken by students in any discipline as part of their bachelor’s degree at the University of Tasmania. It’s an opportunity to get hands-on experience with real sustainability projects, while earning credit towards their degree.
Juman completed a placement with Huon Valley Council, where he worked on streamlining administrative processes for environmental and weed management staff, using technologies like automated reporting and digital map systems.
In addition to analysing the existing administrative and reporting processes, he also accompanied council staff on field inspections and property assessments, so he could understand the on-site aspects of their work as well as the in-office ones.
“I was surprised by how much of an immediate impact simple digital integrations can have on day-to-day sustainability efforts,” Juman said.
“Implementing automated reporting, and utilising tools like Power Automate can drastically reduce manual administrative burdens, freeing up staff to focus on actual on-the-ground environmental work.
“Knowing that these contributions could tangibly streamline the council's environmental efforts is very rewarding.”
The placement also helped Juman build professional capabilities that are difficult to replicate in a classroom environment, such as communicating directly with the people who will actually be using the new systems, being able to explain the new processes in a straightforward way, and the importance of a healthy work-study-life balance.
“It taught me how to identify pain points in a real workplace … and propose solutions that actually fit the organisation's workflow.
“It’s one thing to build a system in a classroom, it’s another to implement a solution that staff will confidently adopt in their daily routines.
“Balancing this placement alongside my weekend retail shifts and personal family responsibilities also deeply reinforced my time management skills.”
Juman particularly valued the way the placement program created a direct connection between study and industry.
“Environmental organisations need modern technical solutions to operate effectively, and ICT students need real-world, complex problems to solve. These initiatives [benefit] both the community and the students.
It also gave him the opportunity to discover unexpected ways to use his expertise.
“Don't be afraid to apply your specific major to unexpected areas,” he said. “Even if you are a computer science student, your skills in automation, data management, and systems thinking are incredibly valuable in fields like environmental management.
Interested in gaining practical industry experience while contributing to a more sustainable future? Explore the Sustainability Placement Experience at the University of Tasmania.