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It is the last week of my first seat with the Planning team and I can’t believe how quickly the last six months have gone by. Next week I go up to the Business floor to start work with the Commercial team. The prospect of being the ‘new kid’ again is proving to be both exciting and daunting. I am lucky to have already worked with my new supervisor Annelie, due to my involvement in the Energy and Renewables sector, so fortunately it doesn’t feel like I am diving completely into the unknown.
Last week was a brilliant way to spend my penultimate week in my Planning seat. I was able to attend a Planning Inquiry which I have been assisting with since I joined the team in September. As well as invaluable experience, the Inquiry gave me a perfect opportunity to wear my new ‘power heels’. Although wearing them means I lose all sensation in my toes, coupled with the fact that the old echoing building in which the Inquiry was held meant that I sounded like a giant horse wherever I went, nothing could or ever will diminish my love for these beautiful shoes.
On a more serious note, the power of hindsight has made me realise that the Inquiry process has given me a yardstick by which to measure my progress over the last six months. During my third week into this seat I can remember sitting in a conference desperately trying to make notes on subject matter that was whistling over my head. Over the last couple of months I have been able to give my own input during these conferences and even better, have felt as though my contributions have been respected. I don’t believe I had even registered how far I had come until I had this realisation last week. Although I am sure over the next few months it will initially be strange to grapple with new terminology, I am so looking forward to understanding a totally new area of law, potentially without even realising it!
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