Career change - blog

[tom00_uk]

I’m currently undergoing the practical experience training needed to get a job in conservation/ ecology. It’s all well and good having a degree and a masters in this secter but to get employed your expected to have taken the time to volunteer and learn from seasoned rangers etc what it takes to run a reserve. This is because the actual knowledge gained in university from books and practical lesions is very limited.

It also means I can work on my animal licences for things like dormice, great crested newts and bats.

I know there are a lot of readers to these pages and they often ask about how to get a job working out there with nature, well I’m blogging my experience and providing a insight to people that are interested about what you go through so you can decide if this is the path for you.

[nancywilliams]

If you are willing to make a Career Change then be careful before you take a forward step. Its better you plan a change after march 2010.

[Dan Salter]

How so? (its no doubt obvious but not to me right this second?)

[metalfish]

Nope, I don't understand either, sounds like something an astrologist would say

[Dan Salter]

Nancy?...are you really that tw*t Russel Grant?

[tom00_uk]

looks like a spam advert

[tom00_uk]

Updated frequently and all posts feature pictures taken that day.

The random waffle from a conservation volunteer

[NatureTrainee]

I wish you good luck in your career change but I thought I would share my experiences.
I have a degree in Biological Sciences and an MSc and gave up work for a year to work for a Wildlife Trust which ran a trainee program. As part of this year I gained two chainsaw qualifications, first aid and gained experience of all practical conservation tasks on a wide range of habitats. I also spent the summer months surveying and gaining experience writing reports and using Recorder to manipulate survey results. I also attended courses in identification and handling of many things from Otter and newts to winter trees. I gained experience of managing volunteers and running conservation groups. I also worked extensively with the Trust's livestock which included cattle, sheep and ponies. We even had a training course on the farming regulations for conservation. As part of this we also were trained on how to complete application forms for jobs and how to interview effectively. Despite this I have never managed to get a job in conservation. I found that every interview I went to there was one person who had one more string to their bow than me (e.g. trailer driving certificate). One lady I worked with was the most amazingly talented naturalist I have ever met, she was good at all the physical tasks and was generally a lovely person - she did manage to get a job but after trying for 2 years and the job she got was for only a year and on mininum wage.
I have taken a slightly different direction now and really enjoy my job but everytime I hear of people investing time and money to try and get a job in Conservation I worry that the job market is swamped with overly qualified keen people desperate to work in conservation which drives down the salaries for the few jobs that do come up.
I wish everyone who pursues this dream the best of luck as I found my year working for the trust (unpaid) was incredible and if only it were a paid job it would have been my dream job!
I don't mean to be negative but I feel that people need to be aware of the realities of the job market.
Good luck and enjoy every minute of it!

[Jason Green]

Originally Posted by tom00_uk

looks like a spam advert

My thoughts exactly - the March 2010 bit is just added to give a vein of authenticity in my opinion.

[tom00_uk]

Very true NatureTrainee

Yes I understand this sector is highly sought after these days. I’m taking part in this as i become unemployed recently and rather than join the sofa sitting tribe that is ruled by king jeremy kyle and queen Trisha Goddard, whilst i apply for work I’m out there using my skills and gaining new ones instead of turning to atrophy.

I have a masters etc and am told to qualify for entry positions and not qualified enough for the next level, so until i find a break ill keep on doing the voluntary thing. Its a strange time though as even though there is a number of people there on training placements there are now these back to work people that have been out of work for 9 months or more and are now getting paid min wage to do the same as us unpaid vols. So basically I’m blogging to show the highs and lows of getting your foot through a door in this sector,
I have previously managed to work not just in the UK but also in Norway and France in jobs related to the environment and in both office, laboratory and field work roles so since I have this mixed bag history I’m now trying to find the right path to walk and at the same time show it’s not all ways a simple sector to find work.