Going full time....

[life through a lens]

I am after some advice to, hopefully, change my life

After many years of working in jobs just to pay bills I've decided enough is enough and, seeing that I have 40 odd years left till retirement, I want to make a clean break and concentrate on a career that I enjoy.

Unfortunately family and financial commitments are stopping me simply dropping everything and I realise that I am going to need to put some effort into realising my dream. What I am after is advice on the best course subjects to study (have been looking into degrees via distance learning) and what opportunities are available. Ideally I would like to go into conservation/habitat management but can turn my hand (and mind) to anything.

I have registered as a volunteer with the Surrey Wildlife Trust to get some important experience and to also make some contacts, any suggestions for other volunteer schemes that can get my foot in the door ??? Due to the commitments already mentioned I only have limited spare time at the moment but am working on a cunning job change to rectify this

Any help, advice, information, pointing and laughing would be most gratefully received.

Olly

[willandtracey]

Good for you!

Have you thought about getting down to your nearest farm and volunteering your services - thats got to be the best way of getting some practical experience.

i know if i was doing it i would be looking out either for a smaller farm where you can get stuck into a bit of everything or i you could find an estate with a game keeper then shadowing him might be ideal... i would go along and explain what you want to do and make sure you let them know your willing and able to committ.

It might work - these farmers are likely to be up for a bit of slave labour and in return for doing all the jobs that no one wants to get involved in you'll get the opportunity to get the experience you want.

Best of luck - nice picture by the way!

[Tursiops]

Seconded: Good for you!
A few thoughts:-
1. Do you have a driving licence? Ironically, almost every "environmental" job I see advertised requires one ( I don't - which is why I'm stuck in front of a computer and not out there doing something constructive).
2. Get qualifications - it's a very competitive world, and the better your qualifications, the better your chances of getting the perfect job.
3. As a starting point, try the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers - they organise volunteer work parties, and training courses up to NVQ 3 level: http://www2.btcv.org.uk/display/btcv_home

For jobs try here:http://www.environmentjobs.co.uk/

Good luck
Tursiops

[Lou-D]

Hi Olly

Like you I've decided to go for a change in career. I've always been interested in wildlife and would love a future career in that area. I also work full time and can't afford to give it up so I'm doing a part time foundation degree Wildlife and Countryside Conservation course at my local agricultural college. It's one evening a week over three years with the chance of completing a full time, one year, masters degree at the end of it. The advice I was given is to get as high a qualification as possible as that will make you stand out from the many applicants after each job. (Conservation is a very popular career area at the moment).

The other thing is to get as much experience as possible. I'm doing some work experience with my local nature society, the South Holderness Countryside Society, and also for a company who specialises in wildlife related research. I've already made a few contacts through these which I'm hoping will benefit me when I finish the course. I also got the opportunity, through the SHCS, to go to the Yorkshire Naturalists Union 2006 Conference in Harrogate the other month (they paid in return for me helping with their display) where I got to meet people representing different societies. As a result of that, I am going to a wader ringing session on Spurn Point at the weekend and also have other different tasks lined up. (I'm trying different things to find out which is 'my thing'!)

My advice to you is to look in newspapers, wildlife magazines and other local media to see what events are in your area and sign up for as many different ones as you can. The wider range of work you do and the more contacts you make is going to benefit you in the long run.

Good luck. Let us know how you get on.

[Imaginos]

Qualifications and experience. There is no substitute for either, and the better both are, the better your chances. A way to improve your chances is to also provide a skill other candidates may not have, here your previous career could come in handy, but there is also room to develop a new skill alongside your study and work experience, maybe get into mycology or entomology (especially groups other than the well studied Lepidoptera, hoverflies and carabid beetles) or develop your presentation skills. It all boils down to being a good candidate for the jobs you have in mind and that little 'something different' could give you the edge.