Getting an Ecology or Conservation job is so difficult!

[coasty]

Martin

Were you interested in the vacancy on the grad training on our company website?

Andy

[martin_25]

Hi coasty,
I forgot to message you sooner about that, but I couldn't find the link on that website for any graduate jobs (I probably wasn't looking properly!)
But after reading about what the company do then it would be something that I would be interested in.

Thanks,

Martin

[coasty]

Originally Posted by martin_25

Hi coasty,
I forgot to message you sooner about that, but I couldn't find the link on that website for any graduate jobs (I probably wasn't looking properly!)
But after reading about what the company do then it would be something that I would be interested in.

Thanks,

Martin

Front page of web site follow link placements and graduate training... The graduate training positions are in demand to dont mess about

[DonScott]

Hi There
I've just joined the forum. I graduated in Ecology last year and am looking for practical suggestions about getting some form of paid work.
I knew it would be hard to get a job before I graduated so I organised a graduate expedition to Madagascar with two other graduates last year as a way of getting some experience thus helping me to get a job.

It is now becoming apparent that despite the expedition costing me thousands of pounds and eight months of intensive unpaid work, it cuts absolutely no ice with potential employers. Despite being responsible for
the coordination of a team of 8 researchers for four months, formulating sound methodology and carrying out a detailed botanic survey, writing an 80 page report, obtaining almost 10 thousand pounds funding from major conservation organisations, giving several talks on our research, having a published article, currently writing a scientific paper based on our results and building a whole website to disseminate the data, all people want to know is if I have a Great Crested Newt License.

I am quite frustrated by the parochial nature of the U.K ecology and conservation industry. I spent four months working in an area of the world with massive endemism and threatened and endangered plant and animal species then try to get a job here and people want to know if I have a license for a species whose distribution is: "United Kingdom and northern France, through southern Scandinavia, and central Europe, to the southwestern part of West Siberia (Kurganskaya Province; records in Sverdlovskaya Province need verification)".

Having said that, i am determined to get an ecology job so I'm working at all these requirements which the various job descriptions have.
Anyway I empathise with your predicament Martin!
I think the reason it's quite hard to get a job is because it's actually an enjoyable thing to do, not like training to become an accountant.

[Meta menardi]

Hi Don, good to see you are joining us. Don't be down hearted about a slowness in getting jobs and interviews, you have to keep on, sometimes for years, before it clicks for you. Keep going.

[sophiemay]

Hey

Im new to this forum, I recently graduated from brighton un with a ecology and biogeography degree, i did my foundation degree in animal science, and am looking for work exp in the field.

I recently moved to Cornwall and so have just managed to join the bat group (which i havnt meet up with yet as had not much of a reply) and have talked to the Cornwall Wildlife trust about going out with them, so have some bat ecology stuff lined up for spring,
Im really more interested in bat ecolgy work at the moe.
But does anyone know of anywhere i could possible approach to get some general field exp??? as so far all i have done i freshwater ecology as part of my final year project.

thank you

[derelict]

Originally Posted by DonScott

I think the reason it's quite hard to get a job is because it's actually an enjoyable thing to do, not like training to become an accountant.

pree-cisely... effectively you compete with people who would (& do) cheerfully do the job for free. Just as colleges don''t have to advertise ecology courses... they're popular!

As to "tick box" culture well, there was a boom period recently when environmental impact assessments came in under planning legislation (also for archaeologists) - but in my view these are going to be seriously impacted by the prevailing economic climate just as those who trained to do house sellers' packs are finding out. My advice is to go get a job where you get paid enough - or have enough spare time - to actively pursue it as a hobby. It may not be what you want to hear but there it is.

Moreover if you're truly interested in conservation you can be far more influential from the other side of the tracks. One grant application exercise will tell you that!

If you're that enthused you'll carry on doing it in your spare time and if Fate plays the straight man you may end up in the right place at the right time... but don't count on it.

If you're not, well, other pathways will open up for you. You're privileged to have done your course - it gives you an insight but little more, believe me. Ultimately degrees count for very little - far too many people have them these days. And you'll be shocked and surprised by how extremely knowledgeable many of the "unqualified" are. Take this site for example... stick around and see!

One who knows...

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

I'm not sure how they recruit, probably through the civil service, but the Ministry of defence, being the second largest land owner in the UK (I think) is taking conservation very seriously these day. As much of the land is off limits to the public the oppertunities for wildlife are plentiful.

BWD

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Billy Wobble Dagger

I'm not sure how they recruit, probably through the civil service, but the Ministry of defence, being the second largest land owner in the UK (I think) is taking conservation very seriously these day. As much of the land is off limits to the public the oppertunities for wildlife are plentiful.

BWD

they advertise via cjs - but a) there are only five or six positions , and b) these jobs are generally quite senior and require a lot of experience - they dont have the junior estate worker type jobs you see elsewhere because they have squadies on punishment to do the dogsbody work

[Noeler]

yo yo, havnt posted on this site for months.
but if anyone is in the south join the somerset environmental records center next year. ive been there from june. since then i have built up an extensive botanical knowledge (when i knew didely squat before), ive pretty much got a dormouse disturbance licence, and should have a crayfish and newt licence soon, ive taken part in invertebrate, otter, water vole and bat, pond, hedgerow, woodland, field surveys as well as had training courses in dragon flies, owls, bats and lots of others and have just finished writing a bat report for the somerset wildlife trust
in short this was the best decision i ever made and it is highly recommended!!!!