Job Advice

[vurtual]

I'm looking to change careers into a wildlife conservation role, but I really don't have any experience. Hopefully I'll be starting a part-time degree at Hadlow (near Tonbridge) this year. Does anyone know of any full-time job types which might support one day a week at uni?

[spideyj]

Originally Posted by vurtual

I'm looking to change careers into a wildlife conservation role, but I really don't have any experience. Hopefully I'll be starting a part-time degree at Hadlow (near Tonbridge) this year. Does anyone know of any full-time job types which might support one day a week at uni?

Hiya Vurtual,

I've been involved with the conservation industry since I was 18. Like you, I didn't have any experience apart from a life long interest in wildlife.

My best advice to you, is to volunteer. Get as much voluntary experience as you can. I worked for 6 years, volunatry at weekends and my days off before I got my first full-time post. I eventually decided it was time to get qualified so I did a degree through the OU.

Without the volunatry experience I would have never have got a full time job in the field that I love.

After 14 years I'm now a head ranger and all that is down to the voluntary experience.

I throughly believe that I learnt at lot more through volunteering than I did with my degree. I met so many people who taught me even more than I already knew about wildlife.

Hope this has been useful.

Lee

[eeyore]

if you could get a countryside job then a lot of them have day release - however you will find it pretty dificult to get a countryside job without experience - classic catch 22

I supported my study and my volunterring by doing bar work which isnt badly paid, particularly for handsome fellas like me, then later by working as a golf course green keeper start a 4am finish at 1pm - afternoons free for study or volunteering

however if you do go this route take my advice and date a colleague as otherwise the weird hours will kill your social life deader than a deceased dodo

[vurtual]

lol, well social life isn't the issue - married with one child. Six years voluntary work however would take me to 38 before I get a job, which I'm trying to avoid. I'm doing a bit at weekends at a Wildlife Park, but I've only been doing that for a few weeks.

[eeyore]

generally speaking you need about a years experience (that is a years worth rather than 1 weekend per month for a year) though you might be able to get off with 6 months if your lucky - the key is to find a sympathetic volunteers coordinator who will a) be flexible enough to fit your volunteering round your other commitments , and b) if you do a good job be prepared to inflate your time commitment on your refference.

one other thing i would mention which with your commitments you might like to take into account is that conservation sector pay is total and complete bobbins

I have ten years paid experience plus another 4 as a volunteer and up to last year i was earning 17,500pa - just before xmas i got a new job and jumped to the heady heights of £23k - my first paid job paid £9k (this was a few years back average now is closer to £14k) and was a six month contract

its alright for me as i have no dependants and also derive a second income from photography but i woulnt fancy supporting a young family on beginers pay

[vurtual]

Yeah, I understand that pay is gonna be a problem, and frankly I have been spoiled in my current job, but even more frankly, the job is driving me potty. Looks like it's going to be a case of perserverence, sacrifice and disappointment, hooray!

[Dan Salter]

Hi Virtual....

I sooo understand you as firstly im studying a degree at Hadlow myself and i have been trying to clock up the voluntry hours all this year although i suffered 2 injurys ( tennis elbow in right and rotary cuff in left shoulder) which has set me back a bit ...but year one of the degree is nearing its end so i can get out all summer and volunteer again

What course are you doing? Im on the Countryside management Fd....so if you need any advive let me know?

Dan
p.s...I whole heartedly agree with what the others said...I done an entire summer volunteering and have done the first year of the uni course and i without question learnt more from the knowledgable staff and other volunteers through voluntry work than from any of my tutors or courses at college....so bare that in mind...if i just wanted knowledge i would blow out the college/uni and just stick with volunteering...but if you want the job/career you need that bit of paper with degree written on it.

[vurtual]

Hey, I was planning to do the Animal Conservation and Biodiversity degree part-time. Something's come up actually that is gonna put this whole thing on hold for a little bit anyway...there's a second baby on the way so there's kinda bigger priorities now