Work Experience
Having work experience can be key in finding a green job for nature.
Whether it is a work placement, internship, graduate scheme or volunteering – gaining valuable and relevant work experience is a key step to securing the job you want.
If you are interested in an outdoor-based job in the sector such as a countryside worker or an ecologist, then try reaching out to local nature reserves or wildlife trusts as these organisations will often have volunteering schemes you are able to join. Other roles such as policy and data and mapping may require a more formal placement to get some work experience so for these you might need to be more proactive in finding these.
Most ecology work experience is unpaid voluntary work which is why it is easier for many who are already working to do one day a week or a fortnight work experience over a longer period of time, as opposed to one block of experience that would require talking holiday from work.
Take a look at the CIEEM Guidance on Undertaking Work Experience to help you.
Try looking on these sites for voluntary roles that are available:
- https://cieem.net/ecology-and-environmental-management-jobs/
- https://www.countryside-jobs.com/volunteers/sector/ecology
- https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/closer-to-nature/volunteer
- https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/volunteer
- https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering-fundraising/volunteer/
- https://www.mcsuk.org/what-you-can-do/volunteering/
- https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/support-us/act/volunteer-with-us/
- https://www.naturevolunteers.uk/