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Jennifer Deane

Nature Based Jobs & Skills Officer
What employment sector do you work in?

Public Sector

How long have you had a green job for nature?

1 year

Salary Range

£30,000 – £40,000

Please describe the work that you do.

I work in a small team promoting the range of careers and pathways available to those people who want to join the nature-based sector. I also engage with equality professionals to look at how we can make the sector an inclusive place to work.

What do you most like about your job?

I enjoy interacting with so many people who are incredibly passionate about the work they are doing – although it has been a very steep learning curve! I am very keen to promote the value of working in this sector and the different routes and pathways that people can access.

What inspired you into this career? 

I wanted to be able to talk about my journey into the role, find out what other people’s experiences had been and share these stories with others to inspire them to take the first step on their own pathway.

Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far? 

The main challenge for me is that I haven’t come from an Ecology or a Conservation background so I have a lot of learning and knowledge to catch up on! However, my colleagues are all incredibly generous with their time so I am rapidly getting up to speed.

What education/training did you have?

I have a degree in Primary Education and worked in the Private sector for several years as both a National Account Manager, Customer Services Implant and Insurance Broker. I was able to bring a lot of transferable skills across to my role, and have been making use of online and peer learning to develop my understanding of current conservation issues.

What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession? 

Think about what you can bring – transferable skills are in high demand at the moment as the workforce expands, so look for experiences which develop communication or confidence as well as formal learning.

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Tags: Scotland, Public sector, Unrelated first degree

Date profile submitted: 12/10/2023

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