Penny Martin
What employment sector do you work in?
Public Sector
How long have you had a green job for nature?
20+ years
Please describe the work that you do.
I work (p/t 3 days a week) to support outdoor learning, Learning for Sustainability and to connect young people to nature. This involves work with partners across the education sector in Scotland, as well as my NatureScot colleagues. Our project work largely supports professional learning outdoors for educators, so this is teacher rather than pupil focused work. Sometimes I meet pupils at STEM and nature-based careers and skills events, which is fun.
What do you most like about your job? Any dislikes?
I love being outdoors with other educators exploring creative ways to support learning across the curriculum, making the most of what nature we can find in a range of outdoor spaces. This role connects me with inspiring people across Scotland – its a friendly and supportive network with a shared ethos. My dislikes – public sector budget constraints can limit what we can achieve. Also, my day to day work life is largely desk bound and computer based – its a perk to get outside!
What inspired you into this career?
Probably playing freely outdoors from a very early age onwards helped me catch the bug – sometimes literally! I did some volunteering when I was an undergraduate with an inner city group supporting disadvantaged children, and really loved it. It was challenging and stimulating. An early zoo educator role cemented my enjoyment of working both with children and animals, combining the two elements of education and ecology.
Have you faced any challenges in progressing your career so far?
I didn’t have a clear career path mapped out from the start. There wasn’t this kind of Green Jobs for Nature information available when I was younger, just word of mouth! Formal education experience in the education sector might have been useful but I chose differently. Going part time when I was raising a family has meant compromises in terms of ambition and pay, but work life balance is important too.
What education/training did you have?
BSc. pure and applied Zoology; MSc in Natural Resource Management.
Making the most of training/ conference/ workshop/ hands-on experience / learning from colleagues in various roles through my career.
What advice would you give to someone coming into the profession?
If you can, try some volunteering work to discover what you like/ don’t like!
Get real world experience. Discover whether you are a person who likes to work strategically, or get outdoors and work directly with people, and get your hands dirty. Make the most of existing networks to meet people across your chosen sector, ideally in person. There are some great outdoor learning networks in Scotland and beyond, which offer creative training and learning opportunities.
—
Tags: Scotland, Public sector, Environmental educator
Date profile submitted: 23/01/2025
Related Job Profiles
Gregory Jenkins
Abbie de Castella
