Pastures new

As Katie moves on to a paid job in conservation, she reflects on her time as a trainee...

After six months as a conservation trainee, I have moved on to pastures new. It’s been a blast!

As I start my new role, I thought I’d reflect on my time before starting with the Trust and my experience and learnings as a trainee. The start of 2022 was tough for many and I was not in a good place with my mental health. I knew I needed to do something and with the support of friends and family, I started to get better. I saw the traineeship advertised in February, applied and, to my surprise, I got an interview in March. Shortly after the interview, I was pleased to have been offered the position. To coincide with my daughter starting school, I requested to start in September. In the blink of an eye, the summer had been and gone and I was getting started at the Trust.

Two women standing in a ditch and grinning at the camera — Carolyn (l) and Katie (r)

The first week involved introducing ourselves to everyone in the other departments and meeting the trainee team I would be working closely with; Romy, Catharine, Carolyn and our team leader Andy. I wasn’t sure what to expect but we were straight to business, being shown our everyday tasks and soon setting off to work on the nature reserves. I remember the first work party of the week was with the roving volunteers at The Devil’s Spittleful nature reserve and what a wet day that was! Whilst we were coppicing small birch trees and clearing brash, the rain was relentless. A perfect introduction and one could say a deciding factor as to whether outdoor work is for you or not. Thankfully after working in North Yorkshire for five years, a little rain was never going to put me off. The roving volunteers I regularly worked alongside are a special gang; in fact all of the volunteers are living legends. Without them, the reserves would not be in such fantastic shape.

Person in safety wear chainsawing a tree

Throughout my traineeship, I have acquired valuable experience and qualifications. Throughout the six months that I was with the Trust, I gained a great range of practical skills such as coppicing, hedge laying, fencing, assembling gates, repair work and maintenance of tools. The traineeship was a voluntary placement but there was an allocated budget for each person to use for training and courses. To name a few, I have completed a forestry first aid course, brushcutter and chainsaw certificates and a tree inspection day course. Although this training was tiring and hard work at times, it was great fun and incredibly useful. These qualifications and skills are often sought after for roles within the conservation sector, so this traineeship really helped to increase employment opportunities.

I have now started work for the Malvern Hills Trust as a member of field staff. I think it’s safe to say I would not have been able to get the job if it wasn’t for the skills and knowledge I had gathered from the traineeship. If you’re considering a gap year, a change of career or just love working outdoors, I would definitely recommend considering a traineeship. It’s a great stepping stone and a fantastic opportunity to broaden skillsets and to learn more about conservation and land management. The team at Worcestershire Wildlife Trust are fantastic and I’m grateful to have worked with them; I won’t be a stranger!