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Careers in Conservation |
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Are you passionate about conservation? Is protecting the environment, or a part of it, the only thing you want to do? Here are some ways to find out more about careers in conservation and some tips to help you get started. |
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Because of changing attitudes and more public interest in conservation, there are conservation careers in anything from practical conservation to PR, marketing or education. Competition for jobs in nature conservation is intense, as it has become a very popular field. |
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Despite the competition, there are opportunities for people who are both academically and practically oriented. To have the best chance of getting a job it is important to develop extra skills and experience. |
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The best way to get the experience you need is to volunteer. You can do this before, during and after your studies, and it will help you get your dream job. Many conservation organisations depend on volunteers, so whatever you are doing you will be making a difference. |
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Becoming a Volunteer |
Addresses of all organisations are in the Careers with Animals pdf file here. |
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Most zoological parks and associations have a volunteer scheme, so contact your local zoo and ask about possibilities for volunteering. |
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The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) is a good place to start volunteering. They offer day, midweek, weekend and weeklong tasks to provide countryside agencies with a workforce. Accommodation and food are provided for a low cost. They offer training in countryside skills, and the chance to learn about working with a group or as a group leader. |
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Many national conservation organisations offer the chance to volunteer with them. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the National Trust, the Wildlife Trusts and the Mammal Society all offer places for volunteers. Friends of the Earth offer the chance to get involved in office work. This is a great opportunity to see how a conservation organisation runs, as volunteers do everything from research and information gathering to filing and office support. |
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Qualifications and Training |
It is important to realise that academic qualifications are not enough to get a job in conservation. Experience and a willingness to get your hands dirty are essential. Unfortunately you also have to be willing to work for relatively low pay. |
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A/S levels or International Baccalaureate Highers in biological sciences, chemistry, geography or maths are useful if you want to get involved in the scientific side of conservation. They are not always necessary though. Environmental law is a growing field, and conservation organisations need PR people, managers, accountants, computer programmers, journalists/writers, graphic designers, interpreters, education officers, volunteer co-ordinators and statisticians. If you do want to be a research biologist, the importance of statistical knowledge cannot be stressed enough, the more comfortable you are analysing your results, the better scientist you will become. |
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| If you are planning a year out, do plan carefully and make sure the work you are doing is linked to your prospective career. It might be worth looking at a one-year, practical course in a land-based / environmental subject, especially if working in countryside management is a goal for the future. |
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| This is a good idea because you study a new subject that will give you experience, transferable skills, and will show prospective employers that you are willing to get your hands dirty. It will allow you to study relevant subjects without them being too academically challenging after A/S levels. |
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| If you are considering going into conservation as a career switch, a vocational course such as those listed below are a good way to transfer into a new career, while allowing you to work part time if needed. BTEC/Edexcel First Diplomas, National Diplomas, Higher National Diplomas, Degrees and also General National Vocational Qualifications (Vocational A Levels and GNVQs at Foundation, Intermediate or Advanced level) National and Advanced National Certificates are very practical qualifications. |
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| Other useful skills that might help you get a career in conservation include the ability to climb trees (possibly a climbing qualification), being able to strip down and rebuild an engine, diving qualifications, fluent language skills, first aid certification, chainsaw certification, a clear driving licence, and the ability to work with computers. |
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| Finding the job you want |
| Conservation posts are advertised in the local and national press, scientific journals, particularly New Scientist, and other professional and technical publications. The Environmental Job Post and Countryside Jobs are published fortnightly and also have website listings. |
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| If you have loved some of the volunteer work you have completed, keep in touch with the agency and the people you met. It is very useful to have personal contacts in the industry, as people often hear about jobs in advance. Don’t send speculative job applications without knowing who you are sending it to and without doing some research about the company first. A number of useful addresses - some provide good advice on how to get started in conservation and some lists of conservation jobs are in the Careers with Animals pdf file here. Good luck in your future career. |
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