Working4Wildlife 2-week courses 2020

Practical wildlife conservation training in EU + recognition of skills

Looking for an opportunity to combine working for wildlife and travel to the EU?   Want to spend some focused time with wildlife and like minded people?  We will add skills training and recognition into that package for you. By being on an Ambios Ltd vocational training course, Erasmus can then fund your mobility.

Our Working4Wildlife practical course consists of:

  • 30-hour online wildlife identification course
  • 2-week European mobility (funded by Erasmus+)
  • Private facebook Q&A group including guest employers
  • E-badge, Europass and Employer recognition of your skills
  • Post-mobility networking/employer event

We have a network of European nature conservation training partners ready for you to choose the 2-week work-place experience that suits your needs.  Different countries offer different opportunities (see below).  The video on the right is an example of the 2-week Hungarian field trip.

These immersive experiences will support your personal development and help your path into nature conservation or other career.

You have to be accepted onto a vocational course with Ambios (for which there is a separate fee) to be able to go on the field trip. Erasmus+ supports all the costs of your mobility. See Skills Training and Recognition below.

Come and help us make a difference

Feedback

Previous participants have said

The best part was:

“Sharing exciting and new experiences with people and working together to achieve amazing things! For example seeing new species of birds for the first time or all working hard together when large numbers of birds arrive.”

“Different use of camera traps for mammalian research, how to identify and survey badger setts, observed bat mist netting for the first time”

“The best part was the well structured learning exercises, one on the fresh water data collection and analyses, a second one on preparation and presentation of a scientific poster and finally the preparation and execution of a guided nature walk.”

Private Facebook Group Q&A with employers

During your course you’ll have access to a Private Facebook Group where you can share experiences with fellow participants from your chosen country and from the other mobilities offered by this project.  You can get involved in Question & Answer sessions with guest employers (who will join us for a week) and other course participants.  This will enable you to discover top tips for; job applications, interviews and the early days in a job. It will also expand your network of contacts across the nature conservation sector.

Travel

Ambios Ltd is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of all our operations. We will therefore explore with successful participants the practicalities of travelling to your Host by coach (or train) before we investigate air travel.  An an example, for Hungary this means you travelling for over 26hours by coach London=>Budapest before minibus to BOF HQ (2hrs more). We understand this may be too long for some participants with health or welfare needs, in which case please let us know and we will look into flights. We will begin to offset the impacts of our travel via our tree planting scheme at Lower Sharpham Farm.

To find out more about the mobilities, please take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Skills training and recognition

If your application is successful, you will be on our vocational training course which is on-line.  This self-directed learning will allow you to get the most from your time on mobility.

You will work your way through the learning materials at your own pace and you can complete as much of the course as you like.  Each section of learning is followed by a review (of that learning).  When you’ve successfully progressed through all the review stages we will issue you with an e-badge for that Unit.   The badge gives you recognition of your time on the course and helps to enhance your employability. It will be endorsed by your EU hosts and Ambios Ltd

Depending on which mobility you decide to go on, you can complete a course in Bird Identification and will come with recognition of your time and hard work while on mobility.  You’ll learn practical skills in bird identification, increasing your confidence around looking at bird shape, size, colour, song, and behaviour as well as producing field notes and understanding the legal aspects and your responsibilities when wildlife watching.

For all courses you will work at Apprentice level, doing tasks under supervision.

Post European Mobility

When you’ve completed your mobility you’ll receive recognition from your hosts and a Europass as well as a mobility e-badge like the one on the left.  This e-badge will be linked to a record of your achievements and an endorsement from your Host.

You will receive this Mobility e-badge for:

  • working towards a vocational qualification while abroad
  • successfully communicating with other professionals/the public
  • using technology in species recording/public engagement
  • identifying a range of species of plants or animals
  • having the confidence to safely interact with wildlife for survey purposes

You can receive additional e-badges by completing our on-line courses.  You can take up to 1 year from your date of registration to finish.