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12-week Nature Recovery Traineeship

Join Ambios this autumn and leave with the skills you need for a career supporting nature recovery. On this immersive learning journey you’ll gain a deeper understanding of nature and develop the practical skills, knowledge, and confidence for your dream job.

An Orientation in Nature

Spend 12 weeks with Ambios and leave with the skills you need for a career supporting nature recovery.

Our autumn residential traineeship is based on 130 acres of wildlife-friendly farmland and rewilding on the Sharpham Estate in South Devon.  Through this training, you will gain orientation in nature and develop the practical skills, knowledge, and confidence you need to achieve your dream job.

This immersive training is embedded in Ambios’ pioneering nature recovery and rewilding work, helping you build a wealth of first-hand experience.

Ambios has been delivering training for over two decades. Our alumni have a successful track record of moving into jobs within the nature conservation sector in the UK.

Dates: 30th September 2024 – 20th December 2024
Timed to coincide with the autumn/winter season for the best access to practical land-based skills and learning.

Location:
Lower Sharpham Farm, Ashprington, Totnes. TQ9 7DX.

Cost: £3,720
Inclusive of all food, accommodation, training, and field trips 

This training is a launchpad for anyone eager to join the growing field of nature recovery in the UK. Whether you’re a young environmentalist, career changer, or aspiring ranger, we welcome your application.

The immersive experiences at Sharpham provide the essential knowledge, hands-on experience, and confidence needed for those committed to the future welfare of the natural world.

Delivered on the Sharpham Estate amidst South Devon’s stunning landscape, this traineeship provides an orientation in nature recovery. You will begin by building foundational knowledge in biodiversity, wildlife identification, ecology, and land management approaches through presentations, workshops, and hands-on training.

More specifically, you’ll delve into the vital role of soils and fungi, through sampling, surveying, and cultivation workshops and gain insights into species reintroductions with real-world examples. You’ll explore sustainable food and farming practices through activities such as organic horticulture and wild food foraging. You’ll develop practical land management skills, from woodland creation to livestock handling, and engage in traditional rural crafts like spoon carving and charcoal burning.

Along the way field trips to partner rewilding sites in Devon, local nature reserves and Dartmoor National Park will provide first-hand experiences of different landscapes and management approaches, rounding off your learning journey.

Ambios, with its 30-year legacy, offers a team of professional scientists, land managers, and conservation educators ready to enhance your learning and placement experience with their diverse expertise. Throughout your programme, you will receive personalised support and guidance to strengthen your confidence, enhance your career prospects and find your direction.

What will I learn?

This traineeship offers foundation knowledge, skills, and experience needed to work in the wildlife sector with a special emphasis on nature recovery.

Our 12-week immersive program covers a wide range of learning experiences, including:

Dive into ecological principles, the current state of UK nature, and different land management approaches for nature recovery through presentations and workshops. Explore models, economies, and funding opportunities essential for nature recovery.

Enhance your wildlife identification skills for plants, birds, bats, and other mammals through workshops and field experiences. Learn effective wildlife monitoring techniques, including camera trapping and winter bird surveys.

Understand the critical role of soils through workshops, soil sampling, and earthworm surveys. Gain an introduction to the diverse world of fungi, including a cultivation workshop with tips on setting up small-scale systems.

Study the rationale and methods for responsible species reintroductions using real-world examples at Sharpham and around Devon. Delve into the careful planning and decision-making processes involved.

Participate in horticulture sessions in our organic vegetable garden, guided by permaculture principles. Learn about the relationship between nature and farming, wild food foraging, and the connections between plants and people.

Gain hands-on experience in woodland creation, tree planting, traditional hedge laying, livestock handling and care, safe tool use, and countryside management skills through field based training sessions.

Connect with nature through traditional rural crafts, including spoon carving, charcoal burning, and stool-making workshops.

Build confidence and direction for a career in nature through sessions focused on personal development. Engage with our on-site community, participate in environmental outreach, and collaborate with partners to gain valuable experiences, connections to develop your personal network.

Visit partner rewilding sites, explore different landscapes in the surrounding areas of Devon and learn about their management approaches.

The Residential Experience

An important part of Ambios’s residential training is community life. You will be living and working alongside other trainees, staff, and volunteers throughout your time with us and the residential nature of the training is integral to the experience you’ll gain.

You’ll be based at Lower Sharpham Farm, our wildlife-friendly working farm and rewilding site on 130 acres of the Sharpham Estate, near to the vibrant market town of Totnes. The site sits among the trees with spectacular views of the river Dart and the idyllic surrounding countryside.

Our farm is central to our ability to provide valuable real-world experiences for participants on our residential traineeships.

You can learn more about Lower Sharpham Farm on our Venues and Facilities page.

You’ll be staying in our Bunkhouse, which has 11 single bedrooms and three bathrooms. Our new adjoining communal dayroom space has a shared kitchen with a large, comfortable living area and wood burner. This space also has an additional bathroom and utility room.

Our traditional yurt acts as the main indoor training space, whilst practical experience can be gained in our machinery, forestry and countryside management workshops. The site also hosts a woodland fire-pit clearing with a clay-fired pizza oven for outdoor gatherings. The main barn is used for livestock care and occasionally as an events venue.

You will be encouraged to live sustainably, helping in our organic garden, assisting with farm tasks, and shared community life. Meals are prepared communally with all ingredients provided, using local, organic produce where possible, some directly from the farm. 

Part of the unique experience of training with Ambios is the community you’ll create with your fellow trainees. Living and working together, you’ll grow and prepare food, clean and take care of your accommodation and learn and socialise as a group.

You’ll also be living with a motivated and enthusiastic small team of volunteers who help with the running of the farm and who also have personal experience and skills to share.

Many trainees report a sense of renewal, inspiration & hope. Training with Ambios is more than just learning – this extended period away from day-to-day life allows clarity of mind and many find a new energy and confidence in their direction.

How to Apply

Application form

Complete the application form below & email farm@ambios.net to let us know you have applied.

Offer of place

We will be in touch with further details, answer your questions, and if we feel the traineeship is a good fit for you, we’ll offer you a place.

Deposit payment

Secure your place by paying a £150 non-refundable deposit. We will confirm your place and send you all the pre-course information. 

 

Bursary fund:

We have a limited number of subsidised bursary places available for this traineeship. These bursaries are eligible for those facing financial hardship (e.g. unemployed, in receipt of benefits, low wage, carer for dependent other). If your case is accepted by the Board, we offer a £500 reduction on the training fee.

If you would like to apply for a bursary please fill in the traineeship application form above as normal. Once you submit this, please drop us an email  on farm@ambios.net confirming that it has been sent and that you would like to be considered for the bursary. We will then send further details on next steps. 

* Please note that we are unable to offer bursaries covering the full cost of the traineeship. 

Have a question? Contact us

Training with Ambios

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