Trainee Ranger Review

I really enjoyed my placement here, I felt welcomed from day one and have had a lot of fun while being here! The team is amazing and offer a range of skills and knowledge which I have learnt from. It's been a productive eight months and I look forward to coming back after a little break!

The team is amazing, they're all welcoming and friendly. I've felt like I've fitted in, never feeling like a spare part.

I've been given plenty of support and guidance by the team. Phil and Kelly have taught, supported and helped me with most of the practical knowledge that I have gained while there (brush cutter, spraying, fencing). Mollie and Kelly have helped with learning moths ID-ing, animal checks/handling and supported me while getting used to the 4x4 land rover and gator (minus the mishaps). Brian has been supportive throughout; answering messages/questions quickly as well as offering a one to one review half way through my placement. This helped us both gauge where I'm at and what I'd like to cover with my remaining time which I thought was really useful.

We always had something to do, even when it snowed! Most tasks are weather dependant (like the butterfly transect), but there's always something else to do. Days varied so no two day was the same and it didn't feel like the week was dragging - my placement has honestly flown by and I'll miss being here all the time.

When I started and got to grips on where things were and what the field names were I wasn't given much responsibility but as time went on and I got from confident in what I was doing I was given more responsibility - like teaching and supervising short term placements about brush cutting, animal checks and moth IDs. I always felt part of the discussion on what we were doing the next day or what needed to be done late on the in the day and after my review I asked to plan a week of tasks for the placements, which helped me understand Brian/Phil and Kelly's roles a bit more.

I've learnt a lot while being here, from day to day activities like moth and animal checks to plant ID-ing and different management ideas/plans. Brian even arranged enrichment activities for everyone ranging from Plant/Dragonfly ID to learning about Ants and Ant hills, these activities put us in touch with and let us learn from amazing experts! I've even had the opportunity while here to take my pesticide training course, despite my mistake Brian made sure I knew what I was doing and put me in again so I got the certificate. And with Phil's help the day before I passed second time around!

The atmosphere in the office (team) is always welcoming and friendly, everyone is chatty and supportive here, we didn't really spend much time in the office as we were mostly out on site so during the day the office quietens down for anyone doing office work. There's never a dull day and always a supply of drinks and food when you need them!

The placement as a whole is very well organised and runs very smoothly from day to day, there are calendars to see who's working when and a placement calendar to see when the placement students start and finish. There's never a day when you feel like you're a spare part getting in the way, you're always being trained on something or doing something that needs to be done.

I was put forward to train for my pesticide (twice - thank you Brian!) as well as learning (in house) how to use the Brush Cutter, BCS, hedge trimmer, land rover, trailers, the water pump, generator etc. There's so much to learn here in house that is useful for future use!

I really enjoy the work I'm doing here and hope to find a career in this sector - the eight months here hasn't scared me away! Currently the team here is full, but if you're willing to move around the country there are ranger jobs in a lot of places. The skills they've taught me here have set me up nicely, I think, for future prospects.

I've loved my time here with everyone, the different placements coming in and out and meeting so many different people that all share a similar interest, or do a similar degree to me has been brilliant. I've felt like it's been a melting pot of different people but as we all share similar interests in conservation we're all able to chat about something and gotten to know one another better.

Bournemouth isn't a cheap area to live in, I live in a flat with my S/O and doing an unpaid placement has put a bit of stress on money. However, it's been a great experience and I feel like I couldn't have done it any other way. Bournemouth town has clubs, pubs and great days out which we've started to utilise and I've been told by some colleagues that Southbourne (much closer) has quite a few nice bars and restaurants in too. And when invited, as long as I'm not working my other job, I've found I've been able to go as most places in the area aren't super expensive.

Bournemouth nightlife is alright, there are clubs and pubs for those who like to go out drinking and the BH2 Complex doesn't close till 10/11pm so there's plenty to do in town. Southbourne which is closer has bars and restaurants in too, but I haven't really seen much of Southbourne as I live closer to Bournemouth.

As a team we picked things to do as a group and we are planning more to do; such as meals out, drinks out, trips out. It's been a while to create traction on events to go out, but the ball is rolling now.