Avon Wildlife Trust is recruiting 2x Trainees to join the Pollinator Recovery Team. These 9-month placements require no previous experience or degree level education, and offer the skills and experience necessary to kickstart a career in the environmental sector.

Insects pollinate £690 million worth of crops in the UK annually, with wild pollinators carrying out 85-95% of this. Many species of bee, moth, butterfly, hoverfly, fly and beetle provide this essential, often overlooked, service. Despite this, the steep decline of pollinating insects, and the loss of the habitats that support them, are well documented.

The AWT and partner organisations in the West of England aim to halt and reverse these losses, with an ambition to become the UK’s Bee & Pollinator Capital. As a Pollinator Pathways trainee, you will help to support delivery of this ambition.

The Pollinator Pathways project focuses on the area within the ‘B-Line’ (Biodiversity line), between AWT’s reserves of Folly Farm and Browne’s Folly, with ambitions to scale up and expand this work around the Avon area.

The trainee will support the teams work with farmers, landowners and communities to grow the network of habitats between these reserves. To ensure climate resilience you will work hands on, with expert support from project staff, on a variety of priority habitats including grasslands, hedgerows, in-field trees and woodland edges, all of which are important pollinator habitats.  

There is also a generous training budget which will allow successful applicants to learn new skills such as GIS (Geographic Information System), First aid, Species ID, UK habitat classification, Biodiversity Net Gain training, Brushcutter/hand tool training etc. Trainees will under-take one ‘study’ day per week where they can research/train in relevant areas of interest.

As a Pollinator Pathways trainee you will:

• Support the project team in delivering the Pollinator Pathways Project
• Carryout 1 day per week of dedicated study. Details to be agreed with the Pollinator Recovery Manager
• Gain the skills, licences and experience needed to start a career in the environmental sector
• Learn how to deliver nature recovery projects (admin and ground works)
• Obtain a good understanding of relevant legislation and funding processes
• Help arrange and run community engagement events and volunteer work days
• Shadow senior staff on farm visits and community events, assisting in writing reports for landowners
• Support habitat surveys and monitoring efforts alongside the project team

Part time fixed term 9 month contract 30 hours a week over four days (including 1 'study' day). 

Starting date - we would expect the successful applicant to be in post January 2025.

This post is paid at National Living Wage £11.44 per hour regardless of age. Usual weekly wage £343.20.

The interview process for successful applicants will be in the form of an informal ‘workday’ group interview at Folly Farm Centre, Stowey on Tuesday 26/11/24 where we will undertake some habitat maintenance works, with informal discussions with each candidate.

Staff Benefits

Avon Wildlife Trust provides a range of benefits for employees including;

• Employer pension contribution up to 5% (if eligible)
• Life assurance – death in service
• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays (pro-rata)
• Hybrid working
• Employee assistance programme

Avon Wildlife Trust is an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse organisation where everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of seeing nature restored on a grand scale across the Avon region, we need talented and more diverse people on nature’s side. We have robust child safeguarding policies, and this role requires two references.

A full Driving Licence is desirable but not essential - there will be regular travel required to various sites across the project area, using public transport can and shared transport with colleagues.

Contact Details and How to Apply

If you are interested in applying, please download the Job Description, Application Form and Equality and Diversity Monitoring at the bottom of this page and fill in your application before proceeding to 'Apply Now'.

When you click 'Apply Now' you will be asked to attach your completed documents via our HR portal as part of the submission process. 

To apply by post, please send your completed application marked 'confidential' to: HR, Avon Wildlife Trust, 17 Great George Street, Bristol BS1 5QT to arrive by the closing date.

Closing date: 11:59pm, Monday 11th November 2024

If you would like to discuss this role or have any questions, please email hr@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk to arrange a conversation.

Selection process

Application and selection is through a three-step process. It starts with AWT’s standard application form, so please fill this out, paying particular attention to the details of your relevant experience, knowledge and skills, which is used for shortlisting against the person specification. It is best not to assume prior knowledge and higher scoring is more likely if you explain carefully why you meet the person specification in the Job Description.  

Step 1 – Apply by filling in the application form.
CVs may be supplied as additional information but will not be used for initial shortlisting, rather used in subsequent steps.
Deadline: 11:59pm Monday 11th November 2024. This process will produce a shortlist of candidates.

Step 2 – Successful applicants will be invited to attend an informal group interview at Folly Farm Centre, Stowey on Tuesday 26th November 2024 where we will undertake some habitat maintenance and a range of practical tasks.

Step 3 – informal discussion with each candidate during the day at Folly Farm on 26th November 2024.

(Please let us know in your application if you are unable to make this date - we may be able to arrange a suitable alternative)

Apply Now

For equal opportunities purposes, we are unable to accept only CVs. No agencies please.

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