The Natural Talent Apprentice Scheme
Natural Talent is training the next generation of naturalists through its unique apprenticeship scheme! Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and delivered by BTCV and key partners in the UK conservation sector, Natural Talent has delivered 28 high quality training placements across Scotland and Northern Ireland since its launch in 2006. Each of these apprenticeships has trained an individual in either a taxonomic speciality or specialist habitat management skills in areas where there is a recognised heritage skills gap. As well as addressing these shortages, the scheme produces environmental professionals who have progressed into employment and further research in the sector. Natural Talent has received recognition as an effective means of creating the environmental specialists needed to undertake critical work in lower plants, invertebrates and specialist habitat management. Apprenticeships to date have included Machair, Peatland management, Coleoptera, Bryophytes, Lichens, Fungi, Molluscs, Seaweed, Soil Invertebrates, Grassland Fungi, Wetland Habitat, Brownfield Ecology, Riverflies, Saltmarsh habitats, Hymenoptera and Hoverflies amongst others.
The apprenticeships will be based either in Scotland or in Northern Ireland, receive a bursary of £12,767 per annum (approx), plus extra money for training, travel and equipment.
The outcomes are excellent; with 100% of those completing the programme continuing to use the skills they have gained to benefit the UK environmental heritage sector. 90% of participants completing the programme have moved directly into employment or further study in the environmental sector and all placement providers and mentors surveyed agreeing that Natural Talent apprentices had met or exceeded the objectives of their apprenticeship.
A diverse range of conservation organisations have been involved with Natural Talent throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland including environmental agencies, national charities and regional trusts. Partners have been highly and unanimously impressed with the scheme:
‘It’s a great scheme - it provides exactly what is needed for nature conservation in Scotland. Buglife will benefit from being part of this innovative scheme through the kudos of training the next generation of conservations, helping to provide some much needed new faces in the conservation sector and having an additional resource to do things that we currently don’t have time to.’
Craig Macadam, Conservation Officer, BUGLIFE Scotland
Explore our website and find out if you have a Natural Talent!
If you think that you have got Natural Talent and would like to keep up to date with the latest news, then register your interest online now.
Visit our Natural Talent Blog
