Traineeships with KSCP

Over the years, the Kent Countryside Partnerships have thrived from providing Traineeships for those wanting to explore roles in the Countryside. This has proven to be a great asset to our teams whilst providing an individual specialised training and real hands-on experience for the trainee.

We have had an excellent success rate and have employed most of our trainees, with one even grateful for the opportunity as it allowed them to decide the role was not for them without fully committing themselves.

Our Project Officer at Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership, Annie (pictured above on the far left) speaks first hand from her own experience as a trainee.

‘My name is Annie and I was taken on as a trainee Countryside Partnership Officer in 2015. I had been heavily involved in the countryside already as a farmer’s daughter, a ranger at a nature reserve, as a woodland worker and I already had an MSc in Countryside Management.

Unfortunately, I had suffered a personal tragedy and had moved around counties which knocked my confidence immensely, which is why I took an interest in the traineeship.

My commitment to the traineeship was 3 days a week, being fully flexible during the week. As a single mother, it was important for me to be able to have time for my child and continue with my paid role alongside the traineeship.

The traineeship itself was hands on and practical. I worked alongside the volunteers undertaking various tasks depending on what was required, my manager wanted to ensure that the role allowed some scope for me to discover what I was good at and what I enjoyed. I continued to lead the volunteer groups and spent a lot of time looking at River Restoration.

I was employed permanently as a Project Officer at the Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership after I completed the traineeship and I have enjoyed being part of the team ever since.’

Current Traineeship Opportunities:

Trainee Education Officer

Project Responsibilities:

1. Assisting on Education days – Working with the River Officer and Partnership Officers to plan and deliver river based education sessions in a variety of setting in the Stour Valley.
2. Developing KSCP Educational Offering – Assisting River Officer and Partnership Officers to further develop the KSCP educational program to be able to offer a wide variety of educational activities to a diverse range of participants. This could include: helping to develop new educational resources, activities and games, helping to identify new educational opportunities, assisting in making activities accessible to all, assisting on the setting up of a KSCP Forest School.
3. Educational Offering Promotion – Enhancing the visibility of our education program. This could include; updating the education pages on our website, creating social media content to promote our education work, reaching out to schools and youth groups with our activity offering.

The role will also include:

1. Any other tasks within the wider partnership at KSCP, such as; helping to manage volunteer tasks, tree planting, task days, workshop maintenance, social media/website updates, promoting KSCP at events ect… This will be a good opportunity to develop a well rounded skill set and knowledge of working in conservation.

The Trainee Officer will be encouraged to play a full part in the Partnership. Working with other staff and volunteers, the officer will be given responsibilities according to interest and ability. Together with appropriate training, these responsibilities should aim to equip the Trainee with appropriate skills and work experience to gain employment in conservation education or a related field.