22 Jul Supporting professional development: Welcoming students on work experience placements
Recently the Derbyshire and Oxford teams have welcomed students Hazel Ashworth and Colin Teal on work experience placements. Hazel, who is currently an A-Level student at Buxton Community College and Colin, a Level 3 Animal Management student at Abingdon & Witney College were both eager to get an insight into what working as an ecologist entails.
Hazel and Colin spent time working alongside experienced ecologists assisting on reptile, bird, badger and Phase 1 surveys, deploying bat detectors and viewing badger sett trail camera footage. As well as daytime surveys, Colin and Hazel were also able join a team of surveyors carrying out bat emergence surveys.
Hazel commented “I have loved my placement. It has been very varied and I have really enjoyed seeing lots of different species including a peregrine falcon on Derby cathedral, and a close encounter with a stoat. My favourite part was the evening bat emergence survey as we saw 41 bats emerge from a maternity roost, it was such an amazing experience so see them so close!
It has been really interesting to see how ecological consultancy works, including the types of projects BSG work on, the equipment used and the process of how a project is completed. It has helped me to gain a better understanding of jobs in the sector, alongside some very helpful career advice. I have also learned so much about the different types of ecological surveys, and about different species of bats and their behaviour through watching training videos. “
Colin said “I had a wonderful time with BSG and would recommend it to anyone seeking a career in consultancy. The highlight was seeing my first great crested newt. It was great to work with a friendly team of professional ecologists who were always happy to help.”
We wish them both well as they continue their studies.
If you interested in a career in ecology we have written an article starting a career in ecology, including the skills you could develop to help set yourself apart: Starting A Career As A Professional Ecologist