So, it’s the final week of the traineeship… I can remember nervously walking into the interview room in the hope that I’d secure this trainee role as though it were yesterday; now I sit here wondering where all the time has gone! As I look back at my experience, I’m so grateful for all the support and experience that Worcestershire Wildlife Trust has provided. From obtaining valuable practical tickets to leading volunteer work parties where we’ve watched our confidence grow, the year-long course really has put us in good stead for the next steps in our careers within the conservation sector.

A stand-out moment for me over the last quarter of the traineeship has been utilising all the skills I’ve learnt from our small tree felling assessment, which we completed in late January. Whether it’s been thinning silver birch across the heathland of The Devil’s Spittleful, clearing out a fallen willow tree down at The Moors at Upton Warren or helping contractors to coppice and process hazel stalls, the opportunities to use a chainsaw have been gratefully received. I’ve not only been able to make the most of everything we’ve learnt in our training but I genuinely feel as though I’ve really come out of my shell, stepped out of my comfort zone and become more confident than I was before I began the traineeship. 

I would list the low points of the traineeship… but there hasn’t been any! Even the unbelievable amounts of rain have not dampened our enthusiasm for our tasks. When anyone has been feeling slightly off colour, we’ve all pulled together to keep each other motivated. It’s been brilliant to work as part of such a great team.