Today’s guest is Becky Park, the Programme Manager for the Osprey Leadership Foundation.

They work to inspire young people about the natural world and to help them to develop into conservation leaders who can make a real difference, at both a grassroots and international level.

We discuss the foundation's origins, its mission in conservation and leadership training, and how it connects the UK with countries along the Osprey migratory flyway, such as The Gambia.

Becky shares a fascinating story about community, leadership, and the passion that drives impactful conservation work.

We also delve into Becky's career, her role, and the challenges she faces, including the balance of remote work and family life.

It’s an inspiring, informative, and insightful podcast.

Enjoy.

Why do so many people get into conservation because of a love of animals, only to discover that it’s all about people?

And why if you’re interested in working as a social scientist particularly, should you focus on improving on your softer skills, especially if you want to get ahead in your career?

We discuss these questions and many more with today’s guest Dr Laura Thomas-Walters.

Laura is the Deputy Director of Experimental Research for the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. She describes herself as an environmental social scientist with a focus on behaviour change who works closely with governments and NGOs to enact change through research.In this episode, we delve deep into the fascinating world of conservation science and climate change communication.

Laura shares her journey into conservation, driven by a passion for big, cuddly animals, and how it evolved into a focus on behaviour change and climate activism.

We explore the multifaceted nature of Laura's research, from demand reduction in the wildlife trade to linking extreme weather events with climate change.

We also discuss the importance of cultural awareness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the challenges of transitioning between academia and government work.

Finally, Laura also provides valuable insights into the soft skills needed for conservation social science and offers advice for aspiring conservationists on how to navigate the complexities of this field.

It’s a social-scienceing, climate-communicating, behaviour-changing podchat. Enjoy.

In this episode we’re speaking with the Deputy Global Conservation Director at WWF International, Cristianne Close. 

Cris describes herself as ‘passionate about creating positive change in the world, especially aiming to make the impossible, possible’. 

In this episode, we discuss how she gave up a fast-paced corporate career to follow her purpose and work in conservation.  

Now, as a senior staff member at WWF, Cris explains how her business acumen is helping her tackle one of the most insurmountable problems facing humankind - namely, reversing the loss of nature. 

During the conversation, we discuss her work at WWF and her career switch into the sector.  

We also talk about the skills increasingly valued within conservation, and Cris shares her top careers advice for aspiring conservationists seeking to follow in her footsteps. 

Finally, we discuss Earth Hour; a worldwide movement organized by WWF annually to encourage individuals, communities, and businesses to give an hour for Earth. Scheduled for Saturday, March 23rd at 8:30 pm your local time, we discuss how you can get involved. 

It’s a wide-ranging, inspiring and Earth Hour connecting podchat. 

Enjoy. 

Have you ever dreamt about a career exploring the coral reefs of the south Pacific, diving in Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and all the lost corners of Papua New Guinea?

Perhaps you’d love to spend time with the local communities whose lives depend on the health of their forests and fisheries, working in partnership with them in the longer term to find win-wins for people and wildlife.

Well that’s the day job for today’s guest, Dr Stacy Jupiter, Melanesia Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society. Stacy’s work to bridge the gaps between science and conservation, forests and reefs, and wildlife and communities recently won her the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in Conservation. She’s a hugely impressive lady working at the cutting edge of conservation in some of the most inspiring locations on the planet.

Today we chat about her career highlights so far from the mud slides in Gabon to coral reefs in the Pacific and beyond and discuss the theory and practice of successful community-based conservation programmes. It’s a wide-ranging, fascinating and exciting discussion so jump in your hammock, grab a coconut and enjoy. 

On average every five minutes an albatross dies accidentally behind a fishing boat. Caught on a hook set for a fish, entangled in a net or striking a tensioned wire. During this episode a number of albatrosses will die needlessly.

Dr Ben Sullivan has dedicated his career to tackling similar marine conservation issues. Starting with a PhD counting koala poo in the Australian Outback, Ben developed a passion for sea birds whilst working in the mighty southern oceans around Antarctica and the Falkland Islands. He went on to manage the hugely successful BirdLife marine programme and helped to establish the famous Albatross Taskforce.

He now works in the enterprise sector for Fishtek Marine helping to innovate new products to tackle old conservation problems. One of which the Hookpod looks set to save countless accidental deaths of albatrosses and other seabirds. 

Ben’s a force of nature; he’s full of passion, dedication and ability and in this episode we talk about his career to date and the challenges and opportunities of enterprise in conservation. We also hear his career advice and explore what it takes to set up a dynamic global team to successfully tackle an issue like seabird bycatch. If you’re interested in seabirds, marine conservation, innovation and more you’ll love this episode.  

Competition for conservation jobs can be tough. The good news is that there are more jobs available than ever before. We list over 8,000 conservation jobs on our site each year and that continues to grow.

The bad news is there are more people like you looking to work in the sector. So how do you stand out from the crowd and get an interview?

We check application forms, CVs, cover letters and resumes each week at Conservation Careers and the majority contain simple errors which are holding applicants back from getting their dream jobs. You might have all the right experiences, skills and qualifications for your chosen role but if you can’t sell yourself on paper, this could be a major hurdle to getting hired.

To help we’ve produced a free step-by-step guide ‘How To Apply For A Conservation Job’ which you can download from our website. If you’re applying for a job, download it and use it; it really works!

We’ve also started a series of live training events at Conservation Careers and in this episode of the podcast, we’re going to dive into a webinar we held recently whereby Kristi Foster, our Head of Engagement, and myself walk you through some steps to pulling together a successful CV or resume for a conservation job. If you’re applying for a job, if you’re struggling to get an interview, you’re gonna like this one. Enjoy. 

Rhett Butler is the founder and CEO of Mongabay, one of the largest, longest running and most important environmental news sites online. 

Rhett started the site just 20 years ago when an area of rainforest he had visited and enjoyed in Borneo was cut down just eight weeks later, logged down for woodchips to supply a paper pulp plant. 

He spent the first ten years of the project operating Mongabay entirely on his own, publishing thousands of stories and tens of thousands of photos. Today, Rhett serves as editor-in-chief and CEO of Mongabay, which is a non-profit media organisation with more than three dozen staff across four bureaus and a network of around 250 correspondents in 50 countries. 

In today’s podcast we talk about his journey setting up and growing Mongabay and where he plans to take things next. We also talk about the importance of journalism in environmental conservation, alongside practical tips on how to craft a compelling story. If you’re interested in news, media, journalism and communications, it’s a must-listen episode. Enjoy. 

With over 800 species of birds in South Africa and over 100 of them threatened, where do you start with trying to conserve them?

Growing up in South Africa, Mark Anderson was taken out into the bush for days on end by his grandfather and then from an early age he knew that he wanted to be a conservationist. He studied hard and now works even harder as CEO of BirdLife South Africa.

Today on the podcast, we talk about his career to date and how he stays focused and motivated. And what he looks for when hiring new staff. We also discuss what it’s like to be CEO of an organisation which is recognised internationally and nationally for its success in the conservation of wild birds and their habitats.

There are many times in our lives when we might find ourselves at a crossroads looking for purpose and direction. At these times, we might feel stuck and confused and perhaps we don’t know what to do. And if we do have a sense of what we need to do, we might find ourselves lacking the courage to make it happen. In short, we’re heading down the wrong path. 

If this is you, then you’re not alone. Today we’re talking to Neil Prem, an old friend and career coach who helps people to create and develop meaningful careers. And he’s just about to publish a book, “Seven Steps to Purpose”. In this special episode of the podcast he’ll help you to get unstuck, discover your dream job and do what matters most.

Have you ever considered doing a master's course (degree) to kick-start your career in conservation? What would completing a master's course achieve? Is it right for you and would it lead to a conservation job?

These are some of the topics covered in a wide-ranging discussion with Brendan Godley, Professor of Conservation Science at the University of Exeter. Brendan is probably best known for his research with marine turtles and is described in a blog in our website as a king in conservation science.

In this podcast, we talk about master's programmes, conservation science optimism, careers advice and much more. As always, if you enjoy our podcast, please do leave a rating or review and do check out our website for our free step-by-step guide, How to Apply for a Conservation Job, a detailed guide to CVs, resumes, cover letters and much more.

Professor Ken Norris is the Director of Science at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Ken leads ZSL's Institute of Zoology, which is the world’s only university in a zoo and he also oversees the vet teams who look after the welfare of animals at London and Whipsnade zoos.

We talk about his exciting career in conservation science and he shares his advice for someone looking to secure a PhD as part of the academic route into conservation. As always, it’s a wide-ranging career-boosting episode!

When the opening line of a story mentions an Aldi bag-for-life full of human poo, you know it’s gonna be worth reading on, right?

That story was the winning entry in the Wildlife Blogger of the Year competition and written by Gianluca Cerullo. He’s a conservation scientist and writer with a passion for adventure, wildlife and wild places.

Gianluca has been involved in expeditions and research around the tropics from Borneo and Madagascar to the Colombian Andes and he shares his experiences on his blog. In this podcast you’ll hear from a young conservation scientist who’s really going places. He’s travelled the globe studying dung beetles and is soon starting a PhD at Cambridge University looking at rainforest restoration.

On the podcast we talk about his career to date, his passion for communicating science and some great tips and advice for people seeking to follow in his footsteps. We also discuss some of the big conservation issues of the day like climate change, plastic pollution and much more. Joining me on the podcast today is co-host, Matt Adam Williams from the Wild Voices Project podcast.

What do you do if you’ve got a great degree, stacks of quality volunteer and intern experience in nature conservation but then spend over six months applying for jobs without a single interview?

Having left university, this is what faced our guest today, Chris Thompson. He decided to try a different approach and one which resulted in multiple interviews and job offers within a couple of weeks. Amazing.

Chris combined his passions for wildlife and travel and focused on the often-overlooked ecotourism sector. He now works happily at Audley Travel. In this podcast he talks about his job hunt, what it’s like to work in the ecotourism or responsible tourism sector, and provides some great careers advice for those seeking to follow in his footsteps.

As always, if you enjoy our podcast, please let us know and do leave us a review, we read them all and they really help us to get in front of more people.

Have you ever felt like escaping the rat race and travelling the world? Seeking impact, adventure and new experiences? Perhaps volunteering for nature conservation organisations, and setting yourself for a career change or education when you return?

But with the world as your playground … where do you start? How do you plan such a trip to ensure your time and money are well spent?

Today we’re speaking with Julia Rogers founder of EnRoute Consulting. As a professional gap year counsellor - a new job title to me - Julia prides herself in understanding the complicated process of planning a meaningful experience whilst travelling.

During this episode, we discuss the value a gap year or career break can bring to people in their work, education and lives. We talk about the different types of experiences people can discover, and how to plan for a successful trip. Finally, we also chat about how a Gap Year Counsellor can help if you need support.

It’s a globe-trotting, experience-seeking, life-changing episode. Enjoy!

In 1968 the global population of a small brown bird called the Seychelles Warbler was down to just 30 individuals. Habitat destruction and predation by introduced species like rats had driven the birds to the very edge of extinction and it was listed as critically endangered.

Cycle forwards 50 years to today and after island restoration work and translocations of the species there are now over 3,000 birds flying around and the species are the first to come off the endangered list altogether.

A global success story for nature conservation.

Joining me on the podcast today to discuss this story and much more is Chief Executive of Nature Seychelles, Nirmal Jivan Shah. Nirmal is a well-known name in nature conservation and works at the forefront of the movement nationally and internationally.

As you’ll hear in this podcast, he’s full of passion and knowledge about wildlife conservation in the 21st century. He also provides some great careers advice for the budding conservationists looking to get their careers going. 

As always, if you enjoy our podcast, please let us know and do leave us a review, we read them all and they really help us to get in front of more people.

In this episode we’re speaking to a young, budding conservationist, Ruben Hoekstra, at the very start of his career. Ruben attended the prestigious Future for Nature awards, where talented young conservationists from across the globe win support for their projects alongside a tasty cash prize of €50,000.

He was inspired by what he saw and the people he met and wanted to experience for himself how it feels to be a successful conservationist day-to-day. As a result, he set out to visit as many award winners as possible.

In this podcast Ruben tells us why he decided to take on the exciting global journey and what he learnt from his first-hand experiences, incredible efforts of his conservation heroes.

If you enjoy our podcast, please let us know and leave us a review. We read them all and they really help us to get in front of more people.

When you think about wildlife and conservation efforts, do you feel overwhelmed by the challenges we face? Saddened by the state of the planet and the rate of biodiversity losses? Upset by the volumes of plastic in our oceans, that slaughter of migratory birds over Malta? Or the clearing of our rainforest for palm oil?

Or, do you feel hopeful? Do you feel we can still turn it all around, that conservationists know what needs to be done and that nature can bounce back quickly?

In these podcasts and on our website, we ask some of the most senior conservationists on the planet, what do we need to do more of to tackle biodiversity collapses? The vast majority of them see the challenge as one of communicating our messages more effectively. To attract new support, raise our profile, turn interest into action. But how do we do this? Enter Conservation Optimism.

Conservation Optimism is a global community dedicated to sharing hopeful stories about conservation to inspire, educate, entertain and empower. Started at a conference just two years ago, it has grown rapidly and has attracted support from organisations and individuals the world over.

Joining me to talk about Conservation Optimism is their Director, Cheli Cresswell Sinclair. As always, if you enjoy our podcast, please let us know and do leave us a review; we read them all and they really help us to get in front of more people.

Are you working in something totally unrelated to conservation and dreaming of switching into a career helping wildlife to flourish? Well that’s exactly what today’s guest has done successfully, and right in at the top.

Dominic Jermey OBE worked as a senior British diplomat for over 20 years in countries such as East Timor and the United Arab Emirates, ultimately serving as British ambassador to Afghanistan. From there he switched careers and moved into wildlife conservation as the director general of the Zoological Society of London.

Now ZSL is an international conservation charity with a vision of a world where wildlife thrives. They’re working every day to achieve this with science-fuelled conservation around the world, and by engaging millions of people at their two world-class zoos, ZSL London and ZSL Whipsnade.

In this fascinating discussion we talk about his career journey and highlights, and decision to move from diplomacy into conservation. We also discuss his role as director general and how he’s shaping ZSL as it approaches its 200th anniversary.

Finally, Dominic shares his careers advice and insights for people working in an unrelated role to conservation but looking to switch into it. As always, if you enjoy our podcast, please let us know and do leave us a review, we read them all and they really help us to get in front of more people.

In this episode we’re speaking to a rising star in conservation, Jack Randall. Jack is a global adventurer on a quest to find, study and promote the world’s most amazing animals. He began sharing his wildlife stories as a filmmaker and cameraman whilst traipsing through the jungles of the Amazon researching anacondas.

And since then he’s founded Made in the Wild and his team curate, research and filming missions with a network of scientists globally.

In this podcast we talk about what it takes to become a wildlife filmmaker, and how to break into the sector. How do you plan, film and fund a wildlife film? We also discuss his passion for research missions, and how people can get involved through their exciting GO WILD initiative. But one thing is clear, Jack is going places and he’s full of energy, drive and impact. Enjoy...

In this episode we’re speaking to Dr Mike Clarke, Chief Executive of the RSPB. An organisation with over 1.2 million members, 2,000 staff and 13,500 volunteers, the RSPB is a goliath in the conservation industry and needs no introduction.

Mike became a member of the RSPB at age 12 and has worked professionally for them for over 30 years, of which the last 10 have been at the top of the organisation. He recently announced his intention to step down from the role.

We talk about why he took this decision, what he’s proud of achieving and what next. We also discuss where his passion for conservation came from, what are the biggest challenges and opportunities in the sector in the 21st century and where things might be going into the future. And finally, we discuss the practical careers advice he would give to budding conservationists in the early stage of their career, and those seeking to switch into nature conservation from a different sector.

It’s a feature-length, fascinating and thoughtful, reflective episode…

If you’re looking for hands-on conservation experience but don’t know where to start or are feeling overwhelmed by choice; perhaps you’re mid-career looking to take a break from the grind and get back to nature whilst also exploring new career paths.

Joining us this week to discuss these matters and more is Steve Gwenin, Chief Executive of Global Vision International (GVI).

GVI is an award-winning organisation that tackles local and global issues by operating education and training programmes on sustainable development.

If you want to find out more about Conservation Careers then go to www.conservation-careers.com for the best advice, support, training, jobs and lots more. All designed to get your clear about your career options, get ready and get hired more quickly.

If you enjoy the interviews, we’ve spoken to over 400 professional conservationists, from across the globe, you can find their interviews on our website here.

We’ve also collated their best advice into a FREE eBook which you can download from here.

If you’re interested in wildlife conservation and concerned about the loss of species from this little planet of ours, then you’ve probably heard of a term called community-based conservation.

But what is it? And how can wildlife conservation provide a pathway to helping people out of poverty? And finally, why have some of the poorest communities in Africa decided to protect nearly a fifth of their coastline as marine protected area?

Joining us this week to discuss these matters and more is CEO of Blue Ventures, Alasdair Harris. Blue Ventures is an award-winning marine conservation organisation which rebuilds tropical fisheries with local communities.

If you want to find out more about Conservation Careers then go to www.conservation-careers.com for the best advice, support, training, jobs and lots more. All designed to get your clear about your career options, get ready and get hired more quickly.

If you enjoy the interviews, we’ve spoken to over 400 professional conservationists, from across the globe, you can find their interviews on our website here.

We’ve also collated their best advice into a FREE eBook which you can download from here.

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

Have you ever dreamt about going on a conservation expedition? Travelling to a remote corner of the globe to explore and discover the wildlife found there? Where would you start? What would be the destination and what would be its purpose? Who would you choose to take with you? Perhaps most importantly of all, how would you fund it?

These are some of the topics I discuss this week with conservation scientist, blogger and expedition leader James Borrell.

If you want to find out more about Conservation Careers then go to www.conservation-careers.com for the best advice, support, training, jobs and lots more. All designed to get your clear about your career options, get ready and get hired more quickly.

If you enjoy the interviews, we’ve spoken to over 400 professional conservationists, from across the globe, you canfind their interviews on our website here.

We’ve also collated their best advice into a FREE eBook which you can download from here.

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

In this episode of the podcast we're speaking to Justin Lennon - CEO of Conservation Guide and marine biologist at the National Marine Aquarium.

In this podcast you’ll hear us talking about what to look for when searching for your next volunteering project, and we also discuss what it’s like to work in marine conservation and how to take the seed of an idea and turn it into a successful conservation business.

If you want to find out more about Conservation Careers then go to www.conservation-careers.com for the best advice, support, training, jobs and lots more. All designed to get your clear about your career options, get ready and get hired more quickly.

If you enjoy the interviews, we’ve spoken to over 400 professional conservationists, from across the globe, you can find their interviews on our website here.

We’ve also collated their best advice into a FREE eBook which you can download from here.

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

Increasingly, the private sector is taking a growing interest in their impact on wildlife, and this could lead to a much-needed step change in conservation efforts.

But why do companies care about nature? How can they assess and minimise their impacts? And what sort of jobs are opening up for conservationists seeking to work in this exciting area of change?

Here to discuss these topics and many more is today's inspiring and thoughtful guest, Michael Burgass, Director at the consultancy Biodiversify.

Biodviersify helps clients to understand and improve their relationship with nature, working at the cutting edge of bd sustainability to provide strategic support and provide meaningful outcomes for society, for business and for wildlife.

In today's discussion we talk about why the private sector is increasingly aware of the need to build biodiversity into their businesses, and where this drive is coming from.

We also discuss if this growth in interest in the private sector will make a significant impact on global conservation efforts, along with the skills needed to take advantage of the opportunities as they open up.

Mike also shares his careers advice for people like you who might be seeking to work in the sector, along with his thoughts on what conservationists need to be better at in order to have more impact.

It's a biodiversity-businessing, nature-accounting pod-chat. Enjoy.

In this episode we’re speaking to Andrew Lewin, who’s the founder of Speak Up For Blue, a marine ecologist and an Ocean-preneur. He also runs three podcasts of his own so we’ve got a real veteran on today.

We talk about marine careers, what the different jobs in the marine environment are and how you can go about securing them. We talk about optimism in conservation too. Whether the future’s bright, what we need to do more of and what we need to do less of?

Finally we touch upon what is becoming a bit of a recurring theme in the podcast so far, which is entrepreneurism. People starting their own enterprises that really have wildlife conservation at their core that are looking to do really good in the world through business. 

As always, if you want to find out more about Conservation Careers then go to www.conservation-careers.com for the best advice, support, training, jobs and lots more. All designed to get your clear about your career options, get ready and get hired more quickly.

If you enjoy the interviews, we’ve spoken to over 400 professional conservationists, from across the globe, you can find their interviews on our website here.

We’ve also collated their best advice into a FREE eBook which you can download from here.

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

In this episode we speak to Alasdair Davies - Shuttleworth Foundation Fellow and creative technologist on a journey to deliver affordable, open conservation technology for all.

We talk about how fast-changing technologies from drones, to sat tags, camera traps and mobile phones are rapidly changing the way we collect and interpret data in the quest to conserve threatened wildlife globally.

If like me you LOVE tinkering with technology you’ll love this episode. [I once fitted a dozen barn owl boxes with sensors linked to talking clocks and voice activated Dictaphones to monitor when the owls visited the boxes…!]

We also discuss the career ways into becoming a creative technologist, and where the field is heading over the next decade.

If you want to find out more about Alasdair Davies and his work please visit the Shuttleworth Foundations website at shuttleworthfoundation.org and the Aribada Initiative at blog.arribada.org

As always, if you want to find out more about Conservation Careers then go to www.conservation-careers.com for the best advice, support, training, jobs and lots more. All designed to get your clear about your career options, get ready and get hired more quickly.

If you enjoy the interviews, we’ve spoken to over 400 professional conservationists, from across the globe, you can find their interviews on our website here.

We’ve also collated their best advice into a FREE eBook which you can download from here.

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

In this episode we speak to Anna Kloth, founder of Paradise Interns. Paradise Interns runs free digital marketing internships at leading dive centers in Indonesia.

During your time they teach you how to run a successful digital marketing strategy for any company. You then get to use these skills by running the social media and digital presence of a local dive center, whilst also enjoying free diving and scuba training.

Calling in from Komodo National Park, on the island of Flores, Anna shares what it’s like to work as a dive instructor – the highs and lows – and the growing opportunities for you to become a digital nomad. Working online as you travel the globe.

We also talk more about Paradise Interns and explore what to look out for, when finding your next volunteer opportunity or Internship.

If you want to find out more about Paradise Interns check out www.paradiseinterns.com.

As always, if you want to find out more about Conservation Careers then go to www.conservation-careers.com for the best advice, support, training, jobs and lots more. All designed to get your clear about your career options, get ready and get hired more quickly.

If you enjoy the interviews, we’ve spoken to over 400 professional conservationists, from across the globe, you can find their interviews on our website here.

We’ve also collated their best advice into a FREE eBook which you can download from here.

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

This week in the Conservation Careers Podcast Nick talks to Professor Bill Sutherland - Miriam Rothschild Chair of Conservation Biology, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge.

Bill is proposing a 'revolution in conservation practice', and we talk today about his drive to develop a sound evidence base for conservation. Doing more of what is proven to work, and less of what isn’t.

Bill also shares his thoughts on the ways to progress an academic career, along with practical advice on how to apply for PhDs (and jobs), and which mistakes to avoid.

If you want to find out more about Conservation Evidence, please go to www.conservationevidence.com and check out the 2,000 reviews on the site. It’s a gold mine of world changing information!

As always, if you want to find out more about Conservation Careers then go to www.conservation-careers.com for the best advice, support, training, jobs and lots more. All designed to get your clear about your career options, get ready and get hired more quickly.

If you enjoy the interviews, we’ve spoken to over 400 professional conservationists, from across the globe, you can find their interviews on our website here.

We’ve also collated their best advice into a FREE eBook which you can download from here.

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

In this episode of the Conservation Careers Podcast, Nick Askew speaks to Adam Barlow, Executive Director WildTeam UK

WildTeam UK help conservationists to achieve more through expert training in project design and management.

In this episode Adam shares his exciting career so far helping to conserve tigers, working with local communities, and now supporting conservationists to be even better.

During the podcast Adam also shares some really practical and innovative advice for how you can get your first paying dream job as a conservationist!

And finally, he offers a challenge for you to come up with project ideas that you’d like to do alongside Wildteam.

If you enjoy the podcast please give us a rating and comment as it really helps to get us in front of more people.

If you want to find out more about WildTeam UK then go to wildteam.org.uk (and check out their free online training for project management for wildlife conservationists).

If you want to attend a four-day training workshop specially designed to start your career in conservation, and gain vital skills to boost your CV, check out www.conservation-careers.com/conservation-career-starter-uk-training-course/

To find out more about how Conservation Careers get get your career started, please visit www.conservation-careers.com. 

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

In this opening episode of the Conservation Careers Podcast, Nick Askew speaks with Patricia Zurita, CEO of BirdLife International. BirdLife is the biggest conservation partnership on the planet, with charities in 120 countries working from local-to-global to conserve birds and biodiversity.

In this episode Patricia shares her career story so far, and how she got from her childhood in Ecuador to be the only female leader of a big international conservation charity.

She also tells us what it's like to a CEO, what advice she'd give budding conservationists in their job hunt, what skills and people the conservation movement are looking for, and discusses some of the biggest challenges facing the industry. 

To find out more about BirdLife, please visit www.birdlife.org

To find out more about how Conservation Careers get get your career started, please visit www.conservation-careers.com. 

For suggestions and questions for the show, please tweet us at twitter.com/conservcareers

How do you raise nearly $100,000,000 per year to protect and conserve America’s 420+ National Park Sites? 

Sites important for recreation, education, and the conservation of endangered landscapes, natural communities and species. 

We discuss this, amongst many other things, with Lise Aangeenbrug. 

Lise is the Chief Program Officer at America’s National Park Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service charged with generating the funding needed to protect the National Park Sites. 

In the podcast we talk about the network of National Park Sites in the US, and how the foundation uses storytelling to raise the profile, and the funding needed, for conservation activities. 

We also discuss the diversity of roles within the conservation sector, and what it means to be a Chief Program Officer. 

Lise also shares her career path along with her advice for people like you who might be seeking to follow in her footsteps. 

It’s a  

Wildlife-funding, national-park-storytelling, pod-chat. 

Enjoy. 

Have you ever felt like you’re energetically exhausted, mentally distant from your job, or less able to produce results at work?

There’s a chance that these symptoms could be related to burnout.

According to The World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome “…resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”

As conservationists, our work is our passion, but that passion doesn’t make us immune to burnout. In fact, it might even make us more susceptible.

And the effects of burnout can be dire for conservationists and their work. The WHO characterises burnout by 1) feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion; 2) increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and 3) reduced professional efficacy.

In this special episode we discuss burnout in conservation, and why awareness of burnout is so important for conservationists personally and professionally.

Joining our host Dr Nick Askew is Dr Fernando (Nando) Mateos-González of Bioblogía and Kristi Foster, Head of Programmes at Conservation Careers.

We talk about our own personal experiences with burnout and what contributed to them. We also share some solutions we’ve learnt for avoiding and managing burnout – or even transforming it into healthier ways of working.

It’s a very open, real and honest chat. We hope will support other conservationists – whether you’re just starting your career, concerned about burnout or have experienced burnout yourself.

Enjoy.

If you’ve spent time in the UK and visited a local nature reserve, then chances are you’ve been to a site managed by one of the 46 individual Wildlife Trusts that collectively represent 2,000 staff, 35,000 volunteers and nearly 1 million members.  

Helping to coordinate this huge force for nature is the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts of which today’s guest is their Deputy Chief Executive. 

Patience Thody left the commercial banking sector and switched her career towards wildlife conservation and the charity sector. 

She’s using her twenty years of HR and Operations Management experience to build, lead and motivate multi-disciplinary teams to deliver nature conservation across the UK. 

In this episode, we explore the Wildlife Trust network, its conservation activities and workforce of volunteers and staff. 

We also uncover what it means to be a Deputy Chief Executive, the skills Patience uses and values in her role, and what she enjoys and finds challenging in her job. 

She also shares her career journey and advice for people like yourself, who might be seeking to follow in her footsteps. 

It’s a Wildlife-trusting, career-switching, pod-chat. 

Enjoy.

How important are volunteers in conservation? 

What are the different types of work you can do as a volunteer, and how can it benefit your career? 

We answer these and many more questions in discussion with today’s guest Rhoda Ludford. 

Rhoda is the Volunteering Development Consultant with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - Europe’s largest wildlife conservation organisation with over 2,000 staff, 10,000 volunteers and 1 million members. 

Rhoda has worked for the RSPB for 22 years, mostly in volunteering development and have recently moved into species recovery where she is responsible for a project that develops and manages volunteer teams doing species recovery work across the UK. 

In today’s chat, she shares her experiences of working for the RSPB, her career path and also advice about how to connect with and make the most out of their volunteer opportunities. 

It’s a wide-ranging, volunteer-actioning, species-conserving chat. 

Enjoy.

We ran a live event in partnership with Conservation Optimism, to explore and celebrate the work of Dr Charu Mishra - the world’s foremost expert on snow leopard conservation, and double Whitley Gold Award Winner.

Conservation Optimism is a global community dedicated to inspiring people to make a positive difference for nature, and co-hosting the live event with me was Sofia Castelló y Tickell.

 Together we spoke to Charu, who is the Executive Director of the International Snow Leopard Trust and Co-Founder of India’s Nature Conservation Foundation.

He’s spent 25 years working to increase protection for snow leopards across all 12 of their range countries, with the vital support of local people, and has won the Whitley Gold Award in 2005 and in 2022.

As a world expert on snow leopard conservation he has pioneered the community-based conservation approach to enable harmonious co-existence between people and wildlife.

Sofia and I talked to Charu about his work as Executive Director of the International Snow Leopard Trust, and his approach to community-based conservation.

We also explore his career path, his careers advice for aspiring conservationists, and also what keeps him optimistic about the future.

Finally, we also discuss the importance of ethics in wildlife conservation and the Ethical Conservation Alliance which he launched recently at the Whitley Fund for Nature, People for Planet Summit.

Towards the end of the recording, we also open up to our audience where they get the opportunity to ask their questions of Charu.

It’s a wide-ranging, snow-leopard-conservationing, and humbly-inspiring pod-chat. Enjoy.

Why should more conservationists learn to study people?  

To better understand them as individuals, communities and societies, alongside their complex behaviours and interactions. 

This is what today’s podcast is all about, and it’s something termed social science. 

Here to discuss the power of social science for conservation is today’s guest Dr Rebecca Jefferson. 

Rebecca runs Human Nature, a social enterprise which seeks to empower conservationists to have a more positive impact on the planet through training, collaboration and support. 

We talk about why social science is important for conservationists, how it can be used to tackle wildlife declines.  

We also discuss the benefits of people with different disciplines and backgrounds working in partnerships to have better outcomes in conservation projects. 

Rebecca also shares her journey in setting up a business with impact at its core, along with her advice for others who might be seeking to follow in her footsteps. 

It’s a people-partnering, social-sciencing, conservation pod-chat. 

Enjoy. 

What can Coca-Cola teach us about how to better save wildlife, in Australia and beyond? 

And why should more governments set up charitable foundations to protect their national parks and threatened wildlife? 

We discuss these and many other issues with today’s inspiring guest - David Goldman. 

David is the Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer at the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife in Australia. 

A truly innovative model, the FNPW is the Charity Partner of Australia’s Government, with a mission to safeguard their wilderness and wildlife for future generations. 

To date, they have grown over ½ million trees to help heal bushfire-affected areas, and also invested over $60 million to purchase land and create more national parks since 2000 … to name just a few impacts of their fundraising activities. 

David is an experienced Director with a demonstrated history of working in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors, and he’s been described as having a passion for doing things differently, which we drill into in this podcast. 

In this episode, David shares his career journey - from marketing for Coca-Cola and News Corp to now working for a conservation charity - and he discusses the importance of conservationists communicating better the benefits of wildlife for people. 

Finally, he also shares his advice for people like you who might be seeking to follow in his footsteps, along with his thoughts on how charities could achieve greater impacts in their work. 

As always, it’s a wide-ranging, wildlife-conserving and career-boosting chat. Enjoy. 

Today we explore the world of conservation and diversity with digital storyteller Taurean Meacham.

Working for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Taurean is the Program Coordinator for the Diversity Joint Venture for Careers in Conservation.

In this episode we delve into Taurean's work to improve diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in conservation and beyond.

We'll hear about how he survived a workplace mass shooting and subsequently retired from the United States Navy to become a stay-at-home dad and full-time college student.

We also discuss how his military background is helping him provide a unique perspective on fostering diverse and inclusive communities within conservation.

Finally, we explore Taurean's work in conservation and environmental stewardship, his efforts in social justice and the valuable insights he offers for aspiring conservationists, perhaps like you.

It's a story of resilience, of dedication and of the power of diversity in conservation. Enjoy.

Why is communications so important for conservationists? What communications skills are employers are looking for? And how can you start developing these skills, today?

We answer these questions and more in this special edition of the Conservation Careers Podcast.

Sir David Attenborough said that "Conservation is now a communications challenge". Awareness of this challenge is growing rapidly and it's something we keep coming back to in conversations with podcast guests and in our communities at CC.

Joining me for a deep dive into the importance of communications for conservationists are two guests from Team CC. Kristi Foster is our Head of Programmes, and Lloyd Gofton is our Head of Marketing and 'Communications for Conservation Projects' Course Leader.

Each of shares our background in communications and experience with communications in the conservation sector.

We answer questions like: Why is communications so important for conservationists? What skills are employers looking for, that we can develop in ourselves as aspiring or professional conservationists?

We also share some tips about what you can do today to develop, polish and refine some of these skills - to have more impact and to become more employable.

It's a fun, honest and inspiring conversation. Enjoy!

What role do schoolchildren play in conservation efforts?  

Why target them specifically, and how do you successfully establish and grow a conservation enterprise from scratch - now empowering over 13,000 young people to help tackle climate change and wildlife conservation. 

That’s what today’s inspiring guest - Laura Dempsey - has achieved with Volunteers for Future. 

Volunteers for Future harness the power of collaboration, bringing together passionate volunteers, young people, expert conservation organisations and schools. 

They deliver action-led conservation and environmental workshops to help young people feel inspired, empowered and motivated to act. 

They also support conservation charities to develop and enhance their volunteer programmes - scaling their impacts to the next level. 

In this episode, we discuss Volunteers for Future - what is it, how it works, where it’s going, how it was formed and how you can get involved.  

Laura also shares how she’s taken charge of her career journey, and her advice for people like you, who might be seeking to make a similar switch in their work.  

Laura also provides simply the best answer to our regular question: “What do conservation organisations need to be better in order to have more impact?”. It’s well worth listening to the end to hear her simple, yet inspiring idea. 

As always it’s a fun, inspiring and conservation-boosting discussion. Enjoy. 

How do people and nature interact? How does nature benefit people? Which interactions have the greatest impacts, and how can research into these questions help tackle some of the biggest issues facing wildlife today? 

These are some of the questions which today’s guest has dedicated his career to tackling. 

Kevin Gaston is a Professor of Biodiversity and Conservation at the University of Exeter. 

His work ranges from characterising people’s personalised ecologies to identifying priority areas for nature recovery. 

In this podcast, we talk about his fascinating research focus and also discuss an exciting five-year programme he’s co-leading called RENEW. 

This collaborative programme between the University of Exeter the National Trust and many other partners is seeking to reshape understanding and action on biodiversity renewal across scales, creating knowledge, and influencing national institutions, communities and individuals.  

In this episode, we discuss his research focus, the RENEW programme, and his career journey so far. Kevin also shares his advice for aspiring conservation scientists, and also we discuss how the skills needed within the sector might be changing into the future. 

It’s a wide-ranging, interesting and impactful discussion. 

Enjoy.

In conservation, some issues tend to get a lot of attention from the donors when other, equally important issues, can be ignored. 

What do you do in this situation to raise the profile, and much-needed funding, to conserve the overlooked species, sites and ecosystems? 

To discuss this and more we’re speaking with Nina Seale from Synchronicity Earth. 

Synchronicity Earth aims to be a different kind of conservation organisation. They are research-driven, raising and distributing donor funding to the conservation sector often towards the less-sexy areas of work.  

As Communications Manager Nina’s role is to tell the stories of the conservation organisations and individuals supported by Synchronicity Earth. A talented writer, we talk about her day-to-day work in Comms, along with her career path and advice for people like you who might be interested to follow in her footsteps.  

We also discuss the importance of addressing the diversity deficit in conservation and the actions she’s taken to found an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Working Group at Synchronicity Earth. 

The chat was recorded in front of a live audience of Conservation Careers Academy members, who got to ask their questions to Nina after the recording had finished. 

If you’d like to be in the audience of our podcast recordings, along with enjoying access to the world’s biggest conservation job board and a private members community of over 1,000 aspiring and professional conservationists, please check out the Conservation Careers Academy at www.conservation-careers.com/academy/ 

Ok, let’s get into the wide-ranging and career-boosting discussion with Nina. 

Enjoy.

Have you ever had a BIG idea that grabbed your attention and got you excited? And if you have, did you know how to start turning your idea into reality? Todays’ guest is a career switcher doing just this. 

Tara Phillips is a Ted-X speaker coach who is developing an exciting idea to start an inspiring physical space where people can learn, convene and campaign about soil and soil-related issues. Called The Soil Centre, she hopes it will lead to action being taken to conserve and regenerate the soil, which in turn, will result in wildlife and human health flourishing. 

In this episode, we talk about her career to date and why she’s seeking to switch careers into conservation. We also discuss how she’s going about validating and refining her vision for The Soil Centre. Finally, she shares her pro tips for anyone wishing to take their presentations to the next level whilst also keeping nerves under control. 

It’s an inspiring, practical and wide-ranging podchat. Enjoy!

Many of us will have visited aquariums and marvelled at the marine life on display. But what role can an Aquarium have in supporting conservation efforts? 

Here to discuss this and other topics is today’s guest Elizabeth Stephenson. 

Elizabeth is the Program Director of the New England Aquarium’s Marine Conservation Action Fund - a grants programme that provides support for community-based and locally-managed marine conservation projects in low- and middle-income countries around the globe.  

To date, Marine Conservation Action Fund (or MCAF as it's often termed) has supported over 200 projects in more than 60 countries across six continents. 

In this episode, we talk about the work of the New England Aquarium in support of conservation efforts and also explore what the Marine Conservation Action Fund is, how it works, and how you could potentially benefit from it. 

Elizabeth also shares what it’s like to manage a programme such as this, along with her career journey and advice for people like you who might be interested to follow in her footsteps. 

It’s a marine-granting, locally-managed and community-based podcast episode. 

Enjoy. 

In this special conversation we're celebrating the 100th episode of the Conservation Careers Podcast!

The CC Podcast was launched on 21st June 2018, and over the past five years we've talked to so many different people within the conservation sector, played with the format and enjoyed the ride.

 We're proud to say that we've had 152,136 unique podcast downloads and a typical episode gets 1,500 to 2,000 listeners. We also have a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts and we're the top conservation podcast on Spotify!

For our 100th episode, we reflect on the podcast journey so far and share some of the lessons learnt. We also take a look behind the scenes of the podcast - at how we pull it together and edit it - and share hints and tips we've picked up along the way. If you're interested in doing your own podcast, you might be able to take something away and start one for yourself (it's super easy!)

Joining me for this episode is my 'partner in crime', Kristi Foster, Head of Engagement at CC.

Most importantly thank YOU for being here and supporting the Conservation Careers Podcast - we hope you've enjoyed the journey too!

Our guest in this episode is a good friend and someone I’ve wanted to get on the show since day one.  

Described as the real-life Indiana Jones, Niall McCann is a TV Presenter, Explorer, and Biologist. 

Niall has travelled the planet on biological expeditions in some of the most remote parts of the globe, and joins the show today to discuss his role as Director of Conservation for National Park Rescue. 

National Park Rescue is a direct-action conservation organisation that focuses on preventing the slaughter of elephants, rhinos and lions in sub-Saharan Africa. They rescue dying national parks to protect nature, alleviate poverty and tackle poaching.  

In this engaging and wide-ranging discussion, recorded in front of a live audience, we discuss his work to establish National Park Rescue from the ground up. How do you identify failing national parks and approach them to help? How do you fund such work into the future, and what difference is their innovative approach making? 

Niall also shares his career journey and advice for people like to you follow. 

It’s a must-listen episode. 

Enjoy. 

In this very special episode of the podcast, we take you behind the scenes of our NEW Conservation Pathway Programme.

The Conservation Pathway Programme is designed to help career switchers like you discover how to confidently switch your career to conservation with expert guidance and support.

In this episode I'm joined by Starlight Mundy, Business Growth Strategist and Community Accelerator, who's working with us to take our community programmes to the next level.

I'm also joined by Kristi Foster, Head of Engagement at Conservation Careers, who mapped the Key Conservation Roles and helped create the step-by-step process to becoming a conservationist.

Together we talk about how we brought the Conservation Pathway Programme to life... from the initial vision, to the strategy, to why it's a total game-changer for career switchers and the conservation sector. Enjoy!

How do you switch careers from something entirely unrelated to wildlife and start to carve out a role for yourself in the conservation sector? How do you find your purpose, network effectively, get training support and secure high-quality experiences which can transform your work?

In this episode, guest Edward Sanders discusses how he overcame these challenges and more. Ed has worked in the UK, Far East, Southern Africa, Middle East and Australasia in properly development and management for over 20 years. He spent a magical two years in Botswana in his early career, and has since held a passion to return to Africa and dedicate himself to wildlife conservation efforts.

We've been supporting Ed on his career journey over the last six months, and he's stood out as a really engaged, dynamic and driven career switcher who's going places. I wanted to share his career journey and advice with you.

During our chat we talk about his career background in property and real estate and also the practical steps he's taken to start transferring his skills into the conservation sector. From self reflection and Ikigai, to career planning, coaching and networking, Ed shares his honest experience, along with his practical tips for anyone to learn from.

It's an inspiring, exciting and really useful podcast for anyone seeking to switch into or secure a career in conservation. Enjoy.

Why do so many people get into conservation because of a love for animals, only to discover that it's all about people?  

And why, if you’re interested in making an impact in conservation, should you focus on improving your communication skills to advance your career? 

We explore these questions with today’s guest, Jon Monsoon. 

Jon brings over 20 years of experience in wildlife conservation, public relations and communications management.  

He has worked across corporate, government, private, public, and NGO sectors as a journalist, media strategist, magazine editor and digital content creator.  

Jon is also a qualified nature conservationist with a passion for cetacean conservation, human-wildlife conflict mitigation and wildlife veterinary science.  

He’s a truly fascinating character and an active member of our CC Pro community. 

In this episode, we delve into Jon’s motivations for pursuing a career in conservation, exploring his journey and the importance of communication skills in this field.  

Jon also shares his insights on effective messaging, the challenges he has faced, the lessons he has learned, and offers career advice for aspiring conservationists. 

It's a wildlife-conserving, message-communicating, career-advising podchat. 

Enjoy.