Whilst volunteering full time at GWLL I have gained additional qualifications through the Women and Work Programme. These qualifications along with my previous skills and qualification have helped me to gain full time employment with GWLL as a conservation officer. I am qualified to postgraduate level, and have also undertaken vocational training in the conservation sector, including hedge laying, living willow structures, coppicing and green wood working.
I heard about the Women and Work initiative while volunteering at GWLL. As I had changed my career so any opportunity to gain training in my new chosen career was too good to miss! My objective was to use my training to improve my employability in a very competitive field. A lot of jobs in the conservation sector call for chainsaw qualifications (NPTC CS30.1, 30.2 and 31 – chainsaw maintenance and crosscutting, felling of small trees) as part of the essential person criteria. I undertook the training in August of 2007, and in September the following September I was offered a full time paid position at GWLL. I am currently working for GWLL, and hope later this year I can take the next stage of my training, which is the felling of medium trees.
My experience of the Women and Work programme has been really positive. I have carried out training that I would otherwise not have been able to afford to fund myself. The training assisted me in getting paid employment in my new career – I now love my job, such an improvement from sitting on my backside in an office all day! Thank you Lantra and Women and Work!”