So, What Next?

What I have gained

The COVID-19 pandemic has made my final year at university slightly different to what I was expecting when I first started university 2 years ago. To help stop the spread and control the virus there has been very limited in person teaching and extra-curricular activities. However, a huge positive of the virus is the increase in online talks and conferences that have allowed me to join a wide range of talks from across the country that in normal times would be in person so I wouldn’t have been able to attend.

This blog has helped to encourage me to attend more talks and by writing overviews on them I feel I have learnt more than if I were to simply watch them.

After a talk on how important social media now is in the modern-day job hunt, I have continued to be active on twitter as well as this blog and have also made myself a LinkedIn account to help to find jobs and connect with possible future employees.

Short-term plan

As I explained in my first blog post I am fortunate to being going back to Skomer Island as a long-term volunteer this summer for 2½ months from July-September. This will allow me to gain more invaluable experience as well as contacts that may be extremely important when looking for future jobs. My other plans after university are to try to find work as a voluntary warden at one of the many bird observatories around the UK; most likely Bardsey island where I have volunteered before in 2019.  

Many of my hopeful jobs after university unfortunately involve seasonal roles which normally are during the summer and start in late winter/early spring.

Possible jobs straight after university:

•          Assistant warden (Skomer Island, Bardsey Island)
•          Little tern warden (Spurn, Gronant, Gibraltar point, Chesil Beach)
•          Research assistant
•          Wildlife tour guide
•          Internship (Wildlife trust, WWT, RSPB etc

My other plans after finishing university are to carry on with bird ringing in the hope, I can get my licence by the end of the year. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 I have been unable to go ringing since the summer which has delayed me in getting my ringing licence. 

I had considered staying at university and doing a masters however, I have decided since a young age that I don't want a 'desk' job and defiantly want to be working in the field. Because of this I have decided to spend my time doing more practical volunteering to gain vital experience needed for many jobs in conservation.

Long-term plan

The long-plan is to continue working as an assistant warden/research assistant jobs for around 5 years so that I can use this as an opportunity to gain experience whilst working in remote areas or abroad. The plan after that is to look for a more permanent job using the skills I will have learnt; hopefully, I will be able to find jobs as a warden, reserve manager or in ecological consultancy.