Student placement Review

For five days, we would have a meeting first thing in the morning to go through the plan for the day. Then, we would have talks in the morning from conservationists on careers and areas of conservation. We would have breaks and an hour lunch break. In the afternoon, we would have one or two more talks and then meet go into breakout rooms with our groups to discuss and plan our project - which was focused on tackling a conservation problem being faced by Hengistbury Head nature reserve.

It was very interesting for me as I had not really explored career paths in conservation yet. It showed me that there are career options for people not as interested in the practical side of conservation work, such as fiction writing and community outreach. Furthermore, it showed me that the field of conservation can be challenging to get into, which has significantly affected my career-planning.

I learnt skills in using online study tools, for example using zoom and break-out rooms. I developed team-working skills whilst planning the project with a small group. Time-management was also key as I had to plan my uni work around the daily placement. I learnt crucial skills for job applications, CV writing and interviews.

Very friendly and close-knit. We were personally introduced to each of the members of the team and they all ran sessions related to their specific role. It came across as a really lovely and fulfilling place to work.

I really enjoyed it as it was the right level of work considering all students were studying at the same time. Also, it was great to hear from the huge range of people working in conservation and I felt like I understood the field much more than when I started the placement.

Yes