Rural Conservation Skills (nationally)
A brief online search for the area in which you intend to resettle will produce several groups with whom to volunteer, often with expenses paid and gain skills and experience - and a network - which will help you find professional opportunities and give you invaluable content for your CV and experiences and knowledge to set you up for a confident interview.
This page from the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) will give you an idea of what you should be looking for.
Why work experience?
Gaining in-sector work experience immeasurably strengthens a resettlement campaign.
Successful ex-military working across the land-based sector report that they incorporated work experience and in many cases undertook it instead of courses and qualifications.
Many opportunities are linked to potential longer-term paid employment whereas others are simply an opportunity for the resettling individual to immerse themselves in the target sector and learn. It’s a bit of “try before you buy” for both parties: better to do a short period of work experience and find out that it’s not for you or to spot a slightly different role than buy a house, take a permanent job and then find out it really is not for you!
Ruralink enables work experience directly and will use our extensive network to introduce you to the right business.
For example:
- Conservation Management – Gloucestershire & Home-based – very flexible commitment
- Cereals processing and quality testing – Gloucestershire – 1 day with potential for more
- Land-management nationally - 1 week block negotiable
- Fruit farming - Kent - 2 weeks March - October