"Training the next generation of wildlife professionals"
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The Jodrell Laboratory Lecture Theatre

- 18th September 2009, 9.30am to 4.00pm -

This exciting conference brings together representatives of many different constituencies: all areas of the education sector, specialist natural history societies, conservation charities, governmental and non-governmental funding agencies.

We will be reviewing the status of education and training in the environmental sector, including;

• the nature of the skills gap;
• the issues affecting recruitment of the next generation of naturalists;
• and showcasing the exemplary heritage training scheme called LEMUR.

There will be opportunity throughout the day to explore solutions.

Click here to download a copy of the conference flier.

Who should attend?

This conference is for you if:

• You are an environmental employer who would like to get good quality trainees and want a chance to learn more about how the scheme works and the benefits that LEMUR placements bring.
• You are a Higher Education or Further Education course leader who would like to explore the potential for embedding academic study programmes with an established national network of structured framework of hands on practical industry placements.
• You are an employer or school who is gearing up to deliver the new 14 -19 Land based Diploma and would like to see how a LEMUR model could be adapted to deliver in this area.
• You want to hear more about industry perceptions of the status of education and training within the environmental conservation industry.
• You would like to become a potential delivery partner who would like to work with the project and create placement opportunities for trainees.
• You are an organisation considering setting up your own 'on the job' training scheme
• You are trying to start a career in environmental conservation, but are struggling through lack of practical experience or career guidance.

Click here to view the conference programme.

Click here to download a booking form.

Click here to download a copy of the conference flier.

Background

In 2000 the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) conducted a survey of the issues facing the heritage industry, that highlighted a significant decline in heritage skills across the UK, such as species identification and habitat survey skills. The survey also revealed the difficulties faced by those who manage heritage sites, in finding people with the requisite practical experience and abilities to help maintain them.

As a result of this survey, HLF in 2005 awarded a total of £7m to help fund the set up of ten exemplary heritage training bursary schemes that would improve the quality of skills available to the heritage sector by providing new entrants or existing staff with work based training opportunities. The results of the survey are not a startling revelation to those working in the industry. But what is significant about this £7m award is that it is a national acknowledgement that the heritage sector is in desperate need of financial help to start planning for future skill gaps in the heritage sector, and to do this requires a significant injection of funding to kick start this process in the hope that it will become mainstream funded.

As a result of this funding the LEMUR Project (Learning Environments in Marine, Urban and Rural areas), a partnership between Herefordshire Nature Trust, Ambios Ltd (not for profit), and Sheffield Wildlife Trust was successful in securing £704k of support, in order to help plug the growing skills gap of experienced and suitably skilled professional field naturalists.

This conference will hope to shed light on the types of issues facing the environmental sector if this skills issue is not addressed.

Click here to view LEMUR film.

Click here to download IEEM 'In Practice' bulletin on LEMUR.

Attending the conference

If you would like to come to our conference, please download and complete the booking form and send to:

Stas Calder
LEMUR Project
Herefordshire Nature Trust,
Lower House Farm,
Ledbury Road,
Tupsley,
Herefordshire, HR1 1UT

TEL: 01432 356872
FAX: 01432 275489

email: lemur@hnt-project.co.uk

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