We recently heard that three of our volunteers have had some good news; they now have jobs in the conservation sector! Ruth and Tilda have started working as Cemlyn wardens for the North Wales Wildlife Trust at Cemlyn Nature Reserve on Anglesey, whilst Sue has headed up to the wilderness of Scotland to become the St Kilda Ranger. All have put time and effort into volunteering – both with the Snowdonia Society and with other organisations, and we’re thrilled to congratulate them on their success.

Below, they each outline how volunteering, and completing our accredited training, has helped them…

Ruth started volunteering regularly with the Snowdonia Society when she decided she wanted to take her career in a different direction.

“Volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people, try new things, gain new skills and enhance your CV. Volunteering led me to my current job as a Cemlyn Warden for the North Wales Wildlife Trust – proof that it works!

I feel so lucky to be working on such a beautiful reserve, and in turn I get to help others in the same way as I work with the volunteers here.

Volunteering has not only helped my professional life but has improved my mental state and outlook on life immeasurably. I cannot recommend volunteering enough – I truly think that everyone should try it.”

Tilda completed a summer placement with the Snowdonia Society in the summer of 2018 and met Ruth whilst volunteering with the Snowdonia Society. It’s lovely that they have carried on their journey together and have now become colleagues!

“I completed a 140 hour placement with Snowdonia Society last summer, which definitely helped prepare me for spending all day long outside! It also helped me become better at communicating with members of the public and fellow volunteers, a skill vital for our new job. 

If I hadn’t volunteered with the Snowdonia Society, I wouldn’t have met Ruth and had the same amazing opportunities as I am lucky enough to have had“.

Sue began volunteering with the Snowdonia Society several years ago, when she was completing her MSc in conservation and land management at Bangor University. She has worked hard to gain a range of experiences and her hard work has paid off. “I think that if you’re serious about working in conservation, it is essential that you can demonstrate your commitment by having spent time volunteering. Without this, potential employers may pass over your application. You need to be able to show that you’ve done something more, or different, from others. I have volunteered for several charities, and I have found this helpful in interviews, when having to give examples of real-life situations/scenarios. Employers value that extra commitment and valuable practical experience.”

A huge congratulations to these three volunteers – your success is well deserved.

If your volunteer experience with us has helped you land a job, please let us know – we always like to hear good news! If you fancy giving volunteering a try, check out our upcoming workdays, it’s always great to see new (and old) faces.