Meet
Rachel
Ecology and Conservation
Meet Rachel, who completed the Ecology and Conservation Skills Bootcamp.
Age 43
Area South Molton
Rachel has been working in her family business, Old Folding Maps, for many years and since Covid, has been feeling in a bit of a rut. She said,
“The social anxiety after coming out of Covid was tough, especially when you’re living and working within your family environment”
“[The Skills Bootcamp] has given me the confidence to go out and actually meet people and discuss what we’re doing. Life has taken a very good upward turn for me.”
Rachel has a keen interest in the health and state of the world and seeing the chance to branch out into conservation, she applied for the Skills Bootcamp at Petroc College.
Not having been in a learning environment for a long time, Rachel was apprehensive about joining the course, including the elements which involved online home learning. However, Rachel soon settled and found that it worked better, saving travel time and offered some flexibility to attend sessions around work.
The Ecology and Conservation Skills Bootcamp was held one day per week over a 12-week period, mostly online. However, the learning was very varied, they also attended field trips to wildlife reserves and other local projects in North Devon.
Skills gained
Ecology and Conservation
Rachel found that not only did the course support her understanding of conservation, she built real self-confidence by mixing with a new group of people and being introduced to new systems.
“My technology skills were absolutely appalling” she said, but with support from her tutor and after using different apps like Google Classroom and Google Slides for 12 weeks, she felt confident that this was no longer a barrier.
At the end of the course each student presented on a rare species to the rest of the learners and although Rachel recalls feeling nervous, she enjoyed the opportunity to present, armed with the expertise of the topic and confidence from the new friends made through the Skills Bootcamp.
Petroc College introduced Rachel to new conservation groups around Devon that enable her to continue her learning, such as the Coastwise group where she has been attending lectures and field days to further her knowledge and passion for ecology and conservation. She said,
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that this course has provided. I wouldn’t have done any of these things had I not had the doors open by Petroc, it really has been life-changing for me.”
At the end of the Skills Bootcamp, Petroc College held an employment event and invited three employers to hold presentations and interviews for interested learners. At this event, Quince Honey Farm, located in South Molton, interviewed Rachel, where she successfully secured a seasonal role in the education team! She is passionate about all of the farms’ conservation efforts and is enjoying sharing what the honey farm does with school groups and tourists.
“I feel like I can pass on my knowledge and learning to other people, on everything that’s going on around Devon.”
Marie, Head of the Education Team at Quince Honey Farm said:
“It was a real privilege to have the opportunity to talk with the people who were accessing the Skills Bootcamps. We are quite an unusual tourist attraction that endeavours to bring an experience to the general public of the natural world found in North Devon with a particular focus on the honeybee. Having a group of people passionate about wildlife and eager to learn more was exactly the type of candidate that we were looking for and the Skills Bootcamp gave us that.
“As Rachel has joined our Education Team at Quince Honey Farm, she has become a real asset. Her passion for wildlife clearly shows through and her research on her talks has given even the established presenters new ideas. She brings a thirst for knowledge and as she grows in her confidence and interacts with the public that awe and wonder of the natural world is passed on to those around her.”
Rachel is not done there, she shared her dream of working on Lundy Island to support the conservation efforts, taking her passion, knowledge and appreciation of ecology with her.
Join the thousands supercharging their skills and find out more about the Skills Bootcamps available in Devon and Cornwall this year – discover the range of courses available to adults.