Project Kingfisher is co-ordinated by the not-for-profit company Ambios Ltd (a company which actively promotes environmental understanding). The European Social Fund is financing this project in order to provide training placements for people wishing to begin careers in environmental conservation work. The project will run until September 2007.

The Project Partners are: Ambios Ltd, Ambios NVQ and Riviera Training Ltd, together with the following Host Organisations: Devon Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group; Devon Wildlife Trust; Exmoor National Park Authority; Marine Biological Association; Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust; Dartington Hall Trust and Ambios Environmental Consultants (download Project management summary document).

The project has a number of vacancies for trainees who are interested in gaining National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Units in Environmental Conservation (Level 2 or 3), recognised computing and other relevant qualifications (e.g. Use of Chainsaw, RYA Powerboat, etc). Employers are increasingly seeking these qualifications.

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals willing to work as part of a team with other like-minded people, sometimes under time pressures but always with a smile. We are seeking those who are keen to achieve a qualification that will help them gain employment. This project offers many opportunities for selected trainees to become part of a network of environmental professionals.

These placements are open to everyone from all educational backgrounds; you may have no formal qualifications at all, you may have one degree or two (!) ...it does not matter. We are looking for enthusiastic, committed individuals that want to work in nature conservation.

As a trainee, you will spend your placement working alongside professional staff from one of the Host Organisations listed above, learning valuable practical and communication skills and gaining an intimate insight into the organisation’s environmental conservation work. In parallel with the working day, you will need to collect evidence towards a portfolio that illustrates your growing competence to the do the job. Acquiring this evidence normally occurs naturally, as part of the work placement.

Assessors from the Ambios team will guide you through the process which leads to the vocational qualification. Project Kingfisher offers Units from the Environmental Conservation NVQ at Level 2 and 3. Your choice of Units and Level will depend partly on you and partly on the opportunities presented at your chosen host organisation and the type of work you will be doing. Your NVQ Assessors will help you to decide the best Units to take.

All placements begin on Monday 22^nd January 2006.  After an initial induction with Ambios Ltd followed by an introduction to your host organisation you will attend a 4 day residential team building and NVQ/computing introductory event followed by (for those that need it) the four day First Aid at Work certificated course.  This special first aid course is context-specific to the environmental conservation working environment.  

After this you will start to receive Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training and allowed access to learning materials via your host organisation but not always during normal working hours.  You will be expected to undertake ICT learning tasks outside the normal working day.  Periodically you will get together with all the other Kingfisher trainees for group ICT sessions and to look at the context in which you use ICT in nature conservation.  This training will lead to a recognised computing qualification.  During your placement you will also decide, with your host organisation and within budget constraints, which additional vocational courses you would like to attend.  For some organisations these course are pre-set.   In the past, trainees have undertaken a range of work-related certificates including the chainsaw certificate, first aid at work and the powerboat certificate.  

Together with your fellow trainees at your host organisation, you will also be expected to organise an ‘open day’ for all other Kingfisher trainees from other organisations.  This day will aim to show your understanding of what your organisation does and how you communicate that message.  Attendance at each of these days is mandatory and part of qualifying for any final training payments.  Moreover, the day will involve you organising practical tasks for your fellow trainees.  You will also receive other regular sessions on NVQ portfolio building, employability skills and (towards the end of your placement) C.V. writing and interview skills.  The project will also require you to undertake some self-assessments of your abilities and working practices at different times during your placement. 

During training you will receive a training allowance of £22 per day (or £110 per week).  At the end of your 36 week placement you will then receive an additional ‘completers’ payment of £360 subject to agreed achievements during the course of your training placement.  In addition, you will be entitled to a travel allowance and the project holds a budget for childcare if this assistance would help you attend the placement.   These payments are not subject to TAX or NI and are a contribution towards subsistence.  You will be ‘not in employment’ when you begin the Kingfisher training programme.   You do not have to be registered unemployed (but its fine if you are) but you cannot be in employment whilst on this training initiative.   While on the training programme you are not entitled to unemployment benefit.   Individuals may be entitled to Housing and other benefits but this is judged on a case-by-case basis by the benefits agencies concerned.   The length of time in training is 36 weeks and there is a certain amount of flexibility for applicants who might need a more part-time arrangement.   

Contact us

For an informal chat about the trainee placements and what they entail, please telephone the contacts listed below. All the host organisations welcome informal contact prior to application and are happy to discuss details of the placements on offer. 

For general enquiries about the Kingfisher project contact:

Simon Roper  at simonroper@ambios.net (best!) or  01363 773443