We recently hosted our first Careers Event. The day featured talks by our own staff on their own career pathways to Suffolk Owl Sanctuary, as well as the opportunity for visitors to chat with some of our contacts who we invited. They included an artist, farmer, conservation organisation and the police.
Chris from the BTO Youth Team, listening to the talks
The day was based at SOS2, our educational building. The stage area was set out with comfy seating, while tables were set up for the various stalls. Outside, Suffolk Police set up a crime scene featuring real animal carcasses (roadkill), which certainly drew in the crowds.
Sophie from Suffolk Rural and Wildlife Crime Unit
As the event was open to all visitors and didn’t require pre-booking, we’re not sure exactly how many additional visitors we had on the day. However, as it had been advertised predominantly to secondary school aged children, the number of teenagers present was certainly higher than an average weekend day, so we can conclude that it was a welcome boost to our visitor number on the day.
Jess brought along a new piece of art for visitors to watch her working on
Those who chatted to our teams were asking about what qualifications, skills and experience is needed to get into the industry. From the talks, they learnt that resilience is critical, as the field is incredibly competitive, with sometimes hundreds of applicants for one job. Another common theme that came out was that it’s ok to divert from your original plan, with many of our staff taking up alternative work, which maybe opened other pathways. Prior to working in their current roles, our staff have worked in retail, cleaning, carpentry, teaching, landscaping, pest control, restaurants, leisure and the armed forces, all of which gave them a variety of skills and experiences which make them valuable members of the team.
Dolly giving her career pathway talk
Following feedback from visitors and stall holders, we hope to run another careers event in the spring, so watch this space for more details!
Special thanks to:
Chris from the British Trust for Ornithology
Jess from Jess Myers Art
Sam from Broughton Hall Farm
Brian and Sophie from Suffolk Rural and Wildlife Crime Unit
Dolly, Nick, Izzy, Susan and Rob who represented SOS and gave talks.