The Natural Talent UK traineeship programme aims to increase expertise across the whole of the UK to protect our less well known species and create awareness of the habitats that support them.  Thanks to funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, this UK-wide scheme follows on from the very successful Natural Talent Apprenticeship programme that delivered 44 apprenticeships between 2006 and 2016, and was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Both programmes have responded to identified skills shortages in the conservation sector by providing trainees with the opportunity to develop an expertise in a specific taxonomic group, habitat or a mixture of both. Natural Talent UK is also increasing the capacity of volunteers and communities to play an active role in surveying, mapping an