Turn your passion into your profession with an apprenticeship!
“The future depends on what you do today.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
If you’re ready to build a meaningful career in conservation, apprenticeships offer one of the most effective and immersive ways to get started.
Unlike short-term volunteering or academic study, apprenticeships combine structured training, professional mentorship and real-world experience, helping you gain the confidence, credibility and clarity to move forward in your career.
They’re designed for people who want:
- Hands-on fieldwork experience
- Personalised support from experienced professionals
- Opportunities to reflect, grow and gain confidence
- Clear pathways into conservation jobs
An apprenticeship offers a structured, supported route into the conservation sector – building your skills, experience and credibility from day one.
And unlike going it alone, you’ll join a global community of like-minded changemakers, gaining access to career support long after your fieldwork ends.
Ready to turn your passion into your profession?
Discover four standout apprenticeships designed to help launch your conservation career.
Conservation Experiences: Standout Apprenticeships
PADI Divemaster and Marine Conservation Dive Shop Apprenticeship in Mexico
Start your career in professional diving by completing a PADI Divemaster internship at a dive centre in Mexico. You’ll learn about marine ecosystems by gathering scientific data and conducting coral monitoring and restoration research.
Career highlights:
- Participate in three months of intensive fieldwork to kick-start your career.
- Get a job placement with a conservation partner for three months.
- Build a network of industry contacts.
- Fast-track your leadership and career skills.
Wildlife Conservation Apprenticeship in South Africa
Gain pivotal field experience on a private game reserve in the heart of the South African bush, where you’ll learn techniques used by private game reserves and international organisations to conduct wildlife research.
Career highlights:
- Spend three months working on real conservation projects.
- Put your new skills into practice with a career-boosting three-month work placement.
- Kick-start your career in conservation or animal rehabilitation with real experience.
PADI Divemaster and Marine Conservation Apprenticeship in Oceania & the Thai Islands
Earn your PADI Divemaster certification while exploring the waters surrounding the islands of Fiji and Thailand. This six-month apprenticeship puts you on the fast track to earning a living as a divemaster in any top diving destination your heart desires.
Career highlights:
- Gain diving skills while conducting underwater marine conservation surveys in dive sites across Fiji and Thailand.
- Get three months of intensive training in the South Pacific isles of Fiji.
- Enjoy a three month placement at a dive centre in Southern Thailand.
Apprentice Trails Guide Course in Southern Africa
Spend four unforgettable weeks in the African wilderness, enjoying an incomparable nature training, learning how vital safety is in the bush and exploring your natural environment with all of your senses on daily excursions.
Career highlights:
- Gain skills to navigate and orient yourself in the bush.
- Learn how to track animals, read their behaviour and ensure group safety.
- Discover how to make use of local plant life to survive in the wild.
- Get the chance to obtain an official FGASA certificate at the end of the course.
Looking for other ways to turn your passion into your profession or gain conservation experience? Explore all our Conservation Experiences with apprenticeships, internships and volunteerships around the globe.
