Let’s celebrate! Conservation Careers success stories
Like many conservationists, we spend most time focused on supporting people and the planet, and we rarely take time to celebrate our successes along the way.
That’s why we’re dedicating this post to celebrating success stories from 2022!
We are incredibly proud of what we as a team, our partners and our community have achieved.
In 2022, Conservation Careers celebrated its ninth year helping conservationists achieve career success. We’re proud to say that we supported nearly 767,000 conservationists this year on their path to helping wildlife thrive.
We’ve seen job opportunities continue flooding back into the conservation sector, and an increasing focus on improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the sector.
We’ve also seen growing interest from career switchers seeking to dedicate their careers and skills to causes that better align with their values.
As we look ahead to 2023, here are some of our successes from this past year, and a glimpse into what we’re planning next!
2022 in numbers
If you love numbers as much as we do, here are some stats that give a snapshot of 2022.
- Total audience – 766,974 people across website, social media and email.
- Social media audience – 179,238 followers
- CC Pro community – 755
- Conservation Careers team (core, consultants & volunteers) – 27
- Total jobs posted – 53,799
- Conservation jobs posted in 2022 – 12,996
- New training programmes launched – 3
- Interviews – 30
- Podcast episodes – 17
- Webinars – 7
- Ultimate Guides – 2
- Downloadable Ultimate Guides – 5
To find out how far we’ve come since last year, check out our Highlights from 2021!
Conservation Career Kick-Starter | Supporting >2,500 Kick Stars
To date, we’ve piloted our flagship course, the Conservation Career Kick-Starter, at 40+ universities worldwide. We’re formally partnering with a number of these universities to give their students a head start in the industry.
As of December 2022, over 2,500 kick stars (our inspiring students!) have enrolled in the Conservation Career Kick Starter in both English and Spanish, and it has a 98.9% satisfaction and 99.3% recommendation rating. Wow!
We love hearing feedback like this:
“Not since leaving university years ago, have I had the access to such useful, comprehensive resources, skilled professionals and real support in my learning and job hunting. I credit Conservation Careers as playing an integral role in helping me to land my job as Head of Communications at Whitley Fund for Nature.” – Kate Stephenson, KateOnConservation.com, 2022.
“I get quality feedback and encouragement from like-minded people who are tackling similar challenges – finding conservation roles where they can really contribute. One of the things that makes it great is the personal touch and the feedback and connection that Nick, Kristi, Nando & Lloyd put in”. Clare Roberts, Cambridgeshire, UK, 2022.
NEW | Conservation Project Management & Design
We’re currently supporting over 100 students on our newest online training programme, Conservation Project Management & Design.
This programme follows the best-in-class Conservation Standards methodology and is taught by Certified Conservation Standards Coach, Facilitator and Coach Trainer, Felix Cybulla.
Our students are learning the most valued skills in the conservation industry – project design and management – and we’re excited for them to become more employable and impactful as a result.
“With over 100 students in the first cohort, the interest and response to our new online course was mind-blowing and very encouraging that we are offering something that resonates with conservationists out there!” – Felix Cybulla.
NEW | Fundraising for Conservation Projects
This year we launched Fundraising for Conservation Projects, an online training programme taught by multi-award-winning conservationist, and CEO of Elephants for Africa, Dr Kate Evans.
Our students are learning the process of searching for, applying for, and securing funds for conservation work – so they can turn ideas into reality and create more conservation impact.
“I have learnt how vital it is to secure funding if a conservationist is going to see their dreams become a reality” – Dr Kate Evans.
Teaching conservationists to speak like TEDTalkers
Our new Public Speaking for Conservationists online training programme aims to transform careers by teaching conservationists to speak like TEDTalkers,
With support from TEDx Speaker Coach Tara Phillips, our first group of students learned to plan and deliver effective presentations and speak confidently at meetings, interviews and more.
We’re excited for them to continue boosting their confidence, leadership and impact through public speaking skills.
Happy first birthday, CC Pro community!
It’s hard to believe that just one year ago, we launched our new online support community, CC Pro.
Today, CC Pro is a thriving community of 750 aspiring and professional conservationists from across the globe, all supporting one another.
Here are just a few reasons why CC Pro is such an inspiring place to be:
- Live Events | Enjoy regular chats with experts plus informal catchups.
- Growth Challenges | Take on fun challenges and grow professionally.
- Feedback | Get 1:1 feedback from the CC team and community.
- Celebrate Successes | Share your highs and lows and get support.
- Peer Support | Build a global support network for your career.
- Private Chat | Connect 1:1 to share interests, get advice or collaborate.
- And much more!
“For me, the most valuable part of CC Pro is the real-life, real-time advice from both professionals and peers. To have instant access to a network that not only understands your position but is right there with you (or has been in that position in the past), is invaluable – as both a source of advice and a place of mutual support” – Kate Stephenson, Norfolk, UK.
“The most valuable thing I get from CC Pro is quality feedback and encouragement from like-minded people who are tackling similar challenges – finding conservation roles where they can really contribute” – Clare Roberts, Career Switcher, Cambridgeshire, UK.
“The most valuable things for me are the connection to the instructors, access to a community of other members, and having resources all compiled and easily accessible in one area” – Kaylah Krajnc, Toronto, Canada.
“I’ve never before been part of an online community that is as informative as it is genuinely supportive as is CC Pro … since starting my membership, I don’t know how I began to prepare for a career in conservation without it! I particularly value the sense of reassurance you gain in meeting like-minded individuals on a similar path to yourself, the frequent help and functional advice offered by Nick, Kristi and Nando, and the motivation and inspiration that comes from hearing others’ success stories” – Antonia (Tonia) Chacon, Career Switcher, Sydney, Australia.
It’s one of our favourite places to spend a few minutes each day, too 🙂
If you could use some community career support, come give CC Pro a try here!
New Head of Community, Dr Fernando Mateos-González
In early 2022 we officially welcomed our new Head of Community, Dr Fernando Mateos-González!
“One of the things I love most about being Head of Community for CC Pro is seeing the connections and friendships that are formed among our members. They support and encourage each other, and it’s truly inspiring to see the positive impact this has on their careers in conservation” – Nando.
Fernando, or Nando as he’s often known, leads our growing online community of aspiring and professional conservationists, CC Pro.
Here are just a few of the ways Nando’s built our thriving community this year:
- Live events (community catchups, ask us anything hours, webinars).
- Professional growth challenges (including epic LinkedIn and Twitter challenges!)
- Helping members connect, collaborate and create projects that benefit their careers.
- Weekly check-ins to get support and keep momentum going.
And there are lots more coming soon!
Conservation Scholarships | 500+ funding opportunities for conservationists
We’re on a mission to help conservationists achieve career success, and create a world where wildlife thrives.
But we know that money can be a BIG barrier, and sometimes even prevent talented conservationists from pursuing and growing their careers.
That’s why we’re building the biggest Conservation Scholarship Board for conservationists – including scholarships for Research & Projects, Training & Study and Experiences & Expeditions.
“When I started out in conservation, I had no idea where to find funding to get the experience and training I needed – and most conservationists I’ve met around the world struggled also.
“It’s exciting to bring hundreds of funding opportunities together in one place so that more conservationists can pursue their passion and purpose” – Kristi Foster, Head of Engagement.
Explore 500+ conservation scholarships (and our top tips for applying)!
Webinars & Live Training Events
We had fun running seven webinars where we discussed popular topics and answered top questions.
Check out this year’s webinar recordings:
- Women in Conservation Part 2
- LinkedIn for Conservationists
- Conservation Project Management & Design
- The Power of Evidence for Landing Conservation Jobs
- Top 10 Conservation Career Questions Answered
- Switching Careers into Conservation
- Conservation Leadership Programme 2023 Team Awards
Explore all of our webinars!
Conservation Careers Podcast
The Conservation Careers Podcast is almost five years old and we’ve published 85 episodes and counting!
“If you want the inside scoop on the life of a professional conservationist and our industry, are feeling lost in your conservation job hunt and need some direction, or want to switch careers into conservation but don’t know where to start – this is the podcast for you” – Dr Nick Askew.
- Happiest times as conservationists
- Career changing moments
- The good, the bad and the ugly in conservation
Ultimate Guides | In-depth resources for conservationists
Does it feel overwhelming trying to understand and navigate the conservation sector? We hear some questions come up over and over again, like ‘How do I switch careers into conservation?’, or ‘How do I start a career in marine conservation?’.
This year we published new ultimate guides that distil all of our experience and the advice from professional conservationists into question-by-question guides to help fast-track your career.
Explore all our Ultimate Guides or download a copy of our guides to read later!
Sharing the latest careers advice
We don’t always have Yoda to guide us in our careers, but we do have a global community of conservation professionals and leaders with a wealth of advice to share.
In 2022, we published 38 new career advice articles on our Conservation Careers Advice Blog. Most of these are interviews with professional conservationists, thanks to our talented team of Conservation Careers Bloggers.
Here are just a few of our favourites:
- Breaking into the conservation sector
- So you want to be a marine conservationist? Consider these realities before diving in
- Conserving Lions through Evidence-Based Conservation and Local Rights: An Interview with Amy Dickman
- Exploring the “no handbook” realities of becoming a conservation filmmaker; an interview with Christine Lin, National Geographic Explorer
- Coexisting with African elephants – An interview with Jake from EleCREW
- Conscious Travel | Discovering the world’s wildest places with Natucate
- From conserving wild cats to queñoa trees—a career switch, with “no regrets”
- Inside internships: Five top tips to ensure interns get what they really need
- Conserving for the Future: An interview with Tomos Avent
- Securing a job in research science – advice from lemur scientist Lydia Greene
- Indigenous Partners in Conservation
- Applying for a conservation job with a disability | Advice from aspiring wildlife presenter Ryan Eddowes
- The Iberian wolf: how to protect a misunderstood species?
- Keeping Up with Conservation News
Read all our careers advice articles on our Careers Advice blog!
1:1 Coaching | Supporting conservationists to be their best
We worked with job seekers, students, career switchers and professionals, supporting them with personalised career coaching, application reviews and interview preparation.
We love hearing success stories like this…
“I was the successful candidate for the role with UNEP-CITES! I just wanted to say a big thank you again for the prep session I did with you before the interview. It really helped me boost my confidence and give it my all in the interview
I’ve just finished about a month into the job now and it’s been so busy working on CITES CoP19, but I’m really enjoying it so far.” – Caroline Fitzgerald, Dublin, Ireland, November 2022.
I got the job! | Community success stories
One of our favourite parts of our work is hearing from applicants who’ve successfully landed their dream job after receiving support. Here is just one of this year’s many success stories…
“I must say once again thanks very much CC Pro family. Without you for sure I couldn’t make such a good CV, cover letters that can stand out and make me shine over others. Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) is the largest NGO organisation in Mauritius and it’s in partnership with great organisations of my dreams. I feel it will be a breakthrough to the Conservation world where my interests and passion are taken care of” – Ismael Okwomi from Nairobi, Kenya, who landed two internships, one with the Mara Elephant Project, and one with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.
“My new job at TNC (now nine months in!) gets more real every day. The more I learn, the more gets added to my plate…naturally. I’m still over the moon that I have been lucky enough to find my initial niche space as a career switcher” – Carley Petch.
“After what feels like a 2-year roller coaster of some highs and many long, dark lows trying to switch back to a career in conservation, I’m starting a new position next month in Albania! I’m beyond excited for the opportunity to work in my field again – transboundary protected areas – and also begin working in bird conservation, which is something I’ve been dreaming of doing for a long time.
I want to say a huge THANK YOU to Nick, Kristi, and Nando for your guidance and coaching, and for developing the Conservation Careers resources and community. What I was doing on my own to switch to a conservation career wasn’t working, and things started moving quickly when I joined this community. I really don’t think it would have happened without you and the knowledge and insights shared in Conservation Careers. ❤️ ” – Stephanie Gentle
Nick and Kristi meet! Conservation Careers Retreat
After seven years meeting via Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp and more, Nick and Kristi met for the first time in person in May 2022.
We spent a week doing some CC planning together and having some fun walking in Snowdonia National Park in Wales.
We did a LOT of brainstorming about where we want to take CC next, to serve our community better – and planning our vision for where we see CC in five years’ time.
We’re excited about what lies ahead for us all!
Nick and Lloyd meet! In-person communications training
Lloyd Gofton has been part of the Conservation Careers team since 2020, building and delivering our popular Communications for Conservation Projects online training programme.
We met in person for the very first time to deliver communications training to Durrell Conservation Academy staff in Jersey, Channel Islands.
Looking ahead to 2023
It’s been quite a ride … and as we look forwards to 2023, we’re excited about what’s in store.
New website
In 2021, we – gulp! – took on the project of totally rebuilding our website. With tens of thousands of pages, posts and jobs to recreate, we’ve now spent over a year in planning, design and development… and we’re excited to say that our new website is almost ready to launch! Coming in early 2023, the new site is going to be much faster, simpler and easier to use for all. We think you’re going to love it 
1:1 Career Coaching
In 2023, we will begin formally offering career coaching support alongside our core training programmes. Our goal is to support conservationists through tough-to-navigate decisions and career transitions, so they can create careers they might otherwise never have dreamed of.
Communicating Conservation
Our new specialist agency, ‘Communicating Conservation’, is now exploring working with two organisations. The agency is designed to help conservation organisations – large and small – to deliver on individual communications, marketing and PR projects. We will also be able to help as a longer-term partner to drive strategic direction, training and day-to-day campaign support. If this sounds interesting, do get in touch.
Conservation Qualifications
We’re working with one of the largest learning providers in the UK to create a suite of regulated conservation qualifications. These will include marine conservation, restoration and rewilding and many more. Watch this space!
Conservation Career Development Programme
We’re piloting a totally new programme with the UK Wildlife Trusts starting in January 2023. The goal is to improve staff morale, effectiveness and well-being, through self-study, group coaching, 1:1 coaching and community support.
Conservation Internship Programme
We’re exploring working with a leading conservation organisation to create an ongoing 6-month internship which is co-managed by them and us. Alumni from our Communications for Conservation Projects training programme would receive 1:1 support from our communications course leader, Lloyd Gofton, to deliver a communications plan in a real-life, professional context.
CC Pro Community
We’ve had so much fun growing and learning together in our online community for conservationists, CC Pro this year. In 2023, we’re planning to expand our community support with ‘Pro Chats’ (informal Q&As with conservational professionals), buddy support, mentorship opportunities, and more.
Supporting Conservation Professionals and Employers
As CC grows, so does our community of conservation employers and professional conservationists. We’re exploring developing more resources to support both, including leadership support.
By now, you probably know that we’re always open to new ideas that come along, so do get in touch if you think we can help or improve things within conservation in some way.
Thank you for your continued support, and stay tuned as we keep innovating on our mission to help conservationists achieve career success.
Here’s to a great 2023 for all.