Highlights from 2025: Looking Back, Moving Forward
As we reach the end of 2025, I find myself astonished by how much can happen within twelve months. This year has been one of significant growth for Conservation Careers, fuelled by the passion, commitment and generosity of our global community. What follows is a reflection on where we have been, where we are heading, and the many people who make our work meaningful.
2025 Highlights
A growing catalogue of certificated courses
One of the great joys of this year has been watching our course catalogue deepen and mature. In 2025 we introduced the Certificate in Rewilding and the Certificate in Community-Based Conservation, both of which have already begun helping people gain clarity, direction and confidence in their conservation journey.
All our skills courses are now structured with assessments to ensure learners reach the required standard to earn their Certificate of Achievement. It has been especially rewarding to see how this shift has enhanced accountability, rigour and the sense of accomplishment for graduates.
View our growing list of certificated courses
A transformed job board – now with over 50,000 roles a year
Our job board experienced a remarkable leap forward this year. We have moved from listing around 15,000 conservation roles annually to nearly 50,000, making it easier than ever for people to discover opportunities that match their skills and aspirations. This includes everything from early-career placements to senior-level roles across the globe.
Alongside this growth, we introduced our new global jobs map, allowing people to browse roles by location and proximity to home. It is already proving to be an incredibly popular addition.
We also passed a milestone I am personally very proud of – over 100,000 conservation jobs published since Conservation Careers began. It is a powerful reminder of how many pathways into the sector now lie within reach.
Explore the Conservation Careers job board
Our new free membership – CC Free
Another significant step forward has been the launch of CC Free, which offers anyone the chance to join our community without cost or commitment. Members gain access to a wide range of resources across our website, plus the opportunity to step inside our private CC Pro community space for the first time.
It has been wonderful to see thousands of new members join us this year, many of whom are now exploring conservation in a more structured and supported way than ever before.
Create your free CC Free account
24 new podcast episodes
Rated as the top conservation podcast on Spotify, this year we released 24 podcast episodes, each one shining a light on the lived experiences of conservationists from around the world. Listeners continue to tell us how much these conversations help them understand real career pathways, make informed decisions and stay motivated along the way.
Subscribe to the Conservation Careers Podcast on iTunes, Castbox, YouTube, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
New Ultimate Guides
We also expanded our Ultimate Guide collection, creating in-depth resources to help people explore new fields and understand what employers are looking for. This year’s additions included guides on becoming an oceanographer, forest ranger, conservation officer, GIS analyst, working abroad in conservation, and community-based conservation careers.
These guides remain some of our most-read resources, and it’s been encouraging to see how many people have used them to make informed career decisions.
Our Experts in Residence
Our Experts in Residence have played a central role again this year, designing courses, supporting learners and contributing generously to our content and community. Their expertise and commitment have shaped much of what we have achieved, thanks to all:
- Lloyd Gofton – Communications
- Felix Cybulla – Conservation Standards
- Dr Kate Evans – Fundraising
- Helen Gibbons – Community-Based Conservation
- Pedro Ribeiro – Rewilding
- Tara Phillips – Public Speaking
- Dr David Shiffman – Marine Conservation
- Dr David Johnston – Environmental Education
- Leo Nyein Zaw Ko – Conservation Scholarships
Explore our expert-led Trainings
A thriving and expanding community
Perhaps the most energising part of 2025 has been watching our community spaces grow and flourish. On LinkedIn, our audience has now surpassed 215,000 followers, creating one of the largest dedicated conservation career communities anywhere online. Every day we see people sharing opportunities, insights and encouragement, and it has become a genuine hub of connection and support.
Within our CC Pro membership, the sense of momentum has been palpable. We are now supporting more than 1,200 active members, and each week brings new conversations, new wins and new relationships. Our events calendar has been busier than ever, from office hours and member mixers to our popular Pro Chats where members meet working conservationists and ask them questions directly. We will soon be releasing our full 2025 webinar training calendar, which will introduce even more live learning opportunities.
Follow Conservation Careers on LinkedIn
Looking ahead to 2026
New courses and masterclasses
Next year promises to be an equally exciting step forwards. We are preparing to launch three new certificated courses early in the year:
- Certificate in Marine Conservation
- Certificate in Environmental Education
- Certificate in Conservation Science
In parallel, we are developing two focused masterclasses designed to help people overcome common barriers to progressing in the sector – how to secure conservation scholarships, and how to secure conservation experience. Both will be released in early 2026.
A new approach to email and live events
Over recent months we have taken a thoughtful look at how we communicate. While email remains an important tool for reaching and supporting our community, we feel strongly that the balance should shift towards quality over quantity.
Beginning in 2026, we will be sending fewer but more valuable messages, with a renewed focus on timely insights, helpful resources and community-led learning. We will also be running monthly live webinars, led either by myself or one of our Experts in Residence, to provide regular opportunities for structured guidance and interaction.
Alongside this, we will introduce clear course enrolment deadlines and a rolling six-month planning calendar, giving people more predictability and space to plan their learning journeys.
Introducing the CC Pass – launching January
Perhaps the most exciting change of all is coming in January with the launch of the CC Pass, our new all-access membership. CC Pass will provide entry to our full catalogue of training courses under one membership, creating a powerful and affordable way for people to build skills across multiple areas of conservation practice.
We believe CC Pass will be transformative for learners seeking long-term growth, and we cannot wait to share more very soon.
Thank yous
A year of progress is always a shared endeavour, and I want to take a moment to acknowledge some of the people who have shaped 2025.
Kristi Foster
The biggest thanks this year go to Kristi, who has been with Conservation Careers since 2019 – having joined as a volunteer Blogger in 2014 – and is now transitioning from Head of Programmes into her new role as Head of Coaching. She is thriving, and her support for our learners and members has been central to who we are and what we do. I am deeply grateful for her dedication and leadership. Explore coaching with Kristi in 2026
CC Experts in Residence
Thank you for the expertise, creativity and care you bring to every course and every student Lloyd Gofton, Felix Cybulla, Dr Kate Evans, Helen Gibbons, Pedro Ribeiro, Tara Phillips, Dr David Shiffman, Dr David Johnston, Leo Nyein Zaw Ko and my brother from another mother Fernando Mateos-González.
CC Community Connectors
Diana Gaffney, Beth Ruggiero, Emily Fyfe, and Mioloyka Popovich – you make our community what it is. Thank you for all you do to make it a safe, friendly and career boosting space for all.
Podcast Guests
Thank you to our podcast guest for sharing their time and expertise: Dr Greg Simpson, Helen Gibbons, Barry Fisher, Rory McCann, Kristi Foster, Pedro Ribeiro, Dr Marisa Tellez, Cristina Zenato, Dr Dave Johnston, Dr Stephen Green, Sara Kenny, Craig Ralston, Dr Kate Umbers, Daudi Sumba, Beryl Makori, Dr Howard Nelson, Nick Bubb, Daniel Kaul, Micol Montagna, John Tarnoff, Rebecca Wrigley, Richard Grimmett.
CC Bloggers
Thank you for the stories, insights and generosity you have shared with our audience: Jordan Gledhill, Stephanie Nicolaides, Anna Titova, Emily Pickett, Andrew Monks, Sera Samarna, Giuliana Vomero, Katie Cohan, Julie Singleton, Sarah Donaldson, Caroline Fitzgerald, Claire Tyrrell, Laura Hayter, Susie Stockwell, Fabiana Bernabe, Molly Schools, Maya de Paz.
CC Bloggers Interviewees
Thanks to the following for being interviewed for our website: Tintswalo Mukhari, Lesedi Kgarimetsa, Grant Smith, Esther Jacobs, Alex O’Brien, Casper Tybjerg, Rahayu Oktaviani, Andrea Rowlands-Bradfield, Andrea Bradfield, Dr Jamie McKaughan, Helen Walsh, Grevis Mutendi, Leon Rossouw, Reshu Bashyal, Forgive Maluleke, Dr Iury Simoes-Sousa, Tim Santel, Dr Cynthia Frasier, Dr Philippa Rickard, Erika van der Westhuizen, Farhana Azmi, Fernanda Abra, Jeethvendra Kirishnamoorthie, Ginevra Oertel, Aleksandre Mikeladze, Dr David Shiffman, Erich Goold, Nazirul Amin Azmi, Edd Moore, Molly Fairclough, Dr Samuell Bilerio, Rithwik Sundar, Lauren O’Brien, Angela Raab, Alessandro Forti, Scott Thomson, Megan Miller, Nathalie Gil, Joey Solimine, Dan Rumsey, Dr Trisha Gopalakrishna, Dr Allison Skidmore, Yongki Lee, Melissa Hobson, Abubakar Ibrahim.
Advertising partners
We appreciate every organisation – too numerous to mention – that entrusted us to promote their opportunities this year. Advertise with us.
Behind the Scenes
Thanks also to the people behind the scenes who have helped us this year. Duane Hardy, Sharmaine Salas, Karen Langley, April Wakefield, Eliza Pricilla, Rahayu Adinda, Pauline Odhiambo, Steffanie Hartley, Kieran Woodward, James Bartram, Ebony Escalona, Mukesh K, Muhammad Taha, Muhammad Taha, Nethaji R, Mahmood Hassan, Jason Parker and Syed Saad.
The biggest thanks of all
And finally, thank you to you – our readers, learners, supporters and friends. Your belief in our mission fuels everything we do.
As we prepare for the year ahead, I feel a genuine sense of excitement for what is coming. Our mission remains simple and deeply rooted – to help conservationists achieve career success. With your support, we will continue to grow this community, deepen our impact and open new doors for people around the world.
Thank you for being part of this journey, have a wonderful festive season and here’s to a great 2026 ahead.
Warm wishes,
Nick
Dr Nick Askew – Director
PS If you have not yet created a CC Free account, I warmly encourage you to do so. It opens the door to resources, support and community that can help you take meaningful steps in your conservation career. We would love to welcome you in. Create your free CC Free account