Lantra to address the needs of the environmental sector
16 September 2008
Conservation organisations are often at the forefront of offering real work experience to graduates from a range of environmental disciplines, and often includes those entering the workforce for the first time.
Many voluntary organisations have difficulty in recruiting staff for specific paid posts, finding themselves a temporary training ground for workers to gain experience to move on due to salary or other work benefits.
Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries has recently secured funding to address these issues for the environmental conservation sector in Northern Ireland.
Lantra aim to collate information on environmentally related training, competencies and experience needs across a range of job levels within the sector; this information will then be made available to entrants, education providers, career guidance services and environmental organisations. It will allow areas of the sector to develop competitive salary scales, share career information/literature and develop recruitment plans, which might greatly enhance retention in the sector.
David Seffen, NI Partnership Manager for Lantra is keen to make a difference to the difficult position environmental organisations finds themselves in: “Conservation and voluntary sector organisations are finding it harder and harder to recruit experienced staff to work in practical jobs such as nature reserve assistant, environmental policy officer, conservation manager and senior management roles.”
In response to environmental conservation organisations needing more accessible and flexible skills provision more responsive to industry needs, Lantra is continually working to develop the image of land-based and environmental industries, with the aim of recruiting and retaining more skilled people.
For additional information about this project contact the Lantra office on 028 7963 1304 or email ni@lantra.co.uk
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