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Oliwia's Blog: Introduction to the Trainee Life

This is a short blog about my first months as a Wilder Luton Trainee!


Hello, I am Oliwia, one of two recent trainee hires in Bedfordshire. As of now I am officially nearly halfway into my traineeship and I can confidently say, it has been a blast! I feel that nearly every day has been a brand-new adventure, whether it was visiting a nature reserve we had not been to before, taking part in a community engagement activity with different people, or even tackling office-based tasks. Hopefully with this blog I can tell you a bit about me and this trainee position!

Every day brings new knowledge alongside a new skill to learn or improve on. For instance, this blog itself is a great way for me to practice my writing and engagement skills. Hopefully, by the end of this traineeship, I will be much more confident with creating pieces of writing, especially about my trainee experience just like this one!


 

2 Trainees doing scrub work, both facing away towards the scrub they are cutting.

After finishing sixth form, I got straight into this traineeship and I quickly realised how nothing compares to the real practical experience that this job brings. My favourite part of this job has been exploring the outdoors while taking part in conservation activities on reserves. The people you get to meet and work alongside are fantastic, different backgrounds and perspectives –  all connected by wanting to make a positive change to our local wildlife.  Working with partner organisations like Luton Orchards and Luton Borough Council has offered plenty of events to join in with. Every outdoor task has felt rewarding; from litter picking, using tools to clear scrub and undertaking some riverside planting by the river Lea. This abundance of experience in every activity will help me greatly in deciding my career path and gaining transferrable skills that will help with future employment.

Bradgers Hill interp by Holly Wilkinson

Bradgers Hill interp by Holly Wilkinson

Even though I grew up in Luton, I only recently started exploring the different green spaces Luton has to offer. We have explored other reserves further from home, however, Luton stands out with its beautiful chalk grasslands that has a rich history linked to the town and its wildlife, with Bradgers Hill and Galley and Warden being great accessible examples that I visit regularly. The more I learn about nature reserves that are local to me, the more I wish to help spread the word and continue to engage with local communities, telling them more about these unique green spaces and how everyone can care for them. Luton’s Mini- Apple Day has been a highlight that got so many people to enjoy the outdoors and appreciate the local Orchards, alongside the community aspect of bringing people together.

Girl pours apple into an apple press

Overall, all these events and tasks helped me see how important it is to keep up the work in both – the practical management side of green spaces, and the community side of connecting with local people. I am looking forward to the upcoming months as winter takes over with even more practical outdoor tasks and events that engages and educates local communities.

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