Nature Friendly Farming Apprentice x 2

Job Description

You will be working as part of Cumbria Connect a new landscape-scale nature restoration programme funded by the Endangered Landscapes Programme. The newly-established partnership programme comprises five main partners - RSPB, Lowther Estates, United Utilities, Orton Farm Cluster and Natural England as well as delivery partners – Woodland Trust, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Ernest Cook Trust, Eden Rivers Trust and Lune Rivers Trust.

The objectives and outcomes of Cumbria Connect are to:

Restore nature to 34,000 hectares of upland landscape in the north-eastern corner of Cumbria by applying the Lawton Principles and creating a better-connected network of quality wildlife sites
Promote the socio-economic importance of nature restoration to the local community
Enable knowledge transfer to inform further landscape-scale restoration programmes and ensure a legacy beyond the programme.

The programme aims to meet its objectives through direct conservation interventions, to include woodland management, peatland restoration, sustainable deer management, regenerative farming practices on core-sites and species translocations; knowledge exchange with a focus on nature-friendly and regenerative farming; evidence building through science-based research and monitoring; and community and stakeholder engagement.

To support this work, we are seeking highly motivated individuals with experience of, or demonstrable understanding and enthusiasm for, farming and land management to work across three established sites to deliver restoration through nature conservation, nature friendly farming and community/visitor engagement.

You will be directly working with teams from our project partners - RSPB, United Utilities, Lowther Estates, and the Ernest Cook Trust Natural England, and as part of an ambitious Europe wide suite of ELP funded restoration projects.

The formal learning aspects of this role will be delivered via of this apprenticeship will be delivered through Myerscough college under their Level 3 Livestock Unit Technician Apprentice scheme – details via link here: Level 3 Livestock Unit Technician Apprenticeship Standard | Myerscough College. Alongside a formal qualification, at the end of this apprenticeship, you will have acquired a broad range of skills to support you in a successful career in farming/land management.

You will feel passionately about nature friendly farming, rural livelihoods and the natural world and the hope of its recovery. You would be joining a friendly and dynamic community of partners, committed to creating a better future for nature and the rural economy in Cumbria.

Key aspects of the role:

You will support the on the ground delivery nature recovery and farming across three sites, RSPB Haweswater (a partnership with United Utilities with two upland farms and associated common land), Lowther Estate (as part of the Lowther Farming Partnership) and Low Beckside Farm (Ernest Cook Trust).
Day to day you will be organising, supervising, and delivering specific land management, conservation, and farming tasks. You will manage small scale projects and work collaboratively with a range of partners. You will also become qualified and proficient in various practical and machinery operational skills, for example, All Terrain Vehicle, Tractor, Brush cutting, Livestock handling, First Aid.
Building and maintaining strong and productive relationships with local stakeholders and partners
Contributing to wider operational discussions on effective delivery of nature recovery at landscape scale
Contributing to shared learning and impact within the suite of ELP restoration projects and forward ELP’s wider Programme goals

Essential skills, knowledge, and experience:

• You will have knowledge and experience of farming/estate management.
• Comfortable managing volunteers from a range of backgrounds
• Applicants will have attained a minimum of 4 GCSE grades C/4 including both Maths and English. Functional Skills Level 2 will be accepted as an alternative to GCSEs. (Exceptional entries will be considered for all Apprenticeships at the discretion of Myerscough college based on experience, successful interview and outcomes of Initial and Diagnostic assessments for English and Maths to establish current levels of ability
• You will need to travel to and from the site daily, so a driving licence is preferable.

Desirable skills, knowledge, and experience:

• Comfortable working alone and as part of a team
• Knowledge of servicing and maintaining vehicles, machinery, tools and equipment.
• Livestock handling

Additional Information & Working Arrangements

This role will involve lone working and working in remote locations.
This role will require occasional weekend, early morning and evening working so will need someone who is able to be flexible.

These are Fixed Term roles for 18 months for 37.5 hours per week. The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position Week commencing 8th January 2024. For further information please contact: Bill Kenmir, Cumbria Connect Conservation Delivery Manager, bill.kenmir@rspb.org.uk

As part of this application process, you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form including evidence on how you meet the skills, knowledge, and experience listed above.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side.