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For young people who would rather spend their working days restoring peatland, managing woodland or repairing a dry stone wall than sitting beneath strip lighting, a new route into the countryside sector is opening across the Yorkshire Dales.
Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust is recruiting for eight paid apprenticeships in countryside management, with opportunities based from Cumbria to Richmond and across the Dales themselves.
The 18-month programme combines paid, practical employment with study towards a Level 2 Countryside Worker qualification at Craven College.
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Applications open on Friday 26 June, with positions available through six employers:
The apprentices will develop skills spanning conservation, forestry, peatland restoration, land management and the traditional work required to maintain the landscapes of the North.
It is an opportunity to enter a sector that can sometimes appear difficult to access without previous experience, family connections or an extensive collection of outdoor qualifications.
For these roles, enthusiasm matters more than an already crowded CV.
The programme is open to people aged 16 and over who live in or around the Yorkshire Dales and can demonstrate an interest in the outdoors, wildlife, conservation or the environment. No previous qualifications are required for the Level 2 programme, although some apprentices may also complete functional skills in English and Maths. A driving licence may be necessary for certain positions.
The value of the scheme can be seen in the progress of former apprentice Alfie Baines.
Alfie left Settle College after completing his GCSEs and joined the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority through the apprenticeship programme.
During his 18 months, he gained his Level 2 Countryside Worker qualification, achieved a distinction in his practical assessment and learned skills including dry stone walling, gate hanging, machinery work and the installation of signs and stiles.
He completed the programme in March and has since secured a permanent ranger position with the National Park Authority at its Orton office.
“I would encourage anyone considering an apprenticeship through the Millennium Trust to apply,” Alfie said.
“It gives you the opportunity to work in the countryside while completing your Countryside Management course, as well as gaining a wide range of practical experience through training courses and hands-on learning.
“I’ve had the chance to develop new skills, learn about different aspects of countryside management and build valuable experience for my future career.”
His progression illustrates what a well-designed apprenticeship can offer: not simply a temporary placement or a line on a CV, but a credible beginning to a working life.
Countryside management is about considerably more than appreciating a good view.
The work can involve restoring damaged habitats, maintaining public paths, managing trees and woodland, supporting wildlife, working with local communities and understanding how land can be protected while remaining productive and accessible.
Apprentices will learn how to organise conservation projects and maintain countryside and green spaces, while receiving practical instruction from employers already working across the sector.
The programme also responds to a wider challenge facing rural communities.
Young people can find themselves caught between a shortage of entry-level opportunities close to home and the expense or impracticality of travelling elsewhere for work. That can leave them feeling that the only way to build a career is to leave the community in which they grew up.
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Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust chief executive Michael Devlin said the current employment market is particularly difficult for school leavers trying to gain their first meaningful experience.
“The employment market is really tough for school leavers at the moment, and we know how hard it is for young people to gain that vital work experience to take their first steps on the career ladder,” he said.
“Entry-level jobs are so competitive, and apprenticeships are essential to support young people into training and jobs.”
YDMT normally has between 15 and 20 apprentices completing training at any one time. More than 85 per cent of those supported through the programme over the past 15 years have subsequently moved into employment or further education.
“Our employer partners train them in a wide range of outdoor skills so they’re ready for a career in conservation or land management,” Michael added.
“Hopefully, this will create more opportunities for young people across the county to find work close to home, so that they can remain in the communities where they grew up.”
That last point matters. The future of the Yorkshire Dales depends not only upon protecting its landscapes, but upon ensuring that younger generations can see a future for themselves within them. Creating paid routes into environmental employment helps retain knowledge, energy and skills in rural areas. It also gives young people a tangible stake in the places they are being asked to conserve.
These eight apprenticeships will not solve every challenge facing rural employment. But for eight young people, they could provide something increasingly precious: a first proper chance.
Applications open on Friday 26 June and close on Sunday 26 July.
Further information and applications are available through the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust website HERE
Header image: Alfie Baines from Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
