At Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, developing the green skills needed for nature recovery is central to our strategy. As the climate and biodiversity crises accelerate, so too does the need for a skilled, confident, and diverse workforce capable of delivering nature-based solutions at scale.
Our approach focuses on attracting, developing and retaining talent, creating a centre of excellence for community-led rewilding and evidence, and building innovative partnerships that support green skills development across Derbyshire and beyond.
Traineeships and early-career pathways are a vital part of this transformation. They allow people from a wide range of backgrounds to bring their skills into conservation, while gaining hands-on experience that directly supports nature recovery.
Dominic Greatorex’s journey is a powerful example of this in action. From a background in economics and data science to a career in ecological consultancy and rewilding, Dominic’s story shows how investing in people helps build the skills, confidence and capacity needed to restore nature at scale. Here he shares his story.
"I joined Derbyshire Wildlife Trust in 2024 as a Nature Recovery Trainee within the Wild Solutions Consultancy team, taking an exciting new step in my career. My background was in economics and data science, subjects I loved studying at university, but over time I began to feel a growing pull toward something different. I wanted to use my skills to give something back to nature.
As the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss became harder to ignore, I found myself captivated by the idea of rewilding. The thought of working outdoors and helping to recover nature became even more appealing.
Before joining the Trust, I spent time learning about rewilding on my own, volunteering with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and others, and completing environmental courses. When the opportunity came up to apply for a traineeship through the Nature Returns project, it felt like the perfect next step.
The traineeship was designed as an entry-level ecologist role within Wild Solutions, the Trusts in house consultancy, giving me hands-on experience across a wide range of projects. I took part in botanical and habitat surveys, bat transects, breeding bird surveys, great crested newt surveys, and badger sett assessments, among many others.
I also supported landowner and corporate consultations, helping to plan woodland creation schemes and biodiversity enhancement projects. I’ve helped support the Trust’s Biodiversity Net Gain processes, contributing to work that ensures positive outcomes for wildlife and habitats. This mix of practical fieldwork and people-focused conservation showed me just how much collaboration is needed to make nature recovery happen.
A standout memory for me was a breeding bird survey where I spotted some incredible species including ring ouzel, cuckoo, wheatear, and pied flycatcher. Moments like that reminded me exactly why I wanted to work in conservation: to protect and restore the rich diversity of wildlife that makes Derbyshire such a special place.
I’ve been fortunate to flex my skills developed through my data science background. I’ve analysed bat call data, and developed my GIS (Geographic Information Systems) skills to create maps supporting ecological projects. I also taken part in report writing, communicating scientific information clearly and effectively to support decision-making.
In early 2025 as part of my Traineeship, I completed a short placement with the Knepp Wildland Foundation as a GIS and Data Assistant. Working at Knepp gave me valuable insight into rewilding at a landscape scale and strengthened my passion for combining data-driven insight with practical conservation.
One of the most rewarding parts of the traineeship was the support I received from my team at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. Their encouragement and trust allowed me to explore my professional interests while contributing to the team’s wider goals. This balance of guidance and independence has helped me grow both as an ecologist and as a professional.
Towards the end of my traineeship, a Nature Recovery Assistant role became available within the Wild Solutions team. I applied and was delighted to be successful. In this new position, I’ve been able to build on everything I’ve learned so far, combining fieldwork, data analysis, and engagement with landowners to help deliver meaningful nature recovery across Derbyshire.
I’m incredibly grateful for the mentorship, opportunities, and experiences that have shaped my journey so far. The traineeship was truly transformative, giving me the chance to combine my love of data with my passion for wildlife and to be part of a movement that is making a real difference for Derbyshire’s landscapes.
As I continue my journey with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, I’m excited to keep supporting our mission to help nature and people thrive together, restoring wild places and creating a wilder, more resilient future for generations to come."
