Geoff Moxon on being a SERC Trainee

What do you do?

I am one of twelve trainees at the Somerset Environmental Records Centre (SERC). We spend most of our time conducting ecological surveys across Somerset, as well as assisting with the everyday running of the SERC office. Our surveys focus mostly on plants and grasses (we have taken part in 63 surveys this year), but we also survey for pond invertebrates and aquatic plants in the spring. In addition we run road and foot transects for bats using time expansion detectors, and will soon be starting our end of season water vole survey. Our office support role incorporates running planning applications, contacting landowners to set up our surveys, aerial photo interpretation and creating maps using GIS. Finally, we have regular training days, so this gives us an introduction into some of the subject areas that we don’t cover so much in our core work, such as badgers, otters, newts, dormice and birds.


How often do you volunteer and how long have you been volunteering?

We all volunteer full-time, 9.30 – 5.30 daily (though with all our other voluntary activities, the weekends are sometimes even busier!). Most of us were interviewed and started working for SERC between March and April, but others started later after finishing their degrees. Some will get jobs and leave before the winter, and some will stay and apply for ecological jobs in spring 2008. The volunteer program is designed to last for a year, but is flexible enough that we can leave as soon as we find paid employment (as long as we stay for at least the summer survey season).


What do you get out of it and why do you volunteer?

SERC offers a fantastic opportunity to gain on-the-job survey experience, which is invaluable for anybody hoping to begin a career in ecology or conservation. All too often universities fail to teach the hands-on practical skills that employers look for, and our experience here compliments our biological degrees. It is a sad situation that such training is almost impossible to come by these days, so I am delighted to be here and would recommend it to anyone!


Would you recommend volunteering to others, why?

Yes, definitely. But it is important to know what you want to get out of your volunteering, so make sure the experience you are gaining fits what you want to learn. For example, if you are hoping to work in an environmental consultancy, then training as a ranger may not be the most relevant option.


What do you enjoy most about volunteering?

I enjoy getting out in the field, and learning the skills that I need to get me started in an ecological career. I love the training days and learning about the ecology of Somerset. And it is great to work with such a nice group of people – of all ages and backgrounds!