The Wildlife Trusts Celebrate Growth of Green Careers for Young People
By Community Correspondent
A new report from The Wildlife Trusts has revealed a rise in green careers in 2025, with growing numbers of young people and career-changers developing environmental skills through traineeships, T Level placements and leadership programmes.
According to the organisation’s annual Diversity Report, nearly a quarter (23%) of staff aged 16 to 29 progressed in their roles over the past year, reflecting increasing opportunities within the environmental sector as demand for nature and climate action grows.
The report examines representation across The Wildlife Trusts while also highlighting the opportunities and barriers people face when trying to access careers in nature and conservation.
Across its network of 46 local Wildlife Trusts, initiatives ranging from community gardening to peatland restoration are helping to create pathways into environmental work while tackling nature loss, climate change and unequal access to green spaces.
One programme supporting this growth is the Environmental Leadership Programme, which works with 18 to 25-year-olds from underrepresented communities in the West Midlands.
The scheme helps young people build leadership skills, connect with nature and progress towards careers in the environmental sector.
Meanwhile, the Naturally Connected Young People programme delivers nature-based projects to 11 to 16-year-olds across the UK, focusing on those who face the greatest barriers to accessing green spaces.
The initiative aims to support young people’s wellbeing while encouraging long-term engagement with nature.
The Wildlife Trusts have also expanded T Level placements through a pilot scheme, offering more than 800 hours of office-based industry placements to students aged 16 to 19 studying subjects such as business, marketing, digital and finance. Participants reported increased confidence in key employability skills.
Miriam Bentley-Rose, head of equity, diversity and inclusion at The Wildlife Trusts, said inclusive access to environmental careers was essential.
“More than three quarters of adults in the UK are worried about nature loss and climate change, including many young people,” she said. “If we are to tackle these challenges, everyone needs to feel welcome, valued and able to take part.”
Interest in green careers was also reflected in a recent online event, Wild Future: Careers With The Wildlife Trusts, which attracted more than 2,000 registrations and became one of the organisation’s most popular online events.
The report also found that over two thirds of staff are women and almost a third have a disability, long-term health condition or caring responsibilities.
While ethnic diversity continues to grow and pay gaps are closing, the report says further progress is needed to ensure the sector better reflects society.
READ FULL REPORT HERE
