I have had an interesting variety of career changes in my life, I worked as a train conductor with Scotrail for 8 years, assisted Applied Ecology LTD for a few months as an independent contractor, assisting with dawn and dusk bat surveys and worked as a wildlife rehabilitator at Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue trust. (HWRT) for 2 busy spring and summer seasons. 

I decided to leave HWRT and look to expand the variety of animals I could care for, so I applied to Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi (CIWY) in Bolivia as a volunteer coordinator. My payment would be a roof over my head and breakfast and lunch provided. Due to a corrupt election, civil unrest and road blockades started to occur across Bolivia. A lot of the volunteers had left the wildlife refuge so my arrival was a happy sight for the CIWY team. I worked at the site for two months over Christmas and new year. Sadly, I received the news that a member of my close family had passed away suddenly. I made the hard decision to leave to return to Scotland, and to this day, I believe it was the right decision. 

I used my time wisely during the Covid 19 lockdown after I arrived back home in the UK. I have attended free online courses to expand my natural history and zoology knowledge and applied for highly competitive jobs (due to the increased unemployment rate currently) between my study time. I also returned to volunteering with a local adult volunteer group at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park (CMRP). 

I applied for a Seasonal Countryside Ranger post at CMRP and through recognition of my knowledge and work within the park I was accepted for this position. I was offered two seasonal contract extensions and a transfer to Gleniffer Braes country Park through CMRP’s association with Renfrewshire Council. 

My next career led me to working at Milngavie Reservoirs as a Seasonal Countryside Ranger, funded by Scottish Water in partnership with Mugdock Country Park. I was given the exciting opportunity to establish the reservoir site’s first ever ranger presence and over 2 years later, I still work at this location in a warden capacity.