Bushmead Community Hub, Hancock Drive, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 7SF

The Wildlife Trust BCN are providing a unique opportunity for young people in Luton, aged between 18 and 25 to undertake a part-time paid, 6-month traineeship. We are looking for two people to join our Bedfordshire Communities and Education Team as part of our National Lottery-funded project, Wilder Luton.
You will get the chance to learn new skills and find out about the wide variety of careers in the conservation sector.

We are looking for two highly motivated people with a desire to learn about the conservation sector and an interest in the natural heritage of Luton. Enthusiasm is key for this role as you will learn new skills on the job and develop as you progress through the traineeship.

This role is central to the delivery of the Wilder Luton project. You will work closely with the Communities and Education Team and the wider Trust to help deliver key outcomes of the project – which are- to engage and enthuse more people with the Wilder Spaces of Luton and provide various opportunities to learn about them and experience the wellbeing benefits of connecting with nature.

Successful applicants will follow a varied schedule that will allow them to gain a range of skills and experiences whilst working alongside colleagues at the Wildlife Trust BCN and our partners (such as Luton Borough Council). There will be the opportunity to develop skills in a number of conservation-related disciplines including practical conservation, community engagement, education, marketing and communications. Engaging with young people is central to the project and you will be an important player as we look to connect more young people, of all backgrounds, with nature.

You will work closely with local partner organisations in Luton to enable an insight into the broader environmental and youth sector as we look to safeguard the care of Luton’s natural heritage for years to come.

The traineeship will also help you to understand the various pathways into a career in the conservation sector. Regular mentoring and support will enable you to identify areas of particular interest and take on more responsibility for planning and delivery of activities as you progress and to develop your own project ideas where this is viable.

Want to get a taste of what a day in the life of a trainee might look like? Check out previous trainee Talia's video here.

Due to funding this opportunity is only available for those in LU1 to LU4 postcodes.

Criteria:

• Aged between 18 and 25
• Living in LU1 to LU4 postcodes
• Be able to get to location daily
• Applicants will need to be proficient in English communication.
• You must also be comfortable working outdoors in varying conditions along with the ability to navigate uneven terrain.

The focus of traineeships are to address a lack of work experience, allowing trainees to gain a good level of experience and skills to enable them to progress into employment afterwards. On this basis if an applicant has already completed a traineeship, or similar work experience role, and/or has a high level of experience or skills already, applicants with a lower level of experience and/or skills will be given priority.

Type of Contract: Fixed Term (6 months, September 2026 to February 2027)

Hours: 22.5 hours per week, Part Time, Working Monday to Tuesday, with a third day that varies depending on your availability and the work programme

Interview Date: Tuesday 21st July 2026

Please be aware that following your acceptance of the role you will be required to complete a confidential pre-employment health questionnaire.

See the links on this page to download the job description for the role and an application form. We do not accept CV’s or cover letters.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement:

“We’re wild about inclusion! We want our people/staff to be as diverse as wildlife. As an inclusive employer we recognise that our workforce needs to better reflect the communities in which we live and work. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and cultures. We believe that a diverse workforce will help us create our vision of ‘people close to nature, with land and seas rich in wildlife.”