Work experience

Voluntary experience is highly valued by many prospective employers, including this Authority. Please note, however, that anyone who volunteers with us will still be regarded as an external candidate when job opportunities arise.

We are occasionally able to offer voluntary placements for those looking to broaden their experience whilst seeking employment in the environmental, heritage or public sector but such opportunities are fairly limited.  The main opportunities that we can offer are as follows:

Work Experience (Years 10-11) & Post-16 Work-based Learning Opportunities

Work experience placements with national park authorities and other such environmental/heritage organisations are always in great demand.

Here at the Authority we work with the local community by providing a variety of placements for students from schools and colleges with a catchment in the National Park. These are: Settlebeck High School (Sedbergh): Queen Elizabeth School (Kirkby Lonsdale); SettleCollege; Aireville School (Skipton); Ermysteds Grammar School (Skipton); Skipton Girls High School; Upper Wharfedale School (Threshfield); Netherside Hall (Threshfield), The Wensleydale School (Leyburn); St Francis Xavier (Richmond); and Richmond School. Post-16 students from South Craven School (Crosshills), Queen Katherine School (Kendal) and Craven College are also eligible.

Placements are usually for one or two weeks only. Unfortunately we are not able to provide school students with long-term, one or two day per week vocational placements because of the conflicting demands on our rangers’ time.

All placements are accredited by the North Yorkshire Business & Education Partnership (NYBEP) or the Cumbria Business & Education Consortium (CBEC) (websites open in new windows).

Please note that whilst parents are welcome to email the Volunteers' Coordinator to discuss opportunities for their offspring, placement ‘bookings’ can only be accepted from work place coordinators based in the schools and colleges with which we work.

Work experience placements/summer tasks for undergraduates

The Authority no longer has a budget to pay for student accommodation expenses, nor does it have accommodation available for placement students. Regrettably, therefore, only students who live close to the Yorkshire Dales are likely to be able to afford to take up placements.

Work experience for graduates

Where someone has completed a course of study (degree, HND etc) but has difficulty in providing evidence of adequate work experience to prospective employers,  the Authority is sometimes able to arrange a mutually advantageous voluntary placement. Opportunities will vary at different times, as they are entirely dependent upon paid officers having suitable projects available for completion.

In such cases we will provide the work experience (usually two days per week), travel to work expenses and a reference (once the volunteer is known).