Ann Thornton

Ann Thornton on fieldwork with Bournemouth University

I blame Bill Bryson for my coming to Bournemouth University.

Back in 2006, I was reading 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' and read the sentence "...the average lifespan is 750,000 hours." As I was in a very unfulfilling job at the time, I began to think about a change of career and making more of those precious hours. Initially, I didn't think about doing a degree but opted for a Certificate in Higher Education in Wildlife and Countryside Conservation. Although I enjoyed the course at Cannington, I had always harboured a desire to go to university and transferring to Bournemouth was the ideal option.

Trying to sum up what the Ecology and Wildlife Conservation course has meant to me would probably take a significant portion of those hours I mentioned. The variety of subjects available within the course adds significant value to a C.V. In addition, being able to focus during the third year on areas of particular interest has made for a more 'tailor made' experience. Also particularly worth mentioning is the placement element of the course. I was fortunate to undertake placements both in the UK and abroad. I spent an enjoyable seven weeks with a local ecological consultancy and worked on protected species surveys including newts, dormice and bats. In addition, I assisted with Phase 1 and Phase 2 habitat surveys and gained a phenomenal amount of knowledge on plant species in the process. My placement in Ecuador provided the opportunity to carry out vegetation surveys in four cloud forest locations. The group also worked with volunteers from the Earthwatch programme − first-hand experience of people managing in tricky situations. Being able to work in such a diverse environment was a life-changing experience.

The future? I am about to start work as an Assistant Ecologist at the consultancy where I spent my UK placement. There is no doubt that the Ecology and Wildlife Conservation course has provided the base upon which to start building a career in this field. The skills developed over the years will certainly help with the very steep learning curve ahead!