Green Gym header image

Job Vacancies

View all vacancies

Green Skills Trainee x 24

Location: Scotland

Salary: £12.60 per hour

Hours: 21 per week (part time)

Contract Type: Fixed term until 13/02/2026

Apply by 10th March 2025


About the role

Join the Green Skills - John Muir Way Program!

We're excited to announce a new partnership program called Green Skills - John Muir Way. It's a collaboration between TCV, City of Edinburgh Council, Falkirk Council, Scottish Canals and East Dunbartonshire Council. We're looking for 24 enthusiastic trainees (4 teams of 6) to help improve biodiversity along the John Muir Way Route.

What You'll Learn
You'll get hands-on experience in countryside and greenspace management, including:
- Creating and maintaining wildflower meadows: Ground prep, sowing wildflowers, and scything.
- Woodland creation and management: Planting trees and hedges, aftercare, pruning, and management.
- Managing invasive species: Removing plants like Himalayan Balsam, Rhododendron, and Salmonberry.
- General land-based skills: Strimming, path construction, and more.
- Access projects and infrastructure: Installing signs, benches, gates, and maintaining pathways.

What does that look like
- You will meet at your designated local pick up point every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and travel with your fellow trainees in a minibus.
- The minibus will be pre-loaded with the tools and materials you'll be using to the local greenspace you will be working where you will carry out various tasks (as above) that improve the environment.
- At the end of the working day, you will be returned to the pick-up point.
- Your days will vary - some days you might be on training, or you'll be carrying out tool maintenance, but it will follow the same pattern, and you'll know in advance what you will be doing and when.

Who We're Looking For
If you're 16-25 years old and face barriers to employment (such as, but not limited to economic challenges, lack of qualifications, neurodivergence, mental health issues, care experience, or disabilities), we want to hear from you! We're seeking reliable, eager-to-learn individuals who love practical work and the outdoors.

Program Details
- Duration: 10 months
- Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (21 hours/week)
- Pay: Real Living Wage (£12.60/hr)
- 122.5 hours annual leave including 2-week (42 hours) Christmas/New Year break
- Uniform and PPE provided

Training and Support
You'll get a mix of on-the-job training and courses like Outdoor First Aid, Health and Safety and LANTRA Strimmer Brush cutter. Plus, you'll have a mentor to support you throughout the program. Towards the end, we'll help you with work placements, CV writing and interview techniques.

If you are offered the job, you will need to provide proof of identity and the right to work in the UK (which can be through a photo ID such as driving licence or passport. There are other routes such as birth certificate and NI number if you do not have either of these. We will also need details of a UK bank account to pay your salary).

We also require a PVG check. The check will contain details of convictions and conditional cautions considered to be 'unspent' under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. However, a conviction or caution will not automatically mean you cannot apply for and be successful in gaining a position with TCV, so don't let this hold you back!

This awesome opportunity is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Ready to join us? Let's make a difference together!

Feel free to ask if you have any questions or need more information -
Edinburgh - matt.orwin@tcv.org.uk
Falkirk East - lizzy.turner@tcv.org.uk
Falkirk West (working with Scottish Canals)- john.woods@tcv.org.uk
East Dunbartonshire - daniel.mcewan@tcv.org.uk

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If you would like to discuss your requirements further please contact the People Team via hr@tcv.org.uk or by telephone on 01302 388883. We also offer reasonable adjustments on the job.

Further information can be found at John Muir Way

Successful applicants will be invited to attend a selection day, this will not be a formal interview. You will not require a suit and tie. We need you to come in sensible clothes for working in the outdoors. You will be invited to come and work with us for a couple of hours, meet the team, get a taste for the kind of work you will be doing and ask any questions you might have. We will ask you a series of questions, informally, about your experience, why you want to take part in the traineeship, what you like about being outdoors and what you enjoy about doing hands on work.

Selection dates are:
Falkirk - 17th March, 10am- 12 noon
East Dunbartonshire 18th March, 10am - 12 noon
Edinburgh 19th March, 10am - 12 noon.

To fulfil the role, you must be resident in the UK and have the right to work in the UK.

A bit more about us

We are The Conservation Volunteers.

Our vision is Healthier, Happier Communities for Everyone. We believe that green spaces are an essential part of healthy, happy communities.

Our mission is To Connect People and Green Spaces to Deliver Lasting Outcomes for Both.

The opportunity to connect to nature on your doorstep and contribute to its protection should be available to everyone.

The outcomes of our work:
Environment: Green spaces are created, protected and improved, for nature and for people.
Communities: Communities are stronger, working together to improve the places where people live and tackle the issues that matter to them.
Health & Wellbeing: People improve their physical and mental health & wellbeing, by being outdoors, active and connected with others.
Learning & Skills: People improve their confidence, skills and prospects, through learning inspired by the outdoors.

Join in, feel good.


Please take a moment to view the recruitment pack.
It's important to demonstrate that you meet the criteria outlined in the recruitment pack.

How to apply

Please submit your CV and covering letter to Tricia Burden no later than 12 noon on 10th March 2025. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early or extend the closing date depending on the number of applicants. This is to ensure that we can manage application levels whilst maintaining a positive candidate experience.

Please be aware that if you are chosen to move forward to an interview, you will need to complete our application form as the next step.

Interviews will be held on March 2025 at sites in Falkirk, East Dunbartsonshire and Edinburgh.

Occasionally, we receive a large number of responses to our advertisements. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date (10th March 2025), please assume that your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Thank you for your interest in TCV.

To better understand who is applying for and obtaining roles at TCV, please complete our Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form. You can download this in either PDF or Word format. This information is crucial for identifying and eliminating barriers that may prevent people from joining us. Rest assured, this data will not be part of your application evaluation.

Our goal is to create a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone's individuality is recognised and valued. We believe that embracing diversity helps us achieve our goals more effectively. We welcome applications from all individuals who wish to be part of our future, regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we offer interviews to all applicants who have a disability, impairment or mental or physical health condition who meet the minimum criteria for the job. We provide reasonable adjustments and are committed to having an inclusive and accessible recruitment process.

If you wish to be considered under this scheme, please tell us in the appropriate part of the application form.

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If you would like to discuss your requirements further please contact the People Team via email or by telephone on 01302 388883. We also offer reasonable adjustments on the job.

Pre-employment checks

Any employment with TCV will be subject to the following checks prior to your start date:

  • a satisfactory police record check to include a Protecting Vunerable Groups (PVG) check
  • receipt of satisfactory references
  • proof of eligibility to work in the national location for this role

Still have questions?

Find out more about what we do.
Find out more about the benefits of joining us.
Find out how we'll use your information.
Read what TCV teams, volunteers and Community Network members have been doing across the UK by signing up to our newsletter.