The first cohort of 24 trainees on TCV’s flagship partnership programme, Green Skills, have just finished their year-long traineeship, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Green Skills Programme aims to enhance the biodiversity of the iconic Scottish trail, John Muir Way, as well as upskill over 70 dedicated trainees in wildlife conservation. We worked with our fantastic partners Scottish Canals, East Dunbartonshire Council, The City of Edinburgh Council, and Falkirk Council to lead this transformative initiative.
The programme not only enhances the environment but also empowers individuals, providing them with the skills and opportunities to thrive in the green economy. It aims to bridge the skills gap in the region and address the green skills shortage.
The programme engages hard to reach audiences, who may have barriers to employment, and supports young people to connect with nature, promoting inclusive access to green skills.
For example, one trainee on the programme had to leave school in the Covid-19 pandemic and never returned. They then struggled to leave home, becoming ill due to this. They have now moved on to a positive new role working in green skills and within the local community.
Another trainee had suffered from very poor mental health before the programme and had really struggled with social isolation. After the programme, they reported a considerable improvement in quality of life, including becoming fitter. They thank the traineeship for these changes and their prospects going forward.
Everybody in our team has come from different places and has different interests and views and grown up different. It’s been good to work with people I wouldn’t have met or talked to without this job, but now I’m able to do that, it’s good to learn about people I wouldn’t have spoken to.
TCV Green Skills Programme trainee
What did the Green Skills Programme Achieve?
In the first year of the programme, 24 local young people were employed in three 10-month Green Skills traineeships across four Local Authority areas, including sections of the Forth and Clyde Canal. The trainees gained a powerful blend of practical environmental skills, workplace confidence and real‑world experience.
Working across diverse projects, they developed hands‑on capabilities in biodiversity management, while also building essential employability skills such as teamwork, communication, problem‑solving, and project delivery.
The Green Skills teams undertook a range of tasks on partner sites along the John Muir Way route, including invasive non-native species (INNS) control, Habitat Management, Habitat Creation, Access Management, Woodland Management and Species Surveying.
What we want to ensure is that areas of deprivation have equality in terms of access to quality green space, to biodiversity and also the health and wellbeing opportunities that go alongside.
David Alcorn, TCV Operations Leader
Creating Measurable Impact
Through accredited training, internal training, external training and supported placements, our trainees learned how to apply green skills in meaningful ways, improving local spaces and enhancing biodiversity.
Over the course of the ten months, a total of 57 Lantra-accredited tickets were gained across a range of practical skills, including brushcutter and strimmer operation, polesaw use, pesticide application, woodchipper operation and manual handling. In addition, 22 trainees earned Outdoor First Aid certificates, strengthening the group’s safety credentials.
Beyond formal qualifications, trainees also benefited from a wide range of informal and external training opportunities, made possible through partnerships and professional networks. Working alongside organisations such as British Trust for Ornithology, Marine Mammal Medics and Forest Research, our trainees developed specialist knowledge in areas including flooding resilience, marine mammal response, citizen science and tree surveying.
Additional training covered ground-nesting bird protection, meadow management, traditional scything and heritage skills, pollinator awareness, INNS management, wildflower identification, and marine litter and plastic surveying.
The programme also delivered tangible benefits to local communities, with four projects completed during the training period. These included the repair and replacement of a footbridge at Kinneil Estate, the construction and installation of four picnic benches at Auchinstarry Quarry Park, and the creation of a new bark path with plug planting in Bearsden.
The achievements highlight both the professional development of the trainees and the lasting environmental and community impact of the programme.
I’ve learnt so much more about plants, I used to just look at them, now I know about them! I would work here 5 days a week if I could. I love doing practical work with my hands.
TCV Green Skills Programme trainee
Moving Into Year Two of the Green Skills Programme
The programme cumulated in a Graduation celebration, held at Falkirk Wheel, where trainees were presented with certificates and training logs and celebrated with our partner organisations.
We’re now moving into year two of the three year project- employing another 24 trainees from May with recruitment open for traineeships until 18th March.
Join us in creating a vibrant, biodiverse environment that brings communities together, supports the Scottish environment, and paves the way for a sustainable future. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the John Muir Way and beyond. Contact your nearest Green Skills Leader for 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
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