Environmental education officer to nature conservation officer
An environmental education officer already meets 20% of what the nature conservation officer role asks for. The move turns on 24 required skills not yet in the profile.
84.4/ 100
1 How much of what a nature conservation officer is expected to do is already part of an environmental education officer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the nature conservation officer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A nature conservation officer role treats 4 of its required skills as things an environmental education officer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- advise on nature conservation
- biology
- ecology
- educate people about nature
What stands in the way is 24 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 15 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A nature conservation officer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an environmental education officer background worth leading with.
- already held analyse ecological data information skills
- already held animal biology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held aquatic ecology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held ecological principles natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
- already held provide training in sustainable tourism development and management communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held advise on nature conservation communication, collaboration and creativity
All 15 carried skills, including the 4 the nature conservation officer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 47 missing skills fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn analyse environmental data required
- still to learn conduct research on fauna required
- still to learn conduct research on flora required
- still to learn manage land resources permits required
- still to learn manage visitor flows in natural protected areas required
- still to learn measure sustainability of tourism activities required
- still to learn monitor nature conservation required
- still to learn keep task records required
- optional, not held investigate pollution optional
- optional, not held monitor wildlife optional
- optional, not held conduct environmental surveys optional
- optional, not held estimate duration of work optional
- still to learn protect wilderness areas required
- still to learn plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas required
- still to learn assess environmental impact required
- still to learn ensure compliance with environmental legislation required
- still to learn respond to enquiries required
- optional, not held conserve natural resources optional
- optional, not held ensure the safety of endangered species and protected areas optional
- optional, not held work in outdoor conditions optional
- still to learn implement biodiversity action plans required
- still to learn advise on sustainable management policies required
- still to learn promote sustainability required
- still to learn report on environmental issues required
- optional, not held advise on soil and water protection optional
- optional, not held conduct educational activities optional
- optional, not held support community-based tourism optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held support volunteers optional
- optional, not held write work-related reports optional
- still to learn plan measures to safeguard cultural heritage required
- still to learn manage staff required
- optional, not held manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage optional
- optional, not held brief volunteers optional
- optional, not held coordinate educational programmes optional
- optional, not held work within communities optional
- still to learn habitat restoration required
- optional, not held applied zoology optional
- optional, not held natural areas maintenance optional
- optional, not held wildlife optional
- optional, not held wildlife projects optional
- still to learn environmental legislation required
- optional, not held animal welfare legislation optional
- optional, not held business management principles optional
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a nature conservation officer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 protect wilderness areas practise this
- 02 analyse environmental data practise this
- 03 conduct research on fauna practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 15 skills that carry over
- already held advise on nature conservation skill
- already held biology knowledge
- already held ecology knowledge
- already held educate people about nature skill
- already held analyse ecological data skill
- already held animal biology knowledge
- already held aquatic ecology knowledge
- already held botany knowledge
- already held ecological principles knowledge
- already held educate public on fire safety skill
- already held fish biology knowledge
- already held forest ecology knowledge
- already held manage volunteers skill
- already held molecular biology knowledge
- already held provide training in sustainable tourism development and management skill
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn reforestation required
- still to learn de-limb trees required
- still to learn fire prevention procedures required
23 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held advise on soil and water protection optional
- optional, not held applied zoology optional
- optional, not held conduct educational activities optional
- optional, not held conserve natural resources optional
- optional, not held ensure the safety of endangered species and protected areas optional
- optional, not held investigate pollution optional
- optional, not held manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage optional
- optional, not held monitor wildlife optional
- optional, not held natural areas maintenance optional
- optional, not held support community-based tourism optional
- optional, not held wildlife optional
- optional, not held wildlife projects optional
- optional, not held animal welfare legislation optional
- optional, not held brief volunteers optional
- optional, not held business management principles optional
- optional, not held conduct environmental surveys optional
- optional, not held coordinate educational programmes optional
- optional, not held estimate duration of work optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held support volunteers optional
- optional, not held work in outdoor conditions optional
- optional, not held work within communities optional
- optional, not held write work-related reports optional
10 held skills the nature conservation officer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role animate in the outdoors skill
- not needed by the target role conduct ecological research skill
- not needed by the target role conduct ecological surveys skill
- not needed by the target role ecopedagogy knowledge
- not needed by the target role educate the public about wildlife skill
- not needed by the target role identify plants characteristics skill
- not needed by the target role implement risk management for outdoors skill
- not needed by the target role manage outdoor resources skill
- not needed by the target role monitor interventions in the outdoors skill
- not needed by the target role train staff to reduce food waste skill
10 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn habitat restoration required
- still to learn reforestation required
- still to learn environmental legislation required
- still to learn fire prevention procedures required
- optional, not held applied zoology optional
- optional, not held natural areas maintenance optional
- optional, not held wildlife optional
- optional, not held wildlife projects optional
- optional, not held animal welfare legislation optional
- optional, not held business management principles optional
Other moves recorded from environmental education officer
Common questions about this move
Can an environmental education officer become a nature conservation officer?
Yes, and it is a career change move. An environmental education officer already covers 20% of what a nature conservation officer is expected to do: 15 skills carry over, 4 of which the nature conservation officer role treats as required.
What skills does an environmental education officer need to become a nature conservation officer?
24 required skills are missing, plus 23 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is protect wilderness areas.
How hard is the move from environmental education officer to nature conservation officer?
Its learning distance is 84.4 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.