For young people living alongside some of South Africa’s most important protected areas, conservation is part of the landscape around them. But understanding how that landscape could also become part of their future career is not always as straightforward.
On 18 and 19 August, approximately 1,150 learners from 20 schools took part in two Careers in Conservation events held in Acornhoek and Agincourt, meeting organisations and professionals working across a wide range of conservation-related fields.
The first event, held at Masingitana Secondary School in Acornhoek, brought together approximately 500 learners from eight schools. The following day, the programme expanded south, where approximately 650 learners from 12 schools in the Sabi Sand NPO cluster gathered at Adonai Church.
The southern event marked an exciting expansion of the Careers in Conservation programme led by Global Conservation Corps in Acornhoek since 2021. With strategic and logistical support from Global Conservation Corps, the programme was able to reach a new group of schools and learners, demonstrating how an established initiative can grow through collaboration across the landscape.
For learners, the events provided an opportunity to discover just how varied a career in conservation can be.
Organisations working in environmental education, wildlife research and monitoring, tourism, guiding, veterinary services, conservation training and community development were among those represented. By engaging directly with people working in these fields, learners could ask questions, explore different career pathways and begin thinking about the subjects, qualifications and skills that could help them get there.
This is particularly important in a landscape where youth unemployment remains a significant challenge. Protected areas and the wider conservation economy create employment across many different sectors, but young people need to know those opportunities exist and understand how they can begin working towards them.
For GKEPF, this forms part of a wider commitment through the Prosper Programme to ensure communities are active partners in conservation and are able to realise meaningful benefits from the protected areas alongside which they live. Helping young people see conservation not only as something happening beyond a reserve boundary, but as a field in which they could one day build a career, is one part of that work.
The events were made possible through extensive collaboration across the landscape. Global Conservation Corps, GKEPF and Timbavati Foundation implemented the Acornhoek event, while GKEPF worked alongside Sabi Sand Pfunanani Trust, MalaMala Game Reserve and Sabi Sabi Foundation to implement the Agincourt event, with strategic and logistical support from Global Conservation Corp.
The programme was also supported by Royal Malewane, Siviti, BHS Foundation, Nzatu Food Group, Singita Lowveld Trust, Indalo Inclusive and Wild Impact, alongside the many exhibitors who gave their time and expertise to introduce learners to the career pathways available within conservation
What began as a programme in the Acornhoek area is now reaching further across the Greater Kruger’s neighbouring communities, connecting more young people with the organisations and opportunities around them.
For 1,150 learners, those conversations may be only a first step. But sometimes knowing that a career exists, and meeting someone who already does it, is exactly where that journey begins.
