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Meet Leyla: Building a Career in Conservation

Leyla joined Bristol Water as a Conservation Ranger through the Youth Environmental Service (YES), a programme designed to help young people access paid careers in the environmental sector.

We spoke to Leyla about her journey into conservation, the variety of work she's involved in, and the opportunities she's found since joining the business.

Tell us about your role as a Conservation Ranger.

Every day is different, which is one of the things I enjoy most about the role. I support a wide range of conservation and environmental projects across our lakes and surrounding land.

I've been involved in everything from moving migrating eels upstream and monitoring beaver activity at Blagdon Lake, to carrying out hedgerow surveys and supporting conservation projects around our sites.

One of the biggest projects I've been involved with is a large tree planting project at Rugmoor Farm. It's been really exciting to be involved from the early stages, helping to develop ideas and explore opportunities to engage local communities. I'm also looking at ways we could create community orchards as part of the project, which is something I'm really passionate about.

I also spend time working alongside contractors and partner organisations, joining surveys and learning more about the habitats and species around our lakes.

What I really enjoy is the variety. While a lot of my time is spent outdoors carrying out practical conservation work, I'm also learning more about biodiversity, environmental strategy and how these projects contribute to the wider work Bristol Water is doing.

Leyla (left) supporting with the installation of new nocturnal monitoring devices to collect bat, bird and moth data

Can you tell us a bit about your career journey and how you came to join Bristol Water?

The Youth Environmental Service helps young people access paid opportunities in the environmental sector, helping them gain valuable experience and start building their careers. As someone looking to work in conservation, it felt like a brilliant opportunity.

After graduating with a degree in Environmental Management and Sustainability, I spent six months volunteering with the RSPB in Scotland to gain practical experience. While it was an amazing opportunity and I learned a huge amount, it also highlighted some of the challenges people can face trying to break into the sector, especially when many opportunities rely on unpaid or voluntary experience.

When I saw the Conservation Ranger role, it felt like exactly what I wanted to be doing. It gave me the chance to gain hands-on conservation experience while working towards a long-term career in the environmental sector.

Has anything surprised you since joining Bristol Water?

Definitely.

Before joining, I wasn't fully aware of the environmental work going on behind the scenes or the people involved in delivering it.

What really surprised me was how passionate everyone is. The people I've met across the environmental teams are incredibly knowledgeable, hardworking and genuinely care about making a difference. It's completely changed my perspective and helped me see the water industry as somewhere I could build a career.

What's been your favourite part of the role so far?

I really enjoy the practical side of the work and the variety that comes with it.

Working alongside contractors on habitat management projects has been great because it's very hands-on and gives me the chance to learn from experienced people in the field. I particularly enjoyed the hedgerow surveys, learning about how hedges are managed to create better habitats for wildlife.

Moving eels upstream has also been a highlight. There's something really rewarding about being directly involved in a conservation project and seeing the impact first-hand.

Monitoring the beavers has been fascinating too. It's exciting to see how wildlife interacts with the landscape and to be involved in understanding what that means for the environment around our reservoirs.

How has Bristol Water supported your development?

One thing that has really stood out is how willing people have been to involve me in conversations and projects from the start.

I wasn't expecting to feel quite so involved in discussions about future plans, especially so early in my career, but people have genuinely listened to my ideas and opinions. Being trusted to contribute to projects and have input into plans has been really rewarding.

I've also learned a huge amount about how a large organisation operates. Coming from volunteering and smaller organisations, understanding things like governance, health and safety processes, project development and business planning has been a completely new experience for me.

Alongside the experience I'm gaining within Bristol Water, the Youth Environmental Service has provided additional support through coaching, workshops and networking opportunities with other young people working across the environmental sector. We regularly come together to share experiences, discuss challenges and develop professional skills, which has been really valuable while transitioning into my first professional role.

Conservation can be a competitive sector. What challenges did you face getting started?

It's a really competitive sector. There are lots of people who are passionate about the environment and want to work in conservation, but getting that first opportunity can be difficult.

I think one of the biggest challenges is understanding where opportunities exist and building the right networks. A lot of that learning happens outside of education, so you often have to be proactive, whether that's volunteering, attending events, building your network or applying for schemes like YES, those experiences all help you develop skills and understand the sector better.

If, like Leyla, you're interested in working at Bristol Water, take a look at our vacancies.

Nothing suitable for you at the moment? We're always looking for motivated people to join our team, sign up to receive job alerts by connecting with us.