In June, we had the pleasure of hosting Rose for a work experience day in our Bristol office through Not Impossible. This organisation helps 16–25-year-olds from less advantaged backgrounds access career opportunities.
Not Impossible bridges the gap by connecting young talent with employers, offering microplacements that foster social mobility. Rose’s time with us was a fantastic experience, and we had the chance to chat with her about her day. Read on to learn more about her journey!
What is the programme that helped you discover US?
The Not Impossible work experience scheme helps young people to find work experience that matches their interests. I took a few tests and answered some questions to establish what I wanted to do career-wise in the future. Once that was completed, Luke Ashman from Not Impossible helped me to decide which opportunity I wanted to follow up on, he talked me through what to expect and confirmed the dates. The questions and tests combined my personality with the kind of job I was looking for and matched me with James Greenhalgh at The Reef-World Foundation.
Why did you choose your placement with The Reef-World Foundation?
I chose to pursue this opportunity at The Reef-World Foundation because I have always had an interest in conservation and was considering future employment in this field. As a student taking geography, I also had a desire to learn more about the challenges of minimising the harmful impacts of people interacting with coral reefs and marine environments. Reef-World’s exploration of marine life was also something I was keen to learn more about.
What did you do and learn from the day?
The day began when I arrived at 10 AM and was given a tour of the workspace and a debrief on safety. I was then offered Q&A time with James Greenhalgh as he answered any questions I had about the organisation or about his role/path to his job. At 11 AM I was able to shadow a meeting between Chloe Harvey and Naomi McClure as they discussed grants and project aims and I took some notes.
Following this, James showed me how they keep on top of current objectives, monitor progress and communicate with each other. After lunch, James took a look at my current CV and suggested improvements and alterations to upgrade it and gave me some advice for future interviews. To end the day, I was able to ask JJ Harvey some questions about the organisation and the job roles available. This meant that I could get some more useful insight into what it would be like to work at The Reef-World Foundation.
Left to right: James , Chloe , Rose, Naomi and JJ
What is the programme that helped you discover US?
The Not Impossible work experience scheme helps young people to find work experience that matches their interests. I took a few tests and answered some questions to establish what I wanted to do career-wise in the future. Once that was completed, Luke Ashman from Not Impossible helped me to decide which opportunity I wanted to follow up on, he talked me through what to expect and confirmed the dates. The questions and tests combined my personality with the kind of job I was looking for and matched me with James Greenhalgh at The Reef-World Foundation.
Why did you choose your placement with The Reef-World Foundation?
I chose to pursue this opportunity at The Reef-World Foundation because I have always had an interest in conservation and was considering future employment in this field. As a student taking geography, I also had a desire to learn more about the challenges of minimising the harmful impacts of people interacting with coral reefs and marine environments. Reef-World’s exploration of marine life was also something I was keen to learn more about.
What did you do and learn from the day?
The day began when I arrived at 10 AM and was given a tour of the workspace and a debrief on safety. I was then offered Q&A time with James Greenhalgh as he answered any questions I had about the organisation or about his role/path to his job. At 11 AM I was able to shadow a meeting between Chloe Harvey and Naomi McClure as they discussed grants and project aims and I took some notes.
Following this, James showed me how they keep on top of current objectives, monitor progress and communicate with each other. After lunch, James took a look at my current CV and suggested improvements and alterations to upgrade it and gave me some advice for future interviews. To end the day, I was able to ask JJ Harvey some questions about the organisation and the job roles available. This meant that I could get some more useful insight into what it would be like to work at The Reef-World Foundation.
“I really appreciated the help in showing me what the Reef World Foundation does and how it works. It was very nice as someone who is more reserved to be able to listen and take in the information that I was being told. Everyone was very welcoming and kind and it seems like a very lovely space and community to work in. I can see myself being very content if I worked at the Reef World Foundation in the future. Thank you.”
Did the experience meet your goals?
The experience did meet my goals, as I learned more about what it would be like to work at The Reef-World Foundation as well as conservation in general. Specifically, I was able to see how organisations like this one operated internally, including individual roles and how they communicate with each other. I was also able to see what results they were working towards.
How the experience might have inspired your next steps?
It inspired my next step as I started to look into the type of job roles that are available in this field of work. I was able to realise that, even if the specific roles that I observed in this experience were not what I could see myself doing, the final outcomes that were being created were something I might want to contribute to in the future.
What is your next step?
My personal next step is to go to university, achieve a degree and use my learned experiences from these types of opportunities and my studies to find a career where I am fulfilled in what I’m achieving and make a real difference.
Would you recommend other students to take part in similar experiences? If yes, Why?
I would definitely recommend this experience to other students, it was incredibly simple and easy to secure this type of opportunity. And the experience itself was so useful in not only helping me understand the world of work, but work that I would be interested in. I also was able to begin to develop the knowledge and skills that are useful in these types of careers. Finally, it provides you with real contacts in certain work sectors. I would definitely recommend this to students, especially as it can be completed in just one day.
And anything else you'd like to share?
Finally, everyone was really welcoming. It was a pleasant and kind working environment, the organisation's values and commitments that I learned about were really admirable and it was great to know what people were working towards.
Reef-World has always been dedicated to fostering opportunities that inspire the next generation of conservationists. Collaborations with initiatives like Not Impossible align perfectly with our mission to empower individuals and communities to protect the marine environment. By opening our doors to young talent like Rose, we aim to share knowledge, ignite passion for conservation, and encourage meaningful career pathways. Programmes like these showcase the importance of collaboration in creating a brighter, more sustainable future for our oceans.
Feeling inspired by Rose’s journey? Discover work experience opportunities with organisations like The Reef-World Foundation and take your first step into conservation. Visit Not Impossible to find a placement that matches your passion for making a difference—or, if you’re an employer, join the movement to positively shape the future of a local young person.