Q.  I am 15 and looking for a work experience placement for two weeks with a gamekeeper; so I am enquiring if you know of any people/places that may consider giving me the opportunity.

A. Try to contact local estate offices. You may find some contacts in your area from the following section of the BASC website: www.goshooting.org.uk who may be able to help.  Give them a call and explain the situation outlining any gamekeeping experience you already have, as well as any shooting background such as beating, picking-up etc.  Ask your career advisor at school as they may have contacts in gamekeeping and will be able to offer advice on where to look.  As the work concerned involves guns and pesticides etc, the school or college will probably need evidence of up-to-date health and safety policy and risk assessments from the shoot.

Q. I am due to leave school soon and am interested in a career in gamekeeping.  How should I go about it?

A. If you are looking to attend a college there are a number of different courses available, ranging from full-time to day release and lasting from one to three 3 years.  There are other opportunities to continue studying to degree level in other countryside management subjects, giving you a broader range of job prospects.  Many colleges offer a career advice service to help you find work when you get towards the end of your study.

 If you are looking to gain experience without attending college, you could contact your local shoot and start by offering to beat on shoot days.  You would then be able to make yourself known to the gamekeeper.  Ask if you could help in some way, i.e. with feeding the birds or pest control etc but don’t be pushy if the gamekeeper is reluctant at first.  Jobs for trainees are usually advertised by word of mouth so make sure people are aware that you are looking for a job.  However it is wise to continue looking in the shooting press or local papers.  If you are lucky enough to get an opportunity, make the most of it, be enthusiastic and willing to help.  If after a time you choose to attend a college course you may want to ask if you could do any work experience or college placement with the gamekeeper.

Q. I am looking into returning to gamekeeping after a number of years and need some advice on the best route.

A. If you need to continue working while retraining you may find the following useful:

1. You could attend college to complete a number of short, usually one-day, courses to brush up on or get qualifications in areas such as safe use of chainsaws, ATV training etc.  The colleges offer many different courses and for varying durations and costs to suit the individual and may even take place at the weekends.

2. You could also contact local shoots and offer your assistance (unpaid usually) to the shoot’s gamekeeper.  If you have been to college in the past, explain this and that you want to brush up on your skills. Offer to help with pest control, pen construction, feeding etc. 

3.  If you shoot regularly during the season you could talk to your shoot captain and offer to help rear the birds for the coming season, again voluntarily - but the hands-on experience can help you get back into keepering.

Once you have made the transition back into a gamekeeping career you may wish to attend a formal college course to retrain or gain recognised qualifications.  Many colleges take mature students and will offer day release courses, which means you attend college once a week during term time and you are assessed in the work place.

Q. Are there any organisations that could help me with my gamekeeping course fees?

A. You could contact the Gamekeeper’s Welfare Trust which will look at your request for assistance. The Gamekeeper’s Welfare Trust offers assistance, on a case-by-case basis, to potential students who wish to pursue a career in gamekeeping but who may have difficulty with costs and expenses. 

You may also be entitled to government funding depending on the course, college or personal circumstances.  Please see the following websites for more information or contact your chosen college.

Click here for more information about student finance in England.

Click here for more information about student finance in Wales.

Click here for more information about student finance in Scotland.

Click here for more information about student finance in Northern Ireland.

Q. Which colleges are offering gamekeeping courses?

A. Click here for a list of colleges who currently are offering gamekeeping courses. 

Q. Do I have to do a full-time course or are there part-time courses available and what types of course are there?

A. Most colleges offer both full-time and-part time courses and some offer apprenticeships.  Courses can last from one to three years depending on the type of course and you may be assessed both in the classroom and in the workplace.    Most colleges offer NVQs, BTECs and National Diplomas.  It is also possible to obtain degrees in other related subjects such as land management and conservation.

For more details please see the appropriate college website or contact the college directly.

Q. How much are course fees?

A. For more details on the cost of courses please see the appropriate college website.  Most 16-19 year olds do not have to pay for further education but this is not always the case.  If you require assistance with fees please click here.

Q. Are there college courses available for mature students?

A. Yes, most colleges do take mature students on some of their courses. Please see the college websites for further details. Usually mature students do not have to complete the foundation or entry level courses and can begin their studies at a higher level.

Q. Do I have to go to college to get a gamekeeping job?

A. No, there is no reason why you cannot get into gamekeeping if you haven’t attended a college course.  Check the local press, contact your local shoots and look in the shooting press for vacancies.  Quite often these jobs only become known about by word of mouth so make sure you let people know you are looking for a job.   Hopefully you will have already made useful contacts by helping out on shoot days and have even been helping a gamekeeper with his duties during the year.  This will stand you in good stead when applying for a job.