Overview of the environmental sector in the UK

With a quarter of the workforce aged 55 or over, there is a growing need for more graduates to enter the environment and agriculture sector

What areas of environment can I work in?

Both employed and self-employed roles are available in the public and private sectors, in areas such as:

• agricultural crops/livestock;
• animal care;
• animal technology;
• aquaculture;
• environmental conservation;
• equine;
• farriery;
• fencing;
• fisheries management;
• floristry;
• game and wildlife management;
• horticulture, landscaping and sports turf;
• land-based engineering;
• production horticulture;
• trees and timber;
• veterinary work.

The environment and agriculture sector provides employment opportunities for a wide range of skill levels; from jobs that require postgraduate qualifications, such as a veterinary surgeon, to those that can be entered at undergraduate level or below.

For examples of job roles in this sector, see graduate jobs in environment and agriculture.

Who are the main graduate employers?

There are 230,000 businesses and around 1.2 million employees working in the sector. Employers range in size from large, multinational companies, such as JCB in the engineering sphere, to very small or family-owned businesses meeting local needs, such as equine dentists or thatchers.

Graduate training schemes are likely to be found in larger companies and with government bodies. Some of the larger organisations include:

• AGCO;
• British Sugar;
• Case IH;
• JCB;
• John Deere;
• Kuhn;
• Magnox;
• New Holland;
• Spaldings;
• Zetor.

Government organisations include the:

• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA);
• Department of Environment Northern Ireland;
• Environment Agency Wales;
• Forestry Commission;
• Natural England;
• Scottish Natural Heritage.

The sector also contains not-for-profit organisations that are concerned with issues such as protecting the environment and animal welfare. Well-known organisations include:

• CABI (CAB International);
• OneKind;
• RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals);
• WWF (World Wildlife Fund).

More than half a million volunteers contribute to the sector at any one time, particularly in the animal care and environmental conservation industries. Opportunities for volunteering can be found with not-for-profit organisations including the:

• British Trust for Conservation Volunteers;
• National Trust;
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

For more volunteering opportunities, search voluntary work.

What's it like working in the sector?

Graduates entering the environment and agriculture sector can expect:

• outdoor work with plants, animals and machinery/technology;
• varied salaries that depend entirely upon entry qualification, prior experience and the industry you choose to work in;
• long and irregular hours of work, particularly during busy seasons and when roles are affected by weather conditions. Working with animals can involve shift work and provision of 24/7 care, including bank holidays and weekends;
• extensive opportunities for self-employment throughout most of the sector, as there is a large demand for local services, e.g. veterinary work and floristry, in both urban and rural settings.

What are the key issues in the environmental sector?

Business and management skills, such as marketing expertise, sales experience and financial acumen, are thought to be the most lacking in the workforce.

There will be a need for nearly 250,000 new workers between now and 2020, according to the sector skills body Lantra, with roles in customer service and managerial and skilled trade occupations, such as agricultural engineers, offering the most opportunities.