Industry insights - Environment and agriculture
Overview
The industry in a nutshell
- The environment and agriculture sector comprises 17 different industries. The main areas of work cover land management and production, animal welfare and environmental industries.
- The current economic situation is affecting the UK environmental employment market and there is evidence of wage restraint, short-time working and pay review deferrals to protect long-term recruitment.
- Opportunities exist in both the public and private sectors. Self-employment is a key feature of the sector.
- Entry to the sector is becoming increasingly competitive due to the growing demand for skilled workers.
- There has been a recent decline in production horticulture but there is a steady demand for garden designers/landscapers.
What kind of work can I do?
Land management and production
- Agricultural crops - producing and managing food crops such as cereal and root crops, non-food and industrial crops such as energy crops, crops for paper and materials like hemp.
- Agricultural livestock - dairy, beef, pigs, sheep and poultry. Also sales, research and policy development.
- Agribusiness - food distribution, international buying and trading of agricultural produce, agronomy (field crop production and soil management), agrichemicals, crop consultation, rural accounting and research.
- Aquaculture - breeding of fish, mainly salmon and trout.
- Floristry - selling and arranging flowers.
- Production horticulture - growing fruit, vegetables and plants.
- Land-based engineering - design development, manufacturing, field engineering, service engineering, environmental control, servicing, mechanisation, marketing and sales.
- Trees and timber - arboriculture (woodland management), forestry and timber processing.
- Land management - land agent and rural practice surveyor.
Animal health and welfare
- Animal care - kennels, catteries, animal welfare charities and the pet industry.
- Animal technology - the care and welfare of animals used in biomedical research.
- Equine - welfare, supervision, training and riding of horses.
- Farriery - shoeing of horses and other animals.
Environmental industries
- Environmental conservation - protection of rural and urban landscapes, habitat management, community recycling and countryside recreation.
- Fisheries management - angling, freshwater fisheries and conserving freshwater habitats.
- Game and wildlife management and gamekeeping.
- Landscaping - landscape architecture, garden design and amenity horticulture.
See A future in
, the careers website of Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector
, for more information on the range of opportunities available.
What’s it like working in this industry?
- Many people work in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or micro-businesses. Around 96% of businesses employ fewer than ten people (Lantra Skills Assessment Report, 2009).
- Self-employment is a key feature of employment in this industry, meaning that a flexible attitude and good communication and business management skills are essential.
- The hours can be long and irregular and salary levels vary dramatically, depending on the industry you work in, whether you work in the public or private sector and whether you are an employee or self-employed.
- Over 70% of the workforce is male compared to 55% nationally, although the gender balance is more equal in environmental conservation (Lantra Skills Assessment Report, 2009).
- The Women's Farm and Garden Association
was set up to support women in farming and horticulture. Women in Rural Enterprise (WiRE)
supports women in rural businesses.
How big is this industry?
- Currently, there are 1.2 million people working in the environmental and land-based sector, with a further 500,000 volunteers (Lantra, 2010).
- The biggest industry by number of employees is agricultural livestock followed by landscape, agricultural crops, production horticulture, environmental conservation and equine.
Where can I work?
- The environmental and agricultural sector represents 9% of all businesses in the UK. The sector is largest in Northern Ireland (23%), Wales (16%), Scotland (13%), the South West of England (14%) and the South East of England (6%) (Lantra Skills Assessment Report, 2009).
- Predictably, most jobs are based in the rural economy, with 87% of agriculture, forestry and fisheries-based industries located in rural areas. However, some industries, such as floristry, horticulture and landscaping, have a more urban focus.
- Land-based qualifications, particularly agricultural or environmental degrees, are often transferable within Europe and the rest of the world. For more information see opportunities abroad.
Job roles
The following profiles are examples of key jobs that exist in the environment and agriculture industry. To find the job roles that best match your skills and interests, login to what jobs would suit me?
For even more career ideas, take a look at types of jobs.
Entry and progression
How do I find a job?
- See typical employers for a list of large companies with graduate training schemes.
- Jobs for new graduates are rarely advertised. Speculative applications are the most common way in to the industry. Advertised vacancies usually target experienced people as they are harder to recruit. Networking will increase your chances as many jobs are filled by word of mouth.
- Other positions are filled by internal recruitment. Getting a foot in the door by starting in a junior or administrative role can lead to future opportunities. Voluntary work or work experience can also get you noticed and help when applying for vacancies.
- Industry specific jobsites include Countryside Jobs Service (CJS), Environment Jobs, Environmental Careers
, Environmental Data Services (ENDS) and Land-Force
.
- Professional associations also advertise vacancies. See, for example, the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), The Landscape Institute (LI), the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Royal Forestry Society (RFS).
- Relevant newspapers and journals with vacancies include the Farmers Guardian, Farmers Weekly
, The Grocer, Horse and Hound, The Environment Post and Nature Jobs.
- Directories of companies or of member organisations can be useful for speculative applications, e.g. the ENDS Environmental Consultancy Directory, Fresh Produce Consortium, Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF).
- Specialist recruitment agencies include Noble Futures for animal health, equestrian and agricultural jobs and MorePeople and Horticruitment UK for horticultural roles.
- The careers sites of agricultural or land-based colleges also advertise vacancies.
Find out more about job application advice.
What skills do I need?
Practical skills specific to your area of interest are vital. The industry is becoming increasingly technical and there is a shortage of suitably skilled managers. A relevant degree and work experience, either paid or voluntary, will make you more attractive to employers.
Other key skills include:
- problem solving and creative planning;
- teamworking;
- time management and the ability to work to deadlines;
- customer service;
- management and leadership - knowledge of business strategies, business law, financial management, risk management and global trading are increasingly sought after;
- an understanding of environmental issues, particularly auditing, sustainable development and waste management, health and safety and EU legislation.
See A future in, the careers website of Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector, for more details of skills requirements for specific roles.
Where can I find work experience?
Work experience, through a graduate placement scheme or internship, summer vacation work, a gap year or voluntary work, is essential for getting in to most jobs within this industry. Be prepared to be flexible. Speculative applications are often effective, particularly for voluntary work. You might also obtain work experience by networking with people who already have contacts in the industry.
Organisations offering work placement schemes include:
Organisations offering environment-related voluntary work include:
See opportunities abroad for more ideas for work experience overseas.
Is postgraduate study useful?
Postgraduate study is not usually necessary for entry and some employers will prefer relevant work experience. However, competition for environmental jobs means that a relevant postgraduate qualification may enhance your employment opportunities.
As much of the workforce is self-employed or working in small to medium-sized companies (SMEs), further study often depends on the motivation and career development needs of the individual.
Some government or research posts may expect accreditation. Self-employed workers may find accreditation a useful promotional tool.
See Find a Masters
for details of postgraduate courses. Many professional bodies also list relevant postgraduate courses and/or training on their websites.
How can my career develop?
- As most graduates work in SMEs or are self-employed, career progression depends on networking, geographical mobility and taking a proactive approach to job seeking/business expansion.
- It is vital to maintain and update practical skills in order to take advantage of career opportunities.
- You can expect a more structured training scheme and career progression with the larger graduate recruiters.
Typical employers
Big players
Private sector
Large companies with graduate recruitment schemes in environmental or agricultural management or consultancy, landscape architecture or fresh food production include:
- Bovis Lend Lease
- British Sugar
- Gardline Marine Sciences
- Jacobs
- Magnox North and Magnox South
- Management Development Services Ltd (MDS Ltd)
- Mouchel
- MWH
- Parsons Brinckerhoff
- WRc
Many companies are developing in-house environmental teams and creating opportunities for employment.
Consultancies
Details of leading environmental and agricultural consultancies can be found in the ENDS Environmental Consultancy Directory
.
Central and local government
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), together with the Scottish Government and the National Assemblies for Northern Ireland and Wales, are responsible for regulating environmental protection and agriculture in the UK. Key delivery departments include:
DEFRA employs graduates as scientific officers, plant health and seeds inspectors, statisticians, economists and information officers, covering topics such as policy formulation and implementation, food commodities, environmental protection, plant/animal health and land utilisation. There is also a fast stream route.
The Environment Agency (EA), an executive non-departmental public body, is the largest employer of environmental professionals in the UK, employing nearly 13,000 people (Environment Agency, 2010).
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
The following NGOs are responsible for managing land for wildlife conservation:
- Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG);
- National Trust and the National Trust for Scotland
;
- The Wildlife Trusts;
- The Woodland Trust.
Large campaigning organisations, such as Friends of the Earth and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), also employ graduates.
Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs are organisations with fewer than 250 employees and an annual turnover of no more than £26million. Working for a smaller company can be rewarding because you are more likely to forge a path for yourself within the company, although opportunities to try other departments may be limited.
SMEs are unlikely to use the testing and assessment techniques of larger companies, or follow lengthy recruitment procedures. SMEs are more likely to advertise their vacancies through the local press, university careers service bulletins, local graduate vacancy listings, jobcentres, and word of mouth, rather than rely on their reputation and a presence at graduate recruitment fairs.
Your university careers service should have listings of jobs with small firms. See also the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Around 96% of businesses in this sector employ fewer than ten people (Lantra Skills Assessment Report, 2009). Due to the high proportion of those working in SMEs and in self-employment, employers require a wide mix of skills, which might include technical skills and the ability to operate machinery. Skills such as teamwork, problem solving and communication are seen as increasingly important.
Management skills in areas such as finance and marketing are also important for SME employers who increasingly expect their employees to multitask.
Self-employment
Self-employment is a key feature of employment in this industry with around 42% of workers self-employed (Lantra Skills Assessment Report, 2009).
Find out more about self-employment.
Opportunities abroad
What are my chances of getting a job overseas?
The environmental and agriculture sector is a global industry with job opportunities throughout the world. In agriculture, in particular, expanding global markets have led to new business and logistics challenges and the development of new technologies and competitive products. This, in turn, has led to new opportunities for qualified people.
People with agricultural and environmental skills are also needed on overseas projects to provide clean drinking water and sustainable farming techniques.
Will my qualifications be recognised?
- UK environmental and agricultural graduate skills are highly transferable worldwide, and non-UK companies generally look positively on applications from UK graduates.
- Some countries favour graduates who hold at least a Masters qualification. Research the country you are in interested in using the country profiles.
- Although English may be useful and acceptable at the outset, host country language skills are regarded as being essential for effective communication with colleagues from varied backgrounds. For vacation work, English may well be sufficient.
- The internet allows increased access to learning so that study and continuing professional development (CPD) can be carried out by distance learning from any location.
Where are the opportunities?
There are a number of large companies with overseas branches that recruit graduates. These include:
- Bayer and its sub-group Bayer CropScience.
- Monsanto - US-based company with international opportunities in agribusiness.
- MWH - global engineering and environmental services with opportunities for engineering and environmental graduates in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
- Peter Brett Associates - consultancy for sustainable development projects in contaminated land, conservation and waste management worldwide.
- White Young Green Consultancy - environmental posts in UK, Ireland and overseas, recruiting from a wide range of disciplines.
Placements are possible in overseas branches of UK companies, particularly in environmental services and horticulture, for example:
- G’s Marketing - management schemes for horticultural production, growing/harvesting and related commercial areas in Spain.
- Management Development Services (MDS) - secondments overseas for graduates of all disciplines interested in the fresh food and produce industry.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) often have overseas connections. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
, for example, works worldwide and has Wetland Link International (WLI) education centres based around the world.
The following are examples of organisations with voluntary opportunities abroad, useful either for a gap year or during the summer vacation:
- Agriventure - run by the International Agricultural Exchange Association (IAEA). Farm work placements in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and Japan.
- Concordia International Volunteers
- agricultural and environmental projects overseas.
- Earthwatch - conservation expeditions and research opportunities worldwide.
- Experience International - opportunities in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and natural resource management in the USA.
- International Exchange Program UK - environment and land-based placements overseas.
- Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) - operates in over 40 of the most disadvantaged countries. Opportunities are available in areas relating to animals and natural resources. Relevant experience in usually required to take part in projects.
- World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) - voluntary work on organic farms and the opportunity to learn about sustainable ways of living.
Future trends
Environmental issues
There is an increasing need for environmental conservation skills and knowledge throughout the land-based industries. Environmental consultancy is a growth area with particular demands for environmental management, engineering, auditing and assessment and eco-design.
Local government departments need more environmentalists due to changes in EU legislation relating to sustainable development, rural and urban regeneration and access to the countryside.
Currently the UK is one of the poorest waste managers in Europe, so waste disposal and recycling are likely to remain important issues for both householders and businesses over the next few years. This may lead to increased opportunities for those in waste management advisory roles.
Growth in agribusiness
The trade in food and related agricultural products is enormous. A rising population, climate change and the lack of adequate water supplies in some parts of the world has put pressure on the agriculture industry to provide enough food without damage to the environment. This means there is a growing need for managers with specialist knowledge of international buying and trading of agricultural produce, agrichemicals, machinery and animal feeds, as well as more general business, marketing and communication skills.
Animal health and welfare
The Animal Welfare Act and the Animal Health and Welfare Act (Scotland) has meant a greater duty of care towards domestic and captive animals. Higher professional standards will be required for those in the animal care and equine industries.
Securing UK food supplies
The UK is currently around 60% self-sufficient for food production (DEFRA, Agricultural Survey, 2009). Due to the rising population, diminishing natural resources and climate change, it is becoming vital to secure future food supplies. Producing sustainable food at home is an important part of this, which will require graduates with technical skills as well as those with skills in scientific research and business management.
Ageing workforce
The sector has an ageing workforce, which means that over 11,000 new entrants will be needed over the next decade. Efforts are also being made to attract more women and people from ethnic minority groups as they are currently under-represented (Lantra Skills Assessment Report, 2009). The ageing workforce and subsequent shortage of skilled workers is more pronounced in the devolved regions than in England.
Energy and fuel security
The sustainability of fuel and energy sources is vital to the industry as operating costs are affected by prices. The industry can also help find a solution to the problem by providing renewable energy through producing energy crops, conventional forest management and biodegradable waste (including food and farm waste).
Jargon buster
- Agribusiness - businesses involved in food production, including farming, seed supply, agrichemicals, farm machinery, wholesale and distribution, processing, marketing and retail sales.
- Agronomy - the science of using plants for food, fuel and feeds. Includes field crop production and soil management.
- Amenity horticulture - the design and maintenance of planting schemes for parks, gardens, golf courses and other landscapes.
- Aquaculture - farming of freshwater and saltwater fish and shellfish.
- Arboriculture - cultivation of trees and shrubs, woodland management.
- BBSRC - Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Funding agency for academic research and training in the biosciences.
- Biodiversity - variation of life forms in a given ecosystem.
- Biofuel - fuel derived from living matter, most commonly plants.
- BTCV - British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV).
- CAP - Common Agricultural Policy. A system of EU agricultural subsidies and programmes.
- Carbon footprint - total emissions of greenhouse gases from source being measured, e.g. an individual or organisation.
- CRC - Commission for Rural Communities. Independent body that promotes awareness of the social and economic needs of people working in rural areas.
- DEFRA - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Government department responsible for policy and regulations on the environment, food and rural affairs.
- EA - Environment Agency (EA). Purpose is to protect and improve the environment, and to promote sustainable development.
- Equine - relating to horses.
- FWAG - Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG). Independent provider of environmental and conservation advice to farmers.
- LANTRA - Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector.
- Micro-business - company with fewer than ten employees.
- NGO - non-governmental organisation. Sometimes funded by governments, but excludes government representatives from membership.
- Production (Commercial) Horticulture - large-scale production and selling of plants for food or gardens.
- RHS - Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). UK gardening charity that aims to advance horticulture and promote good gardening.
- Sustainability - investment in a way of living that preserves natural ecosystems.
AGCAS
Written by Andrea Gregory, AGCAS
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