Agriculture : Career areas

A 2010 HESA survey of 2009 graduates indicates that six months after graduation, 50% of agriculture graduates had gone into employment in the UK, with almost a further 3% in work overseas.

Of these, around 20% were working as commercial, industrial or public sector managers. Almost 16% went into professional or technical occupations, while just over 10% went into retail and catering. Other sectors entered were clerical and secretarial, marketing and sales, and scientific research and analysis.

Where are the jobs?

The major employment opportunities within agriculture are not just in farm management. Other opportunities exist with commercial ancillary companies both in the UK and abroad. Common employers of agriculture students include British Sugar, Frontier Agriculture, Soil Association, National Farmers Union, HGCA, Velcourt Farms, Co-Operative Group, Grant Thornton and HSBC Bank. Opportunities and vacancies can be viewed at Harper Adams Careers Service.

Relevant and associated sectors to agriculture include:

• Environment and agriculture - the environment and agriculture sector includes a diverse range of jobs, many of which are land based or rural. The main areas of work are land management and production, animal health and welfare and environmental industries. Many graduate opportunities are in agribusiness or environmental or land management.
• Engineering - there are many opportunities in a wide range of functions in the engineering industry, including land-based engineering. The UK has a significant manufacturing sector in agricultural and off-road vehicle engineering. Developing areas also include energy production, climate change, alternative energy resources, innovative recycling methods and the development of sustainable technologies.

See industry insights for further information on possibilities in other employment areas.

Statistics are collected every year by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, with the data being collected within just six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out What Do Graduates Do?  and your degree...what next?