Environment and agriculture: Overview

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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, as opposed to direct production, and may be office based. However, there are still many options to work outside, utilising practical skills in a rural setting, and this remains the attraction of this sector for many graduates.

EU legislation and pressures of the green agenda have lead to a growth in environmental careers. In general job opportunities are increasing, but so are the numbers of graduates with environmental qualifications, so this is a competitive area to enter. The environmental sector is projected to grow by 42% by 2010 (Salary and Careers Survey 2007, Environmental Data Services (ENDS)).

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There is a growth in opportunities on the agribusiness side, due to an increase in trade in food and related agricultural products. Opportunities in aquaculture and in fisheries management are growing, particularly in Scotland. There is also a current need for forestry graduates with technical and business management skills.

Conflicting demands for natural resources and an increase in interest in leisure activities, have led to a need for more landscape managers. There is a decline in production horticulture due to competition from overseas, but a steady demand for garden designers/landscapers remains.

What kind of work can I do?

Land management and production

• Agricultural crops – from remote hill farms to vast mechanised arable farms, this includes energy crops such as biofuels.
• Agricultural livestock.
• 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.
• Production horticulture -growing fruit, vegetable and plants. See Careers in Horticulture.
• Land based engineering.
• Trees and timber – arboriculture (woodland management), forestry and timber processing. See the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) and the Royal Forestry Society (RFS) for the full range of opportunities.
• Land management (land agents and rural practice surveyors).

Animal health and welfare

• Animal care - kennels, catteries, animal welfare charities and the pet industry.
• Animal technology
• Equine – welfare, supervision and riding of horses and farriery.

See Animal Jobs Direct for more ideas for work with animals.

Environmental industries

• Environmental management includes pollution, climate change and sustainability management and recycling. Conservation includes protection of rural and urban landscapes, habitat management and countryside recreation. See Student Force for Sustainability and Environmental Data Services (ENDS) Salary and Careers Survey 2007 to get a feel for the full range of opportunities available. Rooting for a Career in Ecology or Environmental Management may also be of interest.
• Fisheries management – angling, freshwater fisheries and conserving freshwater habitats.
• Game and wildlife management and gamekeeping.
• Landscape – landscape architecture, garden design and amenity horticulture. See Careers in Horticulture and the Society of Garden Designers (SGD).

A future in is the careers website from Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector, and is a good place to get to grips with the huge range of opportunities available.

What’s it like working in the sector?

• A key feature of this sector is self-employment.
• Many people work in SMEs or micro businesses. Almost 90% of businesses in this sector employ less than ten people (Source: Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector).
• The hours can be long and irregular and salary levels vary dramatically.
• 72% of the workforce is male compared to 55% nationally, although the gender balance is more equal in environmental conservation (Source: Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector).
• 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 sector?

• Currently, 1.5 million people work in the environmental and land-based sector, with a further 500,000 volunteers. Over 25,000 new people are needed in the next five years.
• The biggest industry in this sector by number of employees is agricultural livestock followed by landscape, agricultural crops, production horticulture, environmental conservation and equine (Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector).

Where can I work?

• Geographically most jobs are available in the South East, South West and Scotland.
• Land-based qualifications, particularly agricultural or environmental skills are often transferable within Europe and the rest of the world. See opportunities abroad.