CGC Ebook 5.0

Countryside and Wildlife

Sector Outlook I f you are interested in countryside and wildlife careers, there are some promising opportunities. Landscaping, agriculture, animal care and horticulture are key areas of the industry that has continued demand for labour. Since Brexit there has been a significant labour that has been well reported. Whilst the sector is reducing in size the demand has meant increased wages. Vacancies will be found particularly in business and management, marketing, sales and finance with other opportunities being available in customer service roles and skilled trades. In agriculture the skills shortage according to the NFU includes farm workers, poultry operatives, diary technicians and hatchery workers. The workforce in the sector is aging so as a young potential employee you should find yourself in demand, especially if you have achieved a level 3 qualification or can show that you are willing to learn. For the same reason, graduates are also needed and of the 230,000 businesses in the sector you could find employment with either a multinational company or a small family owned businesses. Graduate training schemes are more likely to be found in larger companies, for example, AGCO, British Sugar, JCB, John Deere, Kuhn, Magnox as well as government bodies such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) or the Forestry Commission. Opportunities can also be found with non-profit organisations such as OneKind, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Given the need for the UK to increase its food production, graduates with technical, scientific and business management skills are particularly in demand. If you decide not to take up higher education you could concentrate your job search efforts around those parts of the industry that are forecasted to grow. Areas worth exploring include environmental conservation, landscaping, horticulture, sports turf management, animal health and welfare, food safety, environmental assessment, and waste management. According Lantra (the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based sector) many employers value skills and experience over qualifications. To get your foot in the door, you might want to consider volunteering for charity organisations such as the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, the National Trust or the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Alternatively, you could gain experience by taking on a temporary role.