The environmental and land-based sector represents approximately 1 million employees, which is 3.4% of total employment in the UK, plus a further 500,000 volunteers.  There are over 210,000 businesses in the sector of which 90% employ less than 10 people.  Only 1% of businesses employ 50 staff or more.

The sector contributes an estimated 5.67% to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

79% of the workforce work full-time and 21% work part-time.  93% of employees are permanent, whilst 7% are classified as temporary workers.

Self-employment is a key feature of the sector with approximately 80% of the workforce as proprietors, and 20% of the workforce are employed staff.  Although self-employment levels are expected to decline, Lantra will continue to have one of the highest shares of workers in self-employment

Lantra faces a continuing decline in total employment, with a further 15% of jobs expected to be lost over the next 10 years.  This continuing decline will, however, be at a slower rate than experienced over the last 20 years.  The decline in employment will be mainly among male and full-time employees.

Over the next decade, the total requirement is positive for all occupational groups with the exception of elementary occupations.  A net requirement of 97,400 employees will be needed across all occupations.

Employment equivalent to 1-in-5 of the current workforce will need to be recruited to the sector over the next 10 years to 2014.  Around 70% of new recruits, equivalent to 73,000 workers, will be needed in skilled trades occupations.

Source: Working Futures 2006, Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Overview 2005, Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Key Drivers of Skill Demand 2005 and Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Analysis of Current and Future Skills Needs 2005

Keyword
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a measure of the value of goods and services produced, before allowing for depreciation or capital consumption.

For more data on the employment status of the workforce, numbers employed and distribution of businesses by industry see:

The environmental and land-based sector includes 17 industries which are clustered under the following headings:

6% of establishments in England reported skill shortage vacancies, an increase of 2% from 2003.  14% of establishments report skills gaps.  The elementary (24%) and skilled trades (17%) occupations have the greatest number of skills gaps.  Only 5% of establishments report skills gaps is the professional occupations.

In Scotland, skill shortage vacancies account for 17% of all vacancies in Scotland with 3% of establishments reporting them.  A large proportion of skill shortage vacancies are within skilled trades (78%).  11% of establishments report internal skills gaps.  Elementary (21%), plus process, plant and machine operatives (18%) occupations report the largest share of skills gaps.  Only 4% of establishments reported skills gaps for professional and 4% of associate professional occupations.  Across all occupations skills gaps are predominantly for technical and practical skills.

In Northern Ireland, businesses report a greater future need for health and safety knowledge (53.8%) and IT skills (53%). 7% of establishments report having a vacancy of any type.  As a proportion of all establishments, 5.3% are hard-to-fill vacancies and 2.7% are skill shortage vacancies, which are the result of a lack of applicants with the required qualifications, motivation and experience.  Sales and customer service occupations have the largest share of skills gaps with 15%, whilst 6% are located within the professional occupations.  Those in skilled trades have a low skill gap of just 6%.

In Wales, 15% of establishments report vacancies in the Lantra sector of which 9% are hard-to-fill and 4% are skills shortage vacancies.  15% of establishments also reported skills gaps.  Future skills needs will be for high level communication skills and the ability to follow instructions.

Source: Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Analysis of Current and Future Skills Needs 2005 and Future Skills Wales 2003

Generic skill needs for the sector include:

• management and leadership skills – developing business strategies, business law, human resource management and development, risk management, global trading background, European policy and funding opportunities, negotiation skills and contract management
• problem solving and creative planning
• supervisory skills
• improving business and business diversification skills
• financial management and IT training in financial planning
• effective job-specific training
• employability skills – problem solving, willingness to learn, flexibility and initiative as well as literacy and numeracy
• customer service in particular managing customer expectation and understanding customers needs
• coaching mentoring and training

The sector is becoming increasingly technical and there is the need for sophisticated
knowledge transfer systems to ensure that employers are up-to-date and can maximize returns by employing the latest techniques and use the latest technology.

Source: Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Key Drivers of Skill Demand 2005

Click here for further details of future skill requirements by occupation. 

Future employment in the sector will be affected by the following:

• increased knowledge-intensive production industries in terms of both production technology and environmental management
• growing trends in the production sector towards increased concern with safety, traceability, quality and environmental protection
• diversification across agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture
• reforms in the Common Agricultural Policy towards reducing intervention prices while providing compensation for beef and sheep farmers
• a continued trend for lowering food prices towards world market levels
• increased consumer spending in the amenity horticulture and garden retail, countryside recreation, equine, and natural heritage industries
• greater emphasis on the provision of high quality services
• increase in scope of environmental conservation

Key drivers of change in the sector:

• globalisation – as well as providing new opportunities, there will be increase risk and vulnerability for the sector
• government and EU policy – legislation and regulatory drivers impact on the sector relate to: sustainable development; rural and urban regeneration; access to the countryside; traceability of products; migration and immigration issues; animal health and welfare; water; and health and safety
• diversification  of land – extending rural development to encompass tourism, recreation, environmental protection, enhancement of biodiversity and green energy 
• technological change – leading to improved quality of life and work
• climate change – affecting the process and operations of the sector

Source: Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Key Drivers of Skill Demand 2005