The total regional land-based workforce is an estimated 105,610, but this figure may underestimate the number employed as temporary or contract workers and migrant workers.

There are approximately 15,171 businesses operating wholly or principally in the land-based sector.  Employment is concentrated in agriculture and horticulture, landscape, fencing, trees and timber, equine and animal care. 

Key statistics on the region:

• 96.2% of businesses employ less than 10 people or no staff
• 78.2% of the workforce are staff, 21.7% are proprietors
• 47.9% of the workforce are aged 25-44 years (compared to 47% in all sectors)
• 39.5% aged over 45 years (compared to 39.3% in all sectors)
• 66% of the workforce are male (compared to 53.8% in all sectors)
• most common annual business turnover £238,547
• 6.5% of businesses report vacancies, but none report skills shortage vacancies
• 0.3% of the workforce have skills gaps
• 6.5% of all establishments report vacancies
• no skills shortage vacancies are reported
• 0.3% of the workforce have skills gaps

Businesses in the region will need the following skills in the future: communication (85.5%); numeracy (83.8%); customer relations (81.7%); and literacy (80%).  Technical skills will be needed at an advanced level in the future.

Education and training providers in the region offer both full-time and part-time learning, work-based learning, technical skill development and continuing professional development.  45.3% of establishments report that general training courses are available to the workforce.  Of those establishments that access training courses, 18.8% use qualifications, 71.9% use certificated training courses, and 9.4% use un-certified training courses.

Higher education provision for the sector is available with 9 providers in the region offering 38 courses and programmes.  There were 529 enrolments on land-based higher education courses in the region in 2003/04.

Key drivers in the region:

• the Olympic effect, coupled with urban regeneration, will create opportunities in landscaping, fencing and green space management
• the South East Food group partnership is promoting local grown Fine Foods and is also working to ensure that the region is at the forefront of encouraging and promoting the use of local produce
• animal health and welfare legislation is likely to require higher levels of inspection and control and animal care, which is of particular importance in the region due to the density of population
• increased demand for more high quality greenspace will require a highly skilled workforce

Source: Lantra South East Region Consultation 2005 and Sector Skills Agreement Stage 1: Annex 2.6 2005

For data on regional workforce by industry see:

Distribution of Lantra workforce in the South East, 2005