Environment and agriculture

The environment and agriculture sector concerns the natural world and the effects of humans on it. Work in this sector is suited to those who are interested in the environment, including the role of climate change.

Typical jobs in this sector include:

  • arboriculturist
  • ecologist
  • environmental consultant
  • land surveyor
  • zookeeper.

Key skills that are useful in this sector include:

  • strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • commercial awareness, especially in the context of wider ethical concerns
  • for some roles, an ability to undertake physically demanding work
  • ability to organise time and work methodically
  • a strong attention to detail.

For job profiles and detailed information on pursuing a career in this sector, see the Prospects website:

Environment and agriculture profile

Contents

How to get a job

To prepare for a career in environment and agriculture, you should research the sector carefully. You should also talk with people who are in the sector already.

Work experience is also an essential requirement for gaining employment in this sector. You can get this through work experience programmes, internships, and volunteering.

Make a connection

To connect with people already working in the sector, consider joining Saint Connect, the University of St Andrews’ exclusive, global, online community for networking and career mentoring.

You might also find it helpful to join student societies or committees to build your connections in this sector, such as:

See more ideas for making a connection.

Work experiences and internships

Some large graduate employers in this sector offer short-term work experience programmes, often lasting no more than a week. This allows you to gain a taste of the sector before committing to a longer-term internship.

Several large graduate employers, such as E.ON and KUHN, offer longer, paid internships in this sector, often over the summer. Organisations like Bright Green Business also advertise paid, environmental placements for 8 to 12 weeks within organisations and businesses across Scotland.

Find internships (Careers Centre)

Volunteering

Unpaid internships and volunteering are more common ways of getting work experience in this sector, especially among smaller organisations and charities. Examples include the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) which offers internships from 3 to 12 months, with possible reimbursement of travel costs and accommodation.

For volunteering, you could consider Groundwork, a federation of charities tackling poverty and engaged in environmental work across the UK, as well as larger organisations like:

Within St Andrews, you can get involved by volunteering with Transition, an organisation dedicated to countering climate change by undertaking environmental projects in the local area. You can also find other ways to get involved in sustainability at St Andrews.

Attend events

The Careers Centre often puts on events where you can talk to employers visiting St Andrews. Visit the events page for more information.

Further study

For some roles in this sector, you will need a postgraduate qualification. This may be at either Masters or PhD level, depending on the career you wish to pursue. For example, while a PhD is important for a research career, taught Masters courses are popular when entering the field of environmental consultancy, or as conversion courses.

For details of what qualifications you might need, you should carefully research the particular role you are interested in. For information on further study in general, see the further study pages.

Finding a job

Check out our job listings for vacancies or see the resources below for jobs in the environment and agriculture sector.

Find jobs (Careers Centre)

Jobs in the UK

Graduate training schemes

A graduate training scheme is a paid, entry-level job that also acts as a training programme. Graduate training schemes are one way to get a graduate-level position in this sector. Organisations offering graduate training schemes include:

To find out more about graduate training schemes in this sector, see Prospects' how to get an environmental job page.

Jobs outside the UK

Applying for a job

When applying for jobs in this sector, you can expect to do at least some of the following:

For larger employers, particularly when applying for graduate training schemes, you may also be required to take psychometric tests and attend an assessment centre.

The application process for environment and agriculture jobs may vary according to which company you are applying to. Research the company to understand the skills, competencies and values they are looking for. Also check the company’s website, as many provide details on their recruitment and selection processes.

If you would like personalised help on any aspect of applying for a job, you can book an appointment with a careers adviser.  

Applying for a job