Job market information
Finding out about horticulture, landscape and sports turf
The horticulture, landscape and sports turf industry is part of the environmental and land‐based industries, represented by Lantra Sector Skills Council, which also includes the following industries: agricultural crops; agricultural livestock; animal care; animal technology; aquaculture; equine; environmental conservation; farriery; fencing; fisheries management; floristry; game and wildlife management; land‐based engineering; production horticulture; trees and timber; and veterinary nursing. The sector as a whole currently employs 1,126,000 people (approximately 4% of the UK workforce) in around 230,000 businesses. In addition, there are an estimated 500,000 volunteers working in the sector on a regular basis. Approximately 42% of the workforce is self‐employed.
The horticulture, landscape and sports turf industries cover: hard, soft and interior landscaping; sports turf maintenance and green‐keeping; private, heritage and botanic gardens; commercial grounds; plus public parks and green spaces. The landscape industries comprise both public and private sector businesses, which are involved in:
- Local authority green space management
- All forms of sports turf management and maintenance
- State owned and private historic and heritage gardens
Key facts:
- There are approximately 172,000 gardeners and grounds people working in the industry, in an estimated 16,650 businesses.
- The industry employs around 15.3% of the environmental and land‐based sector’s total workforce.
- 81% of businesses employ less than 10 staff.
- 44% of the workforce is self‐employed.
- 60% of the workforce has a level 2 and above qualification, 18% of the workforce has no qualifications.
Jobs in the industry include: allotment officer, grounds maintenance manager, arboretum supervisor, head gardener, woodland officer, head park ranger, assistant arboretum worker, arboriculturalist, landscape architect, machine plant operator, nursery worker, parks officer, garden designer, assistant greenkeeper, grounds person.
Entry and progression
Entry requirements for this industry vary depending on the job role. Some jobs require no formal qualifications. However, relevant qualifications and experience can be an advantage, especially for higher paid job roles. Technical/specialist roles may require specific qualifications and/or experience, but some employers may invest in training a suitable individual. Volunteering or taking seasonal/temporary work can improve employment opportunities. There are opportunities for those wishing to change career, particularly those from construction.
There are a range of industry endorsed courses (at undergraduate level), apprenticeships, training schemes, vocational qualifications and a Diploma in environmental and land‐based studies.
For job specific entry requirements, take a look at our job profiles.
Workforce statistics
| Number of UK employees: |
172,000 gardeners and grounds people |
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| Number of UK employers: |
16,650 |
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| Gender: |
88% male |
12% female |
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| Age: |
60% of the workforce is over 40 years |
36% over 50 years |
|---|
| Ethnicity: |
99% of the workforce is from a white ethnic group |
|---|
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey (January‐September), 2008 and IDBR, 2008.]
Employment trends and future prospects
Drivers of change in employment are:
- The need for businesses to remain competitive and sustainable in the face of a tough economic climate is reflected in the reducing number of directly employed staff in key industries, such as agriculture and horticulture.
- Urban regeneration will increase demand for rangers and parks staff.
- Increased consumer spending in the amenity horticulture and garden retail, countryside recreation, equine and natural heritage industries will lead to greater demand for these products and services with consequent employment opportunities.
- The widespread building of new houses will increase the demand for the ‘greenskills’ industries. This will mainly involve landscaping around houses, roads, parks, etc., and also increased fencing requirements, horticultural requisites, floristry and other service type needs.
- The 2012 Olympics Games will have a major impact on businesses and suppliers and its consequential ‘draw’ on the skilled labour in the sector to support the project and its infrastructure.
- The 2012 Olympic Games are expected to give the sector a boost, with a huge demand for its services.
- Customer service is seen as a key skill requirement alongside technical competence.
- It was also identified that there will always be a requirement for skills at a minimum level (two), including literacy and numeracy.
- Extra skills including planning and organisation, generic ‘business skills’, marketing and IT are seen to be of increasing importance. Also identified was the future requirement for basic electrical skills for landscapers.
Skill requirements and shortages
The current and future skills that will become increasingly important at high and intermediate level are:
- Business and management
- Technical/job specific (e.g. operating machinery)
- Communication
- Literacy
- Computing and IT
- Customer relations
- Numeracy
Occupational trends
In addition to the skills shortages identified above, selected current and future industry specific skills include:
- Landscape contracting – practical horticultural skills, practical job related skills – hard landscaping, ground work skills, garden design, plant identification, plant knowledge and pest and disease recognition, health and safety
- Local authority parks and green space management, grounds maintenance – practical horticultural skills, practical job related skills, plant and equipment, plant identification, plant knowledge and pest and disease recognition, security, wildlife, conservation management, events management
- Heritage and botanic gardens – practical horticultural skills, plant identification, plant knowledge and pest and disease recognition, high quality horticultural skills, interpretation, wildlife, conservation management
- Sports turf – technology transfer of scientific knowledge in relation to sports turf management and maintenance, technical and practical, photosynthetic cycle application to turf, pest and disease recognition
National and regional data
East Midlands – There are an estimated 12,000 employees in the regional workforce, in around 1,200 businesses.
East of England – There are an estimated 19,000 employees in the regional workforce, in around 1,250 businesses.
London – There are an estimated 23,300 employees in the regional workforce, in around 750 businesses.
North East – There are an estimated 3,250 employees in the regional workforce, in around 550 businesses. Landscape businesses are a significant employer in the region.
North West – There are an estimated 17,550 employees in the regional workforce, in around 1,800 businesses.
South East – There are an estimated 30,950 employees in the regional workforce, in around 3,750 businesses.
South West – There are an estimated 18,850 employees in the regional workforce, in around 1,800 businesses.
West Midlands – There are an estimated 15,600 employees in the regional workforce, in around 1,250 businesses.
Yorkshire and the Humber – There are an estimated 13,900 employees in the regional workforce, in around 1,250 businesses.
Northern Ireland – There are an estimated 1,400 employees in the regional workforce, in around 250 businesses.
Scotland – There are an estimated 9,100 employees in the regional workforce, in around 1,250 businesses.
Wales – There are an estimated 7,000 employees in the regional workforce, in around 750 businesses.
Salary levels
Pay scales in this industry are variable, so the following only provides an indication of the average annual salary paid to some full‐time positions:
- Horticulture Managers £29,861
- Horticultural Trades £14,318
- Gardeners and Grounds people £16,764
Career paths
Further sources
Produced Sept 2010, using Lantra AACS LMI report (Jun 2010)
