The Green Careers Crisis: A Journey to Recovery – Vicki Mordue

Green jobs are purposeful, diverse, rewarding and challenging. They enable us to make a difference in the existential environmental issues we face today, including actively supporting nature’s recovery.

Yet, the environmental, and specifically ecological, sector faces two major challenges; a widening skills gap and a capacity crisis.

To combat this, it is essential to understand the causes of these issues and identify actionable ways to overcome them.

The Graduate Skills Gap

The environmental sector is lucky to attract some fantastic graduates. These passionate individuals enter our industry from a variety of courses, seeking to apply their academic knowledge to practical scenarios. Sadly, this is rarely possible.

While university studies can help refine soft skills such as problem-solving and independent thinking, few environmental degrees – and even fewer Masters – touch directly on UK ecology subject areas. For the handful that do, there is a clear disparity between stagnant course content and the fast-paced industry-wide developments seen over the past few years. Technical field skills, Biodiversity Net Gain requirements and technological advances are missed entirely from course syllabuses, and the gap between graduate knowledge and job requirements continues to grow.

Research for this article could not find a single university teaching Biodiversity Net Gain in a UCAS search.

There are some key distinctions between ecological conservation and ecology in practice. For many wanting a green career, our industry brings to mind thoughts of habitat preservation and species protection, so commercial ecology services are widely misunderstood. BNG, for example, offers an opportunity to enact change from within, encouraging those in the built environment sector to create positive spaces for wildlife. However, this service is distinctly different from traditional ecology, and can thus feel disillusioning for staff entering the sector with this preconception.

The Capacity Crisis

The second challenge is a growing capacity crisis, fuelled predominantly by reduced retention rates. While exceptionally rewarding, green careers – particularly in a commercial setting – are demanding, with long and irregular hours, extensive travel requirements and constant professional development in technical capabilities. It also requires old-fashioned dedication to building up knowledge and experience in what is an incredibly complex arena; nature, climate or ecosystem services. The required experiences, skills and knowledge take time to develop, and qualified colleagues to learn from.

The extensive demands, lack of practical day-to-day peer support and commercial pressures mean we do not retain the talent we have in the sector over the long term. As any good environmental recruitment agent will tell you, senior ecological consultancy staff are virtually impossible to find!

Reduced retention rates mean those left in the industry can feel over-capacity and have less time to invest in training junior team members. So, this negative cycle continues.

How do we move forward?

With few direct pathways into green jobs and limited awareness of the many careers under this umbrella, it can be hard for candidates to identify opportunities that align with their skills and ambitions.

It makes sense to start by bridging the gap between industry and academia, empowering students to pursue career pathways that speak to them.

Expanding the GCSE and A-level syllabus to include The Environment or Natural History would be an excellent way to achieve this. Biology and Geography curriculums are well-placed to discuss conservation, development and land management. In doing so, we could inspire students to consider green careers much earlier.

Incorporating industry experts into the education process would also prove hugely beneficial. As university trainers, mentors and advisors, these professionals could support the expansion of course syllabuses and provide valuable insight into the practicalities of recent developments.

By shaping courses to be more reflective of the industry, we can empower graduates to pursue careers that align with their ambitions, enhancing their sense of job satisfaction. Green careers offer something for everyone. But how can people choose the right opportunity, without understanding the full breadth of what’s on offer?

Upskilling

The second step in closing the skills gap is improving the current licensing system. With undergraduate studies unable to equip students with the many practical skills a career in ecology requires, on-the-job training will always be essential.

However, the current licencing system is lengthy and complicated. There needs to be less onus on the individual to secure sign-off for their qualifications, and a wider group of independent advisors available to provide this. By streamlining the process, we can empower individuals to deliver surveys and assessments earlier in their careers, enhancing development pathways and fast-tracking career progression.

Communicating

Finally, we must communicate positively about our sector. Green jobs are integral to the success of natural ecosystems. They provide a real opportunity to make positive changes from within the built environment sector, improving processes, attitudes and approaches. In changing our narrative, we encourage experienced ecologists to remain passionate about their industry, sharing their knowledge with the next generation.

The Biodiverse Consulting Way

Until the process changes, businesses must adapt to create recruitment opportunities. At Biodiverse Consulting, this means investing in enthusiastic, passionate graduates. Throughout the recruitment process, we provide a realistic depiction of day-to-day life in an environmental consultancy – the good, the bad and the ugly. In doing so, we find that the individuals who join us feel inspired by our work, understanding its impact on the sectors we work in, and species we work with.

We strongly advocate for the pursuit of individual interests because the beauty of ecology is the variety it offers. Through exploration, our team members discover their passions and are given the space to pursue them, shaping their roles so that they deeply resonate.

Watching your team grow and thrive is hugely rewarding and not to be taken for granted. Over half of our team joined us as graduates and through regular one-to-ones, we keep them motivated and prevent everyday delivery from taking over. This is important for individuals at all levels – continuous progression is essential, and goes hand in hand with staff retention.

The most vital component is encouraging team members to step back and reflect on their progression. It is easy to get caught up in delivery – particularly during survey seasons. But, we must remember the places we have been, the direction we are travelling and the impact we have had.

An environmental career is enriching and challenging. I strive to instil this knowledge into my team, reminding them that they do exceptional things every day. No matter which path they take, their route into ecology is full of rewards.

Written by Vicki Mordue, Founder and Managing Director at Biodiverse Consulting

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