Want to live off the land? Want to pick-your-own perfect job? The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector is amazingly diverse and offers a fertile field of exciting job and career opportunities.

Land-based and environmental careers are a perfect choice for anyone who wants to work in the great outdoors in an agricultural setting or who would like to conserve the landscape or work with animals or on environmental issues. From animal care to aquaculture, floristry to pig-keeping, this industry is as challenging and rewarding for start-out apprentices as it is for managers and technical workers.

Land-based careers in agriculture, forestry and fishing can include anything from community forestry to fisheries management, arboricultural surveying to farm machinery maintenance – all these occupations require a range of specific skills and qualifications. Whether you have a great love of nature, an affinity with animals or if farming is in your blood, it’s the twenty-first century so it’s important that you also have good IT and computing skills, management and communication skills, the relevant qualifications and some work experience.

Primarily focused on jobs in agriculture, forestry, fishing, the environment and animal care the industry needs to recruit more than 100,000 people over the next ten years and there are plenty of exciting opportunities out there for the right people.

When it comes to growing your career, the agricultural, forestry and fishing industry has plenty to offer. For aspiring travellers, there are jobs in aquaculture include working with sea life all across the world.

For people who want to work with animals, there are lots of roles in environmental conservation, veterinary science and animal care and for the technically-minded, there are opportunities to work with hi-tech agricultural machinery, tools and equipment.

Apprenticeships in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector allow individuals to develop job-specific skills by working in a practical environment, whilst also achieving recognised qualifications and earning a wage. There are apprenticeships in many areas including land-based engineering, veterinary nursing, game and wildlife management, in trees and timber or equine studies.

Work experience and volunteering opportunities in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries will give you the chance to experiment and find out exactly what you might enjoy doing. They also look great on your CV and are a good way to show employees, agricultural colleges and universities that you have an existing knowledge of what real, working life is like in your chosen land-based subject, especially when it comes to interviews.