Discovering Your Future in Land and Nature: The Land + Nature Skills Service

What is LANSS?

The Land + Nature Skills Service (LANSS) is a success story in collaborative working, demonstrating that when one door closes, another opens.

A group of people at an outdoor networking event. — LANSS facilitating a neurodiverse-friendly networking events for professionals in the land and nature based sector in Cumbria (LANSS)

Cumbria is England’s second largest county, supporting approximately 19,000 rural sector jobs. In 2021 Newton Rigg, our specialist land-based further education college closed, leaving us without an obvious hub to address the need for a highly skilled localised land and nature based workforce, fit for the future. Furthermore, national and global contexts present challenges to our communities, including changes to policy and funding, the present biodiversity and climate crises, food security concerns and major societal inequalities.

LANSS was established in 2024, following research by the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission which confirmed the need for such a Skills Service in Cumbria. LANSS was designed in collaboration with over 50 local organisations and set up as a partnership between Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, University of Cumbria, The Farmer Network and Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The service is grant funded* ensuring it is free to use.

Three ladies stand next to a Land and Nature Skills Services banner. — The LANSS team, from left to right Rachel Toyn LANSS Engagement Facilitator, middle Tracey Jackson LANSS Manager, right Megan Bartlett LANSS Outreach Facilitator (LANSS)

The Gateway to Land and Nature Based Work

For many people it is hard to conceptualise a career in land and nature, and harder to picture training pathways close to home in such a rural area. LANSS works to highlight the wide variety of land and nature based careers found in Cumbria and to showcase the range of pathways available to attain these careers.

LANSS is about collaborative working and connecting people via our comprehensive searchable database showcasing courses, local training, volunteering vacancies, work experience positions and apprenticeships that are available within the sector. The delivery team of 3 also offer a telephone and email advisory service on skill development pathways.

The work of LANSS begins by engaging young people in Year 9 as they consider what to choose as their GCSEs and continues with showcasing education and training options for 16+ and 18+ in Cumbria.

LANSS also aims to inspire those people looking for a career change to consider the land and nature sector and showcases stories of others who have moved into a new career.

Finally, for those already working in the sector who want to upskill with CPD opportunities, or who require mandatory training for their current work - plenty of options can be found via the LANSS website.

LANSS activity involves attending careers and educational events with the aim of inspiring people to consider countryside jobs whilst providing an understanding of the access pathways.

A lady talks to a group of children at a careers fair. — LANSS attending careers fairs to showcase the wide variety of careers in the land and nature based sector in Cumbria (LANSS)

Through this work LANSS supports careers leads/teachers and provides a link between education & training providers, small businesses and employers. This enables the promotion of traditional and non-traditional training and job opportunities to the next generation, e.g. Level 2 Countryside Conservation Skills as an alternative to GCSEs, Agriculture T Level or a Level 3 Outdoor Adventure course as an alternative to ‘A’ Levels and all levels of apprenticeship. It also facilitates an understanding of employers' needs and the skills gaps they are seeing in the current workforce.

Furthermore, LANSS works collaboratively with employers and a range of partners both locally and nationally, such as local Councils, government departments and business representatives, and are part of the strategic planning for skills development in Cumbria including the Local Skills Improvement Plan, Enterprising Cumbria’s Going for Growth - Economic Strategy, and Cumberland Council’s Economic and Inclusive Growth Strategy, at both a project and strategic level. This ensures a joined-up approach to skills development (teamwork, problem solving, creativity etc), a collective voice, and adaptability in terms of training delivery and bespoke project facilitation.

Storytelling is a key aspect of the LANSS remit, allowing professionals in the sector to share their career journeys, tips and experiences to demonstrate the wide variety of different careers in the land and nature sector to inspire the next generation, career changers or career developers.

The Future of LANSS

A lady is being interviewed by a TV crew at an agricultural show. — LANSS Manager Tracey Jackson being interviewed about LANSS by ITV Border at Westmorland Agricultural Show (LANSS)

In just 18 months LANSS has attended approximately 100 events and engaged with thousands of people across Cumbria. Our promotion and facilitation work has directly led to learners finding courses and opportunities, and to the delivery of new projects supporting skills development in the land and nature sector in our area.

Going forward, LANSS will continue to showcase the vast range of careers within the land and nature sector and pathways to these careers. We will continue to support learners on their career journeys, providers in promoting and delivering their courses or opportunities and employers with their skills development needs.

LANSS is currently transitioning from the Partnership model and applying to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). This will see LANSS become a standalone organisation thus providing wider opportunities for grant funding to support the service.

It is believed this type of service could be replicated in other counties and LANSS have already discussed their work with others interested in the LANSS model. We are happy to share our development journey and encourage people to get in touch.

How can you get involved?

Learners are invited to visit the LANSS website www.lanss.uk/ to search the database of courses, training, volunteering, jobs and more to find their next step on their land and nature career journey.
Providers can sign-up for a free user account on the LANSS website and upload their courses, training and opportunities to the LANSS database.
Employers are encouraged to get in touch with the LANSS team via email to discuss any skills gaps or training needs, current vacancies and availability of work placement opportunities.

Endnote*

With thanks to Esmée Fairbairn Foundation for their major grant to implement the service and funding development work; thanks to Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscape Programme (FiPL) via the North Pennines and Arnside & Silverdale National Landscapes and the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District National Park Authorities, Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Westmorland & Furness Council, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, University of Cumbria, and Ernest Cook Trust for funding.