Green Pathways – addressing the green skills gap in Northumberland

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Julie Phillips, Green Pathways Careers Officer, Northumberland National Park

Children and young people are our future workforce, and in a future where our society needs to transition to a net zero economy, having those children and young people get an appropriate education, access to applicable work experience, and have clear routes to employment is vital. However, according to a 2022 report by the Green Alliance, there is an enormous green skills gap that equates to more than 2 million jobs over the net-zero transition period to 2050.

This gap needs to be filled.

The issues begin in formal education. The National Park’s learning team have noticed less demand for activities that promote green career opportunities, or the skills and knowledge needed to move into the green sector from schools at Key Stage 3 and 4. However, when it comes to Further and Higher Education, we anecdotally report a sudden uptick in demand, as students take control of their development and compete for a limited number of quality work placements.

Compounding the issue is that on reviewing the majority of jobs in ecology and other related subjects require a degree or post-graduate qualification to access them, thus reducing opportunities for people without these qualifications. It also requires a significant financial commitment from young people going into these professions, who might be better paid going into other industries, making the profession less appealing.

Many industries lament the lack of vocational routes into green jobs. Direct reports to us at the National Park from the land management sector in Northumberland has identified a need for both entry-level and experienced workers in helping to support innovative approaches to land management, nature and climate change. And Northumberland County Council’s future of Farming Enquiry found that the farming industry needs to attract more and different people into the profession, particularly women.

Additionally, the North East Evidence Hub, documents that the north east is one of the most deprived areas of the UK with significant skills gaps in technical, specialist and soft skills, lower educational attainment than the rest of England (excluding London), a higher percentage of disabled residents, fewer graduates staying in the region, coupled with poorer health outcomes for residents.

In the face of this challenging landscape, we envision Green Pathways as an innovative initiative that will create exciting new routes into green careers across the north east.

Our plan is to tackle the growing green skills gap head on by helping young people in Northumberland and the wider north east to learn about and access training opportunities and green jobs with a focus on land management and conservation. The initiative will help build stronger, more resilient communities, support the development of the green rural economy, and promote sustainable development.

Through Green Pathways we will provide opportunities, interventions, networks, resources and move towards sustainable meaningful change in the sector. We are aiming to develop:

• Both paid and voluntary land management and conservation work placements, entry-level employment opportunities and youth representative board placements.
• Develop a Green Pathways Network, enabling environmental organisations in Northumberland to share best practice, promote opportunities, highlight their work. This network will include the wider green environmental sector.
• Showcase green careers by bringing together sector specialists, businesses, and schools.
• Develop an online Green Careers Hub with resources for teachers and young people.

To expand the opportunities on offer, we aim to work with partners in estates, farms, consultancies, visitor economy businesses, land-based businesses, academic institutions, third sector and public bodies.

Some of these plans need time to be developed and the relationships with relevant organisations built, however we are already beginning to offer opportunities that give young people much needed access to work experience and jobs in the conservation sector.

We offer hugely successful volunteer ranger placements which provides short-term placements for young people aged 17-25 with an interest in pursuing a career in the environmental and countryside sector. The placements are for ten days over a three-month period and include a wide variety of different opportunities for young people to gain experience in areas such as public rights of way work, maintenance, biodiversity, environmental education and the opportunity to collaborate with specialists on ecology and archaeology in the National Park.

We run these placements twice a year and we are always inundated with applications.

In addition to this, we also offer seasonal ranger jobs, which, in recent times, have appealed to a wide range of applicants, including those starting out in their careers but also career changers, who have gained voluntary or related experience first, then moved into the role.

Aside from the above, I will also be attending various careers fairs over the coming months to share what we offer with young people, as well as targeting some of those young people who are under-represented within the green sector and furthest away from accessing training, placement and employment opportunities.

Nonetheless, we are aware of the enormity of what we have tasked ourselves with. Green Pathways is a pilot and, yet, we know, to have real impact, we need a long-term plan.

That is why we are looking for organisations we can partner with and bring into our Green Pathways Network to share best practice and promote opportunities. We really see our role as a National Park in convening organisations in the north east with similar aims to galvanize our efforts and maximise our combined impact.

If you are interested to know more or want to join the network, then please contact me directly or visit our Green Pathways webpage.

We are at the beginning of this journey, and together, we have the chance to make a real and lasting difference to green career options for young people in the north east, while supporting the vital transition to a net zero economy.

Updated information October 2025:

We have since launched the Green Pathways Career Hub providing information, advice and guidance on:

• Different green sector careers (land management and conservation, forestry and arboriculture, agriculture, horticulture and landscaping, historic environment, waste, water and recycling management, science and technology and engineering, built environment and infrastructure)
• How to build skills and experience
• Volunteering, career pathways and job search
• Employability advice
• Videos, blog and other resources
• Youth voice

Link to Green Pathways Hub: https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/learn-connect/green-pathways/

Get in touch: Julie Phillips, Green Pathways Officer julie.phillips@nnpa.org.uk

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