{"id":42943,"date":"2026-05-27T16:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T16:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/?page_id=42943"},"modified":"2026-05-29T14:49:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T14:49:46","slug":"workforce-and-skills-study","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/policy-practice\/policy\/workforce-and-skills-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Workforce and Skills Study"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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About the Research<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The Landscape Institute commissioned Metro Dynamics to provide research and strategic support in understanding the landscape sector, its workforce, and skills demand. This work, partially funded by BALI and Historic England, has been delivered through two broad phases.<\/p>

Phase One<\/b> ran in January and February 2025, and updated secondary analysis on the Landscape Economy, using the methodology reported in the LI\u2019s Skills for Greener Places in 2022. This uses a broad definition for the \u2018Landscape Economy\u2019, based on a broad range of occupational classifications. Using the definition, the document outlines the landscape sector, its size, composition and skills demand.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView landscape economy analysis<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Phase Two<\/b> ran from June to September 2025 and produced targeted research on higher education provision for Landscape Architects. This aimed to support the LI in the design and development of policy and support in respect of skills development for the profession.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tView education and skills study<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Headline Findings<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Phase One<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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This covered the wider landscape sector, setting the context within which the profession is operating:<\/p>

  • \u00a325 billion is contributed each year to the UK economy, accounting for 373,000 jobs and 54,000 businesses. The landscape economy, across planning, design, build, management and conservation of spaces is a significant contributor to UK growth.<\/li>
  • Landscape is a growing sector. The latest figures show an increase in GVA of 11% (2020-2022) for the landscape economy. The sector has seen growth across all metrics, especially in value indicators such as GVA and median annual earnings. However, there are varying rates among sub-sectors.<\/li>
  • Some sub-sectors show a weakening enterprise system, with growth weaker amongst micro and medium-sized businesses. In particular, we see fewer businesses in research, conservation and design sub-sectors.<\/li>
  • There is varying productivity, with high-earning workers in research, design, conservation and planning sub-sectors.<\/li>
  • Research shows high concentrations of landscape employment in the South of England. There are also significant concentrations in Scotland and Wales.<\/li>
  • Qualification attainment levels vary, with \u2018professional\u2019 sub-sectors favouring workers educated to a degree level. Conservation, planning and research each have over 90% of the workforce at degree level or equivalent. Workers in management and maintenance, and build sectors recruit mainly at A or GCSE levels.<\/li>
  • The wider landscape sector is not very diverse. Over 75% over 90% are white. More needs to be done to diversify employment.<\/li>
  • There are significant numbers of job vacancies in the landscape sector, in particular in planning. Whilst the overall level of hard-to-fill vacancies is in line with other sectors, 80% of landscape vacancies are due to skills shortages. This is a serious concern.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Phase Two<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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    This research was aligned to questions exploring specific issues related to the skills supply and demand for Landscape Architects \u2013 as opposed to the broader landscape sector:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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    \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tResearch Questions<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFindings<\/span><\/th>\n\t\t\t \t\t\t\t <\/tr>\n\t\t\t <\/thead>\n\t\t\t \t
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    • What is the size and shape of the Higher Education student body for the Landscape profession?<\/li>
    • How does this compare to Geography, Architecture and Higher Education overall?<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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    • Currently a relatively small number of students, 1240, were enrolled on landscape design* courses in 2023\/24. The majority of enrolments were postgraduates, but there was an uptick in undergraduate applicants and offers in 2024\/25.<\/li>
    • There\u2019s a high share of female students (67%) compared to other subjects, whilst age breakdowns do not differ significantly.<\/li>
    • There is a high dependence on students from outside the UK, especially at postgraduate level.<\/li>
    • 96% of landscape design students are enrolled on LI accredited courses, with Sheffield and Edinburgh being the largest players.<\/li>
    • Landscape design courses have an above average concentration of student acceptances from the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods, and a below average concentration of student acceptances from the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods.<\/li>
    • Landscape graduates have stronger employment outcomes when compared with competitor courses and against all higher education programmes, with only 1% of landscape graduates recorded as unemployed.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t
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    • What skills are employers looking for from early career\/entry-level Landscape Architects?<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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    • Early career Landscape Architects are in demand, with employers across the country advertising, but particularly in the South of England.<\/li>
    • Technical skills are in high demand, with most job adverts asking for specifics such as LVIA. Software skills are particularly in demand, such as AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, GIS and Adobe.<\/li>
    • Top soft skills demanded include communication, teamwork, report writing and project management.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/td>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\n\t\t\t \t\t\t <\/tbody>\n\t\t\t<\/table>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t* Within Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) coding all Landscape Architecture programmes are classified in the \u2018Landscape Design\u2019 code and are therefore referred to as such throughout this document.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      About the Research The Landscape Institute commissioned Metro Dynamics to provide research and strategic support in understanding the landscape sector, its workforce, and skills demand. This work, partially funded by BALI and Historic England, has been delivered through two broad phases. Phase One ran in January and February 2025, and updated secondary analysis on the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":42978,"parent":16048,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-42943","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/42943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42943"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/42943\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43024,"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/42943\/revisions\/43024"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/landscapeinstitute.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}