Unearthing Careers in Environment & Infrastructure
- Career blog
- Jul 30
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 21
With so many career options available, how do you decide where to begin? Whether you're choosing what to study, planning your future career, or simply curious about different real-life jobs, our blog series categorises careers into types (or clusters) to help you easily discover various roles within a broad field.
Here, we explore Environment & Infrastructure:
Introduction to Environment & Infrastructure
Five fast facts
The key industries
Salaries and skillsets
A work experience case study
Our top tips for making it
Environment & Infrastructure intro
Environment and Infrastructure shape the world around us, from green spaces and energy systems to roads, bridges, and digital networks that keep society moving. This sector offers rewarding careers that help protect the planet, build resilient communities, and develop the spaces we live, work and travel through. Whether it’s designing flood defences, improving transport links, or working in sustainable construction, professionals make a lasting impact on people and places across the UK.
As climate change and technological innovation drive urgent change, new opportunities are emerging for young people. Employers are looking for individuals with curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills to help tackle real-world challenges. If you’re interested in sustainability, engineering, science, design or planning, this sector offers exciting pathways to shape a better future.
Five fast facts about this career type
The UK plans to invest £700–775 billion in infrastructure over the next 10 years - that means more jobs in construction, energy, transport, and green technologies.
Over 55,000 new jobs will be created by National Grid alone by 2030 to support the UK’s energy transition - from technicians to sustainability strategists.
Construction needs 250,000 extra workers by 2028 - driven by demand for housing, transport upgrades, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Sustainability Manager was LinkedIn’s fastest-growing job title in the UK last year, showing how green careers are going mainstream.
Projects change lives - from hospitals and schools to bridges and green spaces, infrastructure careers directly impact communities and the environment.
Industries you can expect to find
Let’s break this career type down a little further to discover different jobs:
Construction: Build the future by shaping homes, schools, roads, and public spaces. Careers range from site management and surveying to design and skilled trades.
Agriculture & Environment: Protect nature and help communities thrive. Roles include managing land, studying ecosystems, working in conservation, and innovating sustainable food systems.
Energy & Utilities: Power up the UK by keeping lights on and water flowing. Opportunities span renewable energy, nuclear engineering, and smart grid technology.
Housing: Create safe, affordable places to live. Jobs cover property development, planning, maintenance, and supporting communities in accessing housing.
Manufacturing: Turn ideas into products that shape everyday life. This includes making everything from clean tech and cars to clothing and medical devices - often using cutting-edge automation and design.
You can learn more by watching videos from professionals here:
Infrastructure: https://icould.com/explore/categories/job-types/construction-architecture-and-property/
How much could I get paid?
Environment and infrastructure careers cover everything from energy and construction to environmental protection and planning. With such variety, there are opportunities for both hands-on work and strategic roles -many offering strong progression and competitive pay. It's a future-focused sector with room to grow, innovate, and make a difference. Here are some examples to show the variety and levels of roles within Environment & Infrastructure.
Environmental consultant: Average salary of £25,000 to £50,000 a year
Wind turbine technician: Average salary of £25,000 to £47,000 a year
Town planner: Average salary of £26,000 to £45,000 a year
Ecologist: Average salary of £24,000 to £50,000
Water Network Operative: Average salary of £18,000 to £30,000
Depending on age and experience, these figures may change but should give you some indication of average salaries over the years.
You can explore more here:
Environment: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers/job-sector/agriculture-environment-and-animal-care
Infrastructure: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers/job-sector/construction-and-the-built-environment
Would a career in Environment & Infrastructure be a good fit for me?
To succeed in environment and infrastructure, curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving are key. These skills help professionals explore ideas, work with others, and tackle challenges to create greener, safer, and more connected places for the future.
Curiosity
Asking questions and exploring new ideas helps professionals develop better solutions for the planet. Whether testing sustainable materials or investigating energy systems, curiosity leads to innovation that improves how we build, power, and care for our environment.
Teamwork
From construction sites to conservation projects, collaboration is key. Engineers, planners, scientists, and technicians must work together - sharing knowledge and solving challenges as a team to deliver safe, efficient, and impactful results.
Problem-solving
Every project faces hurdles, whether it’s designing a bridge to withstand floods or reducing emissions in manufacturing. Problem-solving means thinking critically and creatively to overcome obstacles and make decisions that benefit people and the planet
Explore careers based on subjects you enjoy: https://careerpilot.org.uk/job-sectors/subjects and https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/cpw27rkvq6pt
Discover professional qualifications related to some popular careers: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/professional-qualifications
Environment & Infrastructure work experience case study
In-person placements for sustainable futures
Independent rail group, SEP Rail and North Yorkshire Heritage Railway, alongside a range of other employers including Jackson Civil Engineering and North Yorkshire Moors National Park, worked in close partnership with Speakers for Schools and the local authority to provide 3-day in-person work experiences for 932 students as part of our Your Sustainable Future careers programme.
Working in Sustainability at Grosmont Station
With the support of Sam and Joe, their first Apprentice Graduate Engineers, the students were set a challenge: to research, understand, and present their findings around sustainability at SEP Rail Services and within the rail industry as a whole. Their tasks included both levelling and scanning. It was brilliant to see the reaction from the students; they were genuinely eager to learn and understand the industry.
“As the industry evolves, it’s crucial to keep the next generation inspired and motivated to start careers in rail. Fresh perspectives are essential if we want to see it flourish well into the future. Work experience provides a fantastic opportunity for the younger generation, especially those from state schools, to learn about career possibilities. We were thrilled with their response, and confident there is a bright future for these students.”
Dominic Keegans, SEP Rail Group
9 North Yorkshire schools took part in a range of placements.
20 Environment & Infrastructure employers offered experiences.
4 out of 5 average star rating was given by our young people.
91% of students said that post placement their awareness of local employers and industries in their region was good or great.
80% of students reported knowing their own strengths and areas they could develop. An increase of 20% from pre-placement.
63% of students reported a clearer understanding of what they want to do in their future after the experience.
Five top tips on turning your passion into a career
Think broadly. Focus on career types rather than specific jobs; there might be a role within a sector that you weren’t aware of and could find appealing.
Consider which topics interest you – what do you enjoy discussing with your friends?
Make a list of subjects you like and those you excel at, even if you don’t currently enjoy them.
Try out different careers by gaining work experience in jobs you are passionate about and those you aren’t; the results may surprise you. Either way, you’ll add valuable experience to your CV.
Build a Strong Portfolio or CV – Whether you're into art, coding, writing, or any other field, having a portfolio or a strong resume to showcase your work is key. A great portfolio or resume will set you apart from others and help you land your first job or internship.
Network and Connect with People – Building relationships is huge in any field. Don’t just wait for opportunities to find you; actively seek them out! Attend school or community events, participate in work experience, and follow people in the industry you’re interested in.
Keep Learning and Stay Curious – The world is always changing, and new things are happening all the time. So, make sure you’re always learning and improving your skills. Whether it’s through online libraries, books and articles, watching tutorials or mentoring with professionals, you keep your knowledge and skills sharp. Being ahead of the curve will make you stand out.
What to do next
Where could your favourite subject take you? Still not sure what you want to do? Our top tip is to try as much work experience as you can.
Check out our Work Experience Finder to see the latest opportunities.
Interested in mentoring? https://brightside.org.uk/
Need access to a library of resources about different sectors? https://www.futuresforall.org/talks-library
Find out more about apprenticeships: https://www.gov.uk/become-apprentice
University pathways: https://www.ucas.com/discover
This blog is a guide, and careers are constantly changing. Please check the National Careers Service website for the latest information and all the qualifications needed, and the GOV.UK website for more on T-levels. For careers advice in all parts of the UK, visit: National Careers Service (England), nidirect (Northern Ireland), My World of Work (Scotland) and Careers Wales (Wales).
