If you are a hands on practical person and like to work with other people, then you might find yourself working in this broad ranging but very necessary career sector. Work ranges from providing services for others or helping to keep the environment clean to making sure we all live and work in safe and healthy conditions.
You could work in general services within environmental or public health such as pest control, waste disposal and recycling, including cemetery and crematorium work.
If you prefer to work directly with people you could work in personal services, which ranges from clothes alterations, dry cleaning and laundry work, photograph processing, shoe, clocks or watch repair to funeral services.
There are a wide range of organisations you can work for including:
Job opportunities vary depending on the area you live in and the job you want to do.
Competition for jobs in waste management and recycling with local authorities, the main employers, are competitive. Many jobs are at entry level and are manual or practical based, but there are good opportunities to work up to management level jobs.
Due to the nature of the funeral services, cemeteries and crematorium industry, employment demand is stable and immune to economic downturn. This is despite the decline in death rates in recent years due to medical advances and people leading healthier lives.
Energy and Utility Skills is the Sector Skills Council for the electricity, gas, waste management and water sectors. Their website has a section aimed at 14 to 19 year olds on careers in waste management and recycling.
