Farmer
62.3K UK workers · typical pay £37,000 · entry route GCSEs grades 4-9 (A*-C). Projected headcount change: -1% to 2035.
Farming is primarily a physical occupation requiring manual labor, machine maintenance, and animal care in unpredictable outdoor environments. While AI will significantly enhance business management, crop monitoring, and yield analysis, the core tasks of physical intervention and on-site problem solving remain resistant to full automation in the medium term.
Output is strictly capped by biological caloric intake of the UK population and available arable land, though cheaper production may slightly increase exports or high-value niche variety.
Headcount drifts -1% across 12 years.
Change the scenario in the nav to reshape this curve.
UK employment share by region, SOC-joined to 5111.
Majority-male role (82.0% men).
Five roles with transferable skills and better demand dynamics.
farmer · dataset 2026.03 · CC-BY-4.0