Sector Characteristics
The Local Environmental Management (LEM) Sector is diverse, covering operations from street cleansing and grounds maintenance to environmental education and enforcement. There are many other functions such as planning, estate management and housing that also have a role to play in the way that local environments are managed.
What skills are required by this broad ranging sector?
With Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council responsible for the quality of places where people live and work, we have mapped the functions and occupations involved in the core services of LEM.
These core services include any functions that are directly responsible for managing cleanliness and related issues (such as graffiti and nuisance vehicles) through cleansing and removal, education or enforcement.
These Occupational and Functional Maps provide an overview of the tasks within LEM and who undertakes them. They have enabled us to target the training and learning opportunities required by the sector, and to identify the skills issues that are faced by different audiences.
These maps also provide a reference for National Occupational Standards which are the building blocks for qualifications such as National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).
Occupational and Functional Maps (PDF Format)These maps have been used to shape the skills diagnostic tool which this site uses to determine the skill requirements and relevant learning opportunities for each individual that uses localenvironmentskills.org.
How does the LEM sector want to receive training and learning opportunities?
Our research demonstrates the importance of making training and learning opportunities accessible. We take this into account when speaking to training providers about suitable skills development opportunities.
The Sector has requested, and we will provide, opportunities that are available geographically and in formats that will maximise their effectiveness.
We have learned through the research that different topics lend themselves better to certain training formats e.g. training courses, formal qualifications, workshops, web based learning or written materials.
We are also aware that different people have different learning styles so we aim to build all requirements into the bank of opportunities.
