Geographical Association

National Parks and Job Opportunities

The Peak District National Park was the first National Park to be officially recognised, in 1951. National Parks have three main aims, as described in an Act of 1995:

• Conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage found there
• Promote opportunities to understand and enjoy these
• Help the economy and people that live and work amidst this beauty, wildlife and heritage

The Peak District National Park lies between Sheffield and Manchester, and is the most visited of the National Parks in England. It welcomes millions of visitors from all over the world, but particularly from the urban areas which surround it.

It is also a place where almost 40,000 people (at the 2001 census) make their home, and who will ultimately need employment. The National Park authority use the phrase 'caring for a living landscape' to describe the work they do.

View Larger Map

The landscape and character of the National Park means that once again geography has a part to play in influencing the job opportunities that are available. This is related to its location, landscape, history, geology, transport links and the way that people who live in the National Park have made a living. This involves activities which were taking place before the National Park was designated.

At present, there are a few types of economic activity which make up the majority of the employment in the National Park, according to data collected a few years ago.

National Parks are also classed as Protected Landscape Areas (PLAs)

As a result of this classification, some activities are not allowed within the National Park, which potentially restricts the job opportunities that are available for local people.

Which types of job would you expect to find in a National Park given the protected status of the area?

Look at the images of the Peak District National Park and guess which activities are likely to provide a high percentage of the jobs within the area. Then check the answers below...

This activity uses Google Street View to explore job opportunities in the Peak District. It is intended for KS4 students who might be starting to consider possible career pathways. With Google Street View now available for around 96% of the UK, this activity can easily be adapted to your local area. Students will need access to Google Maps - the activity could be for classwork / homework and should take between 45-60 minutes.

Download: Street View Job Search Activity Sheet (PDF)
Download: Street View Tips (PDF)
Download: Job Search Recording Sheet (PDF)
Website: Google Street View Help
Website: Google Maps

This activity asks students to look at a sample job advert and think about why the job exists, what sector it can be classed as, and if they would like to apply for it. It is intended for KS4 students, and would form a 15 minute section of a longer lesson activity.

If you are not familiar with the Peak District, a useful welcome guide, which could also act as a student resource, is available on the Peak District National Park Authority website.

Download: Future Jobs Activity Sheet (PDF)

Most people imagine that the moorland areas of Britain are wild landscapes criss-crossed by a few lonely paths. They would be surprised to find that moorlands are heavily managed and that there are a range of careers involved in moorland management.

Who is responsible for making the decisions in these areas? What are the issues? And how could your students get involved with moorland management as a career choice?

These activities focus on the management of a major hazard in moorland areas - fire!

This extended interactive activity sequence is likely to be used for between one and three lessons, by KS4 students. Teachers who make use of all three sections will engage students in decision making, data analysis, group work and the use of ICT skills. ICT access and/or the ability to play sound files is essential.

A range of resources are provided which will require teacher involvement initially, but may allow for further homework research with more able groups, to extend the scope beyond fire control to other aspects of National Park management.

Download: Introduction to Moorland Fires Activities (PDF)
Download: Lesson One (PDF) - Teamwork activity investigating wildfires
Download: Lesson Two (PDF) - Teamwork activity implementing fire action plans
Download: Lesson Three (PDF) - Reviewing the plans and assessing the costs
Download: Follow-Up Activities and Job Profiles (PDF)
Download: Fire Distribution Map (Jpeg)
Download: Fire Locations Map (Jpeg)
Download: Management Areas Map (Jpeg)
Video 1: Sean Prendergast, Peak District National Park Head of Field Services (weblink)
Video 2a: Sheila McHale, Peak District National Park Area Ranger (weblink)
Video 2b: Sheila McHale, Peak District National Park Area Ranger (weblink)
Video 3: Rachel Maskell, Moors for the Future Research Assistant (weblink)

The images below show real examples of people working for the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA). You can find out more about working for the Authority, and browse current job vacancies, on their website.

All images © PDNPA and may not be reproduced without permission.

<<< Back to Main Menu