The aims of this study were to develop a field-based curriculum that reduced the gap between environmental sector employer requirements and graduate skills. Questionnaire responses and informal interviews indicated employers valued transferable skills and general ecological knowledge over more specialised professional skills at the graduate level. Feedback from employers was used to create and fine-tune a pathway that made students industry-ready through provisioning relevant content in the correct quantity of broad ecological knowledge core and professional field skills. This encompassed a residential ecology field course for HE Level 5 which constructively aligned with a Professional skills module in HE Level 6. Evaluations revealed that students recognised the pathway improved their knowledge of ecology developed key practical skills and enhanced their employability. Importantly the findings indicate that engaging employers with the development process can drive teaching excellence by refining curricula so that graduates can meet industry requirements.
