Look at south-west England

The south-west is the largest English region, with over 18 per cent of the country’s land area (24,000 sq km), and has the highest percentage of land classified as rural of any English region. The region has a population of almost five million (around 8 per cent of the UK population). Between 1981 and 2001 the south-west had the fastest-growing population of any English region (12.5 per cent). The population increase is largely due to people moving into the region.

The south-west has one of the smaller economies of the English regions with a gross value added (GVA) of £69 billion in 2002, accounting for 9 per cent of the total GVA for England. The three main generators of wealth in the region are:

- real estate, renting and business activities (22 per cent of GVA)

- manufacturing (18 per cent of GVA)

- wholesale/retail (13 per cent of GVA).

Employment rates are high, with 79 per cent of the working-age population in employment. This masks north–south variation ranging from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’s rate of 73 per cent to 85 per cent in Swindon. Being able to travel to training, jobs and services is a major regional issue, particularly for the more remote rural areas in the south and west.

The south-west enjoys one of the most diversified regional economies in the United Kingdom. Crucial sectors are advanced engineering (including aerospace), food and drink, ICT, leisure and tourism, and marine; emerging sectors are biotechnology, creative industries and environmental technologies.

There are considerable disparities in GVA, income per capita and employment. In broad terms, Bristol, Bath, North Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Dorset have more dynamic economies than Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and Devon. The relationships between geographical location and wealth creation and productivity are to some extent determined by access to infrastructure and the rest of the UK economy, the location of major centres of economic activity and innovation.

Regional economic development in the south-west is subject to a number of forces. Parts of the region outside the M4 corridor suffer from issues of access and transport costs while, more broadly, the region as a whole is competing against other UK regions, Europe and internationally.

The area has enjoyed sustained growth but now faces some major challenges to its future prosperity, not least the need to agree on an action plan for its inadequate transport infrastructure. Urgent action is also required to provide new homes, affordable housing, and improved education and health services.

Opportunities and skills shortages

Areas of opportunity and skills shortage mirror those in the rest of the UK. Engineering of all types offers a wide range of opportunities, including the rail and aero sectors, while there are good job prospects in driving, transport and road haulage; particularly with another qualification like Hazmat. The construction industry, railways – all offer employment although wages may be disappointing.

In the service sector, teaching and training, retail, financial services, IT, telecommunications, hospitality, hotel, catering and leisure, tourism, nursing, medical and care also provide opportunities.

Employer news

Key Sectors contribute 22 per cent of regional GVA and 20 per cent of regional FTE employment. The most important sectors are food and drink (5 per cent), ICT (4 per cent), advanced engineering (4 per cent), creative industries (3 per cent), tourism and leisure (3 per cent) and environmental technologies (2 per cent). The contributions of marine technologies (1 per cent) and biotechnology (0.5 per cent) have been comparatively small but are relatively fast growing.

The picture changes somewhat with the spread of employment in terms of FTE workers. The largest sectors are food and drink (6 per cent), tourism and leisure, advanced engineering, ICT and creative industries (all 3 per cent) sectors. Between 1997 and 2001 the growth sectors in terms of employment have been ICT, biotechnology, creative industries and marine technologies. Over the same period employment stagnated in tourism and leisure, and declined in advanced engineering, environmental technologies and food and drink.

Salaries

A rough guide to annual salaries is given below. This is inevitably very general and there will be variations between industries and also in various parts of the region.

Manual £10,000 to £15,000

Semi-skilled and supervisory £13,000 to £20,000

Skilled £14,000 to £23,000

Managerial £20,000 to £35,000

Executive £35,000 and upwards

House price guide

The following prices are a rough guide only to property prices and are liable to overnight change as financial factors in the country as well as in the region affect housing.

Information courtesy of the Career Transition Partnership