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Look at south-west England
The south-west is the largest English region (350 kilometres from Land’s End to North Gloucestershire), with over 18 per cent of England’s land area (24,000 sq km), and has the highest percentage (75 per cent) of land classified as rural of any English region. The region has a population of almost five million (nearly 10 per cent of the UK population). Between 1983 and 2003 the south-west had the fastest-growing population of any English region (13 per cent), with 54 per cent of people living in rural areas. 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 £75 billion, and accounted for over 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 (16 per cent of GVA)
- wholesale/retail (12 per cent of GVA).
Employment rates are high, with 79 per cent of the working-age population being economically active. This masks north/south variation ranging from Bournemouth’s rate of 75 per cent to 86 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, and 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 region has 13 higher-education institutes, relatively low crime and high life expectancy.
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 and railways 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 employment. The most important sectors are food and drink, ICT, advanced engineering, creative industries, tourism and leisure, agriculture and environmental technologies. The contributions of marine technologies and biotechnology have been comparatively small but are relatively fast growing. There has been recent substantial growth in the financial services, business services, multimedia, and electronics and high-technology sectors. Activity in aviation has increased sharply, with passenger numbers well up on previous years, while Bristol remains the region’s main economic driver.
In employment terms, the largest sectors are food and drink, tourism and leisure, advanced engineering, ICT and creative industries. The main growth sectors have been ICT, biotechnology, creative industries and marine technologies. 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 £15,000 to £23,000
Managerial £18,000 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.
2-bed flat 2-bed terrace 3-bed semi 4-bed detached
City £150,000 £160,000 £180,000 £300,000
Town £130,000 £140,000 £160,000 £270,000
Country £110,000 £120,000 £140,000 £240,000
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