UK Business Information / North West
The North West remains a predominantly manufacturing region, although that is beginning to change. Liverpool and Manchester, traditional manufacturing heartlands are transforming their economies and the skills of the North West's workforce are changing with it.
25.8% of the region's population have achieved NVQ level 4 or above.
The table below shows how the North West workforce's skills are split among the region's core industries.
EMPLOYMENT JOBS BY INDUSTRY (thousands):
|
|
All jobs (seasonally adjusted) |
All jobs |
Agriculture Forestry & Fishing |
Mining Energy & Water Supplies Industries |
Manufacturing Industries |
Construction |
Distribution etc, transport etc, finance & business services |
Education, health, public admin & other services |
|
Dec 08 |
2,966 |
2,987 |
14 |
12 |
363 |
156 |
1,453 |
988 |
|
Mar 09 |
2,964 |
2,951 |
18 |
12 |
354 |
163 |
1,415 |
989 |
|
Jun 09 |
2,950 |
2,944 |
16 |
12 |
351 |
160 |
1,406 |
998 |
|
Sep 09 |
2,931 |
2,927 |
12 |
12 |
348 |
149 |
1,407 |
998 |
|
Dec 09 |
2,917 |
2,940 |
14 |
12 |
347 |
148 |
1,414 |
1,004 |
Original data from ONS - labour market statistics
The North West is one of the main contributors to the UK's manufacturing of food products, beverages and tobacco and transport equipment. A significant proportion of the workforce works in this low-skilled, production line capacity.
Big cities such as Manchester and Liverpool have enjoyed regeneration in the past few years. And both have big universities. The North West produces over 65,000 graduates a year and 50% of those stay in the area, rapidly changing the skill-set of the North West's workforce.
Liverpool, in particular, is now home to a variety of financial institutions, including several hedge funds. 14.4% of the North West's workforce are now employed in financial services.
The North West has the second smallest proportion of self-employed people in the UK, less than 8 per cent of working-age people in 2008/09.
