Exeter City Council  - Workforce

Workforce Summary

Exeter has a population of around 120,000 people; 83,000 are of working age (16 – 64). The wider city area, known as Exeter and the Heart of Devon, straddles the neighbouring local authority areas of East Devon, Mid Devon, and Teignbridge, and has a population of over 500,000 people. Of these residents, 300,000 live within the Exeter travel-to-work area. By the year 2026, the working age population of Exeter is projected to have increased by 37,000.

Exeter’s population is keen to work. The workforce has a ‘can do’ attitude, and they are loyal, hardworking, stable, and versatile. The economic activity rate is over 82%, relating to the percentage of the population that are employed or actively seeking employment. This rate is higher than the national rate, and also higher than many other cities too. For example, the national rate for England and Wales is around 76%, whilst cities such as Bristol, Birmingham, and Manchester are in the region of 80%, 68%, and 64% respectively.

The workforce of Exeter is highly qualified; nearly 36% are qualified to degree level or equivalent and above. The workforce qualifications are lower nationally and also in many other cities too. For example, the national average is around 31%, whilst for cities such as Birmingham, Southampton, and Manchester it is around 25%, 30% and 33% respectively.

The University of Exeter plays a key role in maintaining and attracting the concentration of knowledge based industry into the local economy. Exeter has the second highest concentration of knowledge based services in the South West, second only to Bristol.
Labour costs in Exeter are very competitive; the median annual salary in Exeter for full-time employees in 2011 was circa £25,900 per annum. This is lower than many cities, such as Bristol, Birmingham, and Manchester. It is also less than the UK national average.

Exeter City Council, its partners, and a range of training organisations work closely with local companies to develop workforce skills to meet the current and future needs of employers. The Exeter and Heart of Devon Employment and Skills Board drives this activity. The Board is an employer led partnership that combines the interests of private, public, and community sector employers.
Whilst the vast majority of UK locations lost jobs between 2008 and 2010, Exeter and the Heart of Devon continued its strong track of generating additional employment.

Important business sectors in Exeter, and number of jobs within each sector (2011):

• Health - 13,180
• Professional, Scientific & Technical - 9,242
• Retail - 9,157
• Public Administration & Defence - 8,332
• Construction - 8,145
• Education - 7,920

Education and Qualification

The University of Exeter has over 15, 500 students and 12 academic schools, consisting of 27 main departments across 3 campuses - two in Exeter, one in Cornwall. Nearly 90% of its research is rated to be of international standing.

Its £450 million capital investment plan has helped propel it into 9th position as one of the best UK universities. It focuses on working with businesses through its Business School and activities with businesses and the community - www.exeter.ac.uk/businessandcommunity/

Exeter College`s performance is above average. It has 8,000 students, and effectively delivers courses for 6th form study, foundation degrees, and skills for employment, business, and access to higher education www.exe-coll.ac.uk/.

The College is the largest provider of education and training in the sub-region. Its dedicated business school has a proven training track record with employers. Provision ranges from bespoke courses and skills development, to apprenticeships and leadership and management qualifications.