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Nature and structure of the labour force, demographics

The population of the Bristol City Region stands at one million and is forecast to grow by over 100,000 by 2026.

Employers have access to a 600,000 workforce living within one hour`s travel of Bristol. This commuter area encompasses Bath, Weston super Mare and a large rural area stretching to the Cotswolds and Mendips.

Over the next 20 years the working population of the wider Bristol area is projected to increase by approximately 5,000 per annum.

Compared with other cities Bristol has a high employment rate with 74% of the population of working age in employment (Birmingham 63%, Leeds 73% and Manchester 60%).

Bristol City Region has a higher percentage of managers in employment than Great Britain - 16.6% compared with 15.7%. The City Region also has a higher percentage of professionally qualified staff in employment than Great Britain - 14.4% compared with 13.0%.

Education and Qualification

A total of 204,000 people are qualified to NVQ level 4+, in the wider Bristol City Region. The city of Bristol has the highest proportion of highly qualified workers of any comparable city outside London. In 2008, 39% of the economically active population of Bristol had a qualification at degree level or equivalent (NVQ 4+) compared with 29.4% for Birmingham, 31.6% for Leeds and 35.8% for Manchester. Bristol also has a relatively high percentage of employees working in managerial and professional occupations.

Availability

Employers have access to a 600,000 workforce living within one hour`s travel of Bristol.

Many of the 17,000 students graduating each year from the sub-region`s four universities remain in the Bristol area.

Bristol has a large number of employment agencies able to provide permanent and temporary staff over a wide range of occupations.

Labour Costs

The median earnings of full time employees in the wider Bristol area was £23,280 in 2008, below the national average of £24,900 and well below the corresponding £30,200 London figure.

Training and Recruitment Initiatives

The Invest in Bristol Reception Service for Major Investors works with partners to meet investors` recruitment and skills needs through a package of tailored support.

The newly formed West of England Employment and Skills Board, comprising representatives from all four local unitary councils, the West of England Learning and Skills Council, Jobcentre Plus and the business sector, is responsible for setting employment and skills priorities and coordinating actions.

Job Centre Plus offers a range of services to businesses including a vacancy advertising service, a recruitment advisory service and help for employees facing redundancy.

Train to Gain, a national skills programme, offers workforce development advice and support on basic and NVQ level 2 skills attainment through to leadership and management training.

Apprenticeships consist of nationally designed work-based programmes, offering a route of entry across 80 different industry sectors.