NEW research says that more than half of the South-West is employed or ‘economically active’. 

The research was conducted by Eleos and it used Office of National Statistics (ONS) data to reveal the proportion of the population that are in work, and which are the most common industries to work in.

The data showed over two million South-West residents are ‘economically active’.

55.3% are employed, with 2.1% looking for work. 67.7% of employees are full-time. Additionally, 74,728 are full-time students but also working.

In contrast, 40.5% are ‘economically inactive’, largely because of retirement, which accounts for more than a quarter of this inactivity figure. 

The data also showed that the most common industry to work in for people in the South-West is human health and social work with 410,909 employees.

Wholesale and retail trade came in second, followed closely by those working in education, construction and manufacturing.

Kiruba Shankar Eswaran, CEO of Eleos said: “The number of economically active people is a key metric in assessing the overall economic health of a city. 

High levels of economic activity often correlate with a vibrant and growing economy, while low levels may indicate economic challenges.  

“Person-facing roles, such as customer service, healthcare, education, and hospitality, are integral to the functioning of society. 

They contribute directly to the well-being and quality of life for individuals. Monitoring these roles helps identify shifts in societal needs and preferences. 

It also helps policymakers, businesses, and researchers identify which industries are thriving, where there may be skill shortages, and which sectors are experiencing growth or decline.”

National figures showed nearly 27 million people are employed and 10.5 million people are retired. It also showed that over 1.3 million people are looking for work. 

If you are looking for work or you’d like work-related advice, resources are available including the .Gov job search tool and the Gloucestershire Employment and Skills Hub.

The Hub can be accessed via Gloucestershire County Council’s website. It includes information around skills and employment, access to specialist brokers and ongoing support.