The town of Hartlepool is located in County Durham in the North East of England.
Hartlepool's economy has long been associated with the maritime industry, which remains important to local business. Hartlepool Dock, which is operated by PD Ports, provides engineering employment opportunities for over 2,000 workers.
Manufacturing companies provide 14% of the total jobs in the town, with Tata Steel Europe employing around 350 workers in the manufacture of steel tubes, which are predominantly bought up by the oil industry. The chemicals industry is also vital to the local economy, with firms such as Huntsman Corporation, Omya, Frutarom and Baker Hughes providing a range of employment opportunities in the town. Hartlepool's largest employer, however, is the nuclear power station, which single-handedly employs 1% of the town's workforce.
Hartlepool's tourism industry is worth over £48 million and provides around 8% of the towns total jobs. Its retail industry benefits from the steady influx of tourists, with the large Middleton Grange Shopping Centre employing around 3,000 staff to cope with the demand.
Full-time workers in Hartlepool can expect to earn an average salary of £487 per week. This is higher than the North East average of £455 per week. The unemployment rate in Hartlepool is almost twice as high as that of Great Britain as a whole. However, if plans to build a new nuclear power station are given the go-ahead, recruitment agencies forecast that around 12,000 construction jobs, 1,000 manufacturing jobs and 5,000 operational jobs will be created.
