Recruitment Agencies based in Dorset, South West, UK

Dorset is situated on the English Channel coast in South West England. It is bordered by the counties of Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Devon. It takes its name from the county town of Dorchester, which was settled by the Romans as 'Durnovaria'. It has an area of 2,653 square kilometres and an estimated population of 745,400 (2011).

Economic overview and key industries

While Dorset's primary industry was once agriculture, this has declined in recent times. The main employer in the county is now the services industry, which provides 81.5% of jobs, followed by manufacturing (11.9%), tourism (10.2%) and construction (5.3%). Recruitment agencies in the county will be able to connect employers seeking staff and job-seekers looking for employment in the area.

Companies with large numbers of staff in the area include Bournemouth University, Cobham plc, Sunseeker International and BAE Systems. There is also a substantial military presence in the county.

Dorset's ports, such as Weymouth, Portland and a number of smaller harbours, offer opportunities to staff who would like to work in tourism or trade. A recent estimate found around 37,500 people are employed by the county's tourist industry. Data shows the area had 3.2 million British and 326,600 overseas visitors (2008 figures), who spent £1,458 million.