Derbyshire is a county that lies in the East Midlands region of England. It contains thirty different towns, including Ripley, Ashbourne, Chesterfield, Buxton, and Matlock. 75% of the region is classed as rural, and following this, only around 25% of the county is populated. Approximately 764,000 people live in Derbyshire, according to 2010 population estimates.
Employment and industry in Derbyshire
The largest employment sectors in Derbyshire are Manufacturing (53,800 staff), Health (38,000), Education (32,000) and Retail (26,600), alongside medium-sized sectors such as Construction, Wholesale, Transport and Storage, and Business Administration.
Major employers in the area include Rolls Royce (a global, leading aerospace company), Thorntons (chocolate manufacturers), Toyota (whose car manufacturing plant at Burnaston is one of the biggest in the UK), and Buxton Water.
A statistical look at employment in Derbyshire
29.6% of Derbyshire's inhabitants are educated to NVQ Level 4 or above. The average weekly wage is around £400. Around 30% of the workforce here hold managerial, technical, or professional positions, while 10% are employed in administrative and secretarial occupations; 12% work in skilled trades, and 7.3% work in sales and customer service roles.
As of January 2013, the unemployment rate was reported to be 3.1%, which is lower than the England average of 3.8%. As the UK takes steps to overcome the current recession, recruitment agencies anticipate that the county's private sector will bring additional jobs to the region.