Recruitment Agencies in Newport, Gwent, Wales

As its name suggests Newport has been an important port since mediaeval times. The docks still handle 1.5 million tonnes a year, but they've declined along with the coal mining industry they used to support.

The container-port and the close proximity to the M4 and M5 motorways has brought distribution and warehousing work to the city with the likes of Tesco, Wilkinson and Hasbro. The docks are also home to the biggest car crusher and scrap-metal shredding plant in the world.

Key industries and employers

Engineering and manufacturing still provide a significant number of jobs and feature in adverts posted with recruitment agencies, but the service industries are now far more important. Where there used to be about 2 service sector posts for every manufacturing job, there are now 4.

Private businesses are being offered grants to locate in Newport and the number of private sector jobs has been increasing. It's primarily services and high technology which are being attracted, and employers include Admiral insurance, Lloyds TSB insurance, and Alcatel-Lucent.

Government bodies such as the Prison Service are moving office work to Newport too, joining a wide-range of civil service staff already based here. Half of all the posts in the service industries are in the public sector.