Jobs in Bournemouth | Pictures of Bournemouth

Famed for its clean sandy beaches that stretch 7 miles along the south Dorset coastline, Bournemouth is one of the largest tourist resorts in Britain , with a grand seafront and an equally grand holiday atmosphere. Traditionally a retirement town, Bournemouth is now home to many students who attend Bournemouth University and a burgeoning number of English language schools.

The town is an important venue for major conferences and the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), which stands on the cliff-tops near the middle of town, regularly hosts large events including both Labour and Conservative Party conferences.

Then and now
With a population of around 160,000, you may be surprised to learn that Bournemouth 's history only began in 1811 when a local squire, Louis Tregonwell, erected a summerhouse in the hitherto unpopulated heath land that characterised the coastline at that time. The mild climate and stunning coastline coupled with the tranquillity of the area soon attracted others and Bournemouth quickly developed as a popular seaside resort, particularly among the elderly.

By 1870, the railway came to town and opened up the coastline to a bigger market and just 20 years later, it has swelled to over 60,000. But the post-war aftermath saw the slow decline of the Great British holiday and many of the country's seaside resorts - including Bournemouth – were forced to find new economic drivers.

Having started life as a service economy, Bournemouth already had the infrastructure in place to diversify. Bournemouth's economy has seen rapid development to become one of the most prosperous areas of the UK .

With its economy out-performing the national average, a number of world-class firms have seen the advantages of relocating to an area which combines a large pool of skilled workers with a high quality of life for their employees. Add to this the fact that commercial business rates and wages are at a lower level than those in the South East and its easy to see why Bournemouth is fast-becoming the obvious choice for businesses.

Playing to its strengths, the growth in Bournemouth 's service sector has unsurprisingly been concentrated on tourism which, by default, has stimulated the town's popularity as a major national conference centre for organisations, trade and political parties. Together, tourism and conferences attract over five million visitors each year with the sector providing jobs for over 10,000 people in the town.

And following a £22 million investment, the Bournemouth International Centre will now be able to maintain its position as one of the UK 's most successful venues for conferences, exhibitions and entertainment. Conferences alone are expected to contribute over £70 million per annum to the local economy.

At the same time, the retail, hotel and distribution sectors inevitably benefit from a strong tourism industry. With tens of thousands of visitors heading to Bournemouth 's beaches every year coupled with a growing student population at the University, more than 23,000 people ply their trade in this sector.

Reinforcing this is a strong banking and finance sector that boasts a portfolio of significant players in the fiscal industry, including Nationwide Building Society, Standard Life Healthcare, Lloyds TSB and The Richmond Group. But the biggest private employer in this sector is JP Morgan Chase which has its European headquarters in Bournemouth and employs around 10,000 people. Collectively, more than 19,000 people (22% of the working population) make their living in the finance sector.

However, the cornerstone of Bournemouth 's economic make-up is the public sector. Employing 22,000 people (around 26% of the workforce), the public sector is the biggest provider of jobs in the area, with Bournemouth County Council and NHS Trust making up a significant proportion of these jobs.

The expanding Bournemouth International Airport has also attracted a number of new companies and resulted in the expansion of existing ones. European Aviation, based in Bournemouth , continues to expand its aircraft leasing business and Bombardier Services supplies the Royal Air Force with training aircraft. The aerospace industry also continues to remain buoyant with the likes BAE Systems (British Aerospace) and Cobham plc based here.

Key business districts
Being a tourist spot, most of the key business districts are located on the fringes of the town centre, with the exception being the central business district located in and around the main train station.

Elsewhere, Aviation Park , adjacent to Bournemouth Airport , is the largest business park outside of the town and is home to over 140 businesses working within the technology, freight, aviation and industrial sectors.

An important emerging sector is the creative industry, supported by Bournemouth University and the Arts Institute at Bournemouth with its newly-created Enterprise Pavilion accommodating fledgling media and creative businesses.

Additionally, there are a number of serviced offices that are leased by companies on a short-term basis as well as several smaller, light industrial estates dotted around the outskirts of Bournemouth .

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Bournemouth.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Bournemouth below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Bournemouth or find out more information on the local area.