Jobs in Bristol | Pictures of Bristol

In the south west of England where the Rivers Avon and Frome come together, lies arguably one of the most dynamic, forward-thinking and ambitious cities in the UK, Bristol. For centuries, Bristol was the ugly sister of neighbouring Bath , upstaged by the rejuvenated former industrial powerhouse cities of Manchester and Newcastle , and outsmarted by London . But the transformation that has taken place since the late 1990s is nothing short of spectacular.

Bristol has successfully reinvented itself in recent years and has emerged as a confident city that is showing the rest of the UK just what can be done. Whilst staying true to its mercantile roots, it has embraced the opportunities provided by ‘new' industries and has once again become a leading economic force to be reckoned with.

Then and now
From its earliest days, its prosperity has been linked to that of the Port of Bristol that grew on the lucrative transatlantic trafficking of cocoa, sugar, tobacco and slaves. And in the nineteenth century the eminent Isambard Kingdom Brunel laid the foundations for what would become a thriving engineering sector. Soon after, Bristol established itself as an important centre for shipbuilding as well as the most westerly terminus for the pioneering Great Western Railway which directly linked the city with London .

But by the end of the Second World War, Bristol 's staple industries went into free-fall. And although Bristol is no longer a major port, the docks still play a key part in Bristol 's life. T he city is the largest importer of cars to the UK and since the port was leased in 1991, £330m has been invested and the annual tonnage throughput has increased from 4m tonnes to 12m tonnes.

Along with its nautical connections, Bristol 's engineering and manufacturing activities have expanded to include aircraft production at Filton – where the Airbus A380 was built. The aerospace industry remains a major segment of the local economy and it is largely responsible for sustaining the city's manufacturing sector which now employs around 10% of Bristol 's workforce, employed in the main by the likes of BAE Systems, Airbus UK and Rolls-Royce.

The financial services sector is perhaps the city's strongest and most prosperous growth industry. Employing around 25% of the total workforce in over 4,700 organisations, Bristol's banking, finance and insurance sector is home to a number of leading institutions including Bristol & West and NFU Mutual and is the seventh most important financial centre in Europe.

However, by far the biggest source of jobs can be found in the public sector. With over 90,000 people employed in the fields of public administration, healthcare and education, this sector contains Bristol's biggest public employers, most notably the Ministry of Defence, University of West of England and North Bristol NHS Trust – the single largest employer in the city.

Following the regeneration of the docks as a centre of heritage and culture – and home to SS Great Britain - Bristol has achieved the status as the seventh most popular destination for foreign tourists in the UK, attracting more than 9 million visitors each year. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the tourism trade - and related sectors such as retail and catering - is one of the main employment sectors in Bristol . This sector is responsible for around 17% of all available jobs.

At the forefront of Bristol 's growth is the rapidly developing hi-tech sector, with 400 micro-electronics and silicon design companies, as well as the Hewlett-Packard's national research laboratories. The creative industries in Bristol are also proving to be a success story, with over 2,800 businesses operating in this sector alone.

Key business districts
In the city centre itself, the financial district is largely located in and around the Temple Meads area whilst the Clifton is home to a growing number of businesses in the creative sector.

Elsewhere, much of the city's manufacturing industry has been relocated in the Avonmouth docks area, whereas the aerospace sector is a few miles out of the centre, in Filton.

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

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

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