Jobs in Plymouth | Pictures of Plymouth

When Britannia first started to rule the waves, Plymouth was at the heart of it all with a maritime history that boasts such notary maritime figures as Sir Francis Drake and John Hawkins. For centuries the deep waters at the mouth of the Tamar ensured both political and the economic success for the area. And although the decline of the port saw Plymouth’s fortunes sink in the past, it is once again a thriving and vibrant city that continues to play a significant maritime role.

Then and now
Plymouth has long owed its existence to its natural harbour. It was from here that Drake sailed to defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588 and where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail for the New World to lay the first foundations for the English colonisation of North America, with the port soon consecrated as a royal dockyard.

Throughout the Industrial Revolution Plymouth grew as a major shipping port, handling imports and passengers from the Americas and the construction of ships for the Royal Navy at the Devonport dockyards, which made it a target of the Luftwaffe who set about – and succeeding in – destroying much of the city.

The city’s rich maritime history meant that the local economy was overwhelmingly dependent on the defence sector, yet despite the decline of this industry over the last 20 years, Plymouth's economy is still strongly influenced by shipbuilding and defence.

With Devonport dockyards being the only naval base that refits nuclear submarines in the UK, as well as 270 specialist marine firms operating from here, there are more than 12,000 people still employed directly or indirectly in the defence and shipbuilding sector, including around approximately 7,500 armed forces personnel – together generating around 10 per cent of Plymouth’s income. Some of the key employers include Babcock Marine, Brittany Ferries and PTG Precision Engineers Limited.

However, since the 1990s, Plymouth’s economy has inevitably become a more service-based economy. Indeed, with a population of around ¼ million, it is inevitable that the public sector is now prominent particularly in the areas of administration, health and education, providing employment for over 29 per cent of the workforce.

Aside from Plymouth City Council, Child Support Agency and Land Registry, the University of Plymouth is one of the city’s largest public employers. As the 11th biggest university in the UK, the University of Plymouth has over 30,000 students and employs 3,000 staff.

In fact the University is a central partner in the Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership which is widely recognized as one of the leading marine research bodies in the world. And this sector, whilst not employing significantly high number of people, is spurning the development of Plymouth’s medical, healthcare, advanced engineering and creative industries.

And underpinning much of this development is a strong financial and business services sector. Home to the likes of PricewaterhouseCoopers, NatWest and KPMG, this sector employs about 15,000 people in the city.

Tourism is- and will inevitably continue to be- of vital importance to the local economy. Being home to Britain’s most famous seaman, the spectacular Plymouth Sound and a yachtsman’s paradise, the city’s attraction as a popular tourist destination is assured. Indeed, over 8,000 people are employed within this sector.

Key business districts
Plymouth International Medical and Technology Park is, as its name suggests, home to a number of medical, technology and research and development organisations, such as the Land Registry and one of only three new Radiology Academies in the UK.

City Business Park and the Business Centre both have a significant concentration of office space. Whilst Tamar Science Park is arguably the jewel in Plymouth’s crown.

Tamar Science Park is one of the fastest growing science parks in the UK with a tenant base of some 50 knowledge-based organizations.
Elsewhere, Millbay - also known as Millbay Docks – has two large deepwater docks, one of which is part-owned by Brittany Ferries, which has its UK headquarters here. Millbay is the home of the RNLI Plymouth lifeboat, as it has been since 1862.

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

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

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