Jobs in Rotherham | Pictures of Rotherham

Rotherham is a rapidly developing town that had transformed itself over the last two decades to play a major role in the forefront of regeneration in South Yorkshire. In 2007, a 25-year urban regeneration programme was initiated that will complement the town’s rapidly growing local economy and increase Rotherham’s attractiveness for business looking to establish operations in the north of England.

The so-called ‘Rotherham Renaissance’ programme is helping to create a modern, cosmopolitan city that is already showing signs of giving nearby Sheffield (6 miles away) a run for its money and proving that there is more to Rotherham than just coal, iron and the town’s biggest export of the last twenty years – the Chuckle Brothers.

Then and now
Rotherham has a proud industrial heritage having developed from a small market town into a major industrial centre based on coal, steel and glass. In the late fifteenth century Rotherham- born Archbishop of York, Thomas Rotherham, built a college in the town with the determination to rival the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge but, Edward VI soon put paid to such ambitions and stripped the college bare in the ‘interests of the Crown’. And instead being revered as a seat of learning and culture, the town subsequently gained an unfortunate reputation as being a haven for gambling and prostitution.

But it was the arrival of the Industrial Revolution that saw Rotherham develop a reputation worth keeping.

Iron had always been mined in the Rotherham area. However, it was the town’s rich coal seams that really put it on the map. And with the naturally flowing River Don running through the town centre coupled with the River Rother which both linked the town with the rest of Yorkshire – important for transporting loads - Rotherham was a ready-made industrial centre waiting to be tapped into. And that’s precisely what happened.

Both coal and iron thrived and were soon joined by a steel industry that would continue to be the mainstay of the local economy until the 1980s. But, much like its Sheffield neighbour, Rotherham fell victim to the decline of these traditional industries and the town suffered from high levels of unemployment towards the end of the twentieth century. And since 2000, unemployment rates have continued to fall with the mining sector employing less that 0.6 per cent of the town’s workforce today.

Rotherham’s strength within the iron and steel industries saw the town’s manufacturing base go from strength to strength. And despite the decline in this sector over the last twenty years, a number of companies have moved to the area, attracted by Rotherham’s ready-made manufacturing workforce and ready to take full advantage of the lower wages paid in this area. Indeed, the manufacturing sector now accounts for almost 18 per cent of all employment opportunities in Rotherham, with the likes of Corus retaining a significant presence in the area.

And although the manufacturing sector continues to play a significant role in the local economy and employs a higher percentage of Rotherham’s workforce than the national average, the fact remains that its importance is in decline with a drop of 10 per cent since 2000 alone, as the town continues to reposition itself as a post-industrial service economy. So whilst it commands third place in terms of the number of people employed, the manufacturing sector is slowly losing its prominence and will soon be overtaken by the retail sector which is fast on its heels.

Indeed, with the Rotherham Renaissance in full swing, the number of jobs that will be available in the retail, leisure and wholesale sector will inevitably increase from the 11,500 (15.8 per cent of the workforce) that it currently employs.

Underpinning much of Rotherham’s regeneration is a strong finance, banking and insurance industry that is enjoying the knock-on effect from the strong growth experienced by its Sheffield neighbour since the turn of the new millennium. Employing around 13,000 people (18.4 per cent), the finance sector is now one of the biggest employers in Rotherham, second only to the public sector.

With a population of 117,000 in the urban area and almost 250,000 across the entire Borough of Rotherham, the areas of public administration, education and health account for 1 in 5 (20.1 per cent) of all jobs in the area, with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council being the single biggest employer with over 13,000 employees followed by Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust which employs around 3,400 people.

Key business districts
As already stated, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council is in the midst of a significant regeneration programme that is expected to continue until 2030. As such, the Council has earmarked a number of sites for development as new commercial and industrial centres in what it terms as ‘strategic economic zones’. Until then, there are a number of key business parks that are located in the area, including Magna 34 Business Park.

This has transformed the site of the former Templeborough Rolling Mill creating a 19 acre development of offices and industrial units. Whereas Callflex Business Park is located at the heart of Rotherham's largest business district and with excellent access to the M1, A1(M) and the town centre.

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

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

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