Working in Newcastle and the North East
Newcastle and the North East enjoys striking contrasts between the vibrant and cultural life of its cities, to the breathtaking countryside and beautiful unspoilt coastline. As well as an area of beauty, the region is also a source of innovation and business activity that is continuously growing from strength to strength.
Source: OneNorthEast.co.uk
Business
Across the region there are a number of major blue chip firms such as Nissan and Komatsu, alongside local names such as Sage Plc, Reg Vardy and Greggs, which employ thousands of people and invest heavily in the region.
North East England has world-class capabilities in the renewable energy sector, with the New and Renewable Energy Centre (NaREC) at Blyth leading wind, tidal and photovoltaic power generation, as well as the world’s largest biofuels producing complex.
Process industries are also thriving, with the North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) consisting of 200 pharmaceutical, biotechnology, speciality, petrochemical and commodity chemical companies. Their combined economic power provides about £8bn of GDP and over 25% of the region’s industrial base, employing 34,000 people. One third of all UK biotechnology companies are based in North East England.
The region has also made groundbreaking advances in the fields of nanotechnology and ICT. North East England’s world-leading digital sector includes microchip manufacture, robotics, software, informatics, e-commerce, game design and data manipulation.
Key Facts
- Population of 2.6 million in 2006
- North East England is home to 588 overseas companies from 32 countries, employing over 27,000 people
- Five Universities with over 50 RAE 5 or 5* rated departments and 18 further education colleges attracting almost 96,000 full and part-time students
- The region has the 3rd highest graduate retention rate in the UK at 59%
- Only London has a higher rate of tech start-ups than North East England
- Expenditure on R&D by the region’s businesses is rising year on year with the latest levels of spending reaching £281m
Source: www.northeastengland.co.uk
