People and skills

North Northamptonshire offers investors and employers access to a skilled labour force at a competitive cost. 

The catchment for North Northamptonshire has more than 3 million people of working age living within an hour’s journey time of the area. 

North Northamptonshire itself has a resident working age population of over 180,200 people and is a net importer of jobs from surrounding areas.

Within North Northamptonshire, there has been a growth in jobs in the distribution sector incorporating transport; storage and communication.  This has led to the development of a range of distribution parks across the area.

There has also been an increase in jobs in the public sector and the knowledge economy accounts for approximately 13% of employment. The retail sector is another major employer in North Northamptonshire, employing 27,500 people.

Levels of unemployment are below the national average in all districts. 

The North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy (CSS) aims to create 47,400 jobs between 2001 and 2021. As well as securing sufficient jobs, the CSS aims to diversify the economy into higher value activities to create not only more jobs but better jobs.

Jobs growth planned for North Northamptonshire, 2001-2021

Source: North Northamptonshire Core Spatial Strategy, February 2007

Working with partners

NNDC is working with regional partners to develop the Strategic Northamptonshire Economic Action Plan (SNEAP).

The SNEAP will provide the economic vision and route map for delivering more jobs, better jobs and jobs in the right places. This is a key initiative in partners’ efforts to transform the performance of the county’s urban areas and to capitalise on the growth area opportunity.

Future employment and inward investment opportunities in north Northamptonshire require a talented work force with higher vocational skills and qualifications.

Strong connections exist between the business community and local and regional education providers.

Bespoke assistance with staff recruitment and training is available through Tresham College of Further and Higher Education (www.tresham.ac.uk) and the University of Northampton shares its academic expertise with local employers through its business consultancy ‘Know How Ltd’.

The new Corby Business Academy was opened in September 2008 and represents a £30m investment in the long-term development of local skills.