A skilled workforce

The region’s global connectivity, educational establishments with the UK’s best retention rates, and high-quality natural assets make North Somerset an excellent place to live, work and establish new businesses. North Somerset is home to a diverse workforce across key sectors and skill levels, with 49,100 residents holding NVQ4+ qualifications and 2,800 entry-level workers ready to enter into employment.

Weston College and University Centre Weston have an excellent track record of working with businesses to identify future skill gaps, support and train the next generation of highly skilled workers, equipped with the know-how needed to drive future talent and innovation-led growth.

Strong industry clusters

North Somerset is committed to enhancing the competitiveness of businesses across leading sectors: food and beverage technology and manufacture, advanced logistics, legal and financial professional services, fintech, health sciences, green manufacturing, creative and the visitor economy.

The ambition is to enable the regeneration of coastal towns, addressing long-standing inequalities including the stark levels of local earnings, capitalise on improved digital connectivity to encourage a reduction in the need for out-commuting and to build a skills base that will attract high value business investment.

An outstanding quality of life for all generations

Exceptional connectivity

North Somerset offers excellent digital connectivity, with high-speed broadband across its towns and access to Dark Fibre in Weston-super-Mare. North Somerset is home to an established network of major road and rail connections, close to innovative and nationally important projects such as Hinkley Point C and the Gravity – Smart Campus, and with direct links to places like Bristol (20 mins), Exeter (50 mins), London (1hr 40 mins), Wales (1 hr), and the Midlands (2 hrs). The area offers international connectivity to Europe and overseas through our deep sea port and an international airport. At a local level, we have an ever-improving network of cycle links between towns and villages and into Bristol and Bath, offering local residents and workers a sustainable transport option.

A proactive approach to growth

A place with strong and dynamic Council leadership, the area is building a track record of delivering successful projects. The Council is backing itself through strategic capital investments of £140m+ invested across North Somerset. We have growth-focused placemaking strategies in place for our towns and ambitious to deliver more through innovative models of collaboration and long-term investment partnerships. At the heart of the work being undertaken by North Somerset Council is an ambition to enable transformative projects that will deliver long lasting benefits for both people, place and climate.