Working in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire is innovative, exciting and varied place to work. There are low levels of unemployment, and high levels of growth. This means that in the future there will be more jobs - the Oxfordshire Strategic Economic Plan includes up to 75,000 new jobs by 2030 – many in brand new roles in emerging technologies. 

Know your local economy:

• Knowledge based - with opportunities in publishing, ICT and research
• Culturally rich - with opportunities in arts, entertainment and gaming
• Productive - with opportunities in warehousing, construction and manufacturing
• Innovative - with opportunities in technology, engineering and sciences

Oxfordshire has a highly skilled workforce - 49% are graduates – and the lowest rate of residents with no qualifications in England - just 4.8%. In coming years more people will retire, and Oxfordshire will need many more skilled and well trained workers. 

Oxfordshire – your home county

Oxfordshire is a centre for academia, publishing, technical industries and scientific research. It is also the most rural county in the south east of England and has the lowest levels of population, with Oxford city home to 24% of the county’s population.

Work areas important to Oxfordshire include:

• International publishing
• High-tech business and biotechnology
• Car manufacturing
• Motorsport
• Real estate, renting and business activities
• Wholesale and retail trade
• Manufacturing
• Public-sector organisations (e.g. healthcare, social work, and social enterprises)
• Agriculture
• Education
• Creative media
• Tourism and recreation
• Defence
• ​Charity
• Medical research

Although Oxfordshire is home to big names like Oxfam, Oxford University Press, Mini, Sophos, and the European Space Agency, small and medium-sized companies are very important. Over 98% of companies employ fewer than 50 people, and 88% employ fewer than 10.