Powering the Future: South West England’s Growth Hotspots

The South West’s New Wave of Jobs: Human Skills at the Centre

The South West isn’t just attracting investment, it’s creating the kind of employment that AI can’t replace. From Bridgwater’s gigafactory to Plymouth’s defence and Freeport growth, thousands of new jobs will depend on people, not machines.

Bridgwater: Agratas Gigafactory

The £4bn EV battery plant will need engineers, electricians, project managers, plant operators, and safety specialists. These are roles where hands-on expertise, problem-solving, and human judgment are essential, areas AI can support, but never replace.

Tata Group’s Agratas is building the UK’s largest EV battery factory on the Gravity Smart Campus near Bridgwater.

• Scale: £4bn investment, 40 GWh annual capacity.

• Jobs: Around 4,000 direct roles, plus thousands more in the supply chain.

• Skills in demand: Electrical and mechanical engineers, automation specialists, project managers, supply-chain experts, health & safety professionals and high-volume manufacturing staff.

This gigafactory will anchor the UK’s EV supply chain and cement Somerset as a global green-tech hub.

Plymouth: Defence Innovation

Defence is all about skills, trust, and security. From naval engineers to marine technicians, cyber specialists to skilled trades, the sector relies on people with precision and accountability. AI may assist, but these jobs will remain firmly in human hands.

Plymouth’s defence and naval heritage is being transformed into future-facing capability:

• Devonport Naval Base is undergoing major upgrades.

• Marine autonomy, shipbuilding and defence technology firms are scaling rapidly.

• Private sector investment, including Princess Yachts, is creating new opportunities.

• Skills in demand: Defence engineers, marine technicians, cyber and systems specialists, project planners, skilled trades, and leadership roles across operations and programme delivery.

This wave of investment will sustain Plymouth as one of the UK’s leading centres for defence innovation.

Plymouth & South Devon Freeport

As new sites open for manufacturing, marine, and clean-tech firms, the Freeport will need fabricators, logistics professionals, R&D scientists, and sustainability leaders. These roles require adaptability, creativity and collaboration, strengths unique to people.

The Freeport is unlocking new sites, infrastructure and incentives for industries of the future.

• South Yard (Oceansgate): Innovation space for marine and defence businesses.

• Langage & Sherford sites: Supported by £25m of infrastructure upgrades.

• Benefits: Tax breaks, customs advantages and targeted business support.

• Skills in demand: Advanced manufacturing operatives, logistics professionals, R&D scientists, sustainability specialists, and commercial managers.

For fast-growing firms, the Freeport offers a springboard to scale, and for talent, it opens doors to high-skilled, long-term careers.

Why it matters

While much of the conversation about the future of work centres on automation and AI, the South West’s growth is proof that industrial renewal means real job creation. These are long-term careers built on human skill, judgment and innovation.

For candidates, it’s a chance to step into industries that are future-proof. For employers, it’s an opportunity to invest in training and secure the talent that will carry the region forward.