Business requires a variety of skills to operate successfully, and the Peel Region has a stable, educated and multi-skilled work force of over 40,000 employed in a wide range of businesses. An even greater pool of workers (approx 400,000) is within an hour's travelling time from Mandurah.
The region's work force is supported by:
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An expanding population base, which is expected to continue to grow rapidly;
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Quality education systems;
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40 schools;
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Joint Peel Campus of TAFE and Murdoch University in Mandurah, which welcomes partnering opportunities with industry;
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Leading global companies and their best practice methodologies such as Alcoa's global engineering section in Pinjarra;
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Extensive training systems; and
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Quality job placement agencies.
The major employers in the Region are the Alcoa refineries at Pinjarra and Wagerup, Newmont Boddington Gold, Local Government authorities, Metro Brick in Byford and the Peel Health Campus in Mandurah.
The labour force in the Region totalled 48,006 persons in the June 2009 quarter. Most of the Region’s labour force is located in the City of Mandurah (60.8%), followed by Serpentine Jarrahdale (17.7%), Murray (14.5%), Waroona (4.8%) and Boddington (2.2%).
Employment by Industry
In 2006 the main industries of employment were: construction, accounting for 13.6% of the total workforce; manufacturing, accounting for 13.5%; and retail trade, accounting for 12.45%.
Unemployment
The unemployment rate in the Peel Region has increased by 0.5 percentage points in June 2009 compared to the previous quarter. Boddington was the only local authority area in the region to experience a reduction in unemployment, down 0.2 percentage points on the previous quarter. The unemployment rate for Western Australia was 3.8%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points compared to the previous quarter. The unemployment rate for Regional Western Australia was 4% up by 0.3 percentage points on the previous quarter.
