About Jobs in Peterborough and Northumberland
The Peterborough and Northumberland area is a south-eastern Ontario community strategically positioned along Highway 401 with both Toronto and Kingston being within a one to one and a half hour drive. Northumberland has a labour force of 37,600 and is within close proximity of a workforce of approximately 480,000, which provides endless potential for commercial and industrial expansion. Peterborough has a population of about 74,000. With a low unemployment rate, over 45 percent of the population of Northumberland has attained some form of post-secondary education, while over 75 percent of the population has a high school diploma. As such, a diverse workforce is available to fulfill the employment needs for jobs in Northumberland County. However, unemployment in Peterborough is relatively high compared to the rest of Ontario, and both in Northumberland and Peterborough, many people commute to jobs in the Greater Toronto Area.
Northumberland County and Peterborough have been discovered by many manufacturers from around the world, including SABIS Innovative Plastics, Bloomer Chocolate, Dart Cup Ltd., Cameco Corporation, and Collins & Aikman. Northumberland and Peterborough's location and low business costs, combined with high quality of living and supreme health care and learning facilities, make Peterborough and Northumberland a sought after area for manufacturers. Peterborough and Northumberland offer businesses many advantages and incentives, including average wage rates. When government subsidies, public health care, and location are considered, the wage rate looks even more attractive and further assets Peterborough and Northumberland County as an intelligent choice for any business looking to prosper.
Peterborough and Northumberland County have an impressive manufacturing sector that includes over 120 companies by which over 7,000 people are employed. Some major employers for jobs in Peterborough and Northumberland are General Electric, Dart Cup Ltd., Dresser Wayne Canada, Kraft Foods Canada, and Weetabix Canada. Tourism and Agriculture are two other industries where jobs in Peterborough and Northumberland County are dominant. Due to its proximity to both the south-west and north-east U.S. border crossings and direct access to Highway 401, the automotive industry provides many opportunities for jobs in Peterborough and Northumberland County. To add, Peterborough and Northumberland's growing plastics sector also presents many job opportunities as Ontario's plastics industry employs nearly 90,000 highly skilled workers with Northumberland being only one of two counties out of 13 Ontario East counties to have high concentrations in both resin and plastics production.