Pembrokeshire: the cutting edge of Britain

A rural case study of how a plan for the future can change the fortunes of a whole county

Read the full report Pembrokeshire: the cutting edge of Britain

Pembrokeshire: The cutting edge of Britain takes a look at the most southwest corner of Wales, a county that is a rural community while also being coastal, surrounded as it is on three sides by sea. It is a beautiful place with a thriving tourism sector, containing within it one of the most important ports in Britain, and featuring a still vital agricultural sector. It is also a place filled with pockets of poverty, a place which is badly served by transportation infrastructure, with both trains and roads in and out of the county inadequate.

The report looks at the oil and gas sector through the lens of Valero, one of Pembrokeshire’s biggest and most important employers; at the tourism sector via the seaside town of Saundersfoot; the agricultural sector, with interviews with representatives of two of the county’s prevalent dairy farms being detailed. The report also looks at the village of Lawrenny, one that is being revitalised, bringing in new denizens and businesses alike. There is also a delve into Pembrokeshire College, a vital institution that trains the leaders of tomorrow in all the sectors covered in this report.

The links between institutions, employers and employees are strong and highly functional in the county. The way that Valero and Pembrokeshire College interact to train up local people and get them into skilled jobs is one great example of this. As has been detailed elsewhere across this report, the links between institutions and getting the balance right there, is crucial to maximising job creation.

Yet there is still a great deal of poverty in Pembrokeshire. While the plans to overcome the seasonality that affects almost all its prominent sectors are in the mix, there is still work to be done. Hopefully places like Lawrenny point to the future of Pembrokeshire – skilled people from other parts of Britain moving to the county in search of a quieter, more scenic life, bringing with them skills and entrepreneurial zeal. Business, as always, is the beating heart of economic growth, creating the jobs needed to lift people out of welfare and into work.

Our next paper will be the master report, Two Million Jobs, one which will bring together the lessons learned from all corners of the country. This final document will cover what businesses are doing to alleviate poverty via best practice in terms of hiring, training and apprenticeships, what institutions are helping businesses along this journey (and what is missing from that equation), all demonstrating that business is a societal good, across Great Britain.

Read the full report Pembrokeshire: the cutting edge of Britain