Opportunities if you live or work near a UK Freeport

UK Freeports: Building the future (banner image)

Freeports are building the future by creating thousands of careers for local people in exciting sectors like life science, hydrogen, and advanced manufacturing.

These opportunities are for everyone. Freeports are working with businesses and educational institutions to provide training and apprenticeships to help people like you get a local job in an industry of the future. Find a Freeport near you for the latest opportunities.

Hartlepool docks in Teesside Freeport seen from above, with its working docks, a marina, and various buildings around a series of rectangular navigable areas. Cranes are loading and unloading ships. In the distance and surrounding the docks are an urban area and some green fields.
Cranes loading and unloading ships at Hartlepool Docks, in Teesside Freeport.

Here are some of the ways that Freeports can drive positive change in your region:

  • Transforming neglected areas – Freeports breathe new life into underused or abandoned spaces, transforming them into vibrant hubs of economic activity. This not only enhances the physical appearance of the community but also attracts further investment, creating a ripple effect of regeneration in the surrounding areas.
  • Empowering the workforce – Freeports provide valuable opportunities for local residents to acquire new skills. Training and upskilling programs offered within these areas, in partnership with local educational institutions, empowers individuals with the expertise needed to secure well-paid jobs in emerging industries. These opportunities near UK Freeports set the stage for lifelong career development.
A group of team-members, all wearing dark blue coveralls and protective eyewear, discuss the text on a whiteboard: skills training opportunities in UK Freeports.
A team of younger workers in a skills training session.
  • Boosting local employment – Freeports create jobs by attracting businesses in cutting-edge sectors, who uphold the UK’s high standards on employment rights. These new, high skilled positions not only reduce unemployment but also put more money into the local economy, helping raise living standards for local residents.
  • Making it easier to travel in the region – Freeports are improving transport connections to help people travel to and from work. This not only supports businesses but also makes daily life more convenient for local residents, reducing commuting times and improving overall connectivity.
Workers tie ropes around a cleat bollard, as they dock a Tilbury ferry.
Workers tie ropes around a cleat bollard, to dock a Tilbury ferry, part of the Thames Freeport.
  • Sustainable progress – Freeports are uniquely positioned to harness opportunities in renewables and green industry. By supporting the growth of these sectors, and upholding high standards for sustainable development, Freeports are helping drive our journey to Net Zero and contribute to a cleaner environment for generations to come.
  • Supporting local economies – Freeports give councils a generous, long-term financial settlement to invest in the local economy, for example by creating new transport links or improving local infrastructure.
  • Exceptional environmental standards – Freeports maintain rigorous environmental standards, adhering to the same national regulations as the rest of the country. They aim to bring investment to specific sites, carefully selected for development in partnership with local authorities, to create jobs and opportunity, benefitting communities without impacting protected landscapes like National Parks. They are committed to complying with environmental regulations at every stage of their development.

You can find out more about how the UK Government is levelling up your region on the Levelling Up website.