Parramatta revs up bid to be Western Sydney’s jobs engine

Parramatta has set its sights on creating more than 150,000 jobs in the next 25 years and positioning itself as Western Sydney’s jobs engine.

It’s part of Council’s Parramatta 2050 vision designed to guide its continued transformation into a global city by 2050.

City of Parramatta chief executive officer Gail Connolly PSM said the target would see the City work to almost double the 178,000 jobs across the city today.

“There’s a lot of talk about housing targets but not a lot of talk about the jobs people will do and where they will do them. With this bold target, Parramatta is ensuring planning takes into account the opportunities to create those jobs closer to where most of Sydney lives,” Ms Connolly said.

“Parramatta is fast establishing itself as a magnet for people and businesses around the world. It makes sense for it to be the jobs engine and the driving force for economic development and employment growth for Western Sydney.”

Ms Connolly said the City was already home to a growing number of Australia’s top 500 companies, a world-class medical, education and research precinct and an increasing number of start-ups.

“As a Council, we want to focus on creating precincts that attract businesses to Parramatta from all over the world to start their story – or their next chapter - here.”

Parramatta 2050 identifies five key precincts central to the City’s jobs growth:

• a Health and Innovation District in Westmead and North Parramatta that’s a world leader in medical research, technology and well-being with an employment focus on health, research and education;
• a Headquarters District in the CBD with a focus on business, retail and culture; 
• a Model City District around Camellia and Rosehill with a focus on green jobs and urban services; 
• a Future Jobs District in Silverwater with industrial and employment uses fit for the 22nd century including advanced manufacturing; and
• a Celebration District at Sydney Olympic Park with an employment focus on sports, sports science and entertainment

Ms Connolly said being a global city would unlock a world of opportunity for residents and businesses that operated in Parramatta.

“This target will see us focus on building a diverse range of jobs across the City with stronger education and skills pathways to employment,” Ms Connolly said.

“A kid growing up in Parramatta should be able to have their pick of careers – whether that’s in world leading medical research, a big global business, education or advanced manufacturing.”

Parramatta 2050 was unanimously endorsed by Council in August following more than eight weeks of public consultation.

To download a copy of Parramatta 2050, visit Participate Parramatta.

FAST FACTS

• Parramatta’s economy, valued at about $28.86 billion*, is already the second largest in NSW.
• Parramatta is currently home to about 178,000 jobs*.
• By 2050, Parramatta is on track to have a population of more than 500,000 – an increase of about 238,000 people.
• An increase of 150,000 jobs would allow Parramatta to maintain its current jobs ratio of 1.5 jobs for every resident as the City’s population grows.
• More of Greater Sydney’s population now lives west of Parramatta than to its east.

*Source - idCommunity