Greater Dandenong’s Workforce on the up

MORE people than ever before are working in Greater Dandenong, according to the latest employment figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
On a typical weekday, 74,000 people are employed within the City of Greater Dandenong – an increase 7000, 10 per cent, over the previous five years.
One-fifth of the people who work in Greater Dandenong live there.
The remaining workers live in neighbouring cities, such as the City of Casey, which accounts for 27 per cent of people working in Greater Dandenong.
Other workers are from Frankston, Knox and Monash, with 6 to 8 per cent from these areas.
A third of Greater Dandenong’s jobs are in the manufacturing sector, which also showed a strong growth in vacancies.
About 1000 people joined the manufacturing work force in the five years to 2006.
The slight decrease in people number employed in the retail, finance and insurance sectors has been more than balanced by a rise in employment in health services, wholesale trade and construction.
Greater Dandenong mayor Youhorn Chea said that the latest ABS employment statistics were encouraging.
“Clearly the opportunities for starting a business and getting a job in Greater Dandenong are on the rise,” he said.
“The indications are that our industries are diversifying, while Greater Dandenong’s economic backbone – the manufacturing industries – are ever strengthening their place in the local economy.
“I think we are definitely a city of opportunity.”