Showcase Industries
Since the early 1980s, Ballarat has evolved away from the primary manufacturing sector that in prior years constituted the centrepiece of the local economy.
These past two (2) decades in Ballarat have mirrored national economic trends in this regard, with more economic activity being generated by the service sector.
Yet, in terms of employment, manufacturing remains the second largest industry in Ballarat, providing 17% of local jobs. Other important industries are retail sales (17.8%), and healthcare and community services (14.4%). Tourism has always played an important role in the Ballarat economy, while in recent years the City has also experienced rapid growth in its information technology and telecommunications sectors. With two (2) Universities and some of the finest primary and secondary schools in Australia, education remains and important source of employment, as well.
The City of Ballarat has worked hard to develop partnerships between local businesses, industry, government and educational institutions to ensure a pattern of sustainable economic growth for our City. The University of Ballarat, for example, has developed cooperative relationships with the Greenhill Enterprise Centre to promote the information technology sector. The Ballarat City Council has worked in conjunction with educational institutions to promote an ethos of continuous learning that will help to ensure Ballarat’s place in the global information economy of the 21st century.