Jobs Near Lee-on-the-Solent
Employment, major employers and the local job market
The job market for Lee-on-the-Solent residents is shaped by the town's position on the Gosport peninsula and the employment centres within commuting distance. Lee itself has limited employment, but Gosport, Fareham, Portsmouth, and Southampton all provide opportunities across a range of sectors.
The Daedalus Enterprise Zone is the most significant local employment development. Located on the former HMS Daedalus site at the western end of Lee-on-the-Solent, the enterprise zone has attracted businesses in aviation, marine, engineering, and technology. Solent Airport operates from the site, and the surrounding business units house a mix of small and medium-sized enterprises. The enterprise zone was designed to create skilled jobs in the area, and it has brought new employment to what was previously a disused military site.
Gosport town centre provides retail, hospitality, healthcare, and public sector employment. Gosport War Memorial Hospital, the borough council offices, and the town's shops and services all offer jobs within a short commute of Lee. The defence sector remains important, with the Royal Navy and Ministry of Defence facilities on the Gosport peninsula employing both military and civilian personnel.
Fareham is the nearest significant employment centre outside the Gosport borough. It has a broader commercial base, with business parks, retail parks, and a town centre that supports a wider range of employers. The area around Fareham station and the business parks along the A27 corridor provide office-based, logistics, and service sector jobs.
Portsmouth is a major employment destination, accessible from Lee by car via the A32 and the Gosport ferry. The naval base, the university, the hospitals, the Historic Dockyard, and the city centre all provide substantial employment. Many Lee residents commute to Portsmouth, and the Gosport ferry makes this practical for those working near the waterfront.
Southampton, further along the M27, offers the largest employment market in the region, with port operations, financial services, the universities, and the hospital trust all providing jobs. The commute from Lee to Southampton takes 40 to 50 minutes by car.
For job seekers, the main online platforms cover the local area, and Fareham Jobcentre Plus is the nearest office for those claiming benefits or seeking support. Recruitment agencies in Fareham and Portsmouth handle temporary and permanent positions across multiple sectors.
The Gosport peninsula has historically faced higher unemployment than the Hampshire average, partly due to the decline of defence employment and the geographical constraints of the peninsula. The Daedalus Enterprise Zone and new housing development are intended to address this, and the trend in recent years has been positive.
For young people, apprenticeships are available through local employers and training providers, with Fareham College offering a range of apprenticeship programmes linked to regional employers.