Manufacturing is again leading Geelong’s jobs growth, helping position the region among Australia’s strongest employment markets.
New Informed Decisions (.id) data reported by the Geelong Independent, 8 June 2026, shows Greater Geelong has reached a record 147,234 local jobs, with annual growth of 4.3 per cent since 2020.
Manufacturing recorded the fastest expansion for the second consecutive year, rising 12.1 per cent over the past 12 months to more than 11,400 jobs — a level not seen since before the Alcoa and Ford closures.
GMC Acting CEO Leanne Nelson said the results confirm the momentum seen over the last two years. “These results reinforce what Geelong manufacturing does best – innovation-led, skills-driven, and delivering world-class outcomes while remaining deeply connected to its local workforce and community.”
Godfrey Hirst’s (GMC Supporting Partner) General Manager Jane Fletcher said the company was proud to contribute to Geelong’s jobs growth as a major local employer, employing about 350 people locally.
“Our investment in manufacturing, innovation and our people is firmly grounded in supporting the region’s economy and creating long-term opportunities for the community,” she said.
Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj said “Today, seeing Geelong as Australia’s fastest-growing job market, with manufacturing resurgent alongside health, education, tourism and more, shows just how far we’ve come. We’ve gone from a city fighting for its future to a city shaping its own success story.”