High-quality education 

The education system in Belgium is one of the best in Europe. 35% of employed people in East Flanders have at least a bachelor degree.  The broad and high-quality education system results in a yearly influx of well-educated and qualified employees (both skilled technical workers and the higher-educated) into the workforce market.

High work productivity

Belgium is one of the countries with the highest work productivity in the world. In the most relevant classification (GDP per employee), only the United States and Luxemburg rank higher. As far as work productivity per hour worked is concerned, Belgium is in third place. Work productivity is above all very high in the industrial, construction and finance sectors. Belgian employees also have the lowest rate of absenteeism in the European Union.

Activities

Ghent is a well-developed services, health and education center and has a large amount of industrial activity. The social economy also plays an important role. 

Labour market

On 31 December 2005 there were 151,490 jobs in Ghent: 13,040 salaried employees and 13,450 self-employed people. Ghent has more work opportunities than average in Flanders. Not just the secondary (1.60) and tertiary (1.50) but above all the quaternary sector (2.25) is more strongly represented. Only the number of jobs in the primary sector (0.33) is lower in Ghent than in the rest of Flanders.