The agency wants to attract hi-tech business

Nortel Networks on Tuesday announced that 700 workers are to lose their jobs at its Devon plant.

This brought the number of Nortel job losses in Paignton to almost 4,000 since February.

American-owned internet equipment maker JDS Uniphase announced in August that it was closing two factories in Plymouth.

Job loss worries were then compounded by aircraft turbine manufacturer Centrax announcing on Wednesday that 250 posts were to be lost from its factory in Newton Abbot.

Attracting business

However, the Regional Development Agency says it is still important to try to attract this sort of business.

It believes information technology and hi-tech telecommunications are still an important growth area.

The agency says the fact that workers have been made jobless is all the more reason for trying to bring in new employers to take up the available labour.

The agency says it is going to be represented at two information technology trade fairs which will take place in Las Vegas and India.