The paper aims to empirically analyze the determinants of regional variations in employment growth in Poland during the period of 1999-2008. The authors expand the typical set of variables used to explain regional changes in employment – which include the wage and value added growth rates – to include export momentum as an indicator of a region’s competitiveness and as a variable that is likely to significantly influence the employment growth rate. As a research method, the authors estimate panel cross-section models of regional diversity in annual employment growth rates in Poland. The main results of the analysis are that regional employment growth is accompanied by (i) an increased volume of exports, (ii) a high level of education among workers, and (iii) entrepreneurship measured by the rate at which new businesses are established. The results indicate that a regional economic policy designed to promote the development of exports and entrepreneurship could significantly contribute to an increase in employment, the authors say.