Why The North West Is The Land Of Opportunity For IT Graduates And Professionals

The hub of Britain’s IT sector: Why the North West is the land of opportunity for IT graduates and professionals.

With the highest salaries, an internationally-recognised financial hub and a wealth of job opportunities, it’s understandable why many would assume London is the best place to land an IT job. But is it?

According to a recent report released by the government think-tank Centre for Cites, one in three young people in the UK abandon their hometowns in favour of the bright lights of London. When you consider the prolific number of people battling for the jobs market in London, it is likely candidates would have a greater chance securing their ideal IT job elsewhere. The North West perhaps?

From the prosperous city of Manchester, which has a huge IT presence, to the lively former culture capital of Liverpool, which also enjoys sound growth within the information technology sector, and the lesser known towns of Cheshire and Merseyside also offering strong prospects, the North West of England is quite simply a hub for those seeking to seal an IT job.

Manchester

Manchester is one of the UK’s principle cities. A city built by the Industrial Revolution, Manchester is often regarded as the first industrialised city. In terms of computing, Manchester has always been at the forefront. For example in 1948 an incredible experiment took place at the University of Manchester. A computer stored and ran a program for the first time anywhere in the world. It was nicknamed the ‘Baby’ and was the forerunner of the computing world we know and love today. Within a year of the birth of the ‘Baby’, Manchester’s computer scene had begun and has never looked back.

As well as being home to the Manchester Science Park, which houses more than 150 tech and science companies, Manchester is one of the UK’s leading cities for tech startups. From startups offering online marketing platform for event promoters, to companies creating adapters for micro SD cards that fits inside a MacBook, Manchester’s burgeoning tech company scene offers a wealth of opportunity for IT graduates.

Liverpool

With lower salaries to pay, less to fork out in office rent and a vast portfolio of talented students graduating from the region’s number of top universities, it is hardly surprising many IT companies are either relocating or starting up in Liverpool and its surroundings.

For example, in 2013 Michael Fertik, founder of Reputation.com, opened his company’s UK base in Liverpool. According to Mr Fertik, with the government promoting East London’s Tech City as the international leader for digital innovation, he could have been forgiven for “following the international herd” and opening a UK base in London. The entrepreneur however insists that would not have been an “entrepreneurial” solution. Instead Mr Fertik endeavoured to find “a regional city with a strong technology sector and a big talent pool.” That city was Liverpool.

‘Pockets of Power’

Designed for graduates in the North West wanting to stay in the area, the Liverpool Daily Post teamed up with the Manchester Evening News and created a guide titled the ‘North West Top 200: The Biggest and the Best Companies in the Region.’
This informative guide highlights the different ‘pockets of power’ that sprout up around the North West. For example, the authors’ deem Chester as being strong in financial services, while Warrington has a particularly strong presence in the industrial estates industry.

IT companies frequently crop up in the guide, testament of the thriving information technology scene the region affords.

With such innovative and vibrant IT companies moving to Liverpool and the North West in general, the region offers a wealth of opportunities for IT graduates.
For all the best IT jobs in the North West get in touch with Adria Solutions, IT recruitment specialists in the North West.