There are frequent articles on social media platforms such as LinkedIn that rave about how wonderful the technological scene is in London and Manchester – but Birmingham, our country’s very own second city, hardly ever gets a mention!
If you don’t know, Prestige Recruitment Group’s head office sits right in the city centre of Birmingham, and so we have a few opinions on Birmingham’s lack of mention! The fact is, Birmingham actually provides an excellent technological infrastructure with a wide variety of individuals with exceptional skills and talent, which create a perfect eco-system for creative agencies, games companies and global technology giants. The presence of major players in the region such as the young and diverse population and innovative linkages with complementary sectors means that Birmingham is quickly becoming a tech hub for the future.
Birmingham’s supply of digital talent, world-class institutions and technological spirit is creating a melting pot of hybrid digital industries. As the rate of innovation develops, tech is becoming increasingly integrated within every sector and industry.
Important Birmingham Tech & Digital Developments
In 2014, The University of Birmingham was ranked Number 1 UK University for Computer Sciences and IT. (The Guardian)
The Computer Science Research Group (CSRG) at Aston University and the Centre of Excellence for Research in Computational Intelligence and Applications (CERCIA) at the University of Birmingham are large centres of excellence in Birmingham.
With over 40,000 people employed in the sector, Birmingham has one of the largest tech clusters in the UK.
Of the UK games workforce, 25% are based in Birmingham.
When 4G was developed, Birmingham was one of the first UK cities to roll out the wireless network.
eBay rates Birmingham as the UK’s hotspot for e-commerce start-ups, with over 1,000 of these new businesses have contributed over £18 million to the local economy.
iCentrum – a £35 million Digital Plaza will be one of the first developments within the city centre Enterprise Zone. The development will set the standard for fourth generation science parks and will include a software development playground and a tech incubation facility.
The New Technology Institute (NTI), part of Birmingham City University, produces graduates from super-vocational, industry backed postgraduate degree courses in video games development (Gamer Camp), digital marketing (Future Media) and film marketing and distribution (Film Futures).
If you specialise within tech and are searching for new opportunities, get in contact. You can email us at bham@prestigeltd.co.uk.