The North’s digital and tech community are set to return to the First Direct Arena after it was announced that Leeds Digital Job Fair 5.0 will take place on 24 October from 3.30pm.
More than 1,300 eager digital and tech candidates and 33 exhibitors attended the inaugural Leeds Digital Job Fair in February 2016, the first recruitment event ever to be held at the iconic city centre venue.
The gatherings have become progressively larger in scale and profile ever since with last year’s event attracting the maximum number of 50 employers including Sky Betting and Gaming, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, NHS Digital, DWP Digital, Sky and the Royal Air Force.
Sky in demand at Leeds Digital Job Fair 4.0
Exhibitor packages for Leeds Digital Job Fair 5.0 are now available, ranging from just £200 for start-up companies through to gold packages for major employers.
People wishing to explore the job opportunities on offer will again be able to register to attend free of charge.
Organised by Herd, the event will be sponsored by Leeds City Council, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Bruntwood SciTech and Fruition IT.
Herd founder Amy De-Balsi said she believed Leeds Digital Job Fair 5.0 is especially timely with Channel 4 having begun to recruit staff to work in its new national headquarters in the city.
Herd founder Amy De-Balsi at Leeds Digital Job Fair 4.0
Ms De-Balsi continued: “Leeds Digital Job Fair 5.0 is the ideal place for developers, analysts, digital marketers, designers, data scientists and those seeking a career change to meet the North’s leading tech employers face to face.
“There will also be a series of seminars led in partnership with Hey! events, CV clinics by Fruition IT and workshops led by well-known figures in digital.
“Channel 4 is already making its presence felt in the city and its recruitment drive has added impetus to the Leeds digital and tech sector which continues to blaze a trail.
“We are limited to 50 exhibitor slots. I encourage employers to sign up early and the team at Herd will endeavour to meet your needs.”
Cllr James Lewis, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Resource and Sustainability, said: “Leeds has a thriving and ever-growing digital and tech industry, and we are really looking forward to this year’s Digital Job Fair 5.0 opening at the First Direct Arena in October.
“This is a wonderful chance for anyone with an interest in pursuing a career in the digital and tech sector to find out more about the opportunities that are available with a range of leading and high-profile employers.”
Roger Marsh OBE, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and NP11, said: “We are delighted to sponsor the Leeds Digital Job Fair 2019 and be part of an event that highlights the vast range of digital roles, skills and businesses in Leeds City Region.
“With the region’s digital sector contributing 6.5 billion to the City Region economy and employing 102,000 people, digital and tech is both a major strength and growth opportunity.
“As a region we have strengths in digital creativity, corporate tech solutions, fintech, medtech, robotics and data analytics, and with the arrival of Channel 4 the opportunities for careers starters, changers and returners are greater than ever before.”
Phil Kemp, CEO, Bruntwood SciTech, said: “We are proud to support Leeds Digital Job Fair 5.0.
“The event has a well-established reputation for bringing the best digital and tech talent together under one roof, which is exactly aligned to what we’re doing with the creation of our tech cluster at Platform.
“It’s already home to more than 80 of the city’s most innovative digital and tech businesses and the Digital Jobs Fair will be crucial in helping us to attract more innovators to the city.
“Leeds City Region is developing the future economy around digital, meaning tech start-ups no longer have to go to London to flourish.
“Working with a broad range of partners from across the city including universities, professional service providers and corporate tech teams, we’re making rapid progress in helping to grow the tech community in Leeds.”
The RAF on display at Leeds Digital Job Fair 4.0
Sarah Pawson, Managing Director of Fruition IT, said: “As an organisation supporting the growth of Leeds’ thriving tech industry, we’re delighted to be supporting the Job Fair again this year as the exclusive recruitment partner.
“The arrival of new organisations and growth of existing ones is brilliant for the area, but with this comes increase demand for talent, in many areas with skills shortages.
“The Job Fair is one of many initiatives in our region that encourage people to explore and consider new opportunities, and we’ll be on hand to offering career advice and support to anyone considering a move into, or within the tech industry.”
Employers interested in exhibiting at Leeds Digital Job Fair 5.0 or individuals wanting to attend should visit www.herd.careers