Guide to working in Manchester
Manchester is located in the North West of England and is considered as the second largest city in England, after London. Manchester is rich in history, has a multicultural population and a vibrant atmosphere. All of these contribute to Manchester being one of the most liveable cities in the country. It may be drizzly in Manchester, a lot of the time, and as with living in the any city you may presume that it’s not that big on greenery, but Manchester has a lot to offer career wise. If you are thinking about moving, then here is everything you need to know about living and working in Manchester.
Working in Manchester
Greater Manchester has the second fastest growing economy in England behind London and generates around £56 billion gross value added (GVA) each year. Manchester has become one of the biggest hubs for employment and investment with some big-name companies moving more towards the north for opportunities. Manchester is home to a number of big organisations in several sectors such as Media, Science, Finance, manufacturing and more.
Manchester is attracting exciting new business ventures and has one of the fastest growing job rates in the country. You can find the likes of the BBC, ITV, Google, Kelloggs, PG Tips, Thomas Cook Airlines, Auto Trader, Adidas and more in Manchester. One sector that has started to emerge more in Manchester is the technology industry. The tech sector alone boosts 100,000 employees with the Manchester Science Park now housing 150 science and tech companies.
Living in Manchester
The cost of living in Manchester is considerably cheaper than the likes of London. Research shows that living in Manchester is 30% cheaper than living in London, so if you are looking to save some money, then it’s a great place to be. Accommodation prices are under £1000 a month for a relatively decent sized property. Utility bills will cost around £100 a month, a basic lunchtime meal is £9, basic dinner out for 2 is roughly £30 and in a more expensive restaurant around £50.
There are a number of ways to get around in Manchester, including trains, buses, trams and of course taxis. Due to congested roadways, many people in Manchester use a bike as a type of transport as well. Therefore, if you find somewhere to live which is close to your workplace then cycling should definitely be an option for you. A monthly public transport ticket will cost around £60 – sometimes your company will offer to pay for travel if you live quite far away from the workplace. A taxi will cost around £12 and if you own a car, then a litre of petrol will cost £1.30.
IT jobs and skills in Manchester
The IT industry in Manchester has become very valuable over the years and is adding to the economy. The culture of the city has had an impact on the development of the media sector and has some of the largest digital clusters in the UK. Therefore, this provides a lot of opportunities for those looking to enter the tech industry to come and work in Manchester.
Due to the large skill shortage in the tech industry in the UK, Manchester has the facilities to accommodate those who are looking to change careers or start a career in tech. Some of the in-demand IT skills in Manchester are Project Management, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Mobile Developer and Cyber Security.