Recruitment and skills have been identified as the biggest priorities facing the burgeoning tech sector in Leeds.
More than 10,000 people are now employed in the city’s digital sector but more than half of the firms in the region say they’ve experienced recruitment difficulties.
On October 2, BusinessCloud will join forces with leading property company Bruntwood for our breakfast event – ‘How Leeds can win the tech race’ – and will hear from some of the leading lights in the city’s digital industry.
Speaking ahead of the event two of the panellists have shared their thoughts on skills and recruitment.
Laura Harper, partner in law firm Shoosmiths, said: “Leeds is a talent-led market and as such, whilst a company’s culture and the opportunity to work on cutting edge projects will help to attract the brightest and best tech talent, in order to retain this highly mobile work force companies should, where possible, adopt creative ways of incentivising staff.
“This could be achieved through a combination of traditional incentives such as tax efficient employee share schemes and options to progressive benefit packages which support a work/life balance.”
Eve Roodhouse, chief officer of economic development at Leeds City Council said the city wasn’t immune to the national skills shortage.
“One of the common challenges for the entire tech sector is skills and Leeds is no exception, with companies describing the need to invest heavily in graduates, apprentices and existing staff to stay on top,” she said.