Recruitment and skills have been identified as the most significant priorities facing the burgeoning tech sector in Leeds. More than 10,000 people are now employed in the city’s digital sector, yet more than half of the firms in the region report experiencing recruitment difficulties.
On October 2, a breakfast event titled ‘How Leeds can win the tech race’ will take place. The event will feature some of the leading figures in the city’s digital industry, who will discuss skills and recruitment challenges.
Laura Harper, a partner in a law firm, highlighted that Leeds is a talent-driven market. She stated, “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 workforce 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, the chief officer of economic development at Leeds City Council, acknowledged that the city is not immune to the national skills shortage. She remarked, “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.”
The tech sector in Leeds faces significant recruitment challenges, with industry leaders stressing the importance of investment in skills development, innovative retention strategies, and adaptive benefit packages to address the shortage.