Living in a UK tech town does not require you to be an IT professional. CompTIA’s UK Business Technology Community has two members who share their experiences in how they have made it in the tech sector in top UK Tech Cities Manchester and Birmingham. As with many other industries, it’s clear that technology jobs have changed in the past year. Many employees now work remotely. However, if anyone can do a tech job from anywhere, does it still matter where they live? CompTIA’s UK Business Technology Community members who reside in two cities that ranked near the top of the 2nd Annual UK Tech Town Index say it does. Mike Brooman, Vanti CEO, lives in Birmingham, which is the No. Robert Gibbons, CARA Technology’s business development manager, is a resident of Manchester, Tech Town number 2. Kelly Stone, senior director for global social media at CompTIA joined them to discuss why they love living and how it has benefited their careers in technology. Brooman and Gibbons also discuss how being located in a Tech Town isn’t just about career opportunities in technology–businesses can benefit too. Listen to their advice about tech recruitment and retention, and whether or not it is worth considering moving to a Tech Town for a career in IT. CompTIA’s 2nd Annual UK Tech Town Index examines employment opportunities, livability factors, and opportunity costs to rank the top 10 places for IT professionals to live and work in 2020. The factors included the number of IT job postings locally, projected job growth, and the reported cost of living within travel to work areas (TTWAs), were all evaluated. To see the top 10 UK Tech Towns, download the report.
