Coding specialist marks official launch of new campus

Northcoders – the coding bootcamp for the North – has officially opened its new Manchester campus, at Manchester Technology Centre, on Oxford Road.

It welcomed Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, along with more than 100 other supporters to the official launch party of its new space.

Guests included companies who are Northcoders’ hiring partners, previous students and friends from the Northern tech and wider business communities, including representatives from many of the region’s leading firms such as AJ Bell, Arup, Bruntwood, Foot Asylum, GMCA, Infinity Works, Think Money and Spare Room.

While it was a celebration of Northcoders’ growth, the party also focused on how more people from diverse backgrounds should be encouraged to pursue tech roles in the North, and included inspirational speeches from Bruntwood SciTech’s Tom Renn, Jo Morfee – co-founder of InnovateHer – as well as Andy Burnham.

Andy said: “I really do love Northcoders. They’re an ‘all people’ business.

“They have embraced the idea that our strength is our diversity.

“Companies in Greater Manchester have that wider conscience about being there for everyone and Northcoders really embodies that.

“In some ways, Northcoders corrects the failings of the system and are proof that we have got a talent pipeline into the growing digital and tech sector.”

The new 10,000 sq ft campus is now home to Northcoders’ 30-plus strong teaching, partnership, marketing and senior leadership teams and can accommodate 100 students at any one time.

Bruntwood’s Manchester Technology Centre, which is part of Manchester Science Park, sits at the heart of the city’s Innovation District, the Oxford Road Corridor, and the Circle Square neighbourhood.

Since its inaugural course in 2015, Northcoders has helped more than 500 people switch careers into tech, with average starting salaries of £25,000. As well as the Manchester campus, Northcoders also has a site at tech hub Platform in Leeds.

Over the past year it was selected as one of the country’s brightest tech stars in Creative England’s CE50 list and was named Business of the Year at the 15th Annual Chamber Business Awards.

It has also launched scholarship schemes and a deferred payment programme aimed at women and gender minorities, as well as those who identify as BAME or LGBTQ+, have a disability or have had limited access to education, to help address diversity in tech.

The firm was also recently appointed by leading holiday company, On the Beach, to be its academy training partner.

Northcoders chief executive, Chris Hill, said: “The launch party was fantastic, and it was great to celebrate with everyone who came along.

“The company has grown massively over the past couple of years and moving to Manchester Technology Centre is a big step for the business.

“However, opening up opportunities in the tech industry for as many different types of people as possible is still at the very heart of what we do. That clear focus and direction won’t change as making a real difference is what drives us every single day.”