Digi festival ‘will support city businesses’

THE annual Digital Skills Festival, the only event of its kind in the North, returns to Manchester soon.

Organised by digital trade association Manchester Digital, the event will run four days from February 9 to 12 in various locations across the city centre.

It aims to support digital professionals and businesses, as well as emerging talent, to help the industry grow and close a widening skills gap.

Katie Gallagher, managing director at Manchester Digital, said: “The North West digital industry has the potential to be a hub for tech excellence in Europe.

“However, we currently don’t have enough skilled professionals to manage the workload, which is hampering the industry’s growth. Recruitment is notoriously difficult, and the Digital Skills Festival is key in addressing these issues.  

“Our skills audit reveals factors each year that influences our agenda for the year to come. And in order to give the industry the boost it needs, we have to get together to discuss what is hindering it and come up with viable solutions.

“The Digital Skills Festival is a major platform for this, and in particular with the emergence of new initiatives such as Tech North and the Northern Powerhouse, now is the time to be active.”