With the highest salaries, an internationally recognised financial hub and a wealth of job opportunities, it’s understandable why many would assume London is the best place to land an IT job.

But is it?

According to a recent report released by the government think-tank Centre for Cities, one in three young people in the UK abandon their hometowns in favour of the bright lights of London. When you consider the prolific number of people battling for the jobs market in London, candidates would likely have a greater chance of securing their ideal IT job elsewhere.

The North West, perhaps?

From the prosperous city of Manchester, which has a huge IT presence, to the lively former culture capital of Liverpool, which also enjoys sound growth within the information technology sector, and the lesser known towns of Cheshire and Merseyside also offering strong prospects, the North West of England is quite simply a hub for those seeking to seal an IT job.

Manchester

Manchester is one of the UK’s principal cities. A city built by the Industrial Revolution, Manchester is often regarded as the first industrialised city. In terms of computing, Manchester has always been at the forefront.

For example, in 1948 an incredible experiment took place at the University of Manchester. A computer-stored and ran a program for the first time anywhere in the world. It was nicknamed the ‘Baby’ and was the forerunner of the computing world we know and love today. Within a year of the birth of the ‘Baby’, Manchester’s computer scene had begun and has never looked back.

As well as being home to the Manchester Science Park, which houses more than 150 tech and science companies, Manchester is one of the UK’s leading cities for tech startups, from startups offering online marketing platforms for event promoters to companies creating adapters for micro SD cards that fit inside a MacBook, Manchester’s burgeoning tech company scene offers a wealth of opportunity for IT graduates.

Liverpool

With lower salaries to pay, less to fork out in office rent and a vast portfolio of talented students graduating from the region’s top universities, it is hardly surprising that many IT companies are either relocating or starting up in Liverpool and its surroundings.

For example, in 2013, Michael Fertik, founder of Reputation.com, opened his company’s UK base in Liverpool. According to Mr Fertik, with the government promoting East London’s Tech City as the international leader for digital innovation, he could have been forgiven for following the global herd and opening a UK base in London.

The entrepreneur, however, insists that would not have been an entrepreneurial solution. Instead, Mr Fertik endeavoured to find a regional city with a strong technology sector and a big talent pool.

That city was Liverpool.

‘Pockets of Power’

Designed for graduates in the North West wanting to stay in the area, the Liverpool Daily Post teamed up with the Manchester Evening News and created a guide titled the ‘North West Top 200: The Biggest and the Best Companies in the Region.’

This informative guide highlights the different ‘pockets of power’ around the North West. For example, the authors deem Chester vital in financial services, while Warrington has a particularly strong presence in the industrial estate industry.

IT companies frequently crop up in the guide, a testament to the thriving information technology scene the region affords. With such innovative and vibrant IT companies moving to Liverpool and the North West in general, the region offers many opportunities for IT graduates.

For all the best IT jobs in the North West, contact Adria Solutions, IT recruitment specialists in the North West.