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Manchester's 2013 digital summit set to begin with jobs-boosting TalentDay

By Angela Haggerty, Reporter

February 19, 2013 | 4 min read

Manchester's 2012 digital skills summit is set to take place on 20-21 February, opening the door to those looking for a foot into the Manchester digital media job market.

The summit is a must-attend digital industry event

TalentDay will take place on 20 February and is expected to attract somewhere in the region of 1,500 students looking for a job in the digital media market. The second day of the summit hosts the digital skills conference, addressing issues affecting industry and developing future strategies.

Tony Foggett, chair of trade association Manchester Digital, which runs the summit, said: "From a student’s point of view our TalentDay is a huge opportunity for them to make invaluable introductions and connections before they finish their courses in the spring. It helps to open students' eyes to the breadth of employment open to them, especially as many Manchester Digital members are SMEs who don’t have the same budgets as large blue chips when it comes to advertising for talent.

“In addition to networking, TalentDay also offers a chance to learn – from advice on how to find a job and employment surgeries to top tips on how recruiters recruit.”

The event will bring together more than 150 creative, digital and IT businesses and is one of the biggest events in the north west digital calendar. It also involves schools, colleges, universities and policymakers, providing an opportunity for educators and employers to share information relevant to training potential digital recruits with the skills the industry is looking for.

“The event is vital in helping to encourage employers to invest in up and coming talent, get a better understanding of schemes available to them – from funding to apprenticeship schemes - and to take a longer term view so that all parties benefit," Foggett continued.

In Greater Manchester, five per cent of the workforce is within the digital job industry, while 40,000 new jobs are forecast by 2015 as the city moves forward with a long-term plan to establish Manchester as a key area on the global digital map by 2020.

“The summit itself is about bringing together educational and business communities to increase real-time understanding from both sides and nurturing relationships," added Foggett.

“Through collaboration on this scale, there is a huge opportunity for the industry to influence educational establishments so that they are better able to adapt to our fast-changing sector and ever evolving needs. Developing a coherent list of needs, decisions can be made that will have a long-lasting impact."

The summit will also reveal the results of Manchester Digital's skills survey, collated from digital businesses across the north west. The event is being held in Manchester Town Hall, from 11.30am - 4.30pm on February 20, and 1pm - 6pm on February 21.

You can view Manchester digital job opportunities on The Drum's job pages

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