Manchester is facing a growing tech skills shortage crisis - despite recently having been named the sector's fastest-growing city in the whole of Europe.
The city was also recently listed as one of the best in the world to start and scale a fintech firm, with investment increasing by 277% in the past year.
But according to Alex Bright, founder of PACC, a candidate profiling and cultural compatibility consultancy, the city's tech sector is in a perilous position.
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He said: “The demand for developers and programmers is unprecedented. There are a number of reasons.
"The pandemic led many companies to pivot to online trading. Many new e-tailing businesses have emerged, and the sector is awash with funding and investment, which has contributed to the skills shortage as companies grow.”
Although Mr Bright welcomed the many central and local government initiatives aimed at addressing the skills gap, he said companies need to find more immediate solutions.
He added: “The most successful companies we work with are prepared to appoint workers from outside the region and often from overseas. The days of just recruiting from your immediate catchment are gone forever.
"There is a global pool of talent available to local companies, provided they are prepared to embrace remote working.”
Mr Bright said the crisis could be cut short if companies stopped insisting on recruits having years of experience and began to "see the merits" of appointing younger people and graduates to roles.
He added: “The prerequisite of a great developer is that they stay abreast of new technology. Graduates are generally far more up to date with the latest developments.
"They learn quickly and devise fresh ways of doing things.
"Managed correctly, they can deliver significant returns. Once you’ve appointed someone, the golden egg is keeping them engaged so they stay motivated and happy.
"We recently conducted research among developers to find out what they look for in an employer. These insights have proved invaluable as we help our clients identify suitable candidates.”
