Stage is set at Leeds's First Direct Arena for digital jobs event

We're going to be bigger and better than ever '“ that was the message today as the countdown began to the next Leeds Digital Job Fair.
Amy De-Balsi at April's Leeds Digital Job Fair.Amy De-Balsi at April's Leeds Digital Job Fair.
Amy De-Balsi at April's Leeds Digital Job Fair.

Taking place for the fourth time, the fair is being held next year at the city’s flagship First Direct Arena venue on Wednesday, February 28.

It is again being organised by Amy De-Balsi, owner of online digital and tech jobs board Herd, with support from Leeds Business Improvement District (LeedsBID), Leeds City Council, Leeds Beckett University and the arena.

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The event will run later in the day than it has in the past to make attendance easier for people in full-time education as well as existing tech professionals with work commitments.

It has also been announced that, to ensure each fair attracts the best possible line-up of exhibitors, it will now be held annually rather than twice a year.

And Amy and her team are confident the changes will help the event retain its reputation as the North’s premier recruitment day for developers, analysts, digital marketers, designers and data scientists.

She said: “We’re particularly excited about Leeds Digital Job Fair 4.0 which is going to be on a different level to the first three events, which were themselves massively successful.

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“We have 50 exhibitor spaces available and these are already filling up fast. More than 500 career opportunities were on offer at the last fair and this number will certainly be eclipsed.

“Having listened to exhibitors and attendees, Leeds Digital Job Fair 4.0 will run from 3.30pm to 7.30pm to make it easier for tech professionals and students with study commitments to make it along.

“And we have decided to move to an annual cycle so employers can better plan ahead and enable more of their senior managers to meet with potential recruits.”

The last fair was held at the arena in April, when Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance and LexisNexis were among the companies giving it rave reviews.

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LeedsBID chief executive Andrew Cooper said: “Leeds is a city at the forefront of the skills agenda in the tech, creative and digital sectors and the growing success of the Leeds Digital Job Fair is reflective of that positioning.”

Coun James Lewis, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for resources and strategy, said: “Digital jobs are a big part of the future of Leeds and I want to dispel the myth that this is just about young people with university degrees. 

“There will be hundreds of opportunities available at the Leeds Digital Job Fair and I would encourage anyone with an interest in technology to go along to see if there is something for them.

“Whether you are looking for your first step into digital and tech, or the next rung on your career ladder, this is the place to find that job.”

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First Direct Arena general manager Jennifer Mitchell said: “The event has grown from strength to strength and it has been exciting seeing it evolve into one of the best careers events in the region.”

Employers interested in exhibiting at the Leeds Digital Job Fair 4.0 are asked to e-mail [email protected].

Individuals wanting more details about the event should visit www.herd.careers.

The Yorkshire Evening Post runs a regular Digital City column in partnership with Sky Betting & Gaming.

The platform aims to highlight the giant strides being made by a sector that boasts around 3,000 organisations in Leeds.