West Midlands set for 1,000 new tech jobs

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Five companies have announced plans to create a combined 1,000 tech jobs across the West Midlands over the next three years in a boost for the region’s technology sector.

The new jobs were announced during an event hosted by the West Midlands Growth Company during Birmingham Tech Week.

Digital transformation partner Version 1 said it will create 500 jobs in Birmingham alongside the opening of a tech hub in the city centre next year.

It will also launch two new academies in Birmingham to upskill individuals with tech knowledge.

Novocomms Group, a wireless communication company, said it will create 300 jobs in Birmingham over the next three years to support the launch of a smart city services provider.

Meanwhile, electric vehicle charging company Petalite plans to add 100 engineering and business operation roles to its Birmingham team by 2026, following the completion of a Series A funding round at the end of the year.

The wave of new jobs reflects the West Midlands’ growing international recognition.

Aubay Group, a French-owned IT management company, said it’s planning to expand its team in Solihull by 100 people.

And Singapore-based regtech company Primacy said it’s creating up to 30 new jobs over the next two years through a partnership with the University of Birmingham to develop an ESG Centre of Excellence. It follows Primacy’s expansion to Birmingham last year.

Last year, the West Midlands tech sector was valued at £15.3bn and employed 144,000 people.

A report published this week by trade association techUK ranked the West Midlands as having the fifth-highest digital gross value added (GVA) across the UK, and the fourth has the fourth-strongest regional digital ecosystem overall.

The new jobs are the latest boost for Birmingham’s tech ecosystem, with TechWM, a not-for-profit startup advocacy group, this week unveiling £1m in support for scaling initiatives.