ITV has announced that it will collaborate with leading employers in the North West to grow and diversify the pool of technology talent in the region.
The coalition of employers is made up of leading businesses operating in the North West including ANS, Arup, Cloud Co Solutions, GCHQ, ITV, Microsoft, PwC, Talk Talk, and the University of Salford.
ITV is the UK’s biggest commercial TV network, making programmes for audiences across the UK. It spends more out of London than any other commercial broadcaster and is proud to have deep roots in the nations and regions. Around 43 per cent of ITV’s staff are based in 34 hubs outside of London.
The consortium of companies, including ITV, will invite 16-18 year olds into their offices to explore what a job in technology has to offer. Students are not required to have a background in technology, instead they will enjoy sessions with business leaders showcasing career opportunities in this field.
From the transformation of ITV’s internal systems to how the broadcaster makes programmes and delivers content to viewers, digital transformation and innovation is at the heart of ITV’s future.
This includes the forthcoming launch of ITVX, a complete re-imagining of its existing catch-up and streaming service ITV Hub. The new ITVX will offer viewers a choice of over 9,000 hours of the freshest new series, documentaries, cult classics and blockbuster films.
ITV has over 650 talented people working in technology, product and data. Tech and product roles within its streaming division have increased by 50 per cent since 2020 to conceive, build and deliver ITVX later this year. In the last two years alone the number of data roles at ITV has doubled, with recent recruitment drives increasing female diversity to 52 per cent and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic diversity to 33 per cent across all levels.
Mark Smith, group CIO at ITV, said: “We’re thrilled to be a part of this exciting initiative. It’s really important to allow young people to see the variety of roles on offer in technology and data, as we foster the next generation of talent. At ITV, we believe talking about digital should be easy and a part of everyday conversation. We want digital to be something that everyone at ITV is involved in.”
