As we gear up for Digital City Festival to return to Manchester next week, we can confirm Access Industry is on board as an education partner.
Access Industry will be appearing at Digital Leaders Summit & Reception, the first event to kick off the festival on 15 April at Bruntwood SciTech‘s No.1 Circle Square, where we will bring together leaders, businesses and figures from both the public and private sectors to address the challenges and opportunities for digital growth in the North.
Jason Beaumont, Chief Executive at Access Industry said: “Events and Marketing apprenticeships are a key part of our offer at Access Industry. Working with Prolific North, a renowned industry practitioner, helps us build deeper relationships that directly benefit our learners.
“This partnership gives learners access to rich networks and professional knowledge that set them up for future success, and allows us to boost the wider North of England region, as we work together to fill skills gaps.”
From delving into access to investment and funding in the North, addressing the talent pipeline and exploring growth and innovation across the region, you can expect a jam-packed day full of insights and opportunities to connect across Digital Leaders Summit and Reception.
We’ll be opening the event with This is the place: Greater Manchester doing digital differently, a panel discussion on the region’s journey to becoming a world-leading digital city region and how critical digital is to the North’s growth.
Expect to hear from Phil Swan, Director of Digital – Greater Manchester Combined Authority; Liz Scott MBE, Director at Turing Innovation Catalyst; Carl Jones, Chief Strategy Officer at Cloud Imperium Games; and Jess Jackson, Investment Manager at Praetura Ventures.
Phil Swan, Director of Digital at GMCA, said: “We’re proud to partner with Digital City Festival, a week packed with inspiring talks sharing innovation in digital and tech across the North, not forgetting some great opportunities for further collaboration. We’re looking forward to showcasing how Greater Manchester is continuing to do digital differently, with an ongoing commitment to being open, innovative, and connective.”
Interested in creating real business value from AI? Join Dr Alastair Gill, Principal Data Scientist at GFT and Heather Statham, Principal Consultant at GFT who will go beyond the hype and the proof of concept.
We’ll be exploring what Manchester’s start-up ecosystem and how we invest and fund its success during a panel session with George Mensah, VC Investor at Valley Ventures; David Levine, Principal of Manchester Angels; Katie Gallagher OBE, Managing Director of Manchester Digital; and Angela Harrington, Director of Inclusive Economy at Manchester City Council.
There will be a dedicated talk on strengthening our digital talent pipeline, where you can expect to hear from Jason Beaumont, Chief Executive at Access Industry and more.
To wrap up the day, we’ll be uncovering How we keep digital cities safe? during a panel discussion with Sameena Khan, Director Partnerships and Community at IN4 Group; Matthew Squire, CTO of Fuzzy Labs; and Emma Green, Managing Partner at Cyber Data Law Solicitors.
Access Industry will also be hosting a panel on access to talent at Made in the North Summit & Exhibition the following day on 16 April. This event will unite the North’s powerhouse of media, production and broadcast sectors.
On partnering with Digital City Festival and future events, Jackson Armstrong, Director of Business Development at Access Industry, said: “Proud to be part of a partnership with an organisation such as Prolific North, support skills development in the North and the organiations that end up being future employers for our learners. It’s incredibly exciting for us and allows us to tap into their local knowledge and expertise to rapidly grow our offer in one of the most important regions in the country. This collaboration will help us to continue to deliver a programme that is up to date and industry relevant, both locally and nationally.”
With plenty of exciting events taking place across Digital City Festival week from 15 – 19 April, check out everything happening here and don’t forget to book your tickets!
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