Birmingham is the second largest city in the UK. It’s also the youngest city in Europe with also most 40% of the population aged under 25. You can get to 90 percent of the UK from Birmingham in under four hours.
It is home to HS2 headquarters and has the largest regional financial and professional services hub in the UK.
A computer games workforce is also growing as well as start-up hubs providing support for new businesses and social enterprises.
Brindleyplace, Centenary Square & Paradise redevelopment
Brindleyplace, a walkable distance from Birmingham New Street, Moor Street and Snowhill stations, houses a variety of business, professional and financial services, with some of the biggest banks. Businesses in this area include:
- Deutsche Bank
- Lloyds Banking Group
- NatWest
- PwC
- HSBC
- The Goldman Sachs Group (New Office)
Alpha Tower - A multi-office space formally the location of ATV, which now houses a variety of companies such as Entec Si (IT consultants), Click Travel (corporate travel management), Glide (utilities), Marks and Clerk (legal), Kainos (technology) and co-working space Alpha Works where start-ups and project teams can grow into established businesses.
Colmore Business District
The Colmore Business District near Snowhill train station is the heart of Birmingham’s business, professional and financial services sector. Being in close proximity to the Birmingham Crown Courts, many legal firms and chambers are based in this area e.g.:
- Anthony Collins Solicitors
- Cornwall Street Chambers
- Linklaters
- Irwin Mitchell
- Pinsent Masons
Consultancy organisations include KPMG, housing their largest office outside of London at One Snow Hill, amongst other medium and smaller size firms, catering for a variety of businesses across Birmingham and the West Midlands. Wesleyan, a financial consultancy firm, is nearby and housed in their iconic building on the Colmore Circus.
Digbeth
Also known as the Creative Quarter, Digbeth is a hub of expression and experimentation. Once being an important part of Birmingham’s industrial era, and the home to Bird’s Custard factory, Digbeth has been transformed by a 25 year project concluding in 2017 into a new home for Digital and Creative sector agencies in media, publishing, marketing, design and more.
Many charities and social enterprises also based themselves in Digbeth, working towards social good projects. The Birmingham Voluntary Service Council (BVSC) in Digbeth is also a good source of information for those interested in volunteering or working for the third sector in the future. I-Se is a third sector support organisation that offers free online support for anyone interested in starting a social business – including students! Interns are often wanted here to assist with events and marketing.
Jewellery Quarter
The Jewellery Quarter is historically Europe’s centre for the jewellery trade and home to one of four Assay Offices in the UK, ensuring the quality of the products from this distract and further afield.
The Newhall Street site has been converted into a multi-office space and creative hub for new businesses including Green Room Design (creative agency), Bluetel Solutions (technology agency), Central RSA Academies Trust (education), Emerald Technology (recruitment).
The quarter is also gaining a reputation for its growing number of Technology and Digital sector companies and hosting a number of events by technology community, Silicon Canal.
One of the largest food and drink leaders in the UK, Mitchell and Butlers is also based in the Jewellery Quarter, close to heritage attraction Coffin Works. The site of Coffin Works doubles as office space for marketing agencies, heritage, and charity organisations.
City Centre, Edgbaston and Bartley Green
Within the education sector, the University of Birmingham, Aston University, Birmingham City University, Newman University and University College Birmingham are located across the City along with primary and secondary schools, employing graduates into both teaching and non-teaching roles.
For professional services and management roles, University of Birmingham runs its own graduate training scheme.
Edgbaston is also the centre of Birmingham’s life sciences sector, with the Edgbaston Medical Quarter covering Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, BioHub just outside of campus and the Medical School.
With Birmingham already being a leader in clinical trials and medical research, the Birmingham Life Sciences Park is currently under construction on the Battery Park site in Selly Oak, looking to open in 2022 to become a hub for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and researchers.
A short train ride away from Stratford-Upon-Avon, home to the Royal Shakespeare Company for opportunities in the Arts.