With the support of Invest Newcastle and £1m from the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Ireland-founded digital transformation and technology provider Version 1 is bringing two hundred new jobs to Newcastle and setting up a base in the region.
The announcement is the second big tech jobs boost for the city in the first few weeks of 2022 and follows several big announcements last year. It reflects the confidence investors across the globe have in the region’s burgeoning tech sector–one of the fastest growing in the UK.
Since first engaging with Version 1, Invest Newcastle who are part of NewcastleGateshead Initiative has helped the company to benchmark Newcastle against other locations, highlighting the region’s technology sector strengths and supported them through the grant process with North of Tyne Combined Authority (NTCA) which helped them get the full £1m. In addition, Invest Newcastle has hosted visits and provided introductions to key stakeholders within the business community.
Invest Newcastle has been working to bring Version 1 to the region and Sam Cassidy, Inward Investment Manager said:
“We first spoke with Version 1 in September of last year and it was exciting to hear, after seeing the fast growth of our technology sector, they had Newcastle on their radar as an option for their planned expansion and job creation. Their city centre base will benefit from our growing ecosystem and access to our networks including universities, colleges, and national centres for excellence. We’re working with them as they grow their base here.”
Version 1 has seen significant growth in recent years and added to its global customer base, particularly in the UK market, where they have enjoyed a huge surge in demand, serving a wide range of public and private sector clients. Version 1 is currently working with NTCA to bring its highly successful Accelerate Academy model to the North East, investing in building the skills base in the region. Accelerate Academy candidates come from all educational and professional backgrounds inside and outside of tech, which will offer an opportunity to upskill in lucrative technology and digital qualifications. From sound engineers to solicitors, the Accelerate Academies ran across 2021 by Version 1 offered 100% of its attendees’ full-time tech roles with Version 1.
In committing to creating these highly skilled jobs, they will receive £1m from NTCA’s Inward Investment Fund, designed to help attract strategic investments such as this one.
North of Tyne Mayor, Jamie Driscoll said:
“This is yet another fantastic company moving to the region. When I met with Version 1, I was impressed by their commitment to their people. They join our growing tech and digital sector, providing good jobs that will sustain people throughout their career. Along with Invest Newcastle, we are making a difference.”
Louise Lahiff, Director of Strategy, Planning and People at Version 1 added:
“Newcastle has a flourishing tech scene and one of the fastest growing tech clusters in the UK – and Version 1 is one of the fastest growing employers in Europe. We’re so excited to speak to people who are looking to work on Tyneside for a progressive employer with unparalleled opportunities for career development, mentoring and upskilling.
“Being part of our Newcastle upon Tyne adventure offers the chance to be part of an innovative company and have an immediate impact at a new tech hub without glass ceilings. From engaging specialist technology professionals to upskilling students nearing graduation, Version 1 is committed to creating 200 new roles in Newcastle over the next two years.”
The initial phase of the project will focus on recruiting people with in -demand technical skills to support Version 1’s current business needs including mid to senior level people including Java Developer, Performance Tester, Senior Front-end Engineer and Recruitment Marketing Specialist. A full list of the roles currently available can be found at www.version1.com/careers/
The Leader of Newcastle City Council, Nick Forbes welcomed the Version 1 announcement:
“This is just the latest jobs announcement for the city which is obviously great news as we seek to quickly recover from the pandemic. We are becoming the natural home for digital and tech companies, and I’m delighted to welcome Version 1 to Newcastle.
“Their commitment to invest, and create 200 quality jobs, is testament to our city’s reputation as a leading tech location and reflects the continuing confidence tech businesses worldwide have in our region.”