Living And Working In Leeds

Leeds is situated in West Yorkshire and is the largest city in West Yorkshire, often being referred to as the unofficial capital of Yorkshire! The pretty River Aire runs through Leeds before flowing into the nearby River Ouse. The nearest airport is Leeds Bradford Airport which sees millions of passengers each year and a typical flight to London from here takes around an hour. By rail it takes about two and a half hours and you can easily drive the distance in as little as around four hours.

Leeds is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK and is highly respected as a multicultural and diverse city which has welcomed well over a hundred and fifty ethnic groups. Despite this, it is still fiercely proud of its unique northern heritage.

Once a tiny farming town, Leeds quickly became significantly larger and  much more  prosperous with a booming trade initially in wool with many mills and factories being built for the sole purpose of textiles. However, many talented craftsmen originated from Leeds and just some of these include clock makers, coach builders, carpenters, blacksmiths, brick makers and pottery makers. Later on as the industry for linens and textiles began to decline, it was replaced with a flourishing trade in leather, tailoring and manufacturing. At one point, there were well over a hundred collieries here and in the second world war, coal mining was still so important that men~called Bevin Boys~were being conscripted to the mines instead of active duty.

Fast forward to modern times and Leeds is thriving with recently increased employment levels. It has been forecast to witness huge and continuing economic growth over the coming years and has been recognised as one of the fastest growing cities within the UK. The city is one of the UK’s foremost centres for fast growing firms. Many major companies are based here and Leeds enjoys a good global reputation. Strong industries include finance, legal and professional, digital technology, healthcare, creative, innovation, construction, manufacturing and engineering. The city has witnessed a 48% growth in its digital sector in recent years which makes it one of  the fastest growing tech regions in the UK. Retail and hospitality are also highlighted as the city is a tourism hotspot, seeing millions of visitors per annum.

Several billion pounds have been invested in development projects with even more developments ongoing and being carefully planned out.

With much of the impressive architecture of Leeds being of the Victorian era, there are some extremely interesting stories behind the buildings themselves and you would be forgiven for easily becoming lost in the history of the city. With so much to see and do, it would be impossible to list them all but there is an endless list of museums and galleries, historic buildings and an adventure awaits around every corner. Having gained a reputation as ‘foodie capital of the north’, this is definitely a city where the choice of food experiences surpasses your expectations. With regards to shopping, it is an experience which can be described as a shoppers paradise…times ten!

Popular with both international and local students, you can choose to study at some of the most well regarded and highly ranked universities such as the University of Leeds, the Leeds Beckett University, Leeds Arts University and Leeds Trinity University.

Leeds is currently considered to be one of the wisest and most promising choices when it comes to property investments. There's a strong demand for homes, yet there is always a varied assortment of wonderful properties from prestigious mill conversions that retain some original features to modern, spacious apartments and everything in between. The good news is that prices are substantially lower than many other cities within the UK and you can get a great deal for your money.

Despite being a major city, it is a stones throw from the tranquillity and breathtaking beauty of  the towns and villages that are scattered around the outskirts of Leeds such as the stunning area known as Bronte Country.

The popular city of Leeds offers a great quality of life with plenty of opportunities for both professional and personal growth set in a beautiful location. It offers a vibrant social and cultural scene for all ages and is an all round great place in which to live, work, run a business or study.

The next event being hosted by the UK Careers Fair is on March 14th between 10am - 2pm. The venue is Aspire, LS1 2JP, which is the city’s award winning premier events venue. The building, which has been honoured with a blue heritage plaque, is rich in historic interest and retains many architectural features while having undergone extensive modernisation.