ABOUT
BIRMINGHAM
Birmingham is a major city in England’s West Midlands region, with multiple landmarks that speak to its 18th-century history as a manufacturing powerhouse. It’s also home to a network of canals, many of which radiate from Sherborne Wharf and are now lined with trendy cafes and bars. In the city centre, the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is known for pre-Raphaelite masterpieces.
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Outside of London, Birmingham is the UK's second largest market for doing business, with a thriving manufacturing industry and growing service and tourism sector. The much publicised HS2 rail project, which will unite the area with London, is likely to stimulate further investment, making the city one of the most commercially attractive cities in Europe. Significant investment from home and abroad makes Birmingham a European hub for international business. The city is regarded as the 18th best city in Europe in which to locate a business, providing access to over 100,000 graduates, with competitive advantage in areas like automotive and aerospace research.
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Over a quarter of the UK's skilled advanced engineering workers are located in the city, with particular areas of engineering expertise including electromechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electronic and electrical components. With access to five Universities and another 15 within an hour's commute, the city is supplied with a steady stream of bright and skilled engineering graduates.
A thriving culture for engineering research is driven primarily by The University of Birmingham, Aston University's Photonics Research & Consultancy and Warwick's National Automotive Innovation Campus. Following the decline of the manufacturing sector in the 1970s, Birmingham has since diversified, building further capabilities in professional services, retailing and tourism.
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