Birmingham
Birmingham is the heartbeat of the Midlands. With an estimated population of 1,137,100 (2017), Birmingham is Britain's second-largest city. Once famed for it's engineering trade and innovation; 'the city of 1000 trades' is now home to a diverse economy of service industries, retailing and tourism.
Birmingham is rich in culture. From the Balti Triangle to St Paul's Square, the Birmingham Royal Ballet to the o2 Academy; every weekend welcomes events and festivals that celebrate the best of Birmingham's creative arts, food, sport and heritage. Home to five universities and boasting more canals than Venice, Birmingham has grown to be an energetic hub of retail, transport, conference and exposition.
The Birmingham job market is flourishing. In addition to Birmingham being selected to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022, new data from jobsite 'Monster' shows that outside of London, Birmingham is the best city in the UK to develop a career within the digital industry.
Birmingham's appetite for progression is boundless. The city has been championing innovation since the Industrial Revolution. Today, Birmingham focuses mighty research and resources on developing the next generation of everything from greener transport to genetics, from regeneration to faster broadband speeds.
Reading
Whether you are a sports fan, love a good comedy club or just want a night out with friends, Reading has something for you.
There's great shopping at the Oracle, plenty of green spaces to relax in and a huge range of cuisine from around the world.
Reading is packed with a range of pubs, bars and clubs, so you can have a drink with your friends, watch an open mic night or hit the dance floor. Reading Festival is one of the best-known music festivals in the UK, with over 87,000 fans flocking to see some of the biggest names in music.
You can also experience the thrill of a live football or rugby match at the Madejski Stadium, which is close to the town centre. The venue, which seats over 24,000 people, is home to Reading FC and London Irish Rugby Club.
It is ranked the UK's top economic area for economic succuss and wellbeing, according to factors such as employment, health, income and skills.
There are excellent transport links to London so getting there is easy and simple.
