Digital Union’s Membership Figures Double Since May

The Region’s largest network for creative digital businesses has seen its membership figures soar as it looks to cement its position as the North East’s leading business support platform for all things digital.

The organisation, powered by Generator – who took over the Digital Union reigns last year –  has seen membership increase to 80 members in just four months and has begun work on large-scale collaborative projects with its members to ensure that the creative digital & tech community in the region continues to punch above its weight and succeed on the international stage.

Digital Union’s Network Manager, Rachel Peacock, has confirmed that Newcastle’s software firm Bede Gaming, IT Skills testing company Technically Compatible, HR support business HR Dept, Newcastle plus brand agencies, TheTin and Altogether have all recently come on board as supporters of the organisation.

It has also been announced that Newcastle and Gateshead Colleges are new members of the Union in its bid to bridge the skills gap in the North East.

Digital Union’s freshest recruits join a list of high-profile companies from the region who are determined to raise the sector’s profile and promote its members through first-class business support, events, and strategic campaigns.

“Since the reboot of Digital Union in 2016, we have continued to support, promote, celebrate and campaign on behalf of our members,” explains Rachel Peacock.

“Amongst other things, we have been working diligently in the background to create a new Creative Digital Designer Degree Apprenticeship, connecting with schools, colleges, and universities to promote careers in the region to the next generation, and facilitating a collaborative approach to working in the North East.

“Not only this, but we’ve been assisting with raising the sector’s profile by delivering an effective media strategy to highlight the region’s sector and individual successes, leading to increased media coverage, further business and the attraction and retention of talent.

“Our events, strategies and collaborative partnerships are created with our members in mind and with the aim to assist them in overcoming business challenges. We’re confident the benefits we offer in terms of marketing, PR and business support are proving useful to our members.”

Since Digital Union’s Reboot in 2016, the network has worked closely with the likes of Campus North, Sunderland Software City, Thinking Digital, NECC and the FSB to ensure that the sector promotes itself to its highest level.

New members HR Dept and Bede Gaming have said they are delighted to be part of the new look Digital Union and believe the foundations are in place for the creative digital sector to grow and become stronger.

Jayne Hart, HR Dept’s Director, said: “Every sector has its hub that supports them and I think that integration with these hubs is key to understanding the sector.  Digital Union offers just that.  I found that it can be difficult to make the right connections and to integrate into a sector that we are still learning about and joining Digital Union is a great way to address this. So far what I have experienced is a very engaged and a very supportive network and as with everything, the more you put in the more you get out of it.

“I hope to build our network within this sector and to be able to demonstrate that accessing good, affordable, practical HR and employment Law support and advice can be the foundations of growing a successful business.”

Thea Scott, Marketing Manager, Bede Gaming, adds: “We chose to join Digital Union because we really felt that they believed in the North East and actually want to get things done to improve the opportunities with talent and community rather than just talk about it.

“For Bede, it’s about inspiring, nurturing, educating and ultimately hiring the best talent in the North East and Digital Union share the same goals.”

For more information about Digital Union and how to become a member visit digiunion.co.uk.