Exciting plans have been unveiled to transform part of an iconic Manchester venue into a hi-tech, specialist institution. New Century Hall, which once played host to artists like the Tina Turner and Jimi Hendrix, is undergoing a major £10 million transformation - including an 800-plus capacity concert venue and a food hall.
Now, one of the country's leading technical institutions has confirmed plans to open a new campus at New Century Hall, specialising in sound and gaming technology. The dBs Institute of Sound and Digital Technologies is hoping to launch its new programme this autumn.
It comes at a crucial time for Manchester's tech and gaming sectors, with the city recently being named the second most attractive place for tech investment outside of London. The digital tech sector employed more than 100,000 people in Manchester in 2019.
dBs says the new facility will provide a 'robust stream of talented graduates' to add to Manchester's digital workforce. Thirty new jobs will also be created.
Nige Burt, dBs founder, said: "For years, there has been a common misconception that audio and gaming careers are not to be taken seriously and are sometimes looked at as nothing more than an extracurricular, creative hobby, rather than a viable career path. But the truth is, while they are indeed creative, there is another extremely technical side to these types of courses, which is often overlooked.
"That’s why dBs Institute exists - to debunk the myths surrounding degrees in this field and to give students who are serious about audio and gaming the best start to their careers. With all of that in mind, Manchester was the obvious choice to open a northern campus for our students.
"The city is renowned as a musical hotspot across the world and the game development scene is also flourishing, so a base here will open so many windows of opportunity for our students and hopefully set them up with some fantastic routes into employment following their studies, which is what we are all about as an institution.”
Rather than 'dangling fame' as a carrot for students in the sector, dBs says it puts its focus into helping them discover what they enjoy at college and find fulfilment from it. A spokesperson for the company added: " It's these experiences that enable dBs students to go on to find jobs within their specialist fields after graduation and, ultimately, build lasting careers in the industry."
The institution says it will offer deeply specialised courses, constantly refreshed equipment and technology, and highly qualified tutors with experience in the industry. It is set to open in the basement of New Century Hall, following refurbishment by Sheila Bird Studio.
Ahead of the opening in September, students can take advantage of an industry-insider panel in May, an open day in June and a 'digital hub' online. For more information visit dbsinstitute.ac.uk
