Best cities for contracts?

[saptastic]

I recommend amsterdam ... lots of contracts and more....

[kanulondon]

All roads lead to Preston.....

[GCR99]

Preston is rubbish, for contracting (and pretty much everything else!). However, it is a fairly good base for getting to Wigan, Liverpool, Manchester, Warrington and Lancaster, and the cost of living is fairly low.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/s...-200808141171/

C'mon be serious, it's grim oop north

[TykeMerc]

Preston is rubbish, for contracting (and pretty much everything else!). However, it is a fairly good base for getting to Wigan, Liverpool, Manchester, Warrington and Lancaster, and the cost of living is fairly low.

Not entirely true, may last 15 month gig was in Preston. There are a couple of sizable employers in the Preston area.
Accomodation was reasonable cost for good quality as you mentioned.

[HermanDune]

Preston is rubbish, for contracting (and pretty much everything else!). However, it is a fairly good base for getting to Wigan, Liverpool, Manchester, Warrington and Lancaster, and the cost of living is fairly low.

[snaw]

Well the area I was looking for was networking type roles. Network engineer etc.

Edinburgh maybe, bit of a financial hub outside London.

But you're kind of stuffed in the UK, telcos and ISP's in specific cities you're interested in would be way to go. Or look for consultancies - but it's really a big city game. So you're looking at London, then everything else is small fry, comparatively.

[TykeMerc]

Well the area I was looking for was networking type roles. Network engineer etc.

Quite a few companies with important communications hubs in Leeds and Manchester.

[firesale]

Well the area I was looking for was networking type roles. Network engineer etc.

[pisces]

Sheffield is quite good and has a few big companies. Half decent place to live too unlike Nottingham or Birmingham

[Spacecadet]

I know that London is good for contract workers, but how do some other cities fare for roles? Specifically Leeds/manchester area? I'd love to hear from anyone who knows about "The North" and how much work there is. Thanks.

I've gone for the mobile contractor route... live where I want to live (as long as its near good transport links)
Work where I have to work during the week.

Interestingly, in my family, out of the 4 breadwinners, 3 work away from home during the week.

There's either some seriously nagging wives or its just starting to make better and better economic sense

[DaveB]

Leeds has lots of Public Sector work thanks to the NHS CfH project. One of the major contractors on that is BT who have based all their NHS related work in their Leeds offices.

[chicane]

I know that London is good for contract workers, but how do some other cities fare for roles? Specifically Leeds/manchester area? I'd love to hear from anyone who knows about "The North" and how much work there is. Thanks.

As others have said, it depends somewhat on your skillset. However, in my field (web development), there's a fair amount of work available at the lower end of the rate scale, and considerably less work available at higher rates.

Bottom line is don't expect to be able to "live cheaply up north" whilst earning close to London rates - it doesn't work like that.

[TykeMerc]

which speciality are you referring to? as it depends on what type of work you're doing since some areas fair better than others in specific specialities.

WHS.

It's entirely a matter of your skillset and how you would fit as a project team member.

I've not worked dahn sarf for well over a decade if that's any indicator. In fact thinking about it I've not worked any further south than Stoke for 15 years. I live 16 miles from Leeds and 35 miles from Manchester when I'm not slowly orbiting a gas giant.

[argoran]

which speciality are you referring to? as it depends on what type of work you're doing since some areas fair better than others in specific specialities.

[firesale]

I know that London is good for contract workers, but how do some other cities fare for roles? Specifically Leeds/manchester area? I'd love to hear from anyone who knows about "The North" and how much work there is. Thanks.