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1 March 2022

Bordeaux: an ideal place to live and develop your tech career

Marta Aguilar - Head of Social Media

Bordeaux

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Did you know that with +1.5% of growth per year, Bordeaux is one of the most attractive cities in France? Bordeaux has many assets including its incredible architecture (classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site); its ease of travel by bicycle or public transport; its privileged geographical location (proximity of the ocean); its dynamic student life and its wonderful heritage (world capital of wine!). Plus, the actual living cost is lower than in Paris, so you literally and figuratively get more out of life if you decide to settle down here!

Why start your tech career in Bordeaux?

Bordeaux: growing tech scene with major players in tech

Thanks to the awarding of the FrenchTech label in 2014, the digital sector has expanded! This digital scene is driven by the dynamism of an entire ecosystem strongly mobilized around the FrenchTech Label. With 4,700 companies and 22,400 jobs, Bordeaux Metropole is one of the leading regions in terms of job growth in the tech industry, and this is just the beginning! Many digital companies are launching in Bordeaux and recruiting. The biggest French unicorn Back Market announced recently that it was moving its headquarters to Bordeaux. Other great startups and tech companies such as Ubisoft, Deezer, Lydia, ManoMano or Mirakl are also starting to set up shop here.

The new job market is more digital than ever, and the tech industry is booming. The moment to start a new career is now!

Nouvelle-Aquitaine, a supportive Region for tech professionals

The Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region supports the dynamism of its digital sector through ongoing support for innovation. At the same time, it is committed to helping economic players face the urgent need to digitize. Nouvelle Aquitaine is a region in which the digital economy is still moderately developed, but it is booming, with a 33% increase in employment between 2014 and 2019, particularly in IT consulting (one-third of regional employment, and +45% increase) and computer programming (14% of employment, and +131% increase).

A positive future for web developers and data analysts…

We are seeing growing demand for Web Developers and Data Analysts in Bordeaux. The city’s public system aims to help everyone who is in search of job opportunities, especially those who want to transition into tech. Thanks to the French government and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region financing aid, many people have joined Ironhack and started their career in tech. 

…but also for UX/UI designers…

In France, Covid has also preserved or even favored UX employment: 8 managers continued to recruit in 2020, 7 out of 10 plan to do so in 2021. In addition, many other digital professionals train in UX and product design without wanting to become a designer: to add a stimulating dimension to their job and much needed strings to their bow. Developers and product owners, project and product managers, marketing managers... for many jobs, recruiters now ask for UX skills!

All the indicators are green: already very concrete, the dynamism of the French UX job market is a basic trend that will accelerate.

…and for cybersecurity professionals

Discreet by nature, the cybersecurity sector is nonetheless one of the most buoyant in France: it has been growing at an average rate of 10% over the past few years and should continue to do so thanks to real French know-how. 

In addition, as part of the "Plan France Relance" and the Future Investment Program, the Government is launching a Cybersecurity acceleration strategy. By 2025, the objective of this strategy is to reach a turnover of €25 billion for the sector (i.e. a tripling of the current turnover), to double the number of jobs in the sector from 37,000 to 75,000, and to create three French cybersecurity unicorns.

The rise of online tech education - Leveraging the best of the remote experience - The Ironhack experience

Over the last two years, we have learned that both studying and working remotely are here to stay. In the digital sector, we can be more productive and reduce commuting to physical spaces. Technology keeps improving the way we work and learn in the digital sector. However, there is an undeniable human aspect that helps us connect with others and grow with our communities. As part of these changes, there are new approaches to learning where students can use the best tools for online development while being able to interact with fellow students, hiring companies, and fellow professionals. 

Having trained more than 10,000 tech professionals over the last 8 years, Ironhack is now landing in Bordeaux, offering fully remote bootcamps for anyone in France, in addition to our historic campus in Paris (launched in 2017). Together with our hiring partners, we’re helping people access the best tools to get started. This is an exciting time to start your journey in tech!

Discover our bootcamps in web development, UX/UI design, data analytics, and cybersecurity, and get started with our 100% online courses, wherever you are.

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