Salford – a city of firsts!

Salford is a truly great city and a place driven by continual change and innovation.

Historic achievements; exciting new horizons

As one of Greater Manchester’s ten constituent metropolitan boroughs, it is a commonly overlooked fact (mostly by people from outside the region, it has to be said) that Salford is indeed a city in its own right… and a pretty sizeable one at that; currently the 42^nd biggest by population according to www.citymayors.com. Moreover, it is a former royal borough and an older and, once upon a time, more important city than its better-known, larger neighbour across the River Irwell, Manchester. This is something that Salfordians, such as myself and many members of the Moxi Recruitment team, never tire of pointing out to our Mancunian counterparts.

Salford is, arguably, the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, and this legacy still dominates the cityscape, interspersed by futuristic new structures at Exchange Court, The Quays, Dock 5 and Regent Plaza. In fact, according to online publication Salford Now, the latest ‘Manchester Crane Survey’, which measures the volume of development currently taking place across the City Region, has found that Salford has experienced a “record year” for growth, both commercially and residentially. www.salfordnow.co.uk/2024/02/07/survey-suggests-positive-growth-for-salfords-development-sector/

This city; my city, is also a place of ‘firsts’; it had the world’s first free public library; the UK’s first park funded entirely by public subscription; it’s the home of the Vegetarian Society and its main street – Chapel Street, was the first public thoroughfare in the country to be lit by gas, way back in 1806.

It was also the home of world-famous artists LS Lowry and Harold Riley, writers Shelagh Delaney, Walter Greenwood and Harold Brighouse (author of Hobson’s Choice), and punk-poet/national instiution John Cooper Clarke. Famous Salfordian actors past and present include Albert Finney, Robert Powell, Ben Kingsley and Christopher Eccleston. Music also rings eternal from this side of the Irwell, in the shape of The Hollies, 10CC, Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays.

Salford Quays, home of the BBC, ITV, The Lowry Theatre, The Imperial War Museum and, of course, Moxi Recruitment, is the vibrant new hub of the city; its commercial and cultural epicentre and a quintessential example of urban regeneration at its very finest. Thirty years ago, this area was a derelict wasteland following the closure of the Salford and Manchester Docks (my dad still calls it the docks, and won’t refer to it by anything else!); once the largest inland port in Europe and the terminus of the Manchester Ship Canal from Liverpool. Nowadays, it’s alive with businesses, shops, restaurants, bars and home to a growing community of creatives both native to the city, and those re-locating from London and other parts of the UK.

And, if you think all of this development has made the city a built-up environment with little outdoor space to enjoy, then you’d be mistaken. Salford is the city in the UK with the most green space; nearly 60% of it is covered with no fewer than five nature reserves, nearly 30 public parks, numerous woodlands and Chat Moss, Europe’s largest peat bog and a haven for rare birds and wildlife.

A city of contrasts

Of course, it’s not all good news for a place once synonymous with socio-economic deprivation. Salford is a city of huge contrasts and contradictions. Some of its suburbs, such as leafy Worsley, Monton and South Swinton are home to millionaire footballers, TV celebrities and entrepreneurs, with house prices reflecting those lifestyles, whilst many of the inner-city areas, such as Pendleton, Ordsall and Charlestown, still marked by low-income households, poverty and unemployment. 40% of its school children are entitled to free school meals, equivalent to 5,000 or 1 in 2 pupils.

As you would expect, Salford’s educational landscape reflects these sharp contrasts and presents a significant challenge for us as recruiters, when it comes to finding the right roles for the right candidates… in the right places.

In all, there are 142 schools in Salford (excluding independent and alternative provisions such as our partners, EdStart Schools); 40 secondary schools and 102 primary schools, as well as two sixth-form colleges.

When recruiting for roles based in Salford, I am always interested to hear the stories from local communities within the city, and look at the challenges they face.

As with candidates from many other parts of our region, the biggest barrier to people coming into jobs in education is self-doubt. That’s why I’m proud to work for Moxi Recruitment. We exist to reduce those barriers, through our training programme, and welcome people from all walks of life to the world of education.

If you live within the community in which you work, you will have a detailed and accurate understanding of the challenges faced by the young people within that community. And, if you don’t, you can bring a fresh perspective that can be shared with staff and pupils alike.

Helping to empower children of all abilities and backgrounds to achieve their maximum potential and make a positive contribution to the local economy, post-16!

If you’re looking to get a head start in education as a career, then call me today on 0300 303 4414, email info@moxi-recruitment.co.uk or visit our ‘Contact’ page and send us a message. We will always try and support you in the best way we possibly can. Whether that be through new career opportunities, training or CPD!