The North’s largest festival dedicated to digital and tech skills returns to Manchester from February 2–6, 2026, with a new AI Futures Day aimed at helping the industry and educators prepare for an AI‑driven economy.
The week-long Digital Skills Festival brings together leading North West tech employers, universities and colleges with students, graduates, career‑changers and early‑career professionals across key locations in the city centre.
Now in its second decade, the festival is delivered by industry body Manchester Digital. Since the festival’s inception, the Manchester tech economy has roughly doubled in size since 2012 and is now valued at around £5 billion.
Beyond the new AI Futures Day, the week-long festival also includes:
- Future Innovators Day
- Digital Her Day: Driving diversity
- Talent Day: Pathways into tech
- Digital Leaders Day & Digital Skills Feast
Katie Gallagher OBE, managing director of Manchester Digital, said: “There’s never been a more important time to bring the industry together and look ahead at how we develop tech skills, career pathways and a more diverse workforce. AI is already reshaping our ecosystem, and wider geopolitical and economic shifts are raising the bar for resilience and innovation.
“Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, we continue to see companies choosing Manchester for its depth of talent and its strong, connected ecosystem. That confidence in the region brings responsibility. We need to rethink early career pathways, adapt to how AI will change entry level roles, and ensure people from every background can access opportunities in tech.
“We are calling on tech leaders, educational leaders and newcomers to the sector to join us for this rich and diverse week of events and discussion, and to help shape the future of our workforce and our industry.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Over the next decade Greater Manchester will become a fully digitally enabled region, so it's essential that everyone here can thrive in the digital age. Events like the Digital Skills Festival that explore the key issues shaping our digital future are integral to ensuring Greater Manchester achieve our vision to build a thriving city region where everyone can live a good life - from digitally connecting our places and our people, to giving young people a clear line of sight to good jobs, all supporting our vision to help everyone succeed.”
Brand new for 2026, AI Futures Day (Friday, February 6) delves into the rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence and what it means for the workforce of tomorrow. This forward-thinking day offers hands-on sessions, career insights, expert panels and discussions covering AI’s practical applications, ethical considerations and how digital skills need to evolve in response.
The festival’s flagship event is Talent Day (Wednesday February 4) which will welcome over 2,000 job seekers to New Century Hall with more than 40 of the region’s leading tech employers to talk about different pathways and opportunities into tech.
The Digital Her: Driving Diversity day (Tuesday, February 3) is powered by the multi-award winning Digital Her programme. This vibrant and inclusive day, taking place at HOME Manchester, is an interactive alternative to traditional conferences, featuring action-learning workshops, topic-focused panels, inspirational guest speakers and meaningful networking opportunities.
For more information: https://digitalskillsfestival.com/
