IT is our Bydgoszcz specialty

Bydgoszcz continues to strengthen its position among the most important BPO/SSC centres in Poland. Currently, it is not only one of the main locations on the Polish map of the modern business services sector, but it is also growing into a significant centre in the IT industry, successfully creating a strong local specialisation.

For several years, Bydgoszcz has been consistently building its image as a "city open to outsourcing". According to the estimates of the Association of Business Service Leaders (ABSL), the sector employs nearly 10,000 people in the City. Including local IT and financial companies that often provide services to international clients, this number has risen to nearly 12,000. The vast majority of employees are employed in centres with foreign capital, which proves the scale of international investment projects located in the City. As many as 4 from the list of the 10 largest investors in Poland, according to the ABSL report of 2020, decided to locate their branches in Bydgoszcz. Moreover, Bydgoszcz was among five cities in Poland (next to Kraków, Wrocław, the Tri-City and Łódź) where the business services sector can be considered a clear local specialisation (the study used an approach based on the location factor, the so-called LQ – location quotient).

A definite distinguishing feature of Bydgoszcz is the dominant share of IT companies in the local structure of the sector. The ABSL report shows that these companies generate over 8,500 jobs in total. When adding local IT entities, this number increases to over 9,300 jobs. IT is responsible for approximately 85% of employment in the entire sector. Such a large concentration of IT companies proves the City's strong specialisation. It also shows the role of Bydgoszcz in the nationwide list of IT centres, placing it in the forefront of locations selected by global technology companies. This is evidenced by the service centres of such global corporations as Atos, Nokia, Asseco and Sii, already existing in Bydgoszcz, who appreciate the local IT environment, qualified specialists, office opportunities offered in the City, as well as the region's experience in supporting activities in this field. The competences of the available staff, convenient communication location and the City's attractive investment offer also encourage new entities from the IT industry to enter the Bydgoszcz market.

INNOVATION AND GLOBAL SUCCESS DRIVE THE IT MARKET IN BYDGOSZCZ

Companies located in Bydgoszcz develop their activities based on innovative technologies, invest in the development of their R&D departments, develop innovative solutions and offer attractive jobs in the implementation of global projects. Such activities include, for example, advanced work on 5G network solutions carried out by the Nokia Technology Center in Bydgoszcz, the development of an autonomous traffic system by the Bydgoszcz branch of Meelogic or electric vehicle charging stations manufactured by Kolejowe Zakłady Łączności. More and more companies from the IT industry, including those of domestic origin, win international awards for the highest level of products and services provided.

The prospect of further development of the IT industry in Bydgoszcz is currently related to, among others, the dynamic growth of the e-commerce market, development of 5G technology, cloud tools, industry 4.0, smart city solutions, automation or the possibility of cooperation with various sectors and industries. The newest solutions provided by IT companies present in the City are eagerly used, for example, by the strong manufacturing sector, which has a rich tradition here. In Bydgoszcz, the cooperation between industry and technology companies is clearly visible – such sustainable development, based on synergy of competences, is often the reason for international entities to decide to develop key business operations in Bydgoszcz.

FROM IT TO R&D

Atos Poland Global Services has been intensively developing its activity in Bydgoszcz for years. It has become the largest entity from the BSS sector on the local market, and in 2019 it moved its headquarters here. Specialists from Bydgoszcz carry out strategic projects for global clients and participate in work on such prestigious projects as, for example, IT services for the Olympic Games or the office of the Prime Minister of Belgium. The company develops R&D activities through the Atos + Google partnership, IOT projects and a wide range of automation activities.

– In the last year, despite the ongoing pan demic, the planned large, prestigious projects have continued and are being implemented. One of them was the October establishment of a new company, Atos Poland R&D, focused on IT research and development. A separate R&D entity was created as a response to the needs in the field of new technologies and innovations, as well as the implementation of end-to-end projects – says Robert Wichłacz, a Board Member of Atos Poland Global Services and Atos Poland R&D, managing the Infrastructure & Data Management Services division and adds: In 2020, we also officially launched the Cloud Enterprise Solutions practice in Poland. The new department brings together Cloud experts from all Atos divisions, and its goal is to develop the services and products offered in the field of public and private clouds. Along with the development of the new company and expansion into new areas, the demand for new employees will also increase. This year, we expect the creation of over 500 positions in R&D area in Poland.

IT is responsible for approximately 85% of employment in the entire sector.

Such a large concentration of

IT companies proves the City's strong specialisation.

AVAILABILITY AND VALUED COMPETENCES OF LOCAL STAFF

It is human capital that is a strong advantage of Bydgoszcz and that is noticed by companies from the IT industry investing here. The local specialisation of the City means, among others, better access to talented specialists. In addition, Bydgoszcz and the surrounding area within a radius of 50 km are inhabited by a total of over a million inhabitants, which also puts the City in a privileged position in terms of the availability of workforce. The IT industry in Bydgoszcz also has its well-established, historical traditions – it derives from the telecommunications industry, which has been rooted in the City for decades, strongly connected with the education system.

Bydgoszcz has an attractive academic base, and the education profile is constantly adapted to the specifics of the local economy. Bydgoszcz is constantly developing its potential in creating IT expertise. Almost 3,000 people are studying in fields related to the IT industry and each year this number is constantly increasing. In response to the needs of the local market, completely new specialties have appeared, such as Data Science, which was introduced to its offer by the University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz. Also at the level of secondary schools, the City focused on education with a technical profile, and the Electronic Technical School in Byd goszcz is one of the best in the country. In addition, Bydgoszcz actively supports cooperation between science and business. Bydgoszcz pupils and students benefit from attractive programmes of patronage classes and courses created in cooperation with companies investing in the City – courses geared to practical skills desired by local employers.

The development of human resources for the IT industry in Bydgoszcz is also fostered by more and more initiatives popularising the research and development sector and building a community around the industry itself. Bydgoszcz hosts, for example, meetings of specialists in the field who exchange practical knowledge on an ongoing basis: the Bydgoszcz Hackathon initiated by the Bydgoszcz IT Cluster, the first typically technical conference in the City organised by local IT companies "bITconf", or the annual event of the Bydgoszcz branch Nokia "IT Women", promoting science and information technology among women, showing many opportunities for professional development in the industry of modern technologies. – The IT industry in Bydgoszcz is currently a lot of interesting and developmental projects, and recent years have been a time of intensive growth and building a strong local specialisation, supported by successes on an international scale – summarises Edyta Wiwatowska, President of the Management Board of the Byd goszcz Regional Development Agency, and at the same time emphasizes: – This is our Bydgoszcz specialty, which is undoubtedly a unique element of Bydgoszcz's investment offer. It is also a magnet for qualified specialists from various IT areas, who can successfully develop their careers here, and at the same time – using the friendly space to live and the advantages of a city with a "boutique" atmosphere and in the spirit of work-life balance – realise passions and aspirations.

More information:

4C Unii Lubelskiej Street 85-059 Bydgoszcz Phone: +48 52 585 88 23 e-mail: barr@barr.pl www.barr.pl