Birmingham is the UK’s second-largest city, offering great opportunities for people who choose to live there. Many studies have been conducted to quantify this fact, with several scholars pointing out the opportunities within the city. Whether you are coming to live, work or study in Birmingham, there are specific pointers you should consider to make their experience worthwhile.
Knowing Birmingham
A recent study by Susanne Wessendorf from the London School of Economics on migrants in Birmingham paints a picture of a progressive society. It discusses three elements to consider when living in Birmingham: diversity, surroundings and general social experience. Diversity describes the people who live within the city and the larger cosmopolitan area. Depending on social status, there is a range of dwellings to choose from. Everybody has a place in the city to visit, live, work or study. On surroundings, Susanne speaks of language, race and gender as contributing factors to the choice of where to live. Lastly, the social experience in relation to other cities within and outside the UK puts Birmingham as the place of choice to visit and live. Susanne’s academic analogy comprehensively analyses Birmingham, comparing it with East London.
Recreation, Social Amenities and Leisure
Sports and arts are part of the city culture, with the city playing home to two of Britain’s biggest football clubs, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. The city also boasts arguably the biggest art gallery in terms of collection size of pre-Raphaelite paintings. Other recreation and leisure notables include the film and music talent hubs, continental cuisines and the renowned Royal Ballet.
Regarding social amenities, health is a top priority and is offered freely to those living legally in the UK. In each of the six public hospitals, patients get world-class treatment provided by the National Health Services. Expatriates also enjoy these services. For those who prefer private medical services, there are several hospitals within the city.
Work and Opportunities
Birmingham has a rich industrial history spanning back to the 19th and 20th centuries. It was once the UK’s biggest industrial hub but has grown into a giant service industry. Tourism, retail distribution, hospitals and educational institutions significantly contribute to the growing economy, bringing specialists and consumers into the city. Birmingham’s population is over 1.1 million and 2.6 million in the larger metropolis. With such a huge population, there are a lot of social and economic opportunities for all its residents. The city is also an important transport corridor in the UK. Businesses in the transport and logistics sector flourish here.
Conclusion
Birmingham is a vibrant city to live, study and work, thanks to its socio-economic advantages. There are academic discussions and materials to back this statement compared to other cities within the UK. The city has enough social amenities to handle the growing population and leisure activities to entertain the residents. More importantly, there are many work opportunities, crowning the city as one of the most progressive in the UK.