Technology is at the heart of Sky. It allows us to meet our customers’ growing desire to consume content on their own terms, and for seamless connectivity, both in and out of the home. And it’s only by employing world-class people that we can continue to innovate at the pace customers have become used to.

In the past those people have helped us introduce transformational services such as Sky+, Sky Go and NOW TV. All game changers in their own right.

Now we’re set to do it all again, with the introduction of Sky Q – a whole new way of watching TV. Our technology teams have spent nearly a million hours supporting the company-wide efforts to develop Sky Q, that’s well over 110,000 working days. Nearly 1,500 members of our technology division have, at one time or another, worked on the project.

Sky Q demonstrates our ability to deliver world-class software, largely from within the developer community at Sky. That community, including not just developers but also others such as scrum masters and architects, runs at close to 2,000 highly skilled individuals who work alongside the wealth of talented people across Sky’s technology division.

We’re very proud to attract and retain the very best in the business. And it’s why we’ll be at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in London next week. TechCrunch Disrupt attracts the best and the brightest, whether they’re involved in revolutionary start-ups, game-changing technologies, or simply the tech industry’s key innovations. It’s a great environment to talk with developers about how they could help us to deliver Game of Thrones to millions of homes and devices simultaneously, or to continue to provide top-class coverage of the Premier League.

We’re determined to seek out the best of the best, wherever they are. So we’re also stepping up our commitment to digital skills with the creation of a brand new, world-class technology hub in Leeds -  Sky@Leeds Dock. It will give us a presence in the North of England to compliment those we already have in London, Livingston in Scotland and our other European locations.  

Our Leeds base will also play a part in the expansion of our commitment to those starting out in their careers in technology. It will play host to our second Software Engineering Academy which will offer opportunities for young people across the North of England to gain skills and build a career in the field. We’ve also increased the number of places on offer at our successful Software Engineering Academy in London. Both are part of the broader Sky Academy initiatives designed to unlock the potential in young people.

And because we want to help those starting out their careers in technology as well as attracting experienced talent, we’re also supporting the Hour of Code initiative next week. Children from West Thames College in Hounslow will take part in a coding challenge during our Sky Academy Careers Lab day, giving them the chance to experience practical workplace challenges and learn about jobs in media, business and technology. 

So, not only do we want to attract the best talent, but we want to inspire and develop those with potential as well. In return, Sky can offer a unique environment where fantastic content and innovative technology combine to give our customers the market-leading TV experience that they demand.