Getting student accomodation right can keep workers of the future in Yorkshire: Miles Pickard
Yorkshire's universities have once again been welcoming the next generation of students. Most people see that as an education story. I see it as an economic one.
As Director of Pickard Properties, which owns and manages around 1,500 student beds across Leeds alongside homes for young professionals, I've spent years watching students arrive to begin university and, increasingly, choose not to leave.
That matters because Yorkshire's greatest competition isn't simply to attract students. It's to persuade talented graduates to build their careers and lives here.
Our universities are among the region's greatest economic assets. Together they educate more than 200,000 students every year, generate around £8 billion of economic output and support approximately 46,000 jobs. Almost three-quarters of graduates from the North of England remain in the region for work within 15 months of completing their studies.
Graduate retention doesn't happen by accident. The first impression a city gives to its future workforce isn't at a graduate jobs fair. It begins when an 18-year-old arrives with a suitcase and the key to their first home away from home.
Students don't simply judge the quality of their university. They judge the city itself through its neighbourhoods, transport, amenities and, crucially, the place they call home.
The student housing sector therefore has a responsibility to see itself as more than a provider of beds. Every investment in quality, energy efficiency, safety and management is an investment in the reputation of our university cities. The homes students live in during those formative years become part of the lasting impression they take away with them.
Successful university cities need a healthy mix of housing options, from shared student houses to professionally managed developments. The common denominator should always be quality, good management and a commitment to continually investing in homes that meet the expectations of today's students.
Responsible landlords have invested significantly in raising standards, not simply because regulations have evolved, but because students rightly expect safe, well-managed, energy-efficient homes that support both study and wellbeing.
The story doesn't end with graduation. One of the most encouraging trends we've seen is the number of graduates who remain in Leeds as they begin their careers, moving from student accommodation into homes for young professionals.
That transition is fundamental to Yorkshire's long-term success. Every graduate who stays becomes part of our regional workforce, strengthening our businesses, public services and communities.
They become the engineers designing tomorrow's infrastructure, the teachers inspiring future generations, the healthcare professionals caring for our communities, the entrepreneurs creating jobs and the innovators helping Yorkshire's businesses grow.
Housing is part of the infrastructure that supports economic growth. Just as businesses need transport links and digital connectivity to thrive, successful university cities need high-quality homes that support people from student life into professional careers.
Every year, Yorkshire welcomes thousands of ambitious young people with the potential to shape our economy for decades to come. The question isn't simply whether they choose Yorkshire for their degree. It's whether we give them enough reasons to choose Yorkshire for the rest of their lives.
Miles Pickard is director of Pickard Properties