7 minute read
Niamh Campbell
Columnist
Niamh Campbell,
Sync NI
Techie Talk Time
More jobs, more investment and more upskilling opportunities for those interested in getting involved with Northern Ireland’s tech scene
FDIs continue to thrive alongside homegrown tech firms
– It was revealed in July of last year that over 2,300 jobs had been created through foreign direct investment (FDI) into Northern Ireland between 2019 and 2020.
Despite a COVID-19 crisis, the uncertainties of Brexit and prolonged periods of unrest and upheaval in NI over the last few months, international interest in the region still doesn’t seem to be slowing down, particularly within the tech world.
Texas-headquartered workforce management firm, Workrise, announced it is to establish a software Xuan Yong, CEO and engineering centre in Belfast, with plans to 153 new co-founder of Workrise. technology roles over four years.
US fintech giant Citi group intends to hire 400 more Belfast-based staff in the next two years, and top global professional services firm Deloitte wants to double its 1,000-person headcount in NI’s capital by 2025, in areas including data analytics, cloud, robotics and cybersecurity.
A lot also has to be said for our local tech businesses, who are continuing to show great resilience, ambition and the substance to back their aspirations up amidst the backdrop of the lingering pandemic.
Homegrown software company, Obbi Solutions, recently secured £300k of funding from Innovate UK to expand with more tech, sales and customer support jobs in the coming months.
Portstewart-based marketing automation software company, Zymplify is investing £1.5m in its business, with plans to onboard 26 new employees, and FinTrU is doubling its NI staff force to 1,600 in the next five years, spread between Belfast and Derry.
But for these roles to be fulfilled there must be a strong pipeline of graduates, upskilled workers and enthusiastic future employees coming through.
Hybrid working is here to stay, while live tech events are due
for debut – one way of encouraging a new, or indeed current workforce, is sustaining that workplace flexibility that became so familiar during lockdowns.
Remote working can feel like a topic that’s been talked to death about, but a survey by NUI Galway this year found that 95% of working people across Ireland want to continue with some form of remote employment once the pandemic ends.
The tech sector is again embracing this transformation.
One of Belfast’s largest tech firms, Liberty IT has announced that its staff will never have to come back to the office if they don’t want to, but are free in the future to choose a pattern of working which can incorporate both working from home and/or working in a the office over the course of the week. FinTrU has also adopted this working style.
One aspect the tech and business community seem to collectively be looking forward to also, is the return of live conferences.
To kick things off, eComm Live 2021 – Northern Ireland’s only dedicated ecommerce event – is to take place virtually and in-person at Belfast’s Assembly Buildings on 22 – 23 September.
Philip Macartney, CCO of IRP Commerce, the conference’s lead sponsor, said having a return to in-house audiences and face-to-face networking will bring “massive value” back to NI’s tech and business populations.
You can find out more tech resources, news and updates on NI cybersecurity, start-ups and more on syncni.com
Tech degrees, apprenticeships and upskilling programmes galore
– thankfully, there are lots of opportunities in Northern Ireland’s academic ecosystem for this as well.
This summer, Ulster University offered 50 new fully-funded Master’s Degree studentships for 2021/22, across key sectors including IT and artificial intelligence. There are also plenty of tech-related Assured Skills Academies offering graduates with a 2:2 or above in any discipline the chance to retrain in various areas. Deloitte alone has recently launched three Academies, across digital enterprise services and cloud engineering, with successful participants guaranteed a job interview within the firm’s technology teams upon completion of the courses.
Women in Business NI’s female returners’ programme, Press Refresh, has aided 18 women returners in securing new jobs across Northern Ireland, by providing them with the new skills necessary to build their careers within our expanding IT sector. There furthermore seems to be an increased move towards higher degree level apprenticeships, in which students can both earn and learn more about the industry of work they want to enter.
Ulster University Business School has called on employers in all sectors across NI to join its Degree Apprenticeship in Customer Operations Management, which Danske Bank has already signed up for.
The three-to-four year scheme offers employers an opportunity “to develop talented and knowledgeable customer operations professionals with an in-depth understanding of three critical areas; business processes, technology and customer experience,” while the students obtain a BSc Hons degree.
The way the post-pandemic working world seems to be going, it’s advisable for businesses to consider joining forces with academic institutions on initiatives such as these, and to think about innovative ways in which they can entice new starts to join their organisations, invite those out of work to return and retrain, or upskill current employees.
18 women helped into NI tech jobs through Women’s Returner programme.
SUN AWARENESS 2021 WITH BELFAST SKIN CLINIC
Sun Awareness is the British Association of Dermatologists’ annual campaign to raise awareness of skin cancer. At Belfast Skin Clinic we believe in prevention and early detection to reduce your chances of getting skin cancer. Here are some skin safety tips. • Tanned skin is damaged skin • Never let your skin burn, whatever your skin type. • Every time you use a sunbed you damage your skin. This damage ages the skin causing wrinkles to appear and can lead to skin cancer. Using a sunbed once a month or more can increase the risk of skin cancer by more than half. • Children burn more easily. Sunburn in childhood can lead to skin cancer later in life. Protect them with a hat, t-shirt and factor 50+ sunscreen. View Tanorama on the BBC iPlayer now. www.sunsmart.org.uk www.which.co.uk july 21 ’sunscreens you can rely on’
Medical Director, Dr Pamela McHenry
For more information or to book an appointment visit www.belfastskinclinic.com or email: info@belfastskinclinic.com
UP TO £10M AVAILABLE TO BUSINESSES THROUGH RECOVERY LOAN SCHEME
The British Business Bank has approved Close Brothers Commercial Finance to offer terms loans and invoice finance top up facilities to companies in Northern Ireland. Up to £10 million is available per business, with loans starting from £25,000.
The Recovery Loan Scheme aims to help businesses affected by COVID-19 recover and grow. Its application includes managing cash flow, investment and supporting expansion.
Funding is available to those that have taken out CBILS or BBL, as well as new clients. It can be added to both new and existing asset finance, invoice finance and asset based lending facilities.
Visit www.closecommercialfinance.ie to find out more.
IS FLEET MANAGEMENT THE SOLUTION?
Do you have a fleet of vehicles, company owned and not on a fully maintained contract hire agreement? If you find yourself in this position, you’ve probably been allocated the responsibility of looking after these vehicles and it’s a bolt on to your current job.
Maintaining an accurate fleet list (who is driving what), recording and keeping track of service histories and schedules, ensuring the invoices received are fair and keeping your drivers mobile at all times is no mean feat for an experienced fleet manager, never mind someone who has no background in this type of work.
Not to mention vehicle taxing and MOT’s, breakdowns and accident management, the list goes on. At Agnew Leasing, not only do they supply all makes and models of cars and commercial vehicles to businesses and private individuals on various funding methods, albeit contract hire being the most popular. They also take the burden of managing vehicle fleets from many companies and effectively take on the roll of their inhouse fleet manager, taking all this responsibility off your plate and freeing up your staff, saving you time and money.
So, if you find yourself in this position, they would love a chat with you to explain how they can help you manage your vehicles. Feel free to contact Craig Howard (Fleet Manager) at Agnew Leasing on 028 9038 6600
TITANIC BELFAST’S SIGNATURE SETTING IS THE PERFECT SHOWCASE FOR YOUR NEXT CONFERENCE
Located in the footprint of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, once home to the world’s biggest thinkers, Titanic Belfast still is – and they’re inviting you to join them.
With an impeccable record, having hosted over 3,000 business and leisure events including conferences, exhibitions and gala dinners across an array of sectors, they continue to push the boundaries in service and innovation for their clients.
From the building’s breath-taking architecture to the incredible story that captivates the masses, Titanic Belfast is home to a range of first-class, unparalleled conference and event spaces that make the perfect backdrop for your virtual, hybrid or in person event.
Their accomplished team of dedicated planners will work with you to create a world-class experience for your delegates in line with their Covid Safe Charter, ensuring your event leaves a lasting legacy.
