Top Software Firm Plugs Into Belfast

There are new jobs online for NI with news from the Stormont Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster that a software group is to establish a centre of excellence in Belfast, creating 37 jobs.

The new, high quality jobs are being created by Software Quality Systems (SQS) Group Ltd. It is the largest provider of independent software testing services in the European Union with Invest NI offering assistance of £444,000.

SQS currently has a small operation in Belfast, employing 15 at its Northern Ireland Science Park premises.

The Northern Ireland SQS centre is part of SQS Group UK Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of German firm SQS Group AG.

Arlene Foster said: "Invest Northern Ireland has secured this highly mobile project for Northern Ireland in the face of competition from other SQS centres in the UK and Europe. The new jobs are a welcome boost to the economy.

''Invest NI has a strategic focus on the ICT sector, which has the potential to deliver high quality, skilled jobs and contribute to the Government's aim of increasing productivity in Northern Ireland.

"This project reinforces the region's strength in this sector and highlights once again the attractiveness of Northern Ireland to investors seeking a cost-effective operational environment," she said.

SQS’s Belfast centre will offer a range of high value services in niches such as security testing, environment hosting, test automation and performance testing. It will have specialised expertise in banking, insurance and telecommunications.

Rob McConnell, SQS Regional Director for Northern Ireland, said: "The strategic aim for the Belfast operation is to provide SQS with a time-zone friendly, highly specialised and cost-effective one-stop-shop for Irish, UK, European and US customers.

"Our decision to expand our operation here was driven by the quality of data communications infrastructure, the availability of skilled IT resources and Invest NI's support."

(BMcC/GK)