Students Graduate To Pursue A Career In The IT Industry

Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry and Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster have jointly hosted an awards ceremony for graduates from the Software Testers' Academy.

The Academy, which was developed by the Department for Employment and Learning and Invest Northern Ireland, has now produced a further 22 graduates with a recognised qualification and the skills needed to pursue a career in the thriving IT industry in Northern Ireland.

At the ceremony in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Minister Farry congratulating the graduates on completing the Academy said: "The Software Testers' Academy is an excellent example of supporting graduates to find employment. My Department worked closely with Invest Northern Ireland, several local information technology companies and South Eastern Regional College to design and develop a 15-week course to convert non-IT graduates into software testers.

"The vast majority of the graduates have already received job offers from their placement companies, and I am optimistic that the remainder will secure permanent employment in this sector, as they now have skills that companies are looking for. The Academy model has been so successful that I can confirm another cohort of the Software Testers programme will be launched. I am also looking at the other areas and sectors that it could be applied to.

"We have a vast wealth of skills and qualifications amongst those are currently out of work, and the Academy model is an extremely effective way of harnessing those skills, and vital in encouraging economic growth in Northern Ireland."

(CD/GK)