Applications open for new PA Consulting Digital Engineering Assured Skills Academy

Date published: 17 June 2019

Twenty graduates are being offered the opportunity to join global innovation and transformation consultancy PA Consulting’s first Digital Engineering Assured Skills Academy in Belfast.

Pictured are left to right Siobhan Lyons, Head of Economic Development at Belfast Met, Nuala Harden, Principal Consultant at PA Consulting and Graeme Wilkinson, Director of Skills at the Department for the Economy.
Pictured are left to right Siobhan Lyons, Head of Economic Development at Belfast Met, Nuala Harden, Principal Consultant at PA Consulting and Graeme Wilkinson, Director of Skills at the Department for the Economy.

Successful applicants to the academy will gain the skills they need to become a digital engineer. Funded by the Department for the Economy, the Assured Skills Academy offers a nine-week training course at Belfast Met, leading to an interview with PA Consulting upon successful completion.

Speaking at the launch Graeme Wilkinson, Director of Skills at the Department for the Economy, said: “The Department recognises industry’s need for a highly skilled workforce, while graduates are seeking quality employment opportunities. One of the primary reasons for PA Consulting locating here in Northern Ireland was the exceptional talent pool of qualified graduates. The Assured Skills programme offers the opportunity to provide industry-relevant pre-employment training through our Further and Higher Education institutions.”

Jiten Kachhela, Global Head of Digital at PA Consulting, added: “In September 2018, we enhanced our global digital expertise by investing in talent in Belfast, hoping to create 400 jobs over the next five years. At PA, we are committed to investing in the growth and development of our workforce and helping our clients to use digital technologies to adapt and transform their operations in an era of disruptive change. The launch of our first Digital Engineering Assured Skills Academy offers talented individuals the opportunity to develop a lasting career and the chance to work on a variety of exciting and innovative projects.”   

During the Assured Skills Academy applicants can expect to become proficient in Java, SQL and HTML/CSS/Java Script, Building Rest APIs and building Java Web applications using Spring Boot.

Siobhan Lyons, Head of Economic Development at Belfast Met, said: “Assured Skills Academies are an excellent chance for those looking to learn the skills they need to kick-start their career in technology. We have been delivering Assured Skills Academies, in different disciplines, in partnership with the Department for a number of years and have seen first-hand their success, with a high number of participants going on to secure employment in their chosen field.”

For further information on how to apply and the criteria visit nidirect Assured Skills Training Programme.

Experience is not required but applicants must hold a degree in any discipline or have a fifth level qualification in an IT-related discipline.

Notes to editors: 

  1. PA Consulting have 2,800 specialists in consumer, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, and transport, travel and logistics and have offices across the Americas, Europe, the Nordics and the Gulf. For more information visit PA Consulting website.
  2. For media enquiries contact the Department for the Economy Press Office on 028 9052 9604. Outside office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.
  3. Follow us on Twitter @Economy_NI

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