One IT and technology firm based in Northern Ireland has recently proposed a new scheme that could lead to 20,000 contracting opportunities in the region.
The technology body, Momentum, says that over the next five years its proposed scheme could lead to a massive influx of opportunities for permanent workers and freelancers alike in its recent report. The key to this would be to lower university fees, as doing so would increase the number of students gaining crucial IT skills by double, according to its research findings.
Momentum’s chief executive, Ian Graham, commented on the new report, remarking that Northern Ireland innovators need to be provided with a better support structure in order to create businesses and to attract more international companies to the region. Northern Ireland’s competitors and neighbours all have extensive plans in place, Mr Graham cautioned, stating that the benefits are already being felt in a growing global digital sector.
The country needs to demonstrate its readiness to not just match these new innovations and ideas but to exceed them, said the chief executive. There are no reasons why Northern Ireland cannot do so, as the region has the capabilities to do so, added Mr Graham.
The new study from Momentum has already garnered support from other trade industry bodies. The Confederation of British Industry’s Northern Ireland arm has already given the proposed scheme its seal of approval, and Momentum has high hopes that the guidelines it has put forward will end up being adopted.Momentum’s study is supported by the Northern Ireland arm of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).