PR & Media Centre

Newtownabbey-based Northgate Managed Services is bucking the current economic trend for downsizing with the launch of an IT Apprenticeship Scheme aimed offering school leavers a direct route to develop a long-term career in the IT sector.

 

 

In addition to its existing Graduate schemes, Northgate, who employ over 1000 people, is targeting 16 to 19 years olds via an 18 month on-the-job training scheme beginning this month with the recruitment of six apprentices. The company hopes to extend the scheme significantly over the next few years.

 

 

Aswell as studying for the NVQ Level 2 IT systems and support qualification, the apprentices will ‘earn as they learn’, combining educational study with hands-on training as part of the IT service team in Northgate’s head office. Each apprentice is allocated a mentor and ‘buddy’ to support and advise them throughout the 18 month programme.  As with every employee in Northgate, the apprentices will have their own personal development plan and upon completion of the scheme, there is potential for them to move into permanent positions in Northgate with opportunities to develop their skills within a wide variety of career paths in the company. 

 

 

Andy Ross Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “Many people seem to believe that a university degree is the only route to a career within the IT sector.  This isn’t the case. As a leading IT company I feel it's important to encourage young people into a career in IT, offering job opportunities to those people who for whatever reason choose not to go on to University.  The typical 16 to 19 year old is already IT literate, and can very quickly become productive in an IT services environment, and for us, we are developing a qualified and talented workforce that will help us grow our business. Northgate is committed to working with young people in the communities where we're based and I'm delighted we've been able to launch the IT Apprentice Scheme.”

 

 

Supporting the progressive move by Northgate, Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey said, “This is a welcome development which offers great potential benefits for Northgate as a company and for the new IT Apprentices employed here. We have been convinced for some time that Apprenticeships could offer a viable route into this exciting industry and I am therefore delighted that a major IT employer like Northgate has decided to launch an Apprenticeship scheme." 

 

Calling on more companies to follow suit, the Minister continued, “I wish Northgate and their new employees all the very best with this new initiative and hope that the scheme goes from strength to strength. I would also encourage other IT companies in Northern Ireland to look carefully at what Northgate have done and follow their lead in bringing future talent into the industry at an early stage.”

 

 

The first six apprentices have started in September and has also commenced the roll out of the IT Apprentice Scheme across the UK with the recruitment of Apprentices to IT teams in Kent, Bristol and Leicester. They will be visiting schools and colleges to promote the Scheme during the autumn term with the next assessment centres being held in Feb/March, aiming for another batch of new recruits to start in June 2010.