BellTime Magazine Autumn 2018 BellTime 10 lr | Page 9

BellTIME
The ICT Sector
wants YOU!
People with tech skills are in
demand – not just in the IT
sector – more and more jobs
across industry require various
levels of proficiency in IT. This
is a trend which is anticipated
to grow as companies
increasingly utilise
technologies to manage their
activities, market their
products, communicate with
their customers and increase
productivity. Emerging Internet
of Things (IoT) technologies are
creating daily, new industrial
sectors, way beyond the
prospects of driverless cars,
delivery by drones etc.,
resulting in the creation of new
roles, skill sets and career
paths right across all sectors
of the economy, which are
expected to grow exponentially
in the coming years. Hilary
O’Meara, a Managing Director
at Accenture Ireland said: “We
are delighted to welcome 13
participants in the FIT ICT
Associate Professional
Software Development
programme into Accenture
which is part of the pilot
initiative that preceded and
informed the new Tech
Apprenticeships. “Participating
companies, such as ourselves,
sponsor trainees during the
programme, allowing them to
earn while developing
important skills working with
our teams and our clients. This
programme brings increased
diversity of experience and
thinking and has enabled us to
broaden our talent pool to
shape the workforce we need
to help clients succeed.
"Participants from the pilot
programmes have been hired
as Accenture employees at the
end of their journey,” she
added.
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BellTIME
“I never thought it was
possible for me to get
into IT until I came
across the
Apprenticeship Program
and even though it was
a commitment and hard
work especially with no
previous major IT
training, with the right
attitude and
determination you can
succeed. I highly
recommended this
course if you are
looking for a gateway
into IT at all levels of
experience - all you
need is a natural
interest in IT and
determination! It is
fantastic to see more
and more females
working in the IT
world that has been
mostly male dominated
in previously years”
Laura Loughnane,
Software Engineer in
Training at SAP.
ICT Associate
Professional - A Tech
Skills Remedy!
Skills demand in technology
companies is now a global issue. With
the phenomenal growth in the sector,
all jurisdictions are competing for tech
talent. Barry Lowry, Government Chief
Information Officer said at the
announcement: "I am delighted to
support the announcement of these
apprenticeship programmes. The gap
between the industry demand for
digital and ICT talent and the supply of
people qualifying with relevant skills
continues to grow. "These
apprenticeships are an exciting,
innovative response. They not only
create a new source of skills supply to
both public and private sector, they
bring opportunities for people to enter
or re-train into one of the most exciting
and well rewarded career paths
available." At the announcement of the
apprenticeship