Lyons announces latest FinTrU North West Assured Skills Academy
6th Sep 2021
Economy Minister Gordon Lyons today launched a new FinTrU North West Assured Skills Academy offering 20 high quality training places for people with degrees.
The Assured Skills Academy will offer a four-week intensive training course with North West Regional College and Ulster University to develop core skills for the business services sector. Participants who complete the training are guaranteed an interview for a role at FinTrU’s NW Centre of Excellence.
Highlighting the opportunity, the Minister said: “FinTrU is a successful business services provider and a major employer in the north west. This Assured Skills Academy offers people with degrees the opportunity to position themselves strongly for a career in what is an exciting and fast-paced sector.
“No experience in the sector is required – I encourage anyone who meets the eligibility criteria, and who is interested, to apply.”
The Minister added: “Assured Skills Academies have a track record of success in securing employment for those who complete them and my officials are continuing to work hard to bring through more Academies in the near future.”
Greg McCann, Executive Director and Head of FinTrU North West, said: “We are delighted to welcome applications for our milestone tenth Financial Services Academy in the north west. This is a fantastic opportunity for those who have recently graduated or wish to change career to an exciting industry. We are looking for people who are ambitious and want to work on the global investment banking stage with FinTrU. No experience is required to apply for this programme.
“Since last year, over 600 people have joined FinTrU, with many coming through our Financial Services Academies. FinTrU has recently been named as ‘Workplace of the Year’ at the 2021 Digital DNA Awards and our Financial Services Academy offers applicants the opportunity to join our journey right here in the north west.”
Training will be delivered by North West Regional College and Ulster University and will cover areas including compliance, risk, legal, operations, Know Your Customer (KYC) and consultancy. Participants will also receive £155 per week training allowance.
Sinead Hawkins, Business Skills Manager at North West Regional College, said: “We are delighted to continue working with FinTrU to deliver the new online academy model. These academies are supporting the financial services industry and are providing quality job opportunities. At this time of economic recovery these academies provide hope and career direction for many individuals.”
Michael Pogue, Senior Lecturer in Financial Services at Ulster University Business School, added: “Ulster University, alongside partners FinTrU, the Department for the Economy and North West Regional College, have worked together to combine further education and industry expertise to create more opportunities for graduates in the north west and a vital skills pipeline to support the growing fintech industry in Northern Ireland.
“There is an extremely high level of talent in the area and the Assured Skills Academy has been formulated to ensure by the end of the course, participants will be newly equipped with industry-relevant skills and the knowledge to help them secure employment.”
Applications for the latest FinTrU North West Assured Skills Academy are open until 1 October 2021. No experience is required but applicants must hold a 2:2 degree or better in any discipline.
Telephone interviews will be held 11-12 October 2021. Those who progress to the second stage will have a video interview conducted 18-20 October. Training will start on 8 November.
For more information and to apply visit http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/assured-skills
