EMPLOYMENT and Learning Minister Stephen Farry has praised the contributions ICT Academies, such as the Cloud Academy, can bring to business, individuals and the local economy. He was visiting Automated Intelligence (AI), a Belfastbased software firm bringing a new approach to the information management market.
The minister said: “The Cloud Academy, along with similar ICT academies, are excellent examples of government interventions to improve the skills of unemployed graduates, whilst providing skills that our employers have identified as a requirement for the future.
“The academies provide training for graduates with industry recognised qualifications and work experience in preparation for job opportunities in this vibrant growth area.
“We have a vast wealth of skills and qualifications amongst those graduates who are currently out of work, and the Academy model is an extremely effective way of harnessing those skills, and vital in encouraging economic growth in Northern Ireland.”
AI employee and former Cloud Academy graduate Jonathan Price, who had previously worked in the hospitality industry, was one of 14 Cloud Academy participants trained with the skills and accredited qualifications identified by IT sector employers for new job opportunities in this area.
He completed 15 weeks at Belfast Metropolitan College achieving the HP Accredited Technical Associate qualification, followed by a six week work placement with AI, which, after the placement, took him on as an IT support engineer.
Mark Godfrey, CEO of AI hailed the importance of the scheme: “The Cloud Academy has been a fantastic opportunity for us to bring in someone from a different industry to fill an integral role in the team. We are a growing software company which focuses on innovation, and to do this we need to constantly bring in new talent.”