Two Belfast Metropolitan College students have secured the opportunity to learn from and work alongside the IT team that helps support more than 5,000 people in Allen & Overy’s (A&O) global operation.
Rachel Freeburn from Portadown and Ashley Sofley from Glengormley secured the coveted IT Infrastructure Apprentice positions after impressing senior managers at the international law firm’s Support Services Centre in Belfast.
The young learners will spend up to four days per week gaining valuable on-the-job experience and spend one day per week at Belfast Metropolitan College to complete Level 2 and 3 IT qualifications and industry essential Microsoft certificates.
It is the second year Allen & Overy has taken on new talent from Belfast Metropolitan College through the IT Apprenticeship Programme managed by the Department for Employment and Learning.
Andrew Glenn, IT Support team leader with Allen & Overy, said: “Rachel and Ashley have both made a great impression in the office and are already doing extremely well. Bringing in apprentices from Belfast Metropolitan College has been proven to be a positive experience for us, as a firm, and the learners who joined us last year.
“Allen & Overy needs talented people to help it keep its infrastructure running smoothly 24/7. There is a very clear route for career progression and rewards for anyone who can come in and work hard to help the teams meet their goals.”
Jonathan Heggarty, head of School Electronic and Computing Technologies at the college, said: “Belfast Met is passionate about ensuring that all of our students achieve their full potential and have every opportunity to progress to employment. We are always delighted to hear when IT apprentices thrive in their placement and have the opportunity to work in an environment where they can begin to understand what it is like to work within the IT industry.”
A&O’s Belfast Support Centre provides a range of critical services to more than 2,700 legal and 2,500 support staff in the firm’s network of 46 offices across the globe. While a lot of the work is completed within the local office, the skills and expertise of the IT team has seen members work on projects in Barcelona, Casablanca, Dubai, Monte Carlo and Paris.