200 jobs created at new Centre of Excellence in Belfast
Last updated 17th Feb 2021
KPMG, a leading accounting firm, is to create 200 jobs and invest £14million in a new Belfast Centre of Excellence.
The roles will cover areas like Cyber Security, Applied Intelligence and Digital Transformation.
The good news about most of these jobs is that you do not need a specific degree, as 160 will be secured through the Assured Skill Academy.
The Department for the Economy is funding pre-employment Assured Skills Academy training places in the amount of almost £1.3million over three years.
Invest NI has also offered £1million of support for the new jobs to secure the project for Northern Ireland.
The investment will see the audit, tax, consulting and deal advisory firm establish a new Centre of Excellence in Belfast, which will deliver a new range of digital consultancy services in major growth areas for clients in Great Britain and Ireland.
Johnny Hanna, Partner in Charge of KPMG in Northern Ireland, said: “The creation of the new Centre of Excellence is the next step in the evolution of KPMG in Northern Ireland. We have continually grown the firm to meet the ever-changing demands of our clients and the addition of this digital centre adds an exciting offering, which will have global reach.
“The case for building the team here was made easy by the depth of talent on offer in the digital technology space and the assistance of Invest NI. This investment cements our commitment to NI and we look forward to establishing a world-class team.”
The first Assured Skills Academy will provide participants with industry-relevant training from 19 April to 23 June to position them strongly for a role as a Data Scientist, Data Engineer or a Network Analytics Engineer. Completing the training guarantees an interview for a role in KPMG’s Belfast Centre of Excellence.
Welcoming the investment, Economy Minister Diane Dodds said: “Today’s announcement of 200 new jobs by KPMG is excellent news for Northern Ireland’s burgeoning professional and financial services sector. KPMG established its first office here in 1974 and has since demonstrated its commitment to Northern Ireland time and time again as its operation here has continued to grow.
“This new investment will see it almost double its workforce in Northern Ireland. Of the new roles, 160 will participate in my Department’s pre-employment Assured Skills training programme, which will offer the company a pipeline of skilled graduates over the next three years. We will run eight Assured Skills Academies with Belfast Met over the next three years, and the first one is open for applications now.
“Once in place, the jobs will contribute over £7million in additional annual salaries to the local economy. This investment also reinforces KPMG’s confidence in Northern Ireland as a key business location post-EU Exit. It is important that we continue to showcase Northern Ireland as an attractive location for inward investment, offering guaranteed talent, a business-friendly environment and strong tech expertise.”