by Richard Buckley, Editor, Business Eye

Over 400 young people, parents and teachers from across Northern Ireland tuned into BringITOnLive today to find out more about IT Apprenticeships and Foundation Degree routes available through the NI Further Education Colleges. The event was an important centrepiece of the wider NI Apprenticeship Week activity.



BringITOnLive is part of the overall ‘Bring IT On’ programme funded by the Department for the Economy (DfE) and delivered throughout Northern Ireland on their behalf by Belfast Metropolitan College. Designed to encourage new entrants into the IT sector the event was delivered virtually this year due to ongoing covid-19 restrictions and targeted post-primary and further education students as well as those teachers who support them. It was hosted by Emer Maguire an award-winning BBC NI presenter, science communicator and musical comedian. Keynote speakers included Sheree Atcheson, founder of Women who Code Belfast @WWCBelfast, considered one of the UK’s most influential women in Tech and an international multi-award winner for her services to diversity & inclusion in industry.
Phil Allen, a Curriculum Area Manager at Belfast Metropolitan College, delivered an information session about the exciting range of IT Apprenticeships and foundation degree options at Further Education colleges in Northern Ireland.
Attendees also heard from Andrew Trimble former Ulster and Ireland rugby legend who joined with his business partner Gareth Quinn to tell the story of their sports technology company Kairos. Founded in 2018 the company’s digital expertise is helping to optimise the performance of elite sports teams by empowering athletes with scheduling, communication, and athletic planning tools.
As part of the programme, Jo McVeigh, Founder of coaching & leadership development consultancy – Potential Collective delivered a bespoke session on building confidence and resilience skills. Attendees also had a chance to put their questions to a live panel of current and past apprentices and foundation degree students.
Speaking about the event Sara Lyons from the Bring IT On team said “With a huge demand for skills already in the IT and technology sector and that demand growing all the time it has never been more important for young people to understand the many career opportunities and the various paths into the sector. Due to ongoing covid-19 restrictions we have had to creatively deliver our ‘Bring IT On’ event as part of Apprenticeship Week online this year. We are delighted that we have been able to bring so many young people and teachers from across Northern Ireland together to hear more about the huge opportunities in the sector. We would like to thank our partners and our speakers for providing such insight and inspiration to our audience today. We have no doubt it will help put more young people on the path to a rewarding career in the thriving IT sector.”

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Pictured in studio for the live BringITOnLive event is event host Emer Maguire, former Ireland and Ulster rugby player Andrew Trimble, founder of sports tech company Kairos with his business partner Gareth Quinn and Sara Lyons, Project Manager, Bring It On.

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