NUS-USI President Adrianne Peltz has said she hopes that the ICT Action Plan launched today by the Department for Employment and Learning will help attract more ICT jobs here and make it easier for people completing courses in this field to gain employment.

Adrianne Peltz said: “I hope that this announcement helps boost employment prospects for people completing ICT courses. This is a very difficult time and jobs are at a premium at present. Upskilling is one of the most crucial elements of Northern Ireland’s drive to grow our economy.

“ICT is an extremely lucrative sector and one which holds much potential for our economy. We have very talented students here, and it is extremely important that courses are tailored to put them in the best possible position to take up employment swiftly. Placements and bursaries are key components to helping us meet our potential in this area. It is also crucial that any action must focus on widening access to ICT courses and in doing so must also help enable social mobility.

“This is a positive and pro-active initiative which must make a real difference for people and their job prospects. We need innovative approaches and this will hopefully open more doors for people completing ICT courses in Northern Ireland.”