A new survey by fintech business CompareNI.com found that 55% of students are under the impression there are a lack of career prospects in Northern Ireland - driving students to study overseas.
Government data shows that the number of students from Northern Ireland studying in GB and ROI is on the increase. In 2020/21, the total number of NI domiciled students enrolled on higher education courses in those areas was 77,465, a net increase of 4% from 2019/20.*
The CompareNI.com survey also found 80% of students said they had never considered a career in the fintech sector, despite it contributing £392 million to the economy, with the potential to create thousands of jobs and generate over £25 million in foreign direct investment for Northern Ireland in a matter of years.**
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CompareNI.com’s annual Fintech Scholarship project, now in its third year, aims to encourage students to explore what the fintech sector in Northern Ireland has to offer, plus support the winner with a £1000 bursary towards their studies - adding work experience to the project this year to offer first-hand insight to the industry.
Ian Wilson, Managing Director at CompareNI.com, said: “The fintech in Northern Ireland is accelerating at a rapid pace. It offers great prospects for graduates from all industry backgrounds, with high starting salaries and strong long-term career prospects.
“I’m concerned that 80% of students haven’t even considered our thriving industry as a possible career and I hope our Fintech Scholarship has gone some way to encourage students to see the diverse potential in this sector.
“Congratulations to this year’s winner, Syed Muhammad Abid Raza from Ulster University, who wrote an insightful blog on how fintech is revolutionising financial services.”
Dr Jason Broom, lecturer in International Management on behalf of the MSc International Business team comments: “We are very proud of Abid’s achievement in winning the Fintech Scholarship project. He is a very hard-working, motivated, proactive, and enthusiastic student who we know will succeed and thrive in the workplace. From his arrival, he has embraced all that Northern Ireland has to offer, both academically and culturally and has been keen to develop a deeper knowledge of the business landscape.
In addition, he has been an excellent spokesperson for all international students on the Magee campus, enthusing his peers and actively seeking and suggesting opportunities for personal and career enhancement. We look forward to hearing of his progress over the next few years and wish him well for the future.”
Source: Written from press release
