Marie Doyle, Partner at Deloitte Northern Ireland, explains how demand for new skills is on the rise with the introduction of advanced technologies.
Maire Doyle’s journey at Deloitte began in 2004, back when technology was the career of choice for recently graduated computer scientists. Fast-forward 20 years, technology is embedded into every aspect of business, fully integrated into all elements of working life. Marie, who joined the firm as a graduate economist, now a partner in Enterprise Technology Consulting in Belfast, says this shift has revolutionised career opportunities for young people. “We still have many opportunities for software developers, but it goes well beyond that. We also work extensively with data testing and analytics, programme management to implement new technologies, benefits realisation and change management for clients.”
Technical skills in a wide range of fields remain important, however soft skills, e.g. communication and teamwork are becoming more vital in today’s modern tech landscape. “For example, my work is with public sector clients, who have traditionally been slower in their digitisation journey than the private sector,” she says. “Some of the people I’ve worked with have been with their organisation for 30 or 40 years and I support them in change management, helping them up realise the benefits of adopting new technology. It’s a completely different role to that of a coder or an analyst, but equally important in the tech sector, because without implementation and management, we can’t use technology.”
Exploring trends
Increasingly, client demands are focused on technology and the products and services that Deloitte is developing reflect that. “Generative AI is an example of an area that’s really taken off,” says Marie. “It will be transformational for clients, society, and our business. We’ve identified it as a strategic growth opportunity in Belfast and we’re making plans to nurture talent in this space.” For example, the firm has recently launched a new generative AI platform, PairD, designed to help the firm’s people with day-to-day tasks, including drafting content, writing code, and carrying out research safely and securely. “We’re providing free access and support for the platform to disability equality charity, Scope, one of our charity partners. At least 800 staff at the charity will have access from this year, which we hope will benefit them and the people they support.”
Machine learning and robotics are in high demand, with clients realising that simplifying processes using technology can free up people’s time for other work, increasing efficiency. “I don’t see these systems as replacing jobs, more streamlining some of the administrative tasks, so that people’s work can be channelled into planning, management and other much-needed areas.”
Another growing trend is the exploration of data for decision-making, sharing and more. “We’re having conversations around ethics and how data is protected, and the potential for how it can be used. It’s a huge and exciting area with many opportunities,” she says. “For example, in my work in the public sector, there’s scope to better understand how sharing data between different sectors, such as housing and health, could revolutionise services for the public. Governments across the world are increasingly aware of the unlocked potential of data. With that comes huge opportunities for digital skills and training.”
Meeting the demand
Deloitte has invested heavily into its training opportunities, to meet this increasing demand. As part of this, Deloitte launched a Skills Academy in 2013 to upskill people in specific areas of technology. The firm has since run academies across robotics, analytics, health technology and many other areas. “It’s an 8-to-10-week paid training opportunity for people who’ve been through higher education,” explains Marie. “It gives those who are looking for a career change, the chance to do that whilst getting paid. It's tailored to specific areas and most of our academy students get offered a full-time job at the end of the programme.” Deloitte’s academy offers people in Northern Ireland the chance to gain in-depth knowledge in a short space of time, allowing them to hit the ground running in their career.
Another area of training that’s seen huge investment from Deloitte is the BrightStart Apprenticeship Scheme. Designed for school leavers, the scheme offers people a full-time job while they study part-time for a degree from the University of Ulster. Traditionally, Northern Ireland has had difficulty retaining talent, but the ongoing investment into training is changing that. “We used to have a significant portion of young people leaving Belfast,” says Marie. “They often travelled to other parts of the UK and didn’t return. But through the BrightStart Scheme, we go into secondary schools to talk about the benefits of joining Deloitte to demonstrate to young people the wealth of opportunities right here in Northern Ireland.”
The programme has also helped to increase diversity within the firm, by supporting those who might not have been able to afford university to study and gain qualifications. “We offer a competitive salary too, meaning that people can earn while they learn. Plus, the degree is fully funded so they don’t have to worry about university debt,” she says. Since 2012, the scheme has been a huge success, with some joiners moving to different companies or parts of the world and others building their way up to management roles in the Belfast office.
Diversity and inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are top of the agenda at Deloitte. The firm is committed to encouraging people from diverse backgrounds to learn new tech skills and develop exciting careers on their own terms. In addition to the Academy and BrightStart Scheme, Marie is proud that the firm partners with Timely, a local Return to Work Scheme for women in Northern Ireland. “This focuses on supporting women back to work after a period of absence, for example for those taking on family and caring responsibilities,” she says. “Deloitte has always been a proponent of agile working but the pandemic has transformed ways of working, making more flexible and inclusive options available. We find that people are considering jobs and careers they might not have had in the past- especially women with young children. We are very supportive of people returning after a long-term absence and it helps us to recruit people with a broader range of life experiences.”
Future focus
Whatever path people join through, everyone can expect a structured training journey with endless opportunities to learn and develop. “We offer high-quality accredited training, depending on the software you’re working with or the business you’re in. Whether it’s cloud or Salesforce, having that accreditation is valuable for people as they start building their career.”
Accessibility is also important, with the Belfast office making an impact with clients across the world. “Technology has transformed the way we work and the way we interact with others across the globe,” she stresses. “Those globally renowned brands are clients we work with on a day-to-day basis.”
For Marie, a career in technology is about far more than the skills you gain and the clients you work with. As a collaborative, global firm, people will navigate a huge range of platforms at Deloitte, making it possible to find the right fit, whatever that may look like. “Many people simply don’t know what they want in the early stages of their career. But you can nurture and navigate this journey depending on what you enjoy. Deloitte offers huge flexibility to do that.”
This article appears in the skills, education and tech careers edition of Sync NI magazine. To receive a free copy click here.
