Attracting world-class talent and promoting inclusive growth are key to making Belfast a great place to work, live and invest. At Deloitte, we're investing in initiatives to nurture local talent and are supporting various organisations as part of our social impact strategy. See how our work has been at the heart of building skills and encouraging growth in the city.

Attracting talent to Belfast

Deloitte has been developing pioneering talent initiatives in Northern Ireland since 2013, including our BrightStart apprenticeship programme and Graduate Academy programme. This year, 40 higher level apprentices joined our consulting centres of excellence in Belfast, bringing the total intake this year to approximately 170.

But our Belfast team is not just about attracting the best talent to the firm; it also focuses on the region's wider skills base, forming partnerships and establishing innovative programmes with education bodies, start-ups and corporates. We're building networks to support the city's growth ambitions, and building an ecosystem across business, education and state.

A particular highlight this year was partnering with Catalyst Inc, the Northern Ireland Science Park, to deliver Night of Ambition. This was an event to educate hundreds of students, their parents and teachers about the future of work and employment opportunities through interactive sessions and exposure to the disruptive technologies we work on. As one local teacher commented: "For me as a teacher this has to be one of the most insightful and informative career events I have ever attended. I feel like my eyes have been opened to the vast opportunities that exist now, and in the future, for my pupils."

Three inspiring causes

Growing ambitions is part of Deloitte UK's social impact strategy, One Million Futures. That's why the Belfast team is working with three local organisations to raise aspirations, improve skills and develop leaders:

  • We have welcomed over ten pupils from Hazelwood College to complete a work experience week at Deloitte. We have also designed Northern Ireland's first business internship programme for school pupils at the college – a six-month placement with leading local businesses in finance, construction, hospitality, professional services and social enterprise, starting in September 2017
  • We have supported Kinship Care NI, a local charity that assists carers and children in Northern Ireland, to help expand its School of Confidence. This programme aims to raise confidence levels of disadvantaged children across Northern Ireland 
  • We have identified growth priorities for NOW Group, a social enterprise that helps young people with learning difficulties into employment. This includes how best to support its users, engage its employers, and build a sustainable business

Through these efforts, we have inspired a diverse spectrum of young talent, encouraged social mobility and established our firm at the heart of Belfast's inclusive growth agenda. As we take these programmes forward, we want Belfast to be a leading regional city on the global stage, known as a great place to invest, innovate, live, work and visit.

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