Barclay Communications

Barclay Communications in Northern Ireland has won new government contracts

Northern Ireland’s Barclay Communications has won two government contracts worth approximately £0.75 million.

Following competitive tender processes, the company won contracts with the Welsh Parliament and the New Forest District Council in Hampshire. In Wales, it will supply and manage hundreds of connections on O2, Vodafone, and EE for Welsh MPs in a two-year deal worth £250,000.

And its three-year Hampshire contract is worth £521,000 and covers over 750 connections, with room for expansion.

Barclay Communication will upgrade the organization’s entire communications hardware while also developing a package to protect the council’s sensitive data.

Britt Megahey, managing director at Barclay Communications, said: “We are delighted to add two more high-profile government contracts to our client portfolio.

“We have consistently invested in our business to ensure our customers are provided with bespoke and innovative communication solutions and as a result, it has allowed us to secure many tender wins for high-profile clients. I am proud to say that over 93% of clients continue to stay with us long after their initial contract term.

“Working with the Welsh Parliament has been a challenge that the Barclay Communications team relished.

“To fulfill the comms requirement for existing and new MPs, the solution had to be delivered within an exceptionally short time frame. We ensured handsets and connectivity were provisioned and onsite, ready for the required completion date.”

He added: “These significant new contracts speak volumes about the investment we have made in the business over recent months and the dedication our staff has to both our customers and our company.”

The contract awards come only two months after the Barclay Group invested £2 million in its landline division, creating 35 new jobs.

The Barclay Group has also undergone a complete rebranding of all of its companies, including a new website, in recent months.

ASOS to create 184 new jobs

ASOS to create 184 new jobs

The DfE skills academy will fill 130 positions for the e-commerce fashion giant’s £14 million Belfast facility.

ASOS, the online fashion retailer, announced today that it will invest £14 million in a Belfast tech hub that will employ 184 people. Economy Minister Gordon Lyons stated that the positions, which include data analysts and software engineers, will be filled over the next three years.

Many will be hired through a £1 million Department for Economy Assured Skills Academy with ASOS. The academy will screen potential candidates for 130 of the 184 positions. Invest Northern Ireland, an economic development agency, said it had been in talks with ASOS about a potential investment here for four years.

“Today’s announcement by ASOS is a clear vote of confidence in Northern Ireland and our strong appeal as an investment location,” Mr Lyons said.

“The development of the new Belfast tech hub, as well as the creation of over 180 jobs, represents a significant investment by the company in Northern Ireland.

“In exchange, our talent pool will provide ASOS with the high-quality engineering resources it requires to carry out its international expansion plans.”

He claims the jobs will generate nearly £6.5 million in additional wages for the local economy, with an average salary of around £35,000. Over the next three years, all 184 positions are expected to be filled.

“The first Assured Skills Academy with ASOS, focusing on data engineering and delivered by South Eastern Regional College, is now open for applications — I encourage anyone who is interested and eligible to apply for this exciting opportunity,” he added.

The hub will open its doors early next year, with 52 positions filled in the first year. Recruitment for a variety of positions, including engineering and data science, is already underway.

Invest Northern Ireland, which contributed nearly £1.2 million to the relocation, stated that the exact location of the hub had not yet been determined.

Nick Beighton, CEO, ASOS, said: “Our new hub will provide us with cutting-edge tech expertise to support future growth. Belfast has a wealth of tech talent and we’re excited to be establishing a permanent base in such a vibrant city.”

Cliff Cohen, chief technology officer of ASOS, added: “As we continue to scale our investment in technology, we are looking to hire talent across engineering roles into our new tech hub, and help foster talent in Northern Ireland by supporting its growing reputation as a centre for tech excellence.”

Kevin Holland, Invest NI’s CEO, said: ”The new roles will offer a range of opportunities for software engineers and analysts, development opportunities for those in the early stages of their tech careers and will provide exciting pathways for people to join Northern Ireland’s digital workforce. We very much look forward to supporting ASOS to grow in Northern Ireland.”

The ASOS Data Engineering Assured Skills Academy is accepting applications until 5 p.m. on October 22. The successful applicants will begin training on January 10.

The announcement of the hub comes as the DfE opens the application process for its £145 million Shop Local voucher scheme for brick-and-mortar retailers.

ASOS recently released its financial results for the four months ending June 30, 2021. It revealed that online UK sales increased by 36% to £526.4 million during the period. Over the same period, its Rest of World sales increased by 11% to £715 million.

It sells its clothes in over 200 different markets. In addition to its own brands, it sells many high street favorites, including its recently acquired Arcadia brands Topshop, Topman, and Miss Selfridge, which it purchased earlier this year for £265 million, plus £65 million for current and pre-ordered stock.

Belfast City Council's CEO is set to take on a new role as Jersey's top civil servant

Belfast City Council’s CEO is set to take on a new role as Jersey’s top civil servant

Belfast-born Suzanne Wyle, the CEO of Belfast City Council, is set to accept a £250,000-a-year position as Jersey’s top civil servant.

The island, located off the coast of France, has a population of more than 100,000 people. According to the Bailiwick Express, Ms Wylie is on track to become CEO of the Channel Islands next year.

Ms Wylie has been the Chief Executive of Belfast City Council since 2014, following a career in local government administration. She previously served as the Director of Health and Environmental Services.

During her tenure in Belfast, she has faced challenges that are unlikely to arise in Jersey, such as the ongoing issue of loyalist bonfires and the fallout from the funeral of IRA man and senior Sinn Féin member Bobby Storey.

Last June, during lockdown, the funeral of the country’s leading republican took place.

Ms Wylie apologized “wholeheartedly and unreservedly” for how the funeral was handled earlier this year.

Families were unable to attend Storey’s cremation services on the same day, which Ms Wylie later described in a statement as a “error of judgment.”

Paul Martin, a former Chief Executive of the London Boroughs of Wandsworth and Richmond, is Jersey’s top government official on an interim basis.

His 12-month contract will expire at the end of February 2022, when Ms Wylie will take over.

Jersey is a British Crown Dependency with its own financial, legal, and judicial systems.

Lunn’s creating up to 40 new jobs

Lunn’s creating up to 40 new jobs

Lunn’s, a luxury high-end jeweller and watch boutique, is hiring up to 40 new employees as it opens four stand-alone brand stores in Belfast.

The family-owned company is establishing separate showrooms for some of its most popular watch brands. Omega, Breitling, and Montblack are among the brands represented, as is a Gucci Watches and Jewellery store.

Following a major revamp of the arcade in 2019, they will join the Lunn’s flagship store at Queen’s Arcade, as well as the Rolex and Tag Heuer boutiques that are already there.

The new stores are expected to be completed by the end of the year. It is hiring around 20 people for the new stores, as well as up to 20 people across the board.

The addition of new stores for four such iconic brands, according to John Lunn, managing director of Lunn’s Jewellers, is a “vote of confidence in Belfast and provides a boost for the city’s retail offering that will be popular with both local shoppers and international tourists as they begin to return to Belfast.”

“We are excited about Queen’s Arcade’s future and will continue to invest to make it one of Ireland’s premier shopping destinations,” he said.

Amazon’s new Portadown delivery station will create more than 100 driver ‘opportunities

Amazon’s new Portadown delivery station will create more than 100 driver ‘opportunities

Amazon has announced the opening of a new facility in Portadown, which will create at least 20 permanent jobs and over 100 “driver opportunities.”

Amazon Logistics has announced the opening of a new delivery station in the town of Co Armagh.

The 7,000-square-metre structure is expected to be fully operational later this year, serving customers in the Portadown area. The Belfast Telegraph revealed exclusively in June that the American multinational was linked to a massive site at James Park, Mahon Industrial Estate, which has now been confirmed.

Delivery stations power the final mile of Amazon’s order process and help customers receive their orders faster.

Carla Lockhart, MP for Upper Bann, stated, “The creation of 20 permanent warehouse jobs and approximately 100 driver opportunities in the Upper Bann area is a tremendous boost to the local economy.”

More and more businesses are seeing the value in establishing this area as a distribution hub, with a road network connecting to major arterial routes to every corner of Northern Ireland and beyond. Amazon recognizing this puts the area on the map, and I applaud this investment.”

Amazon also stated that it is allowing entrepreneurs to start their own business delivering Amazon packages, as well as independent contractors the freedom to “be their boss and create their own schedule” while delivering for Amazon Flex.

“We are excited to invest in the Portadown area with a new delivery station that will provide efficient delivery for customers and create new jobs for the talented workforce,” said Kerry-Anne Lawlor, Country Director for Amazon Logistics.

Meanwhile, Amazon is opening its first warehouse in the Republic, which will employ 500 people. It stated that it is establishing the fulfillment center in Dublin to meet customer demand. The 630,000 square foot facility, which is set to open in spring 2022 at the Baldonnell Business Park, will provide faster deliveries for customers across Ireland seven days a week, including one-day delivery, according to the company.

Engineers, HR and IT professionals, health and safety and finance specialists, and operations managers are among the new roles available at the fulfillment center, according to Amazon.

The hiring process for teams that will pick, pack, and ship customer orders will begin next year.

The company also announced the opening of a second delivery station in Ballycoolin, at the Northwest Logistics Park, to serve customers in Dublin and the surrounding areas.

More than 20 permanent jobs will be created at the facility, in addition to dozens of driver opportunities for Amazon Logistics’ delivery service partners and Amazon Flex delivery partners. The 83,500-square-foot structure is expected to be completed this autumn.

Last October, the first delivery station in Ireland opened in Rathcoole, Dublin, creating more than 20 permanent jobs and collaborating with ten independent delivery companies that hired more than 150 drivers.

Amazon also announced plans last year to create 1,000 new permanent jobs in Ireland over the next two years, bringing the retail giant’s total permanent workforce in the country to more than 5,000 by 2022.

“We are delighted to open our first fulfillment center in Dublin, enabling us to provide faster delivery times for customers across Ireland,” said Stefano Perego, vice president of Amazon’s fulfillment centre operations in Europe.

“We are thrilled to be creating 500 new permanent positions that will provide competitive wages, excellent benefits, and a modern, safe, and engaging work environment for our employees.”

Amazon claims that since the Covid-19 pandemic began, it has invested more than $11.5 billion globally and implemented more than 150 new safety measures to keep its employees safe.

According to an Amazon spokesperson, the company is hosting one of the largest free virtual training and recruiting events in the UK. Amazon Career Day will be held on September 16th, and job seekers can register at amazoncareerday.com.

Japanese Cyber security company to create 10 new jobs in Belfast

Japanese Cyber security company to create 10 new jobs in Belfast

With the opening of a new office in Belfast, a Japanese cyber security firm will create ten new jobs.

Nihon Cyber Defence (NCD), a Japan-based technology company, has also announced the appointment of two highly experienced cyber security professionals to senior management positions.

Dougie Grant, a former senior PSNI, and National Cyber Security Centre officer is the company’s Managing Director in Europe. Dougie was previously in charge of developing the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) law enforcement cyber capability on a local and national level, as well as working with the law enforcement cyber community.

Professor Ciaran Martin, the former CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), will also join the company’s board of directors in Japan. He is currently Professor of Practice at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford.

NCD, headquartered in Tokyo, offers cyber defense solutions, services, and support to governments, businesses, and public sector organizations to proactively identify and protect them from all types of cyberattacks intended to cause financial, political, or social disruption.
In response to the exponential growth of cyber threats, NCD intends to hire up to ten core staff members in Belfast over the next year to work with UK and Ireland customers and support its existing operations in Japan and other regional Asia-Pacific hubs.

Through its CEO Cartan McLaughlin, who is originally from Northern Ireland, NCD already has a strong connection with Belfast. Mr. McLaughlin stated,

“The establishment of a Nihon Cyber Defence office in Belfast has always been a long-term goal for us, and it’s exciting to see this come to fruition with the appointment of an outstanding local management team.”

“With this experienced and capable team, we will be able to build a safe and secure environment for our local and national businesses and industry.

“Belfast joins our head office in Tokyo and will lead NCD’s global incident management and response capability.”

Professor Ciaran Martin added that he is “delighted” to be working with the team at Nihon Cyber Defence in Tokyo.

“We continue to see the devastating impact of cyber-attacks globally, but we recognize that early preparation is key if we are to respond effectively,” he said.

“NCD is at the forefront of this capability delivering their expertise to the Japanese market and further afield.”

Dougie Grant said that NCD will be expanding “rapidly” protecting all sectors across the UK and Ireland and supporting the global operations.

“Being based in Belfast ensures we can recruit talent locally, developing the local partnerships and support industry and infrastructure across Northern Ireland,” he said.

NCD in Belfast will concentrate its assistance in the legal, accounting, critical infrastructure, and specialized sectors, offering proactive cyber services, network monitoring, and incident management capabilities to help organizations prepare for and respond to increasingly complex cyber risks and threats.

An American technology company will create 153 new jobs in Northern Ireland.

An American technology company will create 153 new jobs in Northern Ireland.

It will indicate high-quality positions, all of which will pay salaries above the private sector’s average annual wage.

A workforce management firm from the United States plans to open a technology engineering center in Northern Ireland, creating 153 jobs.

Workrise was founded in Austin, Texas, and it connects skilled labor contractors with companies in need of employees.

“It is a pleasure to welcome this leading technology company to Northern Ireland, an investment that will make an important contribution to our economy,” said Economy Minister Gordon Lyons.

“We want Northern Ireland to be stronger than it was before the conflict.

“We want our people to develop the skills of the future and our businesses to be resilient, innovative, sustainable and competitive.

“One of the ways we can achieve this is to attract new investment and create high-value employment.

“I am therefore very pleased to announce this latest new investment into Northern Ireland.

“Workrise’s decision to establish its new engineering center here will create 153 high-quality jobs, all paying salaries above the average annual wage for the private sector.

“With a hybrid working approach in place, people from all over Northern Ireland will be able to apply and there are exciting opportunities on offer for graduates.

“Overall the project will contribute £6.8million in wages to the local economy once all the roles are in place with benefits of the investment being felt across Northern Ireland.”

Invest Northern Ireland has offered the company £994,500 in funding to help it create new technology jobs.

Xuan Yong, co-founder and CEO of Workrise, stated, “To achieve our growth plans, we are expanding and centralizing our software engineering function.” We chose Northern Ireland as the site for this new center because of its high-quality software engineers with industry experience, as well as a strong pipeline of graduates from your excellent universities.”

Kevin Holland, CEO of Invest Northern Ireland, stated, “Northern Ireland has a well-developed and growing ICT sector.” We work with partners throughout Northern Ireland to continue developing the talent that companies like Workrise seek.

“New investors with novel technology ideas and solutions offer excellent potential for knowledge transfer, career progression and sector development, enhancing Northern Ireland’s world-class reputation in this field.

“Workrise plans to create the 153 jobs over the next four years, with an initial focus on establishing the engineering team.

“It is currently recruiting software engineering roles including Backend, Frontend and DevOps with circa 30 staff in place so far, working remotely across Northern Ireland.

“Later recruitment will turn to product management and programme management roles with ultimately plans in place to establish a central office in Belfast.

The latest labor market figures show that NI payroll numbers are at an all-time high

The latest labor market figures show that NI payroll numbers are at an all-time high

According to the most recent labor market figures, the number of employees has increased for the eighth consecutive month, with an increase of 21,400 employees (2.9 percent) in the last three months alone.

In addition, the number of payrolled employees has remained above pre-pandemic levels for the second month in a row, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra).

In July 2021, the number of employees receiving pay through HMRC PAYE in Northern Ireland was 762,600, a 1.1 percent increase over the previous month and a 3.1 percent increase over the previous year. This is also the highest figure ever recorded.

Nisra compiled the statistics using HMRC payroll data, which is regarded as the most up-to-date and best overall indicator of the labor market.

Employee numbers are now at their highest point in history, up 1.3 percent from March 2020 pre-Covid.

Even though the number of redundancies confirmed in July was the highest so far in 2021, with 250 redundancies confirmed last month, the total for the year is 5,750.

At 3,180, this year’s total was 81% higher than the previous year. 250 redundancies were confirmed in July, bringing the annual total to 5,750. This year’s total was 81% higher than the previous year (3,180).

Meanwhile, the number of proposed collective redundancies has risen from 150 in May to 490 in June and 850 in July, bringing the total number of proposed collective redundancies in the last year to 6,090.

The unemployment rate has risen in the last quarter and year. The Labour Force Survey estimated the rate to be 3.8 percent between April and June 2021, an increase of 0.4 percent and 1.2 percent year on year.

In other news, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme supported approximately 44,000 jobs at the end of June, representing a 6% take-up rate.

This is a continuation of the downward trend that began with approximately 117,000 supported jobs in January.

For the fifth month in a row, the number of claimants has decreased. The seasonally adjusted number of people on the claimant count in July was 50,000 (5.1 percent of the workforce), down 800 (1.5 percent) from the previous month’s revised figure.

The July claimant count was 22% lower than the previous peak in May 2020, but 64% higher than the pre-pandemic count in March 2020.

Northern Ireland had the lowest unemployment rate, the lowest employment rate, and the highest economic inactivity rate of any UK region.

Portstewart software firm Zymplify is set to create 25 new jobs

Portstewart software firm Zymplify is set to create 25 new jobs

Zymplify will be investing £1.5 million in marketing, management, and sales positions.

Following a £1.5 million investment in its business, a marketing software company on the north coast is creating 19 new jobs. Zymplify in Portstewart specializes in sales and marketing software that assists businesses in rapidly scaling up.

It is now aiming to fill positions in sales, customer support, marketing, technical, and management, thanks to a six-figure investment from the economic development agency Invest NI.

It is hiring a total of 26 people, though seven of the new positions are already filled. According to Invest Northern Ireland, the jobs that have been filled will result in salary contributions to the economy of £1.5 million per year, implying an average salary of nearly £58,000 per year.

“Our platform makes the lives of marketers easier,” said Michael Carlin, CEO of Zymplify, which was founded in 2013.

“In one easy to understand dashboard, they can plan and analyse their digital and social marketing activities in real-time.

“We announced an ambitious growth and development plan back in 2018 and over the last three years we have been working hard to grow and strengthen our business.”

He stated that Invest Northern Ireland’s assistance had been “integral in our success to date.”

Mr Carlin went on to say, “The marketing automation space has proven to be very fast growing globally, and our new staff will help us carve out a larger piece of this market and fulfill the potential we know our business is capable of.”

“We are very excited for the future .”

Alan McKeown, Invest NI executive director of regional business, said: “Invest NI has been working closely with Zymplify over the last 10 years.

“We have offered the company business advice and guidance, R&D support to innovate its services, skills support and financial assistance to grow its team.

“Combined, this is helping  Zymplify  grow its reputation in the global automated software market and assisting it to meet demand for its services with new products now on board and new contracts secured in Great Britain, Republic of Ireland and Europe.”

Invest Northern Ireland has offered Zymplify £182,000 in job support.

Mr McKeown described the announcements as “an important step in the company’s journey.” “The jobs being created will generate over £1.5m of additional annual salaries; a great boost for the local community and economy.”

Mr Carlin spent nearly 20 years at AIG before founding Zymplify, working in Hong Kong, Paris, and Belgium. He also worked at Terex before launching instaGIV in 2010. Clearcourse purchased the mobile marketing and technology provider aimed at charities and the non-profit sector in 2020.

Zymplify has advisory offices in Belfast, London, Boston, and Manchester, in addition to its headquarters in Portstewart.

The Department for the Economy has also recognized it for its record of innovation.

Invest Northern Ireland’s R&D assistance is partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the EU Investment for Growth and Jobs Programme 2014-2020.

Connected Health, a homecare provider in Belfast, is offering a £100 sign-up bonus to new employees

Connected Health, a homecare provider in Belfast, is offering a £100 sign-up bonus to new employees

Connected Health, a home care provider, has announced a 4% increase in hourly pay to £10 per hour as part of a challenge to hire 100 care workers in a week.

Connected Health, based in Belfast, also stated that it is offering a separate £100 “sign-up bonus” to every care worker it hires this month, with the new hire then required to stay for at least three months.

The company stated that its recruitment drive was intended to address a staffing crisis in the industry. It plans to hire “hundreds” of new caregivers across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom over the next year. The company also announced a “significant” pay increase from £9.50 to £10 per hour, which it claims will make its employees “the best-paid care workers in Northern Ireland.”

When its carers began receiving a minimum hourly wage of £9.50 an hour earlier this year, Connected Health said it became the first home care company in Northern Ireland to pay the Real Living Wage.

According to Director Ryan Williams, there is a growing need for home care on both sides of the border.

“The NHS and the HSE are facing the same issue — the need for more people to be discharged from hospital.

“As a sector, we require many more carers working on the ground in their communities to help achieve that.

“Currently health services are experiencing winter pressures in the middle of summer and drastic action is needed to meet the substantially increased demand for home care workers.

“We are answering the call and this initiative is designed as much to raise awareness of the seriousness of the situation, as it is to help address it by increasing staff numbers.”

He claimed that the company could “easily” provide jobs for 1,000 qualified applicants, and that “the situation is the same right around the care sector on the island of Ireland and in the United Kingdom.”

Mr. Williams added: “Many more carers are needed on the ground today in their local areas, supporting vulnerable local people who need assistance to ensure they can live comfortably at home, as per their wishes.

“By doing this, they will be vastly improving the quality of life of those who wish to remain in their own homes, while also relieving the pressures on our struggling hospitals and stretched health services.

“We have to find the new capacity to meet the increasing needs of communities.”