Software NI meets Economy Minister on accelerating apprenticeships
As part of our #SoftwareForAll project with WorkPlus, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA joined apprentices, employers and educators for a roundtable discussion on how we grow the number of software apprenticeships.
The project is at it's half way point and will report later in 2026. In addition to securing support from the Minister and the launch of the Apprenticeship Action Plan, we are pleased that funding amounts for relevant apprenticeships were increased by approximately 17% in 2025 - easing a disincentive for provider such as universities. The conversation also touched on how early career software talent can harness AI tools to accelerating speed and quality, whilst still learning the fundamentals. As part of our activity Software NI is working closely with schools and universities to redesign AI-first curricula.
Rachel Chapman found her apprenticeship with Allsop through the Software for All initiative. She said, “My apprenticeship is giving me such a rounded experience. The Software for All project enabled me to find my apprenticeship with Allsop. It has been a fantastic experience so far – I’m Allsop’s first early careers apprentice and I’d love to see more people have these opportunities in software. I think blending work and education is such a great way of launching a career in software.”
Minister Archibald praised the collaborative effort and commitment shown by everyone involved in the project and said: “The Apprenticeship Inclusion Challenge Fund was created to support innovative projects like this, to help increase apprenticeship uptake among women, people with disabilities, and those from disadvantaged areas.
“By partnering with local ICT employers, Workplus and Software NI are opening new pathways for women and girls into apprenticeships and helping make our workforce more inclusive, dynamic and representative.”
Workplus is a Software NI member and has developed bespoke software for early talent recruitment and specialises in creating collaborative and coordinated apprenticeship recruitment campaigns.
Richard Kirk, CEO of Workplus, said: “Rachel personifies the purpose of Software for All: creating opportunities in priority sectors and helping more employers engage in the system. Coordination is a key part of this project, with the Workplus platform enabling easier connection and applications. We know how beneficial apprenticeships are to both individuals and employers, but we also know how important the coordination piece is in making this space easier to navigate for everyone.”
The software industry in Northern Ireland contributes £1.7 billion annually in GVA, employing around 23,000 people in over 2,000 businesses. Software NI represents the NI Software Industry, using a range of approaches to accelerate and double the industry in size by 2035.
Neil Hutcheson, CEO of Software NI said: “This is an important project for Software NI and it is demonstrating results that are fully aligned to the Minister’s priorities. In addition to creating 40 more accessible software job opportunities for women, this project serves as a valuable education and engagement initiative, allowing us to showcase the stories of women already in the software sector, the careers available and to help address some software sector misconceptions that may exist. It forms a key part of the Software NI workstreams across schools, skills, sales systems as well as securing the future of the sector itself.”
Attendees are listed below and included the Economy Minister, her special advisor and a range of Government officials.
- Richard Kirk, CEO, Workplus
- Neil Hutcheson, CEO, Software NI
- Ruth Harper, Project Lead, Workplus
- Stephen Swann, CEO, Madigan Solutions
- Rachel Chapman, OperaTons Analyst, Allsop
- Gina Lonergan, Associate SoQware Engineer, Liberty IT
- Neil Owen, Principal, Parkhall Integrated School
- Ciara Hoey, Careers Lead, St Louise's, Belfast
- Louise O’Hare, Head of Learning & Development, First Derivative
ENDS