Global cyber security and risk mitigation specialist NCC Group has continued to invest in talent after taking on 30 new recruits from its Software Testing Academy.
This is the second major intake of graduates from the Academy since it opened in 2014, offering a structured development programme and the opportunity to gain hands-on experience within the industry.
The new starters are now stationed at one of the company’s onshore Software Testing Delivery Centres in Manchester and Edinburgh, which provide outsourced UK-based testing services and offer an alternative to offshore facilities.
David Bolton, director at NCC Group, said: “The Academy has proven to be a very valuable recruitment tool over the last few years.
“It’s imperative that we are able to address the skills gap in the sector and retraining and up-skilling ambitious individuals, who might not have been to university or worked in the technology industry before, is an effective way to tackle this issue.
“Our onshore facilities offer a high standard of customer service and testing excellence. By immersing our trainees into this environment, with a balance between learning on the job and formal training, we are creating a pipeline of talent who have the knowledge and practical skills to uphold these values.
“I’m confident that we will be able to build on our successes in this area and continue to expand both our Academy and the Delivery Centre teams.”
The company has made the Software Testing Academy accessible for anyone with transferable skills and an interest in the subject, rather than being exclusive to those who have a background in computer science.
Previous graduates come from a diverse range of backgrounds including some who were pursuing a career change and some who wanted to get back into work.
The training process is flexible but usually takes two years to complete.
Nicola Fleming, Delivery Centre tester, said: “After 22 years in the NHS as a scientist in microbiology, I decided to take the leap to become a test analyst.
“The biggest hurdle I envisaged was that I would be competing with new graduates, but NCC Group appreciated the transferable skills that I had gained throughout my previous career.”