Business

Telecoms software firm Metaswitch creates 94 Belfast jobs paying average £27,500 salary

Economy Minister Simon Hamilton with Metaswitch Networks directors Graeme MacArthur and Stuart Warwick. Photo: Aaron McCracken/Harrisons
Economy Minister Simon Hamilton with Metaswitch Networks directors Graeme MacArthur and Stuart Warwick. Photo: Aaron McCracken/Harrisons Economy Minister Simon Hamilton with Metaswitch Networks directors Graeme MacArthur and Stuart Warwick. Photo: Aaron McCracken/Harrisons

AN English-based firm makes software for the telecoms industry is creating 94 high-end ICT and research jobs in Belfast.

Metaswitch will locate its new UK Centre of Excellence in the city, and has been supported by £800,000 of government grants.

When all the jobs are in place within the next three years, the project will contribute around £3.3million a year in wages to the Northern Ireland economy.

Economy Minister Simon Hamilton MLA said: “Once again, our pool of highly educated people has attracted this new investor to Northern Ireland.

“There will be a range of roles available in information and communications technology, and research & development, with an average salary of over £27,500, creating an additional pool of high-quality roles in the telecommunications sector."

He added: “The new centre will deliver a competitive and innovative edge to the company’s operations, helping it to compete in a global industry.”

In conjunction with the job announcement, Mr Hamilton has launched the commencement of the first Metaswitch Academy. The programme will see 20 graduates undertake an intensive nine week training programme delivered by Belfast Metropolitan College.

Academy participants will learn the skills required to kick-start a successful career in software support engineering with potential employment at Metaswitch’s new Centre of Excellence in central Belfast.

He added: “This Academy is an excellent example of how we are working with academia to ensure our graduates have the skills required for new companies such as Metaswitch as well as our indigenous companies.”

Graeme MacArthur, executive vice-president of engineering and support services at Metaswitch said: “We were attracted to Northern Ireland primarily because of the stable supply of highly educated people.

"We were particularly impressed by the Assured Skills program and the close links it fosters between business and the universities, enabling us to feed into the curriculum and ensure the ongoing supply of smart people with the right skills.

“High quality telecommunications and lower operating costs were also attractive and we anticipate that the Belfast centre will provide a very cost effective element of our growth strategy.”