NEWRY-based financial technology giant First Derivatives, which currently employs 1,900 employees worldwide, says it will recruit a record 400 graduates this year.
That's twice the number the fast-growth publicly-listed company hired in 2016, and follows the launch of a brand new training initiative called Futures.
"Each year we take pride in building on our training programmes, making them the very best in their field," according to Elizabeth O'Hanlon, global talent acquisition manager at First Derivatives.
"From bringing in 20 or 30 graduates four years ago, that number soared to 200 last year, and it will double to at least 400 by the end of 2017," she said.
As a leading provider of products and consulting services to the capital markets industry worldwide, First Derivatives has enjoyed unbroken and stellar growth since its foundation in 1996.
In its last trading period the company reported sales of £151 million and a bottom-line profit of more than £9 million.
First Derivatives is currently hiring across three distinct graduate programmes - 'Explorers' which is designed for elite graduates with a passion for global business development and global marketing; 'Options' which is for world class graduates with an interest in data science, trading technology, financial engineering, and software engineering; and 'Futures', aimed at those from a non-STEM background who want to live locally but still get access to global clients.
In the Futures programme, graduates are trained on both finance and technology and will get exposure to FD's top tier clients through near-shore Newry based projects.
"Through these uniquely-created training programmes, staff at FD are given every chance to excel in their careers and are handed opportunities young consultants simply would not get elsewhere," Ms O'Hanlon said.
"Ensuring that our people are well motivated, well rewarded and have the opportunity to develop their true potential is critical to meeting our varied client needs and our continued commercial success."
She added: "We offer employees more than just a career – we offer that perfect work life balance that excites our staff to come to work each day.
"One major perk which sets our training programme apart from others is that we cover all expenses from rent/bills/transport and even food to ensure our staff are financially supported whilst on client site.
"We want our consultants to travel the world on our training programme, but not be disadvantaged with costs of living in major capital cities. The travel aspect of the consultancy lifestyle at FD is a major selling point to any prospective hires to our organisation."
She added: "We believe we can offer opportunities to 22/23-year-olds that they simply would not get elsewhere."
Details of the current vacancies are available at www.firstderivatives.com/careers/graduates/
