The partnership will run from September 2019 - August 2022 with PwC set to become a strategic partner, delivering expertise on employability and skills required for the future of work.
Through the partnership, Ulster University and PwC will seek to provide strategic development opportunities to University students and staff supporting our ambitions to prepare for future of work and future of education challenges. PwC will continue to support the delivery of these skills via the Ulster EDGE skills awards and through direct partnerships with Faculties and Central Departments.
Professor Paul Bartholomew, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Ulster University spoke about the partnership:
As an academic institution with a firm eye on the future of our economy, working in collaboration with PwC will provide a significant and positive boost for our students, staff and the wider skills base of Northern Ireland. Our economy is changing rapidly, with new skills required for both the short and long term and this association will seek to address those needs.The partnership also signals a renewal of the current sponsorship of the EDGE skills awards for students, incorporating new strategic support and corporate development opportunities for staff and students.
Lynne Rainey, PwC Deals Partner and NI Student Recruitment lead, welcomed the partnership launch:
We are proud to be continuing our academic relationship with Ulster University, and to be launching new initiatives which include strategic support alongside professional development opportunities for university staff. Through our renewed collaboration, PwC will continue our commitment to helping Ulster University students develop key employability skills that are essential to their future success. Our economy will undergo a great deal of change over the next couple of decades with AI and automation set to become central to our workforce operations. With this economic shift already well underway, many jobs are being re-defined, therefore it is crucial that the workforce of the future is educated, prepared and ready to evolve in line with technological advancements. Preparing students and staff for these changes is central to our partnership with Ulster University.