US workforce management company to create 153 jobs in Northern Ireland

Q Radio News/PA

A US workforce management company is to set up a technology engineering centre in Northern Ireland, creating 153 jobs.

Workrise was founded in Austin, Texas, and matches skilled labour contractors to companies that require staff for time-bound projects.

Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said: “It is a pleasure to welcome this leading technology company from Austin, Texas to Northern Ireland, an investment which will make an important contribution to our economy.

“We want post-Covid Northern Ireland to be stronger than before. 

“We want our people to develop the skills of the future and our businesses to be resilient, innovative, sustainable and competitive.

“One of the ways we can achieve this is to attract new investment and create high-value employment. 

“I am therefore very pleased to announce this latest new investment into Northern Ireland.”

Mr Lyons added: “Workrise’s decision to establish its new engineering centre here will create 153 high-quality jobs, all paying salaries above the average annual wage for the private sector.

“With a hybrid working approach in place, people from all over Northern Ireland will be able to apply, and there are exciting opportunities on offer for graduates.

“Overall the project will contribute £6.8 million in wages to the local economy once all the roles are in place with benefits of the investment being felt across Northern Ireland.”

Economy minister Gordon Lyons - "We want post-Covid Northern Ireland to be stronger than before"

Invest Northern Ireland has offered the company £994,500 of support towards the creation of the new technology jobs.

Workrise chief executive, and co-founder, Xuan Yong said: “To achieve our growth plans we are expanding and centralising our software engineering function.

“We selected Northern Ireland as the location for this new centre based on the high-quality software engineers with industry skills, along with a strong pipeline of graduates from your excellent universities.”

Kevin Holland, chief executive, Invest NI, said: “Northern Ireland has a well-developed and growing ICT sector. 

“We collaborate with partners across Northern Ireland to continue developing the talent that businesses like Workrise look for.

“New investors with novel technology ideas and solutions offer excellent potential for knowledge transfer, career progression and sector development, enhancing Northern Ireland’s world-class reputation in this field.

“Workrise plans to create the 153 jobs over the next four years, with an initial focus on establishing the engineering team.

“It is currently recruiting software engineering roles including Backend, Frontend and DevOps with circa 30 staff in place so far, working remotely across Northern Ireland. 

“Later recruitment will turn to product management and programme management roles with ultimately plans in place to establish a central office in Belfast.”