High achievers at Queen’s University are to be offered support and job opportunities through a partnership with a UK pensions and benefits specialist.
Xafinity Consultancy, which specialises in pensions and employee benefits, has announced a five-year partnership with Queen’s University.
It hopes the initiative will encourage the development of high quality jobs in actuary and finance in Northern Ireland.
The link-up will see the company provide a £400 prize every year for the top-performing student of the BSc in Actuarial Science and Risk Management.
This follows a one million pound investment in a new Belfast office for Xafinity, which has created 30 jobs in the city.
The company, which celebrates its first full year of operation in Northern Ireland this month, runs a rolling internship programme for undergraduates from Queen’s University, which it says is aimed at enhancing their skills and giving them invaluable on-the-job experience.
It also operates a graduate scheme to identify potential new talent for the firm.
Kevin O’Reilly was this year’s winner of Xafinity’s annual student award, which he received from the company’s managing director, Robert Birmingham.
Mr Birmingham said: “This award reflects Xafinity’s long-term commitment to investing in people here in Northern Ireland.
“In turbulent economic times, we’re pleased to be able to offer jobs and opportunities.
“The calibre of people available to us here will allow us to deliver our expert services to an ever-growing number of customers.”