BDO NI Partner, Laura Jackson and Senior Partner Nigel Harra, pictured with Queen's Management School's Deputy Head of School, Professor Ciaran Connolly and Head of Department of Accounting, Dr Danielle McConville, alongside the cohort of lower sixth students.
Local business advisory firm BDO Northern Ireland, in partnership with Queen’s Management School in Belfast, has launched the inaugural Business Insight Programme to more than 90 A-Level students from across Northern Ireland.
The intensive three-day programme provided students with a behind-the-scenes insight into the world of business and accounting, both from an academic perspective and a practical perspective, and gave them access to valuable career advice at what is a critical stage in their lives.
During the event – which took place at Queen’s Management School’s new building at Riddel Hall, the new state-of-the-art digital studio at Belfast Waterfront, and BDO NI’s new offices in Belfast city centre – students completed a multi-disciplined case study and put their well learned school theory to the test in providing strategic recommendations to key business leaders.
Laura Jackson, Partner at BDO Northern Ireland and Honorary Professor at Queen’s Management School, discussed the importance of students making well-informed decisions when it comes to their futures:
“The exciting part of this programme for me has been the bringing together of these talented, bright students from all over the province in these three new collaborative spaces. Teamworking and putting the school learnt theory into practice is important as this cohort were impacted in year 10 and year 11 by the COVID pandemic. We wanted to provide students with an opportunity to enhance their key business skills, such as communication, networking, resilience, and time management.”
Aine McGoldrick, a pupil at Methodist College Belfast, took part in the Business Insight Programme. She said:
“The Business Insight Programme has provided myself and my peers with a unique view into the world of business and has grown my skills in teamwork and time management in only a few days. We have met students that we otherwise would not have and adapted to a well-performing team in an instant due to our similar views and aspirations.
“The connections we have made from this programme through networking have instilled irreplaceable value and I am so thankful to be a part of this fun and unforgettable experience with an established firm like BDO NI.”
Students also got the chance to engage with industry leaders Oonagh O’Reilly, the Sales and Marketing Director at Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Limited, Alan Simms, the Managing Director at Shine Productions Limited, and Alastair Simpson, Head of Sales and Marketing at Lowden Guitars. All three delivered interactive and insightful presentations at the Waterfront Studio to add a third dimension to the students’ experience and set them on the right career trajectory by sharing their key business learnings and advice.
Rory O’Donoghue, a pupil from Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School in Belfast, said:
“The last three days have provided us with a unique opportunity to visit active workplaces and explore the new offices of BDO NI as well as the new building at Queen’s Management School.
“During the programme, prospective students have been afforded invaluable insight into the opportunities that exist both at BDO NI and Queen’s and to meet with their teams. We have all come out of the programme feeling well-informed and able to confidently make decisions about our future careers within the accountancy profession.”
Commending the pupils, Dr Danielle McConville from Queen’s Management School added:
“Studying Accountancy offers great opportunities right here in Northern Ireland and further afield. This Insight event has given students a taste of what it’s like to study Accountancy at Queen’s and of professional life in BDO. It’s been great to see their talent and enthusiasm over these three days.”