CGI, one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, has put the spotlight on developing the next generation of talent as graduates and industrial placements (IPs) from across the UK took part in the launch of its nine-month Student Kickstart Initiative (SKI), partly hosted from Belfast.
Part of CGI’s wider graduate development offering, SKI gives participants the opportunity to work collaboratively on technology projects alongside their day-to-day roles, led by a network of SKI mentors.
The programme challenges graduates and industrial placements to explore pioneering and emerging technologies through collaborative, outcome-based projects with the potential to make a difference for CGI clients, while addressing societal challenges and contributing to clients’ wider social value commitments. This year, graduates and IPs will work across 16 projects, putting their skills into practice while developing solutions to real-world challenges.
READ MORE: CGI supports Northern Ireland public sector leaders in strengthening cyber resilience
Grant Stalker, Director Consulting Delivery and SKI Lead for Scotland and Northern Ireland at CGI, said:
“The Student Kickstart Initiative gives our graduates the opportunity to look beyond their day-to-day roles, work collaboratively and explore new ideas and technologies.
“It’s an important part of how we support people at the beginning of their careers to develop their skills, grow their networks and gain experience of working together to tackle real challenges.
“Hosting this latest stage of the programme from Belfast also gave us an opportunity to highlight the contribution our team here in Northern Ireland makes to CGI’s wider UK business.”
SKI complements CGI’s technical boot camps and wider training and development opportunities, forming part of its graduate development offering.
For software engineer Muireagan Serridge, a previous participant of SKI, the experience offered an opportunity to develop skills and relationships beyond his immediate role.
Muireagan said:
“SKI helped me build relationships with colleagues from different backgrounds across the UK teams, strengthen my teamwork and communication skills, and grow in confidence when presenting virtually and at the finale in London.
“One of the biggest learning experiences was when the project had to change direction halfway through - this challenged us to develop a new idea and build a solution from scratch. We explored Figma and ChatGPT to accelerate design and development, keeping the potential benefits to CGI in mind.
READ MORE: Canada Day spotlight: Building capability and driving innovation. CGI’s growing Belfast story
“Taking on different roles gave me experience of both the technical and business aspects of delivering a solution, from development to handover. It was a fantastic opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and develop new skills alongside brilliant people.”
Developing opportunities for graduates to build their careers in Northern Ireland is an important part of supporting the region’s technology sector. Through SKI, CGI gives its graduates practical experience of collaborative innovation, alongside opportunities to contribute to projects across its wider UK business.
Applications are now open for CGI’s Early Careers opportunities, as well as industrial placements starting in 2027, offering graduates and students the chance to gain practical experience, contribute to live client projects and develop their careers in technology and business consulting. Further information is available through CGI’s graduate careers page and industrial placement careers page.
Read the Autumn 2026 edition free online →
Stay connected with NI's tech community:
