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Accenture boss calls for North East IT cluster to focus on education

The boss of Accenture’s North East delivery centre, says the region’s IT sector must engage with schools and universities to ensure its long-term growth, and has even suggested the region needs a dedicated IT college.

Bob Paton, the vice chair of the newly formed North East technology industry body, Dynamo, told Bdaily the region is in a unique position to get all IT industry stakeholders working together in pursuit of one goal, given it’s compact size.

Mr Paton, who runs Accenture’s Cobalt Business Park operations said: “The North East is one of the few regions you can put your arms around and bring about collaboration.

“Embedding technology within our education system is going to be crucial to the success of the region’s cluster.

“Dynamo is going to be involved in setting up code clubs for school children and making sure companies play their part in shaping the skills in every school.”

Bob pointed to Accenture’s own growth in North Tyneside, from 200 staff in 2010 to around 340 staff today, as testament to the strength of the region’s proposition for technology businesses to locate.

He added: “We need to look to successful cluster organisations, like NEPIC - who have done excellent work to promote the region’s Process Industry Cluster - and build our own in the technology sphere.

“All the components are there, from big job-creating firms to excellent universities, we just need to harness their potential and take a unified approach.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .