Accenture has announced plans to boost its UK workforce with 3,000 new roles over the next three years, with Scotland emerging as a prime location.

The company said it intends to expand its Edinburgh office and open new premises in Glasgow, aiming to “harness the expertise and talent in Scotland”, as well as boosting local growth opportunities.

New roles will offer technology and industry career opportunities across a range of areas, including data intelligence, cloud computing and cybersecurity with a focus on financial services.

In March this year, Accenture’s Tech Talent Tracker showed a boost in demand from city hubs Edinburgh and Glasgow for cutting-edge skills such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing as Scottish firms aim to accelerate digital transformation.

Commenting on the news, Michelle Hawkins, Managing Director for Accenture Scotland, said: “This investment to create more jobs across the UK is an opportunity to grow our footprint in Scotland.

“Scotland has the talent and by creating these high-value jobs across data analytics and cloud in particular, we hope to continue to build Scotland’s reputation as a place of technology innovation and digital transformation.

“The pandemic has emphasised the role that technology plays in our economy and how it not only drives change but also competitiveness. It has also demonstrated that talent can be accessed anywhere. By building our expertise here in Scotland we envisage a greater role for Scottish skills supporting companies and economies oversees, without the need for them to relocate.”

Hawkins added: “These are exciting times as we adapt to the changes happening around us and we want to be at the forefront of innovation.”

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Accenture has announced that half of the new roles will be based outside London, adding to its existing workforce of approximately 11,000.

Simon Eaves, Market Unit Lead, Accenture in the UK & Ireland, said that the new roles are being driven by increased client demand for services in platforms, cloud engineering, cybersecurity, data and intelligent operations.

“The UK economy is rebounding swiftly following the pandemic and we are seeing strong demand from clients seeking to capitalise on this growth opportunity,” he said.

“We are committed to growing our footprint across the UK which is why I am particularly excited about our plans across Scotland and northern England where we see some of the best technology talent in the country,” he added.

Accenture’s announcement continues the firm’s investment in the UK following six acquisitions made earlier this year.

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