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Type of Work
Asidua operates two distinct divisions within the company - Business Services & Device Services.
Below is an overview of the type of work typically carried out in each division.
Business Services
Asidua’s Business Services division’s core focus is to assist public and private organisations to improve the service they offer to customers as efficiently as possible. Software skill sets required include experience with a selection of the wide range of technologies associated with the Microsoft and/or JEE platforms. An understanding of Object Orientated design and practical experience via programming in languages such as Java and C# is essential.
The ideal candidate should have the capability to solve problems from first principles, have a keen interest in software best practice and its application to solving real business problems. Find out more about the work within Business Services.
Device Services
Within Asidua’s Device Services division we are building some of the coolest, leading edge technology systems which power the ever increasing capabilities of the Internet. Asidua works with multi-national companies worldwide that deliver the building blocks which make the network providing new capabilities on the internet; customers include Ericsson, Cisco, Tellabs, Fujitsu and Alcatel-Lucent. The projects that Asidua delivers ensures that the world has high speed data links to meet the demanding needs of users.
The ideal candidate needs to be a multidisciplinary engineer with software programming skills and a broad background in electronic engineering. But if you have ‘majored’ in either software OR electronic engineering and can demonstrate a passion for becoming more rounded in both technology aspects, then Asidua is the place for you. Find out more about the work within Device Services.
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Barry
I’m studying a BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Queen’s University, Belfast, and I’ve just completed my first year.
I chose to study Engineering as I felt it offered me the best graduate employment opportunities. I really enjoyed first year, and am very pleased with my results, as they put me on target for a first class honours. As a mature student I know the value of practical experience, and it was the guaranteed placements that first attracted me to Asidua’s scholarship. I am honoured to have been selected, as I know how capable and clever the other applicants are.
If you want to learn more about my experiences in Asidua, please read my regular blog updates below…
12 July 2010
This week felt like a short week because of the public holiday. I’m consolidating the school modifications before moving on to the more advanced WinPath (a Wintegra Network Processor) tutorials, that cover the main part of Asidua Device Service’s work. Many of the more advanced tutorials are written by Asidua staff who’ve been working with WinPath Network Processors for years. They are experts in their field, so my project will be more about applying a consistent structure from now on, as well as ensuring the material is current, and all the links work. I’ve still quite a bit of advanced material to cover though, so I’ll be busy.
5 July 2010
Four short weeks, and I’ve recapped everything I’ve covered before in programming and embedded development over the past four years, and started to expand on it. It can be quite a steep learning curve, but there are an abundance of learning resources, and people are always happy to help. Two Computer Science placements students started at the same time as me, and we’ve been working through the school at the time. Their experience with Linux has been a real help to me, as I’ve never used it before. Likewise my embedded C experience has helped them, as most recently they’ve been coding in Java.
1st July 2010
I’m currently doing my first 8 week summer placement, in Asidua’s head office, near Belfast city centre. I had really wanted my placement to be with Device Services, and that’s what I got! The office is spacious and open plan, and my colleagues are friendly and happy to help.
I’m really enjoying my placement, and thinking back to the summer before I started Uni, it’s hard to believe I’ve been this fortunate!
28 June 2010
I’ve completed just under half of the ‘Device Services Training School’ and brought the tutorials I’ve covered so far up to date. My team leader gave me an recap of what he wants me to achieve overall, confirmed that he’s happy with my progress so far, and has said he’s happy to let me do it in my own way. He receives regular email updates on my progress from the school, and my journal entries, so he’s always up to speed on my progress.
I’m trying to keep the school clear and concise, but accessible to people from a variety of backgrounds. Asidua takes on Computer Science and Electronic Engineering graduates, so each person undertaking the school has a slightly different experience at the beginning. My challenge is to ensure that the tutorials are intriguing, logically structured, and satisfying to work through, without being prescriptive.
21 June 2010
My project requires me to work through the ‘Device Services Training School’, and update and expand its content. The ‘Device Services Training School’ takes the form of a set of tutorial style embebbed development tasks. Asidua is currently taking on quite a few placement students, as well as graduate and post graduate software engineers, so there are a number of people at different stages of the School. This week, I’ve talked to those who’re ahead of me to see what they felt should be improved upon, and worked through the introductory tutorials with the other placement students who’ve started with me.
The toughest part of this week was waiting for my results, which were released on Thursday 24th. I was very pleased with them, and as there were a few QUB students who got results that day, we clubbed in for ‘team buns’ to celebrate.
14 June 2010
I’m just finishing week one of an eight week summer placement, in Asidua’s head office, near Belfast city centre. I had really wanted my placement to be with Device Services, and that’s what I got! The office is spacious and open plan, and my colleagues are friendly and happy to help. I’m really enjoying my placement, and thinking back to the summer before I started Uni, it’s hard to believe I’ve been this fortunate! I am honoured to have been selected, as I know how capable and clever the other applicants were. This week, I was introduced to my colleagues, got set up in my work space and was given details of the project on which I’ll be working over the summer.
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Dinuka
I am currently studying BEng Hons Software Engineering at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown.
I love the challenge of writing efficient and well-designed programs, figuring out how to make my programs run faster and how to better design them, and seeing the results of my efforts actually do something. I think it suits my ability of understanding and thinking logically.That is the main reason of choosing this course also software engineering is wonderful subject with lots of excitement.
I am really honoured to be one of the recipients of Asidua Scholarship programme. This is a great opportunity for me to gain knowledge in the real working environment and help develop for my furture programming career.
1st July 2010
I started my placement on the second week of June and it is a wonderful experience so far. I had my induction session in the first week and I learned a lot about the company. It is really good to work in a peaceful and friendly environment. My line manager helped me with the training I needed and I was assigned to do testing on a project which my colleges were working on.
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Matthew
I am studying Computer Science at Queens.
I decided to choose Computer Science because after using programming in my A-Level coursework, I wanted to be able to continue learning how to write code and learn new programming languages. I feel very privileged to have been awarded with an Asidua scholarship. It is a brilliant opportunity and I am grateful for the help that Asidua has given me so far.
If you want to learn more about my experiences in Asidua, please read my regular blog updates below…
16th August
This week I started to make improvements to the client based on the feedback from last week’s meeting. We had some screenshots to get ready for a presentation so there was a big rush to get everything sorted. Thankfully we got them finished with time to spare!
9th August
This week I continued to work on the mobile client. I had to start giving the application some visual branding for the customer. We had another meeting with members of the Asidua GB staff so that we could get some feedback on what they thought, and they gave us some advice on how the client could be improved further. Also this week was the Asidua family BBQ, it was a really good night and was made even better by the fact that Asidua paid for all the burgers!
4th August
This week, I was continuing on with my tasks for the mobile client. I had some interesting tasks, like making use of the device’s camera and GPS. This week our team is giving a walkthrough of the client to some members of the Asidua GB team. This will involve sharing a desktop of one of our computers so that they can see the simulator, we are also using a webcam to show the actual device as well. It will be interesting to get some feedback from people about changes or improvements that could be made.
Our team is getting closer to getting each person’s tasks to integrate into a complete system, which is encouraging to see. Let’s hope everything works the way it is supposed to!
26th July
This week I started to work on the mobile client. One of my team members, Brent, was now working on server-side development, so I was asked to continue on with the client. Although this could sometimes be challenging, it was really rewarding to see it working the way it was supposed to! We now have a blackberry, so it was nice to see the program on an actual device. The tasks that I had to complete were assigned to me by JIRA, a task management program. This made it really easy to see what I had to do.
16th July 2010
Over the first few weeks with Asidua I have had various inductions about the company. On my first day I met the team that I would be working with over the next few months of my summer placement. I had to set up my computer for development and read over the projects specification. My line manager gave me a task of creating a testing environment, using Java, that would pass commands to a simulator and save the result. After studying java in my first year at Queen’s I already knew the basics, but this task required me to know a bit more, while working on the program I felt like I had learnt more java in my first week with Asidua than I had in a whole year at Queen’s. If my lecturer is reading this, I’m only joking! I have enjoyed my time with Asidua so far and look forward to the weeks ahead.
1st July 2010
I have really enjoyed my first few weeks with Asidua and even though I have only been here for a short time, I feel that I have already learnt a lot.
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Tim
I am currently in my final year at Belfast Metropolitan College studying a Foundation Degree in Software Engineering and aiming to continue onto the University of Ulster in order to finish my Degree. I have been working in the Business Services division at Asidua for the past three months and I am thoroughly enjoying my time here.
Work in Asidua
During my time at Asidua I have worked on a very exciting and challenging project as part of the Business Services division.
Training in Asidua
The training at Asidua has been excellent; whenever I first started I hadn’t really had any hands on experience with the language used on this project and was quite nervous. In just three months I have learnt so much through the patience and hands on training provided by the members in my team.
Fun at Asidua
Asidua has been a really friendly environment to work in; everyone gets on well together and with monthly events organised by the Sports and Social Committee there’s plenty of opportunities to get out and socialise. Oh and the Wii and Xbox 360 in the kitchens are pretty fun as well!
Final Thought
Placement at Asidua has been great experience, from speaking to other students in my class I am positive I would not have been given the same opportunities and support that I’ve received at Asidua. I would highly recommend that anyone given the opportunity take a placement year.
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Thomas
I am a Computer Science BSc student in my third year studying at the University of Birmingham. I was directed to Asidua through my university’s careers opportunity database. I was attracted to the idea of a placement as I feel that it gives a good opportunity to get some vital experience under your belt when you are looking for a job after graduation. That and Asidua’s promise to expose me to all areas of the development cycle and work on real world projects wasn’t an opportunity I was going to pass up.
Work in Asidua
During my year at Asidua I have worked on numerous customer projects employing various technologies, some of which I had seen before and some I hadn’t. Microsoft’s .Net framework was not something I had spent a lot of time with during my two years of university but a Java background allowed me to quickly get up to speed. It was refreshing to build upon what I had learnt at university and then use that knowledge effectively in my placement. Web development (using ASP.Net), databases (using MSSQL) and writing efficient and modular code were things that I had been taught in an academic surrounding that I could finally get to grips with. Microsoft SharePoint was a technology that was new to me and one that I used extensively over my year placement. The skills that I obtained learning this new technology will be invaluable to me in my future career.
Training at Asidua
As soon as I started at Asidua I began a month’s training period that outlined what technologies I would be working with over the year and was brought up to speed with each of them. This filled in any gaps in my knowledge from university and allowed me to feel that I was sufficiently prepared to begin working on customer projects. Even then all my colleagues were eager to help when I ran into inevitable problems and were patient if they needed to clear up any confusion that I might have had over the year.
Fun at Asidua
The office at Asidua is always a relaxed working environment that allows you to get your work done but have fun at the same time. Asidua have a ‘Sports and Social’ committee who arrange social events for the office which the company helps fund. During my time at Asidua we regularly attended different events such as an evening of drinks, a meal out or 20/20 cricket. In addition to this, every Friday the office goes to have a pub lunch off site. It was a nice way to break up a Friday and allowed you to get to know your colleagues.
Final Thought
My placement year at Asidua is everything that I was looking for in a placement and more. It’s built upon the knowledge that I learnt in my first two years of university and gave me the setting to use that knowledge in a useful way. It has also given me access to new technologies that I can build upon in the future. Not only will this placement year improve my chances obtaining a good degree as I move into my final year and as I begin work on my final year project, it will be invaluable in securing a job after my graduation, one that I will almost certainly be looking to Asidua for with their graduate scheme.
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Mellissa
I am currently studying for a BSc Honours Degree in Computing Science at the University of Ulster. I have carried out my placement year in Asidua NI within the Business Services sector. This year has been beneficial as it has given me the opportunity to apply knowledge gained from academic studies in a real world situation.
Work in Asidua
During my placement with Asidua I have worked on a number of projects. Through each project I have been given the opportunity to experience various areas within software development involving development, testing, analysis, design of a system and documentation. I used Perl in the first project to develop simulators for testing purposes, I helped performance test a low spec system using SSIS and I also got involved in the development and testing of a system. In my second project I used JavaScript and TCL/Expect to write tests for a device being developed. I have enjoyed working on both projects and will find the experience helpful for my final year at university.
Training in Asidua
I have received a lot of training within Asidua. This included training courses and ‘on- the- job’ training with my line managers and other colleagues. The transition from a classroom to working environment can be quite nerve-wracking, however training and experience has developed my skills and knowledge to overcome the tasks given.
Fun at Asidua
Within Asidua there are many social events organised such as pub quizzes, pool competitions, team outings and meals including the annual Christmas dinner. These events have given the opportunity to meet new people in Asidua from different teams. There is also the Wii and Xbox located in the kitchens to relax on breaks.
Final Thought
Asidua has an enjoyable and rewarding working atmosphere. There is always on hand support provided to help complete the tasks. The experience gained will be very beneficial for completing my final year at university. Asidua has been a great place to complete my placement year and I would happily return as a graduate.
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Malachy
I am currently on placement at Asidua as part of the BEng Computer science course at Queens University Belfast. This is my first taste of working in the IT industry; previously I have worked for several years in the banking industry and also spent several years travelling Europe, America, Asia, and Australia. When organising my placement year I wanted to be certain that I choose a company that could provide me with the necessary skills and experience that I would need to not only progress successfully through my degree, but to be of use when I start to apply for graduate positions.
Work in Asidua
In the time I have spent working at Asidua, I feel I have developed my skill set enormously. I do not consider myself to be a great ‘natural programmer’, in fact my first taste of programming of any sort came when I started university. When I began my placement I was quite nervous about not being able to cope with the programming aspects of the job and was a little overwhelmed at first, but with the support of my workmates, from graduates through to the more senior engineer’s, I settled into the job. The company offers flexible working hours, which means if you are a morning person like myself, you can come in to work early and leave early, which has the benefit of avoiding rush hour traffic.
Training at Asidua
The vast majority of training at Asidua has been ‘hands on’ in that you are encouraged to learn by doing as part of your project. That said I have attended some short courses offered on an ‘as required’ basis which have been of benefit to me. I am surprised at the number of different technologies I have used in my time working at Asidua, I now have experience of (Java EE, SOAP, XML, JavaScript, Expect, SQL), this will certainly ‘stand me in good stead’ when I return to university to complete my final year.
Fun at Asidua
Asidua has a sports and social committee which organises social events such as first Friday drinks, Christmas dinner and other regular nights out. The workplace itself has a very relaxed atmosphere which is enhanced by the casual dress code and the opportunity to play the Wii or Xbox.
Final Thought
I have gained such valuable experience and met so many great people at Asidua that I now plan to apply for a full time graduate position when I return to university. The skill set that I have learnt during my time here will, I believe, significantly help in my final year of study.
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Kiran
During my second year at Aston University, studying Computing for Business, there was a lot of hype regarding placements. While contemplating whether to apply for jobs I discovered Asidua. After looking at the company website and job specification I decided to apply for a placement position and it turned out to be the best decision. Although I had worked in retail, I was anxious of a full time office job. The apprehension immediately faded as the AGB team are such a friendly bunch and I will miss the atmosphere when I return to university.
Work in Asidua
The whole purpose of me gaining a year in industry was to advance my skill set, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. Three months in I realised that I had learnt more than I had during my first two years at university, but naturally my university academics were the strong foundation I needed. Straight away I was working on projects, and I have worked on three dynamic projects in my time. This has allowed me to use different software packages, languages, and learn new key skills. Including C#, .net, CCF, Silverlight, SharePoint and WCF to name a few. If ever I have a quick question someone is always there to share their knowledge. With us being a small team, everyone has something different to offer allowing knowledge sharing to strengthen the team.
Training at Asidua
In the first few weeks I undertook some master classes that were presented by different people in the office. This was an introduction into languages, and standards that Asidua use. The master classes were like shallow water, and then into the deep end working on project. The other placement student, Tom and I flew out to Belfast to Asidua’s main office. This allowed us to meet the rest of the company and gain an insight of what happens there. It also meant that the people we talk to over the phone and email weren’t just a name. I believe that it reinforces Asidua’s beliefs of team spirit and unison.
Fun at Asidua
At Asidua there always seems to be something going on -whether it is daily banter in the office or a Sports and Social event to bring the team together. The unity of Asidua is a large aspect to why the team is so strong. Some of the office has lunch together in the canteen, where there is a nice hubbub of the morning events and personal conversation. Every Friday, the team visit the pub- it’s a ritual and gets everyone in mood for the weekend.
Final Thought
With the Birmingham office expanding, there is an exciting time ahead for the company. I have achieved so many skills in such a short amount of time that has given me the biggest advantage for my future career.
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Jonathan
I am currently between my 2nd and 3rd year of University, studying for a master’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Queen’s University Belfast. My degree includes a broad range of topics ranging from Power Engineering to Embedded Software Systems. Since my passion lies in software and communication systems, I was very excited to start work at Asidua, as there is a wide range of opportunities available to me. A placement at Asidua compliments my degree perfectly as I can put a lot of theory, which I have learned through university, into practise here, and have found out along the way that it is really fun!
Work at Asidua
During my time at Asidua, I have got to experiment with new leading-edge technologies from vendors who specialise in network processors. I have been involved in creating a custom Linux image for the development systems. This involved building the Linux kernel from scratch and creating a root environment which the user can interact with. I have also been involved in figuring out how to port a boot loader over to the new development system. This involves working with flash memory locations as well as low level drivers that enable the system to boot up correctly. The work is challenging and interesting, and I feel that my placement at Asidua has really prepared me for a future career in I.T./Telecommunications.
Training at Asidua
The training at Asidua is fantastic. The company has put together a “Training School” which new employees undergo. The school teaches you the basics in programming, as well as more advanced topics. Topics include creating a serial driver for a PowerPC board as well as driving an LCD display with I2C and manipulating device registers. The school is very well written and help is always at hand from experienced members of staff who are always willing to sit down and help you.
Fun at Asidua
Asidua offers a calm, comfortable working environment with many activities on offer for employees. There is a Wii and Xbox 360 for a bit of lunchtime fun and the Sports and Social committee regularly organise staff and family nights out, which are a great way to meet employees who you wouldn’t normally work with.
Final Thought
I can’t think of a company that compliments my degree better than Asidua. Working at Asidua has prepared me for a future career in I.T, as well as helped me put my university theory into practice, which will assist me in my final year project. The range of opportunities available at Asidua is excellent and I feel that I am learning new things every day. Employees are friendly and if you ever need help with something, there is always an experienced engineer close by.
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Emma
For the past year I have been working as the marketing assistant in Asidua during my placement year from my Bsc Hons Communication with Advertising course at Jordanstown. I began thinking about placement in second year as a result of a lecture we were given on the importance of placement. From this I quickly realised that a placement role in marketing would benefit me with my academic career in university, and also with my future career in marketing. I first discovered Asidua on the university career website and was immediately attracted to the job description as it displayed such a wide variety of tasks that I knew would give me the opportunity to develop a vast skill set… I am happy to say that I have not been disappointed!
Work in Asidua
The work at Asidua is stimulating, challenging and always enjoyable. Each week I have new tasks to complete and my manager has always made the time to guide me though these and ensure that I understand what is being asked of me. Many of my friends on placement have found that their placement role became monotonous and their every day tasks didn’t really expose them to the working world. However at Asidua I have been involved with a wide range of tasks from event organisation, ordering and managing branded goods and web editing, to internal communication such as press releases and the company blog. This wide range of activity has enabled me to expand on the theory that I learnt from university which I believe will help me in the final year of my degree and future employment.
Training at Asidua
Training at Asidua is a continuous process. There is formal training at the beginning of your placement as part of your induction, which is a great chance to meet some of the staff member’s as well as other placement students, and then there is on-the-job training throughout the year. During my placement I have been fortunate enough to have a manager who is patient with me and takes the time to go through each task with me as well as making the time to teach me new skills that I hadn’t learnt from university. This training has taught me invaluable skills that will go with me throughout my university degree and future career.
Fun at Asidua
During my year at Asidua I have had the most fun I have ever had in a job. The work life balance here is fantastic and the company really know how to look after us. The sports and social club, made up of employees, organise monthly events which the company helps fund. From pub quizzes, bowling, pool competitions and movie nights, each event is guaranteed to be a lot of fun and is a great opportunity to meet more of the employees. The companies chill out areas offer the Nintendo Wii and Xbox and are the venue for the free fortnightly breakfast that the company caters for. These breakfast mornings are the one morning that you can be assured everyone will be in bright and early!
Final Thought
Asidua has a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere, which comes straight from the top. I was nervous when I first started Asidua; however my fellow employees and Manager made me feel so welcome right from day one that the nerves quickly vanished. My placement role at Asidua enabled me to build upon the skills that I have learnt from my course as well as develop new skills that I could never have learnt from university alone. I have met some great people here who I know I will stay in touch with and the knowledge and skills that I have been taught are priceless. I would recommend a placement role here to anyone!
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Darragh
I am currently studying for a Foundation Degree in Software Engineering at the Belfast Metropolitan College. Upon completion of the foundation degree I hope to continue my studies at the University of Ulster to gain a full degree in the same field. As part of my course I have been lucky enough to secure a six month placement with Asidua and although I have not been with Asidua long, I am certain that the experience I gain here will greatly benefit me throughout the remainder of my education.
Work in Asidua
During my time at Asidua I have been exposed to a number of technologies that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to use on my course. The latest project that I’ve worked on involved the use of SSIS and SSRS tools to extract and report on a large SQL database. Asidua hosts a friendly and relaxed working atmosphere which I found to be extremely helpful in settling into my position there.
Training in Asidua
Asidua are very dedicated to keeping their employees up to date with the latest software and business practices. When I began working at Asidua I was unfamiliar with a lot of the software and technologies used. However, I was able to quickly pick up the skills required to use this new software thanks to the encouragement and guidance of the team.
Fun at Asidua
The companies Sports and Social team organise frequent outings and events. Some recent events include a group cinema outing and a charity quiz. There is also a bi-weekly Breakfast Club and first Friday drink. These are a great way to make new friends and to really get to know the people you are working with.
Final Thought
I feel that I have been very fortunate to be able to spend my placement at Asidua. I have learned a great deal in my short time here and I am sure that this knowledge will greatly help me with my future career goals.
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Colin
I am studying a BSc Honours Degree in Computing at the University of Ulster. For my 3rd year placement I worked at Asidua. This was my first experience of putting the theory I had learnt at university into practice in the real world. A placement year is very important as it is the only way to get that vital experience that you can’t get in a classroom.
Work in Asidua
During my time at Asidua I mostly worked on a team for a major utility company. My work involved a range of tasks including developing web applications, learning new languages and technologies, working with new development environments and even recording user guide screen casts. The work allows you to build on what you have learnt at university and will be a very big help in my final year project.
Training in Asidua
I have received a lot of training during my time at Asidua. Software development is a massive field and it’s constantly changing so there is always something new to learn. My training was mostly on- the- job training so I learnt new skills as I needed them. At first I was very nervous about the work as it involved using some technologies I had not used before, but with help from my line manager and other members of the team I quickly began to pick up new skills.
Fun at Asidua
Asidua has a Sports and Social committee that organises monthly events such as going to the VIP cinema, paintballing, go-karting, football tournaments, pub quizzes and meals out. There is also a breakfast morning every other Friday which gives you a chance to socialise with other members of staff you may not work directly with. Even when at work during breaks you can relax by playing the Wii or the Xbox.
Final Thought
Working at Asidua has been a very beneficial and enjoyable experience and I would recommend a placement there to anyone interested in a career in software development.
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Peter
Originally I studied for an MEng in Electrical & Electronic Engineering at QUB. When I graduated I took a job for a year working with mobile robots in Australia. Upon my return I decided to return to QUB and do a PhD in surgical robotics. By the time I had completed my studies I had a firm background in the use of software to control hardware. I enjoy this interaction of hardware and software, and I looked for a job that would let me continue this interest. The Device Services division of Asidua fitted the bill, and I’ve now been here for 4 years. I originally joined on the graduate program but found that I made rapid progress due to my other experience.
Work in Asidua
Device Services provides expert consultancy to telecommunications equipment manufacturers. In my time at Asidua I have worked on a number of projects for major international companies. Amongst other things I have been asked to write Linux device drivers, integrate third party APIs into customer code, prove out new hardware, modify microcode on network processors and implement aspects of telecommunications protocols. I have gained exposure to lots of different communications protocols and worked with a variety of different hardware chips. Tracking down problems is a major element in my role and I particularly enjoy this.
Training at Asidua
Asidua has spent time developing a “Training School”. This has practical exercises on some of the primary technologies and platforms that Asidua employees use on a day to day basis. The idea is that new starts can start working on these as soon as they start, instead of spending weeks reading documentation! There are various tutorials on implementing basic protocols on an embedded platform, and introductory guides to configuring the network processors that many of our developers use on a daily basis. There is also a graduate soft skills training program, and technical training sessions are organised when required.
Fun at Asidua
Asidua has flexible working hours, and the general atmosphere is relaxed but professional. There are regular events organised by the Sports and Social committee such as cinema outings, paintball, ten pin bowling and pub quizzes. On the first Friday on each month Asidua will buy you your first drink. There’s also a Wii in the kitchen for those who want to unwind on breaks.
Final Thought
I’ve learned a lot working in Asidua. I like working closely with hardware and enjoy the troubleshooting aspects of the work.
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Spring Into a new IT Career
Asidua, worldwide integration and software specialists, are offering YOU an exciting opportunity to SPRING into a new IT career. A career that offers excellent career progression prospects! A career that rewards YOU for challenging AND motivating work! Interested??
With our continuing growth, we are keen on recruiting a number of talented individuals to join our expanding teams based in Belfast, Birmingham & Dublin. These IT roles include;
- Developers (All Grades)
- Business Analysts (All Grades)
Use the links below to take the first step to spring into YOUR new IT career with Asidua!
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Darren
I joined Asidua as a Graduate Engineer in September 2006 after graduating from the University of Ulster at Jordanstown with an Honours degree in Software Engineering in July 2006. When I left University, I wanted a job that would challenge me and give me a broad spread of experience in different areas of IT.
Asidua offered a proven track record in delivering large scale projects, involvement with a wide customer base in both the public and private sectors and the opportunity to work with cutting edge technologies in a challenging environment.
Work in Asidua
My first role with Asidua was in the transformation of a PSTN Fault and Repair systems architecture for a major telecoms company. This gave me the opportunity to be involved in one of the biggest and most high profile undertakings the telecoms industry has seen in recent years and I had exposure to XML technologies, UML and Siebel CRM.
More recently, I have moved to a development role, gaining invaluable skills in C#.NET and SQL Server. With Asidua being a Microsoft Gold Certified partner, you get the opportunity to develop your skills in the latest technologies and learn from the skilled and experienced people that work here. Working with Asidua has given me a great balance between enhancing my soft skills and my technical skills, making me a more rounded professional.
Training at Asidua
In Asidua, you receive training not only in technical areas, but also in soft skill areas. On joining, Graduates take part in a ‘Graduate Development Programme’, which includes material on Presentations, Effective Communication and Personal Effectiveness. There is also the opportunity to go on an overnight residential with your fellow graduates – it’s great fun and a brilliant way to get to know other people in the same position as you.
Asidua recognises the need for its people to be up to speed on forefront technologies by providing internal and external training courses which usually reflect a combination of current business need and your personal goals. I have been on courses in XML technologies, Biztalk, ASP.NET and C#. I’m currently working towards attaining my UML Certification and also plan to do a .NET Certification next year.
Fun at Asidua
In Asidua, there is a Sports and Social team, which organises monthly outings. Recently, there have been trips to the theatre, the VIP Cinema and a Nintendo Wii Mario Kart tournament held in Asidua’s Belfast office. There is also ‘First Friday Drinks’ on the first Friday of each month and Breakfast Club twice a month. Flexible working hours allows you to start and finish work at a time that suits you as long as you work during the core hours.
Final Thought
I thoroughly enjoy working for Asidua – they have given me the opportunity to work in interesting, challenging and diverse environments and learn invaluable skills that will help me progress in my career.
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Andrew
I started studying towards my degree course, MEng in Computer Science, at Queens University Belfast in September 2008.
I have always been interested in computing and its capabilities. Over the years, as technology has developed, so too has my interest in this field and this prompted me to pursue a career in Computer Science. Having friends and relatives who work in this field also pushed me towards this choice… I would enjoy working with Computers as a career.
If you want to learn more about my experiences in Asidua, please read my regular blog updates below….
26th July 2010
With the second year out of the way, I was eager to get started at work again at Asidua so I took the earliest possible start date after my exams. I am now part of the RED project at the company which involves JavaScipt testing for a product that Asidua are helping to produce. There are a number of other placements in the project who are staying on despite their year placement having already finished so the signs are good that I’ll be in for a good year here and I’m looking forward to the experience.
15th March 2010
I’m now currently midway through my 2nd Semester, after having finished my first semester Exams which went well as I achieved a good result in all of my modules!This 2nd semester modules consists of studying Multimedia Systems, creating a Group Project (another game!) and studying Data Structures and Algorithms. So far, this term seems to be a lot more of a hands on approach with a lot of practical continuous assessment which is a different approach to beforehand. In fact one of my modules has already stopped having lectures at the midway point to allow more work on our project.
Some people still haven’t found a placement yet for next year which is rapidly approaching so I’m glad that once again I haven’t been burdened by having to chase after a placement and being able to focus on my course. I see that Asidua have found the batch of scholars to continue the Scholarship programme and they will be reaping this benefit next year!
1st October 2009
While the other scholarship winners had a few weeks break after their placement, there was no rest period for me as it was straight into University work following my first day off. The modules that I’ve been studying this semester are Database Systems, Games Programming and, the hardest of all, Computation Theory (which is as hard as the name suggests!). I hope to post another blog update close to the summer break.
25th September 2009
In my final week at Asidua, I had to return to Queens again in order to talk about the Scholarship in front of the new first years, although I was nervous at the idea of speaking in front of over 100 people it wasn’t anywhere nearly as bad as I had convinced myself it would be. I also designed several more Web Pages on the website using .Net, in order to allow for updating and deleting information from Detections/Repairs and the Area Managers using SQL queries and stored procedures.
18th September 2009
After having finished the NUnit Tests, I was given an assignment of creating a web Front end using Visual Studio. This would mean that I would be using some of the features that I had learnt in the initial weeks in the tutorials. In order to complete this I had to use Data binding in order to attach an SQL query that was created in order to query a larger database. These results were then displayed on the Home Page of a website that was created for NI Water in order for them to view information about their Detections and Repairs in a more efficient way. In order to do this I used C# code although it would have been possible to data bind by using features included in Visual Studio.
11th September 2009
The highlight of week 6 was going to Queens University in order to represent Asidua at the Queens Open Day. Having previously been at these sort of fairs as a student it seemed strange taking part on the other side of the stalls! It involved me talking to students about the amount of career opportunities and benefits that come from embarking on a career in IT. While at Asidua I spent the time developing the NUnit Tests.
4th September 2009
Week 5 was a short week due to having the Bank Holiday on the Monday but was broken up even more so by a series of induction presentations with a number of other newcomers. A previous placement student had rejoined the company on a permanent position so it showed me that there definitely was opportunities for me at Asidua if I put the effort in. It was also in this week that I began writing NUnit tests on code that Asidua had previously developed.
28th August 2009
It was back to getting up again at 6.30 after my week off, I had actually began to adapt to the early starts near the end of the initial two weeks but the weeks holiday had thrown me off all over again! During this week I was introduced to Microsoft CCF(Customer Care Framework) and was told that I would be beginning to look at Testing on some of the projects that had been designed. This meant ensuring that the projects did what they were supposed to do and that they did not contain errors. Whilst originally using a manual approach by checking the results off a database, it meant that near the end of the week that I had to begin looking at using NUnit which I had never used before in order to do the testing so this was something new for me.
21st August 2009
My third week was actually a week off for me, over the 8 weeks we were allowed a certain number of holidays and as I was doing volunteer work back home in Portadown, Asidua was willing to let me take my full allowance during this week which I was thankful for.
14th August 2009
My second week at the company was also the last week of the other two scholarship students, Queens student Niall McAllister and a University of Ulster, Magee student Sean Carlin. Because of only really having studied Java at Queens, I was wary of how I would be able to adapt to C# as well as the other software such as Visual Studio, however these initial weeks were full of tutorials that Asidua provides which helped to show me that there wasn’t much difference between this and what I learnt except for the fact that I probably preferred using Visual Studio rather than JCreator.
7th August 2009
After having had two months of summer, I was excited to finally begin my 8 weeks placement at Asidua. As part of the scholarship meant that I had previously met members of Asidua’s staff, it helped to reduce the nerves that I was feeling as I didn’t feel as thrown into the deep end when it came to new faces. I started on the same day as a Queens graduate who was beginning full time work at the company so the fact that he was there permanently made the idea of only 8 weeks work seem a lot easier of a task. The first week was mainly about settling in to my work space and getting an idea of what would be expected from me during my weeks here.
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Brent
In 2009 I graduated from the University of Ulster with a first class Honours Degree in Computer Science. I worked for Asidua during my placement year and they also kept me on part time during my final year. A Placement year can be beneficial in so many ways; It gives you hands on experience which you can’t gain in a classroom environment. It also gives a chance to apply the techniques you have learnt so far in a real world situation as well as learning new things that will aid you in your final year. Most importantly it provides the opportunity to meet new people and partake in the companies social activities.
Work in Asidua
During my time at Asidua I have worked in 3 different teams within their Business Services Division. Using a range of Technologies including Java, C# .Net and Web Technologies I have been responsible for maintaining/enhancing existing Simulation software and providing customer support for said software. I was able to use the Software I created within Asidua as part of my Final Year Project. Not many people can say they got paid for doing their final year project. Since becoming a Graduate Engineer at Asidua I have been given the task of developing an automated Test Suite/Framework that tests a series of Web Services.
Training in Asidua
I have learnt so much through ‘hands on’ training at Asidua. When I first started I was nervous about the work I had to do as I wasn’t familiar with certain technologies. However, my confidence and development knowledge grew each day through the mentoring of my Line Manager and senior members of staff who were always willing to provide guidance. Now that I have returned as a Graduate the ‘hands on’ training has continued to enhance my skills. During my graduate training my communication skills were enhanced by the presentation I had to give. I gave my presentation on ‘Starting a Band’ and because it’s something I am passionate about I was able to stand up and give a clear and confident presentation in front of my colleagues.
Fun at Asidua
Asidua provides a friendly working environment and their sports and social committee are always putting on events and activities. I can have a laugh with my fellow team members and we certainly make good use of the Wii that’s in the chill out zone… Mario Kart is a very addictive game.
Final Thought
The experience and constant support that Asidua provided throughout my placement year and final year was a massive help to me. They always tried to accommodate my needs and be understanding when I needed time off for exams and coursework. I could not have achieved a first class degree without the knowledge, experience and guidance that Asidua provided every step of the way.
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Sean
I’m currently studying towards a BSc in Computer Science degree in University of Ulster Magee Campus, which commenced in September 2008.
I chose this degree because I enjoy working with computers and enjoy computer programming. I have a genuine keen interest in computing and I believe I have the skills and the drive to maximize the benefits from the Scholarship programme with Asidua. I am a logical and problem solving minded individual. I also enjoy working in a team and socializing.
If you want to learn more about my experiences in Asidua, please read my regular blog updates below….
26th July 2010
I have just finished the first week of my placement and it feels good to be back here at Asidua, seen a lot of familiar faces in my building unit. I had to complete the Asidua induction meetings I attended last year again, but I enjoyed meeting the new graduate and placement students at the meetings as well as catching up with the people I have already met from last year. I have been assigned my project which is eSchools and I have met the members of my team and they filled me in with a project overview. The project is quite large, complex and database oriented, but I am sure I will get to know the finer details of the system over time. Overall I really enjoyed my first week, meeting everyone, getting back into my working routine and even blogging again. Hope you enjoyed the blog update and I plan to update the blog again soon.
12th March 2010
I am currently half way through my 2nd semester at Magee. It is the most difficult semester yet but I have also been having a lot of fun so it has balanced out. I have recently been one of the speakers at Magee’s open night presentation which went very well. My modules this semester include algorithms and data structures, human computer interaction and networks and data communications. I am finding the networks the most interesting module, part of one of our assessments was to create a website and maintain a blog. I decided to code my own blog from scratch using PHP and MySQL which turned out very nice and then I integrated it into my new website which is currently online.
On a more technical update I have decided to try out some Linux distributions I have installed Ubuntu for home use and use Open Suse in the university labs. I have been learning a few Linux terminal commands and exploring the many open source tools available on the operating system. I am really looking forward to the summer and starting my full year placement with Asidua I have already got my accommodation sorted out so all that is left is to finish up my exams in May. I am sure that I will be posting up more blog updates soon and throughout my placement period.
22nd November 2009
I am near the end of my 1st semester of second year at Magee and it has been a fairly enjoyable experience so far, also looking back at the summer placement I really enjoyed the working atmosphere and experience which I received. In second year there seems to be a lot more assessments and projects which is a bit frustrating as there are a lot of deadlines. I am glad that I have my placement already organised with Asidua because I have started to see everyone applying and competing for placements and it is a weight of my shoulders not having to worry about getting a placement. Currently I am learning C++ in my algorithmic programming classes which is quite fun. I have noticed that I have grasped a lot of concepts quite easily because of my experience with ASP.NET and C# in the summer. I have decided to learn more about ASP.NET 3.5 and SQL server 2008 outside of university as well.
Recently I attended a prize giving by the university and received two prizes for the best first year student in computer science which has given me more motivation to try hard for the January exams coming up. I am enjoying second year even though it is a lot more challenging than first year and I am looking forward to seeing what the second semester brings and of course, my placement.
14th August 2009
This was my last week of my summer placement and I spent this week going through the feedback left about the site template, thankfully there were only minor changes and implementing these changes to the templates did not take very long.
7th August 2009
By mid-week I had completed the customer-facing site’s template and my manager sent my work away for review to the managers and customers. I would wait for feedback and I would make changes to the site template according to the feedback that I received.
31st July 2009
My objective this week was to capture the customer external facing SharePoint site’s initial requirements, to do this we organised a meeting with the customer and discussed what SharePoint can do for them. After collecting the information to develop the customer facing site, the rest of the week I had to develop the template.
24th July 2009
I started on the account management template in SharePoint, which was to be designed so Asidua could manage all their projects from one master site/portal. I really enjoyed this week because I got to use all the knowledge of SharePoint’s functionalities that I had gained from the previous week and use it in a real life situation. By the end of this week I had completed the account management facing site.
17th July 2009
This week my line manager introduced me to the project that I would be working on. I would be creating templates for SharePoint sites, both at the account management and customer level. The rest of this week I spent getting up to speed with SharePoint and all of its functionalities. I found some useful books in Asidua’s library about SharePoint that explained and clarified a lot of my questions.
10th July 2009
During this I learned the basics of ASP.NET and started using SQL server 2008. I learned how to create web forms in ASP and submit the data to an SQL database. The SQL was easy as I had previous experience with SQL and getting to grips with ASP was not hard after what I had learned in week 2.
3rd July 2009
Before I started my summer work placement with Asidua, I had knowledge of using java, php and mysql. So this week I started familiarizing myself with some technologies that Asidua use. I started using Visual Studio 2008 and learning the basics of C#. Surprisingly I found that C# was incredibly similar to Java, I actually thought that using visual studio 2008 combined with coding in C# was easier than coding in Java.
26th June 2009
On my first week I was really excited to be part of Asidua and to start my summer work placement with them. During this week Niall (another scholarship student) and I basically had an introduction to the company. The Introduction included meeting executives, managers, learning Asidua’s procedures and getting a guided tour of the buildings (Unit 10 and 15). We quickly got settled into are work spaces and I was glad that the other scholarship student was not too far away from me.
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Niall
I am currently working towards a BEng in Computer Science at QUB, which I commenced in September 2008.
I attained 3 A’s at A level in Maths, Economics and ICT. I chose to do a degree in Computer Science as computers have always fascinated me. They are used in every aspect of our lives and this is why I am eager to find out as much as I can in this area of study. I feel a career path in Software Engineering has excellent prospects and its ever changing nature really excites me. I applied for this Scholarship opportunity with Asidua as I feel it would give me excellent experience in a field I am very much looking forward to entering.
If you want to learn more about my experiences in Asidua, please read my regular blog updates below….
26th July 2010
When I returned to Asidua,I was happy to hear I’d be working in Unit 10 along with the other Queen’s scholar Andrew. During my first week I was given the task of familiarising myself with the project I’d be working on. I also shadowed some people on the team, taking notes on how to complete the tasks they were doing. On this first week I was also introduced to Unix and JavaScript which are two languages used regularly on the project and I am picking them up well.
12th March 2010
I am into the second semester of second year now and things are going well. My modules this semester are all compulsory; Data Structures and Algorithms, Multimedia and Software Engineering. These are progressing well and hopefully I can achieve good results in these ahead of my summer placement.
As I’ve said before, I am delighted to have my placement already in place with Asidua as many on the course are struggling to obtain one in the current climate. I am looking forward to further developing my programming skills over the coming year and with the weeks passing by so fast this semester, I’ll be on my placement in no time.
16th November 2009
After my work experience with Asidua over the summer, I started back to University in late September. The three modules I’m completing in my first semester are Networks and Communications, Database Systems and Games Programming. Although I had hoped they were trying to scare me, it is true what I was told by the other placement students at Asidua; the second year on the Computer Science degree is much harder than the first. However, I am still enjoying it and some of the work I did over my summer placement is starting to come in handy.
Our games programming module uses Visual Studio which I was introduced to during my time spent with the company over the summer and so I’m glad to have had some knowledge of this before beginning the course. As the weeks pass by, I’m looking forward to my placement year with Asidua, and glad I don’t have to stress about interviews for theirs, like others on my course!
14th August 2009
This week was spent learning a bit more code, both from textbooks and the internet, and then doing other things like my exit interview. On the second last day Sean and I got buns for our unit from a local bakery. Although we did this to thank everyone in the building for their help over the 8 weeks, I had the underlying motive of sweetening up my team before my presentation the next day! This was basically a 20 minute presentation during which I showed them what I had done for the actual team project. This turned out to be very good fun and although nervous at the start, I enjoyed it.
7th August 2009
During the course of this week I put the finishing touches to the report, formatting it to look as close to what they wanted as possible. I was impressed by the report builder software. It simplifies what would take the end user weeks to produce using their current paper based system. It also offers the ability to make the report interactive i.e. drilldowns, something I included in my work.
31st July 2009
This week, I began another new job. This time I was going to be using Reporting services. I was making a report from one of the tables used in the team database. It had to be programmed so the user feeds in 4 parameters and this is what sorts the search. They also had to be able to specify the dates between which they wanted to see the report. I also gave the report a drill down function; where the user can click on parts of the graph to get a more detailed view of this particular day.
24th July 2009
It took me the majority of this week to finish my second sprint and test it. Then I had a meeting with my line manager and I explained the system to him. As we went through it, he made some suggestions, about layout etc, and then I made these changes to the file. Also during week 5, two students began their year out in our building. They tried to scare us as to what’s in store for us next year at University but other than that, good fun.
17th July 2009
Over the first half of this week I put the finishing touches to my first job and tested it. I was really surprised how easy Visual Studio made things with its drag and drop feature. On Thursday I was given my next sprint. Again it was a web front end, but this time linking 2 tables, using a filter to filter the results of both, both tables had to be fully editable and this time, the user had to be able to delete and insert new data into the tables.
10th July 2009
I was given an overview of what I was going to do in a meeting with my line manager and then he made out a sprint backlog for me to follow, which broke the job into steps and allowed me to view the estimated time for each section and then edit how long it really took me! Again, this was something I was impressed with-using this time scale, of where you ‘should’ be and where you are in your assignment, a burn down chart is produced showing your progress against where you should be. My job was to build a web front end on Visual Studio for one of the database tables used in my teams project, allowing the user to filter the results of their search through a drop down list, which displayed the available options. I also had to provide the user with an edit feature so they could edit the results.
3rd July 2009
During this week I was doing asp tutorials, both online and from a book, and I also went to my first team meeting. This gave me a better insight into the project and what my team was working towards. I was impressed with how organised it was; in that there were various issues we worked through which had been raised on the team site by team members and these were discussed and then either removed if the issue was solved, or left at ‘in progress’ if more work was required on it. Also, as this week went on I got to know Sean (the other scholar) better and the craic improved as well!
26th June 2009
Over this first week I went through all sorts of inductions, from meeting the bosses to being told of the free drinks Asidua offers on the first Friday of the month! In between this I met my team from the project I was going to be working on and began to learn my way around the building. Then I started my tutorials, beginning with C#. I had never used C# but with the help of those in my team I realised it was very similar to Java and began to grasp the idea.
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Current Scholars
Our Scholars reflect on;
- Their time in Asidua either during the summer break between their first and second year at University, or their year out placement;
- The benefits their Scholarship is having on their studies and long term employability.
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Our Placements
Within ‘Our Placement’ section you can find out more about our exciting and award winning placement programs.
Why not check out one of the many profiles from our current placement students and get an insight into what a placement at Asidua is like? Further information on the benefits of spending your placements with Asidua and also details how you can apply are provided below.
Placement Profiles
Benefits of Placements with Asidua
Within Asidua, we have a strong learning and development culture, with our employees thriving on being able to share their knowledge and expertise in order to aid the development of others. By having placement students experience working life in Asidua, we feel we as an organisation are benefiting through having a fresh perspective.
Students become much more rounded individuals during their time with us. They supplement the skills and theory learnt at University with industrial experience on value-adding projects. Placement students get to work with very experienced individuals who mentor them in software engineering best practices; gain real world experience of working in teams; and increase their confidence and communications skills along the way. They also gain a better understanding of what a career in IT is all about.
In addition, when a placement students performance is outstanding Asidua offers a bursary for their remaining time in University. We also facilitate part-time working during their final year and schedule their hours to best suit their classes. We also offer graduate positions to ex-placements following an interview and take into account their performance during their placement as well as how they perform during interview.
The remuneration package is the same as for all other employees e.g. bonus, special leave, flexible working, pension, etc.
- Interested students should visit our current vacancies page in order to view our current vacancies within Asidua.
- Year-out placements are available within Belfast and Birmingham only.
- Summer Placements and Scholarships are available only within Belfast.
- Please note that CV’s will not be accepted. Asidua application forms only are accepted for these positions.
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Lindsay
I joined Asidua GB in October 2007, after about 3 years experience in web application development. I had enjoyed my previous role, but felt the benefit to be gained from extending an existing web application had pretty much reached its limit. The idea of project based work at Asidua really appealed as it seemed like the perfect opportunity to expand my knowledge and skills in many different areas. The thought of leaving behind a system and a team that I knew inside out was daunting, but the guys at Asidua were extremely welcoming and I soon gained a huge amount of experience.
Work In Asidua
The project based work at Asidua meant I quickly expanded my experience to include Smart Client applications, SQL Server Reporting Services and SharePoint Development. The current project we are working on is centred around integrating applications using Microsoft CCF. Working on new technologies means we can’t rely on the internet for help, but this makes it all the more satisfying when we find a solution. Working in relatively small project teams also means that everyone gets involved in everything, so we all gain experience with design, development and deployment. The large team that I worked in before I joined Asidua was very rigidly structured, which limited my exposure to different areas of the complete development process. I’ve also been involved with discussing requirements and issues with the customer, which is something I have really enjoyed.
Training at Asidua
The nature of the work here means you are learning new things every day. The team work very closely together, which naturally leads to lots of knowledge sharing. I’ve been on training courses for various technologies, and been given study leave to prepare towards Microsoft Certifications. I find it far easier to learn from other people than from books and exams, but it is good to know that Asidua will provide more formal training when I feel it’s useful.
Fun at Asidua
Asidua are very keen to ensure that everyone feels there is a good work-life balance, which is the reason behind the flexibility in working hours, and the contribution to regular sports and social events. For me, one of the most important things about working life is that I enjoy spending time with the people around me. We all know each other well here in the Birmingham office, so there is often a bit of banter going on to break up the day. Most of the guys take their lunch break together, and we regularly visit the pub for Friday lunch. All of this leads to a very relaxed atmosphere, even though there’s lots of hard work to be done!
Final Thought
The diverse range of projects that you will contribute towards at Asidua will ensure you are provided with the opportunities and challenges to gain new skills in many different areas. Asidua strongly believe that there is room for career progression for each individual within the company, and the knowledge and experience needed for progression comes naturally from the variety of work we do and the relaxed structure of project teams.
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Scott
I graduated from Aston University with a BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree in 2007, shortly after I found out about Asidua through a trip to a local careers fair. I soon started work at the Birmingham office in September 2007. The Birmingham office is a fairly new and growing team and I found the atmosphere to be friendly and relaxed, I liked it enough to recommend the job to a friend, who is also now working for Asidua.
Work In Asidua
When I left University my aim was to try and find a job that would allow me to stay up to date with the current tools and programming languages, as one of my biggest fears was that I’d start a job and find I was maintaining a legacy piece of software, or testing for my first couple of years. Fortunately this is not the case at Asidua, as since starting work at Asidua I have been involved in a number of different projects, using .net, asp.net, JavaScript, active directory, SharePoint and BizTalk. I’ve designed and implemented software components and carried out various pieces of investigative work.
Training at Asidua
I started as a Graduate Engineer on the Asidua graduate training programme, this involves training in Belfast once a month on various soft skills, as well as two team building activity days which are a great way of making friends and contacts with people from the other offices. I have attended a BizTalk training course, as well as having the books and exams paid for a Microsoft Certification allowing me to gain Certified Web Applications Specialist accreditation. Rather than using the same technology for every project, I get to use whatever is most suited for the task in hand, allowing me to learn a variety of products and languages which definitely keeps things interesting for me.
Fun at Asidua
We have regular company sports and social events, such as bowling, cricket and going to the races, which the company kindly pays towards. As an office we normally go out for lunch every Friday which is a good way of getting to know the people you work with. The Birmingham office is located on a business park surrounded by scenic conservation land which is often used at lunchtime for walks, which is a nice way of breaking up the day. We have flexible hours which allows you to have the choice between a little longer in bed or leaving early which is often very useful, especially if you’ve got somewhere to be.
Final Thoughts
Asidua is providing me with the opportunity to work on a variety of projects using current and future technologies, giving me experience, that will only stand me in good stead for the rest of my career. The work/life balance is great and I’m continually learning on every project. I’ve enjoyed my time here so far and I’m looking forward to the future and watching the Birmingham office expand.
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Paul
I graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway in August 2002 with an Honours degree in Information Technology. I then moved to the U.K. for four years, working as a Cache developer for three of these years. Following this I travelled Asia, Australia and New Zealand for 18 months. On my return I realised that I’d been out of the IT world for so long that my programming skills had become outdated. I saw graduate programmes as being my best way of getting back into the IT industry. The programme on offer from Asidua met with the criteria that I was looking for – an introduction to the latest technologies, study towards recognised certifications and a structured progression upwards through a successful company.
Work in Asidua
Since starting in April 2007 the work has been hectic but enjoyable. I think this comes from the fact that we’re still a smallish office in Dublin, so it means that you’re constantly involved in and aware of whatever is going on. My first project used Microsoft ASP.Net and C#, as well as Windows Workflow Foundation and SQL Server. As I was new to these technologies it was a challenge getting up to speed on them but the training I was provided with, along with the help offered to me from others in the company meant that I was fully comfortable when the time came to start developing.
Training at Asidua
The training offered by Asidua is extensive. They understand that a business is only as good as their people and so they invest heavily in them. In the first nine months of the job I’ve taken and passed a Microsoft Certified course on the .Net framework and will take the next course on web-based development before the end of my first year. I’ve also attended a week long course on the BizTalk framework, as it looks like this will be needed for future projects. The graduate scheme also provides a lot of additional, non-techie training. The scheme includes modules on communication, time management and presentation skills – which are essential to have, especially for those entering a working environment for the first time. It also includes team-building days away which are a great laugh and give you a chance to really get to know the rest of the graduates.
Fun at Asidua
My team gets on really well together, which makes for a fun and relaxed working environment in itself.We also try to get out and do something after work once a month, whether it’s a night racing at the dog track, going to a gig or just going for dinner and a few drinks, we always manage to have a laugh.
Final Thought
I’ve only been with Asidua a short while but am enjoying it hugely. Not only is the work new and interesting but I’m also picking up lots of valuable knowledge and skills that will help me as I progress in my career.
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Stacy
I joined Asidua as a graduate engineer in February 2008 after completing a placement year in the company in 2005 / 2006. I graduated from Queen’s University in July 2007 with a 1st Class Masters degree in Computer Science and Maths. My degree not only enabled me to improve a number of skills but it also gave me a passion for learning and fuelled my ambition to do well in the future and have a successful career.
Work in Asidua
I completed my placement year in Asidua. I had an excellent year and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the job. I gained experience of working in a team environment on a live project for one of Asidua’s clients. Asidua provided me with a number of excellent opportunities and from day one treated me as a valued member of staff. I returned as a Graduate in February 2008. I wanted a job that would enable me to firstly gain valuable experience in development – especially using .NET as this is what I had been gained experience in during my placement. Ultimately my aim is to go into the Business Analyst side of things and then perhaps move on to do project management. I enjoy working with people and in the future would like a more customer facing role in IT.
I am currently working on a project that involves MS .NET technologies and SQL Server and XML related technologies. I am developing in C# and using technologies such as SQL Server Integration Services and Reporting Services. The work is interesting and challenging and I am continually learning both new things; and better ways to do things.
Training at Asidua
I know that Asidua will provide me with all the opportunities I need to build a successful career in the IT industry. They will provide me with the development experience that I need and also the appropriate training in all areas. I also know that the work involved will challenge me on a daily basis and that I will never be bored in my work here. The company provides excellent career progression opportunities and they really do take on board your aspirations for the future and will help in every way they can to enable you to meet your career goals.
The majority of the training you will receive in Asidua is “on-the-job”. There are a lot of more experienced employees who are always willing to provide guidance and share their experiences with you. No-one is ever too busy to answer your questions and no question is ever too stupid – believe me I’ve asked my fair share! Training is very important in Asidua. When you join as a Graduate you go through the Graduate Development Programme which teaches you valuable soft skills such as communication and time management.
Asidua provide internal and external training courses in a variety of technologies. They are keen for employees to continually better themselves and learn new technologies. I recently went on an SSIS course and MS Biztalk course. Employees are also encouraged to undertake certifications. I am currently studying for Microsoft Business Intelligence Developer exam. I also plan to do the .NET Certification early next year.
Fun at Asidua
The company has a sports and social club that organises an event every month, for example last month we went to the VIP cinema in the Odyssey to see James Bond. Events range from things like bowling, go-karting, Giant’s match, pool competition etc. We also have First Friday Drinks every month which always promises to be a good night out!
If you’re into football like me – the boys and girls organise 5 – a – side every week and we also enter both a boys and girls team into the BCS 7 –a – side tournament every year. The boys won last year! There is also a Wii and an Xbox in the kitchens of the Belfast offices. It means that we do spend time with each other outside of work and we are all generally a very friendly bunch – it makes for an excellent working atmosphere and environment.
Final Thought
Asidua are a company that thrive on the success and ambition of their employees and they encourage everyone to learn new technologies and are also open to new suggestions and new methods of doing things. Asidua provides an interesting and challenging career in IT. You can be guaranteed that if you come to work for us you will fit in immediately to the diverse but excellent work environment that we have where everyone from the graduates to the directors are approachable at any time. The company strikes an excellent balance between work and social life.
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Niall
I completed an MEng in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Queens in 2005 before travelling to Australia for a year. On my return I came back to Asidua for full time employment, because having completed my placement with Asidua in 2003/04, I knew Asidua had a great environment to learn and progress my career.
Work in Asidua
The work in Asidua varies greatly. Some of the projects I have worked on involved integrating credit card readers with kiosks that you can see in shopping centres and airports, to working offsite at a customers office designing and developing custom systems. These projects allow me to expand my knowledge and meet new people.
Training at Asidua
Throughout my time in Asidua I have been on many training courses to help with my understanding of a new technology which I will be using on a new project. I also completed the Graduate Training Programme where Asidua put all the graduates up in a hotel for team building and put us through some modules to help with improving our professional development.
Fun at Asidua
Within Asidua we have both an X Box 360 and a Nintendo Wii which employees can use on their breaks. As part of the sports and social committee I have the opportunity to organise monthly events for the company. In the past these have included paint balling, go-karting, bowling, trips to the V.I.P cinema and Christmas 5 aside soccer tournaments to name but a few. We are also currently the holders of the BCS 7 aside outdoor soccer trophy in which we competed against other I.T companies in Belfast.
Final Thought
I have really enjoyed my time working with Asidua. It has provided me the opportunity to meet new people and progress my career in an enjoyable working environment.
Interested in finding out more about Niall’s role, then watch his video below…
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Scholarships @ QUB
The Asidua Scholarship at Queen’s will support at least one student per year on either the BSc, BEng, or MEng Computer Science course or the BEng or MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering. This scholarship is worth up to £25,000 to the successful candidate.
Subject to satisfactory exam results aligning with a degree classification of 2:1 or above and performance in class, the scholarship will offer support as follows:
- £1,000 per year for each of the scheduled academic years of the course;
- At least eight weeks paid summer work between each academic year;
- A guaranteed paid industrial placement in year three;
- After completion of industrial placement, the opportunity for paid part-time work during the academic year – typically equating to 1 day per week (subject to course schedules);
- Following an application for a permanent position and subject to success at interview, in accordance with Fair Employment legislation, a permanent position with Asidua after graduation.
Selection Process
- Individual must meet the entrance requirements for the degree course and be enrolled for the course and still in active participation on 1 December;
- All applicants must fill out an Asidua Scholarship Application form, and then send completed application form to recruitment@asidua.com;
- Applicants will be shortlisted based on the contents of their application form;
- Those who successfully pass this shortlisting will be invited for a 45 minutes interview;
- Following interview the successful applicant will be notified by Asidua’s HR Department;
- All scholarships awarded will be publicised on Asidua’s web site and will require the individual to take part in an official photograph and awards ceremony.
The benefit of a scholarship
Scholars will become much more rounded individuals during their time with Asidua. They will enhance the skills and theory they have learnt at University with industrial experience. They will get to work with very experienced individuals who mentor them in software engineering best practices, and will gain real world experience of working in teams and increase their confidence and communications skills in so doing. They will also gain a better understanding of what a career in IT is all about.
The work based learning or placement is invaluable for the student, as they will gain excellent industrial experience during their time with Asidua since they will work on real projects within the Company, and this will increase their chance of employment following graduation.
How it works in practice
When a placement student starts they go through Asidua’s standard induction process in order to gain an understanding of our Company Strategy, how we work operationally, and details of the work area they are being assigned to. A placement student is treated in the same way as a new graduate – we assign them a supervisor within their project team, and we assess their learning and development needs based on what skills they have gained at University and how this compares with what we need within their project area. In addition they are assigned a mentor who works closely with the student during their placement year. Our placement students will work on real projects within the Company.
This means that during each placement slot the scholar will further enhance their skill set and will become more valuable members of the team and contribute more towards to the success of the projects they work on.
How to apply
Scholarship opportunities have been awarded for the 2009/2010 academic year. The 2010/2011 scholarship programme will be open to applications from Autumn 2010.
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Scholarships @ UU
The Asidua Scholarship at University of Ulster will support at least one student per year on either the BEng/MEng Electronic Engineering, BEng Software Engineering, BSc Honours Computer Science, BSc Computing Science, BSc Computing, BEng Electronics and Computer Systems, BEng/BEng Hons Electronics & Software, BEng Computer Games Development courses. This scholarship is worth up to £25,000 to the successful candidate.
Subject to satisfactory exam results aligning with a degree classification of 2:1 or above and performance in class, the scholarship will offer support as follows:
- £1,000 per year for each of the scheduled academic years of the course;
- At least eight weeks paid summer work between each academic year;
- A guaranteed paid industrial placement in year three;
- After completion of industrial placement, the opportunity for paid part-time work during the academic year – typically equating to 1 day per week (subject to course schedules);
- Following an application for a permanent position and subject to success at interview, in accordance with Fair Employment legislation, a permanent position with Asidua after graduation.
Selection Process
- Applicants must have been accepted onto one of the eligible courses and be enrolled for the course and still in active participation on 1 December;
- All applicants must fill out an Asidua Scholarship Application form, and then send completed application form to recruitment@asidua.com;
- Applicants will be shortlisted based on the contents of their application form;
- Those who successfully pass this shortlisting will be invited for a 45 minutes interview;
- Following interview the successful applicant will be notified by Asidua’s HR Department;
- All scholarships awarded will be publicised on Asidua’s web site and will require the individual to take part in an official photograph and awards ceremony.
The benefit of a scholarship
Scholars will become much more rounded individuals during their time with Asidua. They will enhance the skills and theory they have learnt at University with industrial experience. They will get to work with very experienced individuals who mentor them in software engineering best practices, and will gain real world experience of working in teams and increase their confidence and communications skills in so doing. They will also gain a better understanding of what a career in IT is all about.
The work based learning or placement is invaluable for the student, as they will gain excellent industrial experience during their time with Asidua since they will work on real projects within the Company, and this will increase their chance of employment following graduation.
How it works in practice
When a placement student starts they go through Asidua’s standard induction process in order to gain an understanding of our Company Strategy, how we work operationally, and details of the work area they are being assigned to. A placement student is treated in the same way as a new graduate – we assign them a supervisor within their project team, and we assess their learning and development needs based on what skills they have gained at University and how this compares with what we need within their project area. In addition they are assigned a mentor who works closely with the student during their placement year. Our placement students will work on real projects within the Company.
This means that during each placement slot the scholar will further enhance their skill set and will become more valuable members of the team and contribute more towards to the success of the projects they work on.
How to apply
Scholarship opportunities have been awarded for the 2009/2010 academic year. The 2010/2011 scholarship programme will be open to applications from Autumn 2010.
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All Vacancies
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Validation Engineer
Validation Engineers at Asidua act on behalf of our customers to ensure that what we deliver meets the requirements outlined in the project specification and as defined by our stakeholders.
Below you can read more about the skills that are required and the tools used for this role.
The Skills
- Change management
- Communication and building effective working relationships
- Risk management
- Scope management
- Schedule management
The Tools
- Microsoft Sharepoint
- Microsoft Project
- PRINCE2
- SCRUM
Further Information
You will also find useful information in the Our People section. There you will be able to read more about Validation Engineers in Asidua, including their typical day to day roles, working life in Asidua and information on their career path.
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Project Manager
Project Managers in Asidua ensure that everyone works well together, orchestrating a team through the various phases of the project lifecycle to meet the goals defined by project overview and specifications.
Below you can read more about the skills that are required and the tools used for this role.
The Skills
- Change management
- Communication and building effective working relationships
- Risk management
- Scope management
- Schedule management
The Tools
- Microsoft Sharepoint
- Microsoft Project
- PRINCE2
- SCRUM
Further Information
You will also find useful information in the Our People section. There you will be able to read more about Project Managers in Asidua, including their typical day to day roles, working life in Asidua and information on their career path.
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Developer
Developers in Asidua transform the large scale specification into a living and breathing automated process or hardware solution by customising and integrating technology from our partners.
Below you can read more about the skills that are required and the tools used for this role.
The Skills
- Component Design
- Configuration Management
- Pair programming
- Test-driven development
The Tools
- Embedded C/C++
- Microsoft SOA Suite (C#/.NET)
- Oracle SOA Suite (Java/J2EE)
- Subversion, eclipse, Visual Studio, Git
- UML, XML
Further Information
You will also find useful information in the Our People section. There you will be able to read more about Developers in Asidua, including their typical day to day roles, working life in Asidua and information on their career path.
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Roles with Asidua
Within Asidua, there are a wide variety of roles available to our employees. These include Business Analysts, Developers, Validation Engineers and Project Managers.
To help clarify what each role may entail, information is outlined below in relation to what you can typically expect. This gives a flavour of the roles available; but does not cover each one in detail, particularly in relation to both the appropriate skills and tools.
Our people tend to carry out a variety of roles and employees therefore have the opportunity to work across several disciplines before potentially majoring in one specific area, depending on our business need and an individual’s career aspirations.
To find out more about the roles in Asidua, click an image below.
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Business Analyst
Business Analysts in Asidua engage with customers, gather requirements and propose solution architectures, building a vision that is clear enough for everyone to understand.
Below you can read more about the skills that are required and the tools used for this role.
The Skills
- Architectural modelling
- Communication
- Data Entity modelling
- Process modelling
- Use case modelling
The Tools
- Asidua ADI/ETI
- BPMN
- ERM
- UML
Further Information
You will also find useful information in the Our People section. There you will be able to read more about Business Analysts in Asidua, including their typical day to day roles, working life in Asidua and information on their career path.
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Dublin
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Birmingham
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Belfast
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Current Vacancies
Within Asidua, we provide challenging and motivating work that will be an asset to your career profile. With the wide variety of roles on offer across wide ranging projects, you will find Asidua a fantastic place to work. We also reward you by enhancing your skill-set with ongoing Continuous Professional Development and with an attractive remuneration package.
Outlined below by location are the current vacancies within Asidua. You will find information on the background of each role, including the job description as well as a detailed person specification and information on how to apply.
If you have a general query, please contact us at recruitment@asidua.com and we will be happy to assist.
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Our Scholarships
Asidua launched its annual Scholarship Programme for Northern Ireland Universities during the 2008/2009 academic year. The eligible universities are Queen’s University of Belfast and the University of Ulster.
This fantastic opportunity enables several students from the Universities to benefit from Scholarships worth up to £25,000 over the duration of their degree course.
Students will benefit from industrial experience with Asidua from the end of their first year onwards with summer placements and year out placement being a guaranteed part of the programme.
Students also receive bursary funding during each academic year, as well as payment for the year-out placement.
The Asidua Scholarship Programme supplements the academic learning from University with real-life business experience, working with ICT Professional who are more than happy to share their knowledge and understanding with the Asidua Scholars.
In this secton you can find out more information on;
- Our current scholars - Which hosts regular blog updates from Asidua scholars
- Scholarships @ QUB - Giving details on eligible QUB courses and details on how to apply
- Scholarships @ UU - Giving details on eligible UU courses and details on how to apply
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Job Alerts @ Birmingham
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Experienced
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Placement
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Graduate
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Job Alerts @ Dublin
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Experienced
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Job Alerts @ Belfast
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Experienced
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Graduate
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Placement
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Scholarship
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Why Join Asidua
To learn more about what is in it for you in joining our exciting and dynamic company, please read on…
Benefits
- Competitive salary and target driven bonus;
- Generous pension scheme;
- Opportunity to join dynamic project teams, utilising the latest in bleeding edge technologies;
- Excellent career progression prospects;
- Recognised Investor in People (IiP);
- Continuous professional development (CPD) programme;
- Inclusive management culture ;
- Strong CSR ethos;
- Preventative healthcare with annual health checks;
- Excellent holiday entitlement;
- Flexible working ethos;
- Salary sacrifice schemes;
- Sports & social club (Belfast, Birmingham and Dublin);
- Wii and Xbox available to play during breaks and lunches (Belfast);
- On-site car & bicycle parking (Belfast, Birmingham);
- Local to bus and railway stations (Belfast, Birmingham and Dublin);
Learning & Development Ethos
As a recognised Investor in People, Asidua provides challenging and exciting projects for employees, in addition to providing learning and development opportunities in all appropriate areas, from the latest technologies and platforms to how to engage effectively with colleagues and clients. Our Innovation is coupled with genuine people focus which has developed a positive culture where everyone is committed to achieving the highest standards possible for both the company’s expanding client base and internal customers.
This approach led to the award of Investor in People standard, where IiP auditor Eddie Salmon, commented; “Asidua is very much a learning organization where everyone is encouraged to share knowledge and experience to enrich the proactive and open learning environment which is prevalent throughout the company.”
Working in Asidua provides an excellent opportunity for learning about and using a variety of software languages e.g. Java, C# and C++ and the latest state of the art development tools. Asidua appreciate that employees want to be aware and utilize the latest technologies and where possible we will facilitate this knowledge acquisition. Employees may attend learning opportunities such as Knowledge Sharing Events even where this is not directly relevant to current project, as we know that this can result in new approaches and invigorated working.
We are always happy to chat to employees about their career development aspirations and do all we can to facilitate career progression opportunities. Within Asidua our aim is to recruit and retain high calibre, motivated individuals. Asidua thrives because of the success and drive of our employees and we encourage everyone to develop the skills necessary to deliver a high-class performance – whether this is learning about new technologies or about communication skills. As an innovative organisation, we welcome suggestions and new methods of doing things as demonstrated by our ever developing and expanding internal school environment.
In Asidua, our Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme identifies, manages and develops our employees skills so each member of the team is empowered to exceed the expectations of our clients.
Flexible Working
In addition to our Investor in People status, Asidua is also an accredited Employer of Choice, which demonstrates our commitment to actively encouraging work-life balance for employees through a series of innovative policies. Within Asidua, we prioritise the welfare and well-being of our employees and recognise that it is through having effective working practices that our employees are enabled to perform. Our practices include having;
- Forward thinking policies and procedures
- The Asidua Communication for Employees Working Group (ACE)
- Flexible daily working hours (start, finish and lunch times) for everyone
- Flexible working patterns
- Salary Sacrifice Schemes for Childcare Vouchers and Bicycle Purchase
- Generous annual leave entitlement
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Our People
By having a look at this section, you will be able to learn about our people and their experiences in Asidua.
Each profile outlines the decisions our team members have made that brought them to their current exciting and stimulating role with us. These profiles will also give you an insight into a day in the life of different employee roles.
Make sure you have a look at Niall's profile which includes an IT Sector video, in which he talks about his experiences to date within Asidua.
Please check back regularly for more team profiles.
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Careers @ Asidua
Asidua employs over 120 professionals and continues to expand: most employees are located at the company's corporate headquarters in Belfast; with other Asidua offices near Birmingham and in Dublin.
In the Asidua careers section, as well as viewing our current vacancies and finding out how to apply, you can also find out more about working life in Asidua, including the type of roles available. You can also visit "Our People" which will give a flavour on what life in Asidua is like from our employees perspective.
We also have information about our Scholarship Programme, where students intending to enter into academic studies at Queen's University of Belfast or the University of Ulster, can find out more information.
To begin your journey with Asidua, please click an area of interest below.
