University of Galway and PwC Ireland have announced a five year deal to work on promoting young talent for business.

PwC and the University’s J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics will collaborate on the University's Bachelor of Commerce Skills Pathway.

The programme focuses on three modules: skills for success; skills for business; and skills for innovation, creativity and enterprise.

It will also involve peer-assisted learning; opportunities to shadow and learn from current PwC graduates on-site; guest lecturing sessions; employability skills training; and mentoring. 

PwC said the collaboration will give students the relevant skills to become "world-class business leaders".

Doone O’Doherty, People Partner, PwC Ireland, said: "PwC’s research indicates that more still needs to be done to upskill today’s workforce and this need has come to the fore as AI and Generative AI disrupts businesses.

"Education has an important role to play in ensuring that our graduates' skills are future-proofed.

"As one of Ireland's largest graduate recruiters, we recognise the importance of developing talent, having the digital, entrepreneurial and collaborative skills needed for a fast-moving business environment.

"We are delighted to continue our partnership with University of Galway to help prepare students for the Irish and international workplace and to equip them with the relevant skills to become world-class business leaders."

Professor Alma McCarthy, Dean, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway, said working with PwC will give students the opportunity to work on "real-world projects".

“We are delighted to announce the renewal of our successful partnership with PwC," she said. 

"The PwC partnership enables our Bachelor of Commerce students to develop their entrepreneurial skills using practical real-world projects mentored by leading industry and business leaders. 

"We look forward to continuing to build on our excellent relationship with PwC, a relationship that extends over a decade.’’

 Photo: Evan Gillespie, Assurance Associate at PwC; Professor Emer Mulligan, Head of the Accountancy and Finance Discipline, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at University of Galway; Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway; John Daly, Partner, PwC Mid-West Practice; Mairead Connolly, Tax Partner, PwC Mid-West Practice and Leanne Helebert, Assurance Associate at PwC.  Photo credited to Mike Shaughnessy.