‘This is a good time to expand the business’
James Vargo, chief executive of Edinburghbased DirectID, hopes to take on 30 recruits thanks to the initiative.
His fintech firm, which supplies bank data products to customers across more than 30 countries, has been operating for a decade.
“The Kickstart Scheme is a great opportunity,” says James, who’s originally from Vancouver but has been based in the UK for 24 years.
“We have actually just stretched ourselves and put in an application for 30 people.”
James now hopes other similar companies will follow suit and offer on-the-job training to new recruits.
DirectID already employs 25 people, and company revenues have doubled this year, allowing the operation to expand its workforce by taking on 30 job seekers.
“There is a buzz around this kind of business right now and it is a good time to expand,” he says.
DirectID is using the Kickstart Scheme to recruit across the board, with sales and marketing roles, plus data insights and data analysis positions all ready to be filled.
James is encouraging other Scottish firms to embrace the scheme, seeing it as an opportunity to build more momentum in the fintech industry – one area that has increased amid the current pandemic.
The UK Government hopes that, after the six months, those on the scheme will become permanent staff.
“If we can use this to find some people, and it’s all productive and effective, then absolutely we will look to keep them on,” he adds.