Tag: Version 1

Version 1 signs €102.7m deal with Department of Education to transform Ireland’s school employee payroll systems

Version 1, a leader in AI and digital transformation, today announced it has been awarded a significant contract of up to 15 years by the Department of Education Ireland, integrating HCM and Payroll Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions that will enable the timely, secure and accurate processing of payroll.

Version 1 will lead on the design, development, integration and management of the technology systems that service approximately 155,000 teaching and non-teaching staff, as well as retirees across Ireland. Version 1 has partnered with The Access Group to deliver on this major change programme.

The project will see the Department of Education providing payees with employee self-service including online access to their payroll related information. Version 1 has proven, long-standing experience of delivering similar technology solutions for other public sector organisations and will work closely with the Department of Education on this change programme. Version 1 will build, integrate and manage the systems, drawing on a reputation of consistent quality of delivery for public sector organisations.

Commenting on the award of the contract, Chief Information Officer for the Department of Education, Anne-Marie Sherkle said, “I would like to congratulate Version 1 on the award of this contract.  Connecting Government 2030 highlights the need to harness Cloud solutions so that we can deliver online services to our citizens. Leveraging Cloud will allow us to provide not just effective public facing services but will help streamline back-end processes and systems.”

Assistant Secretary General, Martin Clohessy with responsibility for Major Operations in the Department of Education commented, “I very much welcome the improved customer service benefits that will be provided to school employees, retirees, and our school administrators. The Department looks forward to working closely with Version 1 to ensure the successful delivery of this very important programme of work.”

“We have been truly inspired by the vision and drive of the team at the Department of Education to meaningfully improve payroll related services,” said Ger O’Sullivan, Head of Public Sector Ireland at Version 1. “Version 1 has industry leading customer satisfaction scores because we deliver on our customer commitments. We look forward to evolving this partnership even further to unlock this transformation”.

Version 1 to invest in UK with 1,000 AI experts

Version 1, a leader in AI and digital transformation, today revealed it plans to invest £40m in the UK over the next few years through increased presence across its technology hubs. The addition of approximately 1,000 roles was welcomed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Taoiseach Michael Martin at a round table event with other industry leaders that formed part of the annual UK-Ireland summit, announced in September last year. The summit takes forward cooperation in four key areas to drive economic growth between the two countries, with the focus of today’s round table firmly on climate, energy, technology and innovation.

With discussions centred around the breadth and depth of shared values and interests between the UK and Ireland, Version 1 revealed that most of the new roles to be added over the coming years will be AI-related and located for proximity to its UK clients, situated across its London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh and Belfast locations. The company continues to deliver for many public sector organisations in the UK and Ireland on successful, large-scale transformation and AI projects that have significantly improved services for citizens and civil servants alike.

By further embedding rich technology expertise locally, leveraging partnerships and providing the upskilling and training required, (particularly around the fast-paced evolution of AI and responsible technology in regulated industries), Version 1 commits to support that will keep both economies at the forefront of innovation.

Paul Johnston, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ireland commented; “it is a pleasure to see Version 1 among great business leaders at the UK-Ireland summit today. Their continued investment in our economy is a welcome and important commitment which makes a significant contribution to the Government’s growth mission.”

“We are privileged to be part of the exciting discussions today, as the largest indigenous Irish technology and AI services company with a major presence in the UK. It is very rewarding to hear how both leaders are working hard to strengthen connections and deliver on shared ambitions for greater opportunity, societal advancement and economic prosperity,” said Brad Mallard, Chief Technology Officer at Version 1. “We have a global presence but it’s our mission to deliver value for our customers from the best locations most suited to their needs, and this means investing locally and globally in the right skills and talent. As leaders in people-centric innovation powered by technology, we want the maximum benefit for our customers and the environments we work in.

With UK Government initiatives such as the AI Opportunities Action Plan and the new AI playbook, which are designed to boost economic value and drive productivity and efficiency across Government, we can align on shared objectives that ultimately deliver these benefits but keep the knowledge and skill sets in the right place too for sustainable growth.”

Deirdre McPartlin, Regional Director UK & Nordics at Enterprise Ireland, a long-term partner of Version 1 commented; “Version 1 is a valued client of Enterprise Ireland. Their journey of 28 years has helped establish Ireland as a strong contender for tech innovation and expertise.

We are delighted to see how they continue to grow globally and underscored their commitment to the UK even further with today’s news, joining also the important discussions that have taken place today between the UK and Ireland leaders. We will continue to fully support their ambitious plans which strengthen the business and contributes to the success of both our economies.”

Version 1 brings National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park alive with new AI-led app

Version 1, a leading digital transformation partner and The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC), home to the world’s largest collection of working historic computers, today announced the brand new TNMOC Mate application, designed to transform the museum’s visitor experience for all age groups, cultural origins, and linguistic backgrounds.

TNMOC Mate uses generative AI to present compelling exhibit information in a way that is easily understandable, making sure that the intricate details of the history and future of computing are accessible to everyone.

Exhibitions at TNMOC can be incredibly detailed, particularly as they portray cryptographic machines and the historical development of computers. These exhibits are sometimes more challenging for certain visitors to fully appreciate, including those for whom English is not their primary language, younger visitors, or those with neurodiverse profiles.

TNMOC wanted to avoid any factors that may prevent all visitors from having the same level of participation and worked with Version 1 to create the app, specifically designed for inclusivity in a way that has not previously been explored.

 “We chose to work with Version 1 because they understood exactly what we wanted to achieve. As well as having the right advanced technical expertise, Version 1 shares the goal to leverage today’s cutting-edge technology for the benefit of absolutely everyone,” said Jacqui Garrad, Museum Director at TNMOC. “We’re proud to be able to deliver educational opportunities with this accessible tool, immersing our visitors in our exceptional collection. Thanks to Version 1 for realising our vision. This undoubtedly makes us one of the most accessible museums in the world.

“Version 1’s leading capabilities in the use of generative AI, not just for improved, but also more accessible and inclusive user experience means that we are constantly pushing the boundaries to deliver on the expectation of next generation consumer interaction,” said Brad Mallard, Chief Technology Officer at Version 1. “When we worked with TNMOC to shape the vision for the app, we were excited to imagine how we could use the most cutting-edge technology with them, especially given the historic importance of Bletchley Park and its association with Alan Turing and his ground-breaking work on AI back as early as 1935. It truly delivers the inspiration of the museum exhibits in the same degree of vivid and fascinating discovery to every visitor, regardless of who they are.”

TNMOC Mate offers clear directions for seamless museum navigation, facilitated by a persona that the visitor can choose to match their age group and language preference. All the prompts are delivered in the preferred language and enhanced with audio and animated visuals. The app helps users to navigate through the museum using an interactive floor map that highlights exhibit details with simplified text and audio.

The museum will host a relaxed opening and launch of TNMOC Mate today, Wednesday 25th October, at a unique event called “Digital Future Days: Relaxed Opening and Home Educators Day” welcoming visitors to try out the technology and explore the museum in their own way against a tranquil setting.