Atos creates 50 "high value" IT jobs in Scotland

New jobs will be supported by £1m Highlands and Islands Enterprise grant

IT services provider Atos has created what it describes as 50 "high value" jobs at its new strategic development and innovation centre in Moray, north-east Scotland.

The jobs will be supported by a £1m grant from the Scottish government's economic and community development agency for the north and west of Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

The centre aims to deliver secure IT development and testing services for public- and private-sector clients. It will be based initially at RAF Kinloss before moving to nearby Forres in the spring of 2013.

Earlier this year, Atos established an office in Inverness and it is now focusing on recruiting and re-training staff in Moray.

The IT services provider has also developed a year-long training programme to ensure that new recruits have the appropriate IT skills to ensure the centre has the requisite skilled workers. In addition, Atos will deploy senior staff to mentor new recruits.

Gavin Thomson, senior vice president of Atos Scotland, said it was "good news" for the new recruits, for the Moray area and for Atos.