Halo moves to Willis Building with 1,000 graduate job goal

Tech company Halo has officially moved into its new headquarters at the Willis Building in Ipswich, marking the occasion by launching a major skills partnership with the local university. For people living and studying in the town, this collaboration brings direct, paid pathways into the technology sector. The initiative has already seen six new apprentices begin their training this September, laying the groundwork for Halo’s ambitious goal to employ 1,000 graduates in Ipswich by the end of 2030.

Earning and learning

The six new recruits are undertaking a Level 6 Project Manager degree apprenticeship. This three-year programme is designed to give learners a strong foundation in managing complex projects by combining academic study with paid employment. Throughout their training, the apprentices will cover a wide range of essential project management practices.

Their studies will focus heavily on the practical realities of the business world, including:

• Planning and governance
• Finance and risk management
• Leadership and team coordination
• Strategic decision making

By earning while they learn, these apprentices are gaining highly practical experience alongside their formal education, ensuring they develop the exact behaviours and knowledge needed to successfully deliver complex projects in the workplace.

Building on past success

While the apprenticeship scheme is a significant new development, the relationship between the tech firm and the University of Suffolk is already well established. During the last academic year, second-year Business Management students were given a live brief to act as consultants on a new incubator project for emerging entrepreneurs. The students pitched ideas for recruiting business founders, developing support systems, and building financial models, all while receiving direct feedback from industry professionals. The company plans to return next year to run the module again with the next cohort of second-year students.

Creative students have also benefited from the partnership. Over the summer, those studying Digital Film Production worked alongside live outdoor broadcast teams at the Halo Festival. They produced two short documentary films featuring a local DJ and captured live video content across the festival stages.

Meanwhile, Graphic Design and Graphic Illustration students were tasked with developing visual identity pitches for the upcoming 2027 Halo Festival. Working in teams, the students created initial concepts and refined their designs based on client feedback. Their final pitches to the company covered typography, imagery, colour palettes, tone of voice, and promotional applications, giving them vital experience in responding to a professional design brief and incorporating client edits.

Strategic goals for Ipswich

This growing partnership aligns closely with the university’s newly published strategy for 2031, which places a strong emphasis on expanding work-integrated learning and supporting long-term regional skills development. University leadership has praised the tech firm for championing graduates and investing in young talent, noting that the company’s arrival at the Willis Building will help deliver future skills needs while giving students the chance to work with a globally recognised name.

Paul Hamilton, Founder and Chief Executive of Halo, highlighted the value of their new Ipswich base:

“We are delighted to welcome our first 2026 degree apprentice cohort, and Halo is excited to partner with the University of Suffolk on a scheme that we hope will be incredibly rewarding for the degree apprentices. We are looking forward to exploring additional collaborations going forwards, and having our HQ in Ipswich will be ideal for expanding how we can work together.”

Marek Hornak, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Commercial and Academic Partnerships at the university, added:

“The University of Suffolk’s partnerships with employers are an important part of our commitment to ensure we are delivering the skills needs for key industries.”

The university continues to work with organisations across diverse sectors—from clean energy and local government to health and social care—offering student placements, internships, knowledge exchange activities, and guest lectures. If you are a local employer looking to develop your workforce, you can find out how to get involved by visiting the Business Engagement section of the University of Suffolk website. For those interested in starting their own career journey, you can explore available degree and degree apprenticeship opportunities through the university’s online course search. To learn more about Halo and their work in the region, visit their website at usehalo.com.

Who wrote this about Ipswich?

Press Team

The Ipswich.love Press Team are a small group who post press release information in an easy-to-read format. If you have a press release you'd like covered on the site get in touch.