North East entrepreneur advocates for hiring international graduates

Mark Renney, a Northumbria University alumnus and entrepreneur, is championing the recruitment of international graduates as a means to address skill shortages and bolster the regional economy. As the founder and Managing Director of Wubbleyou, a Newcastle-based tech and software company, Mark has firsthand experience of the benefits that hiring overseas talent can bring to small businesses.

Since its establishment in 2009, Wubbleyou has been at the forefront of developing scalable software solutions for clients, aiding in their rapid growth through technology. The company’s success in recent years has led to an expansion in its workforce, which now includes two international graduates from Northumbria University. Nigerian Vincent Onyeabor, who has joined as an Associate IT Analyst, and Divya Behera from India, taking on the role of Associate Project Manager, have been sponsored by Wubbleyou through the Skilled Worker Visa programme.

Under the standard Graduate Visa programme, international graduates have the opportunity to work in the UK for up to two years post-graduation. This period can be extended to up to five years for businesses that sponsor foreign nationals via the Skilled Worker Visa programme, provided they have obtained a licence from the Home Office. While Mark acknowledges that obtaining this licence can be a challenging and costly process, he asserts that the benefits for Wubbleyou have been substantial. He believes that small businesses and SMEs in the North East can similarly enhance their growth and open new recruitment avenues by tapping into this pool of skilled international graduates.

Mark explained: “Demand for top IT talent can be extremely high, especially given the growing ambitions and growing number of innovative and scaling tech businesses in the area. As a small but growing business we wanted to have the ability to invest in this top talent and be able offer employment to skilled international graduates beyond the standard short-term Graduate Work Visa. So we took the plunge and went through the process required to sponsor foreign nationals on the longer term Skilled Worker Visa Sponsorship.”

Wubbleyou, a Newcastle-based tech firm, stands out as one of only about 300 small businesses in the region that have successfully navigated the complex process of sponsoring international graduates.

He added: “There are barriers and blockers, and I can understand why small businesses are reluctant. It can be burdensome and frankly quite scary, with very little help available without paying for third party assistance. Information on the Government website can also seem opaque. However, once you have gone through the process it becomes a lot less daunting, and I would say to other small businesses that the benefits can be considerable. For us, it was a win-win to bring in great people who want to live and work in the UK. International graduates are smart and motivated, they offer diversity and new ways of thinking and in my view, they have already demonstrated a high level of initiative and commitment by travelling halfway around the world to study.”

“We have also worked with the Graduates Futures team at Northumbria for a number of years, and they have been extremely supportive again in helping us find the right people in Vincent and Divya.”

Vincent Onyeabor, a recent Northumbria University graduate, has made a notable transition from academia to the professional world. He completed his MSc in Information Science (Data Analytics) this year and brings a wealth of experience to the table. In addition to his academic qualifications, Vincent has an impressive background in sales and client management from his time working in Nigeria. His journey with Wubbleyou began in 2022, where he initially joined the team as a business analyst while still pursuing his studies.

He said: “I didn’t want to wait until I graduated to start looking for work so I applied through Northumbria’s Graduate Futures team who really helped me with my CV and in finding the right employment opportunities. Using the Graduate Futures team really does give you access to companies who are looking to recruit people with your skill sets.

“Working for Wubbleyou has been a profound learning experience for me. They are a great team and Mark has so much knowledge which I continue to benefit from through his coaching. At the same time, completing my master’s while simultaneously working allowed me to bring fresh insights to the team, which not only deepened my expertise but also bolstered my capacity to contribute to projects. Looking ahead, I’m excited about the many opportunities that the future holds, as Wubbleyou continues its growth trajectory – and in providing innovative solutions to our current and future clients.”

Divya Behera, from Hyderabad in India, Graduated in 2022 with a Masters degree in Business Management and Advanced Practice. She said: “Through the Graduate Futures team at Northumbria I started applying for roles and with their help began working with Wubbleyou as an Associate project Manager in January this year. As part of the team my role is strengthen project management, helping resolve any issues in areas such as time tracking and budgets and maintaining good client relationships. It is a challenging role but a fantastic experience and the team at Wubbleyou are fantastic to work with.”

Wubbleyou, with its team of 13 employees, boasts an annual turnover of approximately £500,000 and anticipates a promising future with projected growth of up to 20% per year.

Graham Baty, Head of Enterprise Development at Northumbria, said: “We provide a range of enterprise support at Northumbria, including business advice, mentoring, incubator hub facilities and other services and have worked with Wubbleyou since its inception as a start-up in 2009, when Mark was still a student here. So it is incredibly rewarding to see the company’s continuing success, and the job opportunities being created for our high-quality graduates like Vincent and Divya. Northumbria is known for its entrepreneurial students and graduates generating wealth and employment for the region, and Wubbleyou is a perfect example of this.”