East Norfolk Sixth Form College recently hosted an Industry Consultation Event in conjunction with Norfolk Chamber of Commerce and the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR). Key employers from the area worked with the College to further develop the Engineering provision to be offered from September 2014.
Introducing BTEC Level 3 Engineering into the curriculum at EN supports the College’s desire to provide outstanding experiences for its students. Dr Catherine Richards, Deputy Principal outlined the benefits of this new curriculum offer ‘Giving young people the choice to study BTEC Engineering together with A levels in subjects such as Maths, Physics, 3D Design and Geology will help to support local industry. Partnership working with employers has helped us to identify the most suitable units to be studied for direct entry to work, apprenticeships or university. We are very proud of the innovative work that we are doing in this area to prepare our young people for careers in this skills shortage area.’ East Norfolk Sixth Form College has an excellent record of success and its work with employers was recognised by Ofsted when good links with employers were recognised and creativity in the curriculum was positively received by Inspectors. Any local employers wishing to find out more about the introduction of BTEC Engineering are asked to contact Dr Catherine Richards for more information by emailing crichards@eastnorfolk.ac.uk
The residential conveyancing team at Norwich solicitors Cozens-Hardy LLP continues to grow, with the recent appointment of experienced Graduate Legal Executive, Georgie Harrington. Georgie deals with all types of residential conveyancing – freehold/leasehold sale and purchases, transfers of equity, new build transactions, acquisitions of land, re-mortgages, right to buy purchases and company purchases.
Having studied Law at the UEA, Georgie is at the Graduate member stage of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives qualification and hopes to qualify into Fellowship and Chartered Lawyer status.
Whatever the size of your business, if you have business premises then you would benefit from the services of a professional industrial cleaner. A clean and sanitary workplace is important on many levels, and you may be surprised at its return on investment.
My staff can clean up after themselves!
Many employers expect their staff to keep the workplace clean and whilst we would agree that employees should take some responsibility for keeping things hygienic and tidy, it can have a negative impact on staff relationships and morale if they have to clean up after each other. Not to mention the health and safety implications, training requirements and lack of monitoring. It only takes one forgotten wet floor sign, one misuse of a chemical cleaning product, or someone using the wrong mop and bucket in the kitchen and you could find yourself in the middle of a lawsuit that is going to cost far more than the money you saved on a contract cleaner.
Health and Safety
We’ve touched on this slightly but would stress the value of well trained, health and safety compliant, knowledgeable staff, managed and supervised by someone who understands your business. By handing over the responsibility to an expert team, you and your staff can get on with what you do best in a clean and healthy environment.
What happens if something goes wrong?
In the unlikely event that it does, a professional industrial cleaning company will have insurance to cover breakages and liability etc. Their recruitment processes should include police checks and security vetting, so you know you can trust the people who are cleaning your premises. At Monthind, we value our staff and, as a result, we retain them, so you will get to know the operatives, and they will become part of your team, without any of the associated staff management. We never sub-contract; if there is a short notice absence, we will cover it, even if it means one of the management team rolling up their sleeves and donning a pair of rubber gloves (a rare occurrence, you’ll be pleased to hear!).
I see the ROI, but how else does it help my business thrive?
Outsourcing your cleaning will keep your premises clean and tidy, ensuring a good first impression, and helping to attract and retain customers. It’s not just your customers you will impress, your staff will see that you care about the environment they work in, you want them to be comfortable, and you are prepared to invest in their good health and wellbeing. It demonstrates pride in every aspect of your business and sends a clear message that your brand is dependable.
Your staff will be more productive, on a day to day basis and through lack of sickness absences, you will attract more customers, and your assets, including equipment and furnishings, will last longer and require less maintenance.
If that doesn’t get you reaching for the phone and calling us on 01206 215300 for a no obligation quotation, we’re not sure what will!
At the time of writing (February), Britain will exit the EU at 23:00 on Friday 29th March. You’ll also be aware that the Public Procurement Regulations 2015, which are the UK’s transposition of European Procurement rules into domestic law, apply to all public sector and many other ‘contracting authorities’ such as some charities and many bodies governed by public law. A no-deal Brexit is currently still a very real possibility and the Government is stepping up ‘no-deal’ preparations.
Recently the Cabinet Office published guidance on public-sector procurement after a no-deal Brexit. The guidance states that if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, then the public procurement regulations will remain ‘broadly’ unchanged.
Government will need to amend the current legislation to ensure that it remains “operable and functional on exit”. The procedures will remain exactly the same, with the key difference being that their will be a new, UK e-notification service rather than an EU publication service. In layman’s terms, the term OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) will disappear, but the concept of OJEU will remain and it will become something like (I’m guessing here) ‘UKENS’ (UK e-Notification Service).
Public-sector organisations and all ‘contracting authorities’ will still be required to advertise. Those that use e-procurement should check with their procurement software providers that they intend to integrate their software to the new e-notification service. BiP, Proactis and several others have already done so according to Cabinet Office, but by no means all of the e-procurement software providers yet.
Procurements commenced before Brexit will need to continue under existing legislation, however award notices will need to be via the UK e-notification service, not OJEU. The amended regulations will need to be followed from the point of exit.
Suppliers to the public-sector will need to also make sure that they are aware of this so that they update their searches for opportunities. Additional information has been published by the EU which confirms that suppliers wishing to tender for EU work, will still be able to access OJEU and TED as they currently can, although this reassurance is limited to access to opportunities and does not cover any aspects of tariffs or commercial implications.
Businesses across East Anglia are turning to interns and placement students from the University of East Anglia (UEA) to help innovate, digitalise and future-proof their organisations. Increasing numbers of businesses are hosting placement students and interns with many offering permanent positions for UEA students when they graduate.
Interns and temporary student employees offer valuable benefits to businesses in accelerated growth phases. “UEA have been fundamental to EposNow’s growth mission, the interns we have had here are full of creative ideas,” said Jacyn Heavens, CEO at EposNow which is the fastest growing Electronic Point of Sale company in the UK.
International consultancies are capitalising on the benefits of the diverse pool of UEA students, says Pete Waterman, Growth Advisor and Brand Projector at Grant Thornton: “Students have great exposure to many different international cultures and are guided to think more broadly. Bringing this mind-set of showing respect to others and being curious into our business is a massive asset for us.”
The University works with businesses to meet their needs, including providing recruitment support, placements and internships. The UEA Internship Programme contracts are extremely flexible, providing temporary paid workers who can work within a company from three weeks to one year on a part-time or full-time contract.
Julie Schofield, Joint Head of Careers, Business Engagement at CareerCentral at UEA, commented: “We find that businesses need economic and agile recruitment solutions and quality talent – which is what they can find here at UEA. We work in the most appropriate way to help and if needed we can manage the recruitment process, including advertising to over 17,000 students, sending over CVs, and processing PAYE through our systems – making it much easier to hire a new resource and appreciate their impact right away. We also often have subsidies to help with the costs.”
Chris Sargisson, CEO of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce, who encourages work-based learning opportunities between local businesses and UEA, said: “We know skill is one of our region’s biggest challenges and with many businesses struggling to prepare for a digital future, interns and student workers can be valuable assets in a difficult labour market. Businesses can benefit from fresh new talent, with desirable digital and research skills, who can help define new channels to reach customers or identify inefficient processes that could save them resources or money.”
Internships are a win-win for both students and employers and a try before you buy solution for both parties. Simran Kaur Kalsi, a second year International Development student, completed an Internship at Great Yarmouth Council and said: “This experience shows that I am capable of working in a council environment, in teams and on my own. During my internship I found that my confidence improved and I look forward to using my new skills in the future.”
UEA is one of the UK’s top 15 Universities in the country and hosts a pool of over 17,000 students from all over the world, with access to 4,000 recent graduates. If you think your business could benefit from hiring a UEA intern or placement student, contact UEA Careers Service at access.talent@uea.ac.uk.
This is a question Cooper Lomaz Recruitment want to look back and ask in years to come. The reason? Friday 1st February 2019 saw the launch of an exciting new business engagement and change programme. This 12 month project which will see an overhaul of the company vision, values, brand and engagement strategy is the next exciting phase of Cooper Lomaz Recruitment’s recent evolution.
Creatively named the Apollo project, this is based on the ambition famously shown by JFK in 1961 when he committed that Americans would land on the moon by the end of the decade. A project which acknowledged the sheer size of the task, the work and commitment needed to stay the course no-matter what the obstacle to achieve such an ambition. This is something which resonated with Cooper Lomaz Recruitment and the company’s ambitions for the future.
Under the mantra of ‘Great people do Great things’, Cooper Lomaz Recruitment have targeted a range of internal and external projects which are all allocated an Apollo mission number. Whether it be the re-design of the Norwich office to provide a more productive work environment, or the launch of a 12 month employee Health and Well-being Programme which was the basis for the already launched Apollo, these projects will see the company change its business model and offering.
Next on the list is a change to the company’s internal recruitment process as the target for staff growth begins in earnest. The basis for Apollo 2 is in a crowded recruitment agency market, an arguably vanilla business world, how does the business stand out as an employer of choice? Watch this space to see how Cooper Lomaz Recruitment look to demonstrate this to the market.
Other Apollo projects currently preparing for launch during 2019 see a review and tweak to the company’s brand for the first time in a number of years, along with the launch of a new website which is designed to improve transparency and information for the local market to benefit from.
2018 was a year of expansion with new teams created and new offices opened for Cooper Lomaz. 2019 sees a significant growth and change management programme in place over the coming 12 months. Coming into its 30th year, Cooper Lomaz Recruitment aim to stand out as pioneers of specialist recruitment in the East of England, something we believe is fantastically exciting.
2019 is going to be a great year for Cooper Lomaz Recruitment. Will it be a great year for you?
If you would like to know more about our plans and how you can become a CLR Astronaut please contact – Apolloproject@CLR.co.uk
Air Malta, the national airline of Malta, has announced good news for Norwich travelers by adding an extra four departures as a prelude to their summer 2014 charter season.
The additional flights on this popular route will commence on Tuesday 8th April 2014, four weeks earlier than originally planned to satisfy expected public demand to the sunshine island in the Mediterranean over the Spring/Easter period. The direct flights from Norwich airport to Malta are programmed to depart weekly through to 21st October 2014.
Andrew Bell, the airport’s Chief Executive commented: “Malta is an exceptionally popular destination from our region and we are pleased that Air Malta has taken the decision to increase their services and enhance the travel options from Norwich International in the Spring of 2014”.
Air Malta commented that there is a noticeable increase in demand for shoulder and off-peak holidays, and the climate during the early-spring season should provide the right ambiance to discover the many interesting sites and people within the Maltese islands. With these added departures and a reduction in traveling time and costs by flying direct from/to an airport closer to home, regular visitors and also new ones now have more opportunity to fly with Air Malta to the Maltese islands, the airline that truly knows and reflects the motto “Flying the Pride of Malta”.
Air Malta offers a free allowance of 20 kgs for checked-in baggage in the hold and also 10 kgs as hand-luggage per person on all its flights. Flights are available to book via various tour operators and travel agents, but also from the airline’s portal www.airmalta.com
The latest MHA Manufacturing and Engineering Report confirms small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) manufacturers in the East Anglian region remain optimistic and confident about future growth, despite the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, rising production costs and skill shortages.
The report, released on Tuesday 6 February, details the national findings, covering England, Wales and Scotland and also highlights interesting regional variations. Sector expert Matt Rooney, Engineering Policy Adviser at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, has provided commentary throughout the report.
All of the respondents in East Anglia were SMEs with less than 250 employees with a turnover range of under £1 million to £20 million and operated in a wide range of manufacturing sub-sectors. Optimism is high in this region, with over 73% of businesses expecting revenue growth in the next 12 months. Investment in R&D is also high, with 73% of businesses spending a percentage of their turnover, although this is lower than the national average. It is therefore surprising that 36% of respondents will not be making a claim for R&D tax credits in the next 12 months. It is promising to see a commitment to further investment in the sector, as 36% suggested that their level of capital spend would increase.
Given the recent increase in the annual investment allowance to £1 million for two years from 1 January 2019, it will be interesting to see the level of capital spend in the next two years in the region.
Find out about Internship opportunities for those looking to studying the MA Museum Studies at UEA in partnership with the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts.
The School of Art History and World Art Studies at UEA is offering four Internships in partnership with the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts (SCVA) as part of the MA Museum Studies degree.
This course combines the cutting-edge research and curatorial experience of academic staff in the School with the professional resources and experience of the SCVA. It brings together in-depth historical and theoretical approaches to museums with practice-based modules addressing the public role of the museum, collections management and interpretation, with an emphasis on topical issues and responsive engagement.
The Internships provide students with £10,000 towards fees and expenses and those who are successful will undertake a programme of workplace-based training as part of a team at the SCVA, alongside their MA studies.
Other awards are also available to those studying within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, including AHRC and MA-specific Scholarships, with deadlines falling between 1 March and 31 March 2014. Those who are interested can find details regarding eligibility and the application process on the University’s website.
Norwich Business School at UEA has launched this year’s graduate recruitment programme. This is a great way to target 2019’s business graduates who are looking to work in the East Anglia region.
We’re inviting employers to sign up to this year’s GTMS – with no fees or obligations to recruit – by mid-February.
The programme is designed to help your organisation find talented graduates while saving time and recruitment costs.
What is the graduate recruitment scheme?
An innovative recruitment Service offered by UEA’s Norwich Business School.
Matching talented and enthusiastic graduates to your business needs.
Minimum nine-month contract, with a salary of £20,000 or above.
The flexibility to retain the graduate as a permanent member of the team.
Why should our organisation get involved?
Save money on recruitment and advertising costs.
Full assessment centre process, delivered free of charge.
As a leading UK business school, you can select students from accounting, finance, marketing, or general business management degrees.
We can support you every step of the way, from drafting the job description to on-site support visits after appointment.
Flexibility – you decide the role and contract length. There is no obligation to appoint.
What skills do our graduates offer employers? Our undergraduate degrees equip graduates with knowledge across a range of business subjects:
BSc Accounting and Finance
BSc Accounting and Management
BSc Business Finance and Management
BSc Business Management
BSc Marketing and Management
How does the scheme work? The first stage is to identify the role you’d like to recruit to and the kind of person you are looking for – we are happy to discuss your requirements to ensure you recruit the right candidate to the post. We will then advertise the role to all our final year undergraduate business students. They will apply for the scheme and express their preferences for the roles on offer. Successful applicants will be put forward for a comprehensive assessment centre – including psychometric tests, interviews and group exercises – held at the business school but facilitated by external business experts. Taking into account the applicant’s CV, assessment centre scores and preferences, we will provide you with a shortlist of students. You can select the candidates you’re interested in and interview them according to your organisation’s preferences (N.B. we can provide interview rooms on campus, if preferred). Timings January: Employer identifies suitable role(s) and submits job description February: Programme is launched to students; posts advertised and applications open March: Applications close and NBS assessment centre held April: Shortlisted CVs sent to employer May: Employer interviews July onwards: Employment commences (start date to be agreed between employee and graduate) How much does it cost? There is no additional charge for the scheme – we run the programme solely to help match organisations’ requirements with our pool of graduate talent. What’s the first step? Contact us to discuss your needs on (01603) 591002 or email us at GTMS@uea.ac.uk.
The Hewett Academy are holding a speed networking event for their students and need just 10 employers who are kind enough to give up 2 hours of their time.
All students will have been briefed and have a booklet with questions to ask each business. The event is designed to get them prepared for speaking to employers in the future and specifically for the Skills and Careers Festival the following week.
All buisnesses that participate will be thanked on Twitter and in the Hewett Headlines newsletter.
If you’re interested let us know by emailing Jordan.Domin@norfolkchamber.co.uk or 01603 729707