Businesses across East Anglia are turning to placement students and interns from the University of East Anglia (UEA) to help innovate and grow their organisations.
Increasing numbers of businesses are hosting placement students and interns with many offering them permanent positions when they graduate.
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, while the Year in Industry placement degree programme gives employers the opportunity to recruit a student to work with you and your organisation for 9 – 14 months.
It’s more than just work experience or shadowing; a placement student or intern can bring real benefits to your business. You gain an enthusiastic student with fresh perspectives and new ideas, keen to learn and apply their knowledge in the workplace. It’s a great way to identify new talent, increase productivity and enhance your reputation, values and culture.
Both placement programs and internships are a win-win for both students and employers and a try before you buy solution for both parties.
Robert Kinglsley, from the Quadram Institute, commented that the placement students he has worked with have been “top quality students who are motivated and reliable.”
Environmental Sciences student Oli Gray, who spent his placement year as an Assistant Trails Officer with Norfolk County Council commented: “The reality of my placement has been a lot different to what I expected. I can honestly say my placement year has been one of the best things I’ve done at university!”
If you think your business could benefit from hiring a UEA student, contact the UEA Placement & Internship Team at placements@uea.ac.uk
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. We have a range of services to help you access talent. So if your business is struggling to hire why not drop us a line at access.talent@uea.ac.uk or give us a call on 01603 593452.
City College Norwich has been awarded £6.1m by New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for an inspirational new building focused on skills for the digital industries.
The Digi-Tech Factory
The new building, planned for the 2020-21 academic year, will provide industry-standard facilities for a combination of both new and existing courses in digital skills. Given the working title of ‘the Digi-Tech Factory’, the inspirational new building will bring together all the college’s digital skills provision into a single, purpose built-space with industry-standard facilities.
The Digi-Tech Factory will be home to a wide range of full- and part-time courses, as well as apprenticeship learning, from creative media, to software and programming, and ‘hard’ digital skills relating to networking, infrastructure development, electronics and automated manufacturing. It will also ensure students from across the College’s provision can acquire the digital skills that will underpin their industries in the future.
Designed by Coffey Architects, the new building will provide a modern, industry-standard and efficient environment to bring together digital technology, engineering and design courses. Subject to planning permission being granted, the 3-floor building will be situated adjacent to the award-winning Creative Arts Building on City College Norwich’s Ipswich Road campus. The 1970’s Southwell Building will be demolished to make way for the new build.
The total investment in the project will be £9.1m, with City College Norwich contributing alongside the £6.098m investment from New Anglia LEP’s Capital Growth Funding.
City College Norwich’s digital skills expansion
In line with the LEP’s Local Industrial Strategy, the UK Digital Strategy and the Department for Education’s Adult Basic Digital Skills agenda, the number of students on the college’s digital skills courses is set to more than quadruple over the next 3 years (from 107 at present to 477 by September 2022).
This growth will come from increasing the numbers of students the college takes on to its existing digital courses and, importantly, from new provision that has been specifically designed to meet employers’ digital skills needs:
T-Levels: City College Norwich will be among the first colleges to introduce the new T-Level qualification in Digital Skills in September 2020. The Level 3 course, which is equivalent to 3 A levels, has been designed to meet the needs of employers and includes a substantial work experience element (around 20% of each student’s time on the course). It will have pathways in Digital Production, Design & Development, Digital Support & Services, and Development & Digital Business Services. Current Year 10 students can register their interest in T-Levels at City College Norwich at https://www.ccn.ac.uk/t-levels/
Apprenticeships: With demand from employers growing, City College Norwich expects the number of digital apprentices it trains and assesses to more than double over the next 3 years. The college already offers employers a range of Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeships with a digital skills focus, from Infrastructure Technician to Digital Marketer. From 2022, this will be expanded to as many as 12 different apprenticeship Standards, with the following new apprenticeships (all at Level 4) among those set to be introduced: Network Engineer; Software Developer; Data Analyst; Cyber Security Technologist.
Basic digital skills for adults: As well as preparing young people for careers in highly-skilled Digi-Tech roles, the college is also responding to employers’ need to have more staff trained to a basic level in digital skills. The college will support this priority by providing Entry Level and Level 1 Adult Basic Digital Skills to 250 students per year from 2022.
The Digi-Tech Factory facilities will also be used by students from other curriculum areas across the college, reflecting the reality that digital skills are required in an ever-increasing number of job roles, in every sector of the economy.
“Great news for our students and for employers”
Giving her reaction to the announcement by New Anglia LEP, Corrienne Peasgood, principal of City College Norwich, said:
“We are thrilled that our plans for an inspirational new building for digital skills can move forward, with a view to opening the Digi-Tech Factory in 2020-21. The Digi-Tech sector is growing more than twice as fast as the wider economy, so it is essential that we have the right facilities to meet the growing demand for digital skills. This is great news for our students and for employers. We will continue to work very closely with our employer partners to make sure our expanding digital skills provision rises to this important opportunity for students, for apprentices and for the Norfolk and Suffolk economy as a whole.”
A mix of franchisees establishing new and purchasing existing practices recently completed their initial training and have begun trading as TaxAssist Accountants.
Amit Joshi (Chesham), Stuart Burge (Clacton-on-Sea), Chao Pang (Sutton North), Iain MacKenzie (Reading West), Tasnuva Tina (Royston) and Andrew Slade (Stockport) have all joined TaxAssist Accountants’ flourishing network.
Chao Pang, a CIMA qualified accountant who has 14 years’ finance experience most recently as deputy director of finance, said: “I joined TaxAssist Accountants because I was attracted to its proven business model and the openness of its leadership team. The support from Karl Sandall [Group Chief Executive Director] and his team is impressive and second to none. I look forward to being a part of the TaxAssist Accountants family for many years to come!”
Andy Slade FCA, worked in industry for eight years working his way up to a group financial controller position and latterly as an independent contractor. It was while contracting that he decided he wanted to put down permanent roots, build a practice and a team and get more involved in his local community.
He explained: “I knew I would need some help in the early days not only with some of the technical aspects, but also with the way the industry is moving I wanted to ensure I was working with the right technologies and partners.
“I attended a discovery day and my wife and I were both really impressed, not only with the depth of the support TaxAssist can provide but also – and importantly – the culture, a friendly positive can-do team who care about their franchisees.
“Having now attended the initial training course I can say that the support that was presented on the discovery day now only feels like the tip of the iceberg, everyone has been great! The support from the team is real, not just on the technical side but also with work on setting up my shop. “I’m still in my first month of trading and, already signing up and helping clients, as well as looking forward to getting the keys to the shop soon!”
Karl Sandall said: “As ever, it was a pleasure to meet such a great group of new franchisees and we look forward to helping them to grow substantial practices.
“We have a further three initial training courses scheduled in 2019, with three people already booked on our June course.”
If you would like more information about becoming part of the TaxAssist Accountants network, please call our Franchise Recruitment Manager Nikki Haythorne on 0800 0188297.
Head Chef, ‘Magic’ Marcin Pomierny has collaborated with Mike Deal, Head Brewer of Wildcraft Brewery at Buxton to choose beers to complement the flavours of the five course tasting menu.
Mike will also be present on the evening to share his passion for beer and will talk about the brewing process.
Tickets are £42 per person to include supper and selected beers.
Menu
Wild Eye Pale Ale slow braised neck of Dingley Dell pork, aubergine puree, yoghurt and wild garlic oil
Pure’s spring series of Director Insights sessions, held in partnership with Grant Thornton, looked at the subject of cyber security and shared expert insight on the steps organisations can take to identify and guard against cyber crime.
Attacks on business IT systems are common in the UK and can affect organisations of all sizes. These attacks aim to steal information, money or to disrupt a business by hacking. As cyber attacks increase in quantity and sophistication, the global cost is estimated to hit $6 trillion by 2021. This makes effective security a critical issue for business leaders and it is also a subject of extreme importance to us here at Pure. We are putting robust strategies in place to protect our client and candidate data and to prevent any disruption to our business operations.
Nadia Mullins-Hills, Pure’s IT & Projects Manager, attended all of the Director Insight sessions. She said: “We learnt a lot about how we can build on our ongoing work to secure our systems and data. It was also evident from the sessions that the levels of understanding about cyber crime varied among attendees and that local organisations were all at different stages in their cyber security journey. The positive and main message which everyone took away is that 80% of attacks could be avoided by good cyber hygiene. This simply means being aware of the potential threats to your business and getting the basics right to mitigate against data leaks and hacks.”
Here are some of our cyber security top tips, compiled from the sessions and our own work here at Pure.
Improve user awareness
The human element is one of the biggest risks factors of cyber crime, whether criminals are targeting businesses or individuals. Taking the time to increase understanding of the potential threats and to raise awareness of the types of potential crime will help to protect your employees both at home and at work.
At Pure, we recently carried out cyber crime training with our management team. This included some fantastic, free business support and training from Rebecca Tinsley, Regional Cyber Project Coordinator at the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU). We looked at the potential threats, such as phishing attacks where fraudulent attempts are made to obtain sensitive information such as user names, passwords and credit card details. We also highlighted the potential impacts on our business, including a loss of money, a loss of data or the installation of malicious software. Most importantly we shared top tips on what to look out for and what to do if anyone is unsure about a phone call, message or email they may have received. We will be following this up with company-wide training and we will also include cyber crime awareness as part of our induction process for all new employees.
Password policies
One of the key areas we are raising awareness of is password security. People should have passwords that they can remember easily, so they don’t have to write them down, but still use a different password for each platform. This makes it harder for cyber criminals to infiltrate more than one system or account. If the same password is used across numerous different platforms, cyber criminals only need to hack one account and could potentially gain access to a wealth of different information across multiple accounts, from credit card details stored online through to personal data. Following advice from the National Cyber Security Centre on what makes a good password, we have recommended that people choose three different, random words which are easy for them to remember and then to use variations and combinations of these to make up a separate password for each different platform.
Use two factor authentication
Two factor authentication is something many people will already be familiar with and will be doing when they access accounts such as their internet banking or cloud storage. This is when you are asked for a second piece of authentication, beyond just your user name and password, if you are trying to log on from a different device or carrying out a high value or new transaction. The second piece of authentication could be additional memorable data provided when the account was set up, or it could involve a separate passcode being sent to your mobile phone. The two authentication elements needed to log-in makes it extremely difficult for cyber criminals to access accounts. Even if they do have your password, they will still need more information or to have access to your mobile phone. What many people, and businesses, may not be aware of is that this form of additional cyber protection is available for free across many other platforms including Google and Windows. It is worth reviewing all systems to see where this is available and to activate this as part of your account settings.
Create disaster recovery plans
As well as putting plans in place to protect against cyber crime, we are also assessing all the possible risks our organisation may face and creating disaster recovery plans, just in case the worst-case scenario should happen. Cyber crime is not just an IT problem, it is operation-wide and these recovery plans will form an important part of our overall business continuity strategies. As with all business recovery plans, whether in the event of a serious office fire, or a data hack, everyone needs to know who does what, how the communication process will work and what actions they need to take. The recovery plan should be fully tested before it is finalised. All the processes and back up plans put in place then need to be reviewed regularly, for example every six months or annually, to check they are still suitable and to keep on top of any new areas for consideration.
The topic of cyber crime, and the impact it could have on businesses and their employees, was discussed at the spring series of Director Insights, delivered by Pure Executive and Grant Thornton. These quarterly events, held in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich and Norwich, bring business leaders together to share experiences and gain insights from industry experts. They are part of an extensive calendar of events by Pure to support local businesses and the economic growth of the Eastern region.
Stand bookings are open for the B2B Exhibition 2018. After another busy event in October 2017 that attracted more exhibitors and visitors than ever before, the 2018 Exhibition looks set to be another unmissable event the Norfolk’s commercial calendar.
The B2B Exhibition is the largest event in Norfolk Chamber’s annual calendar, offering businesses from across the region the opportunity to raise their profile, promote their products and services and network with leading Norfolk businesses.
Anyone looking to book a stand at B2B 2018 can save £50 with an early bird discount if they book by Friday 26th May.
Plus, there are further discounts for 2017 exhibitors who secure their stand by Friday 22nd December.
There are also a range of sponsorship opportunities available at the region’s premier business exhibition, offering businesses the chance to gain maximum exposure and promotion of their brand.
What did exhibitors make of B2B 2017?
97% agreed the exhibition was well attended
100% agreed the exhibition helped to raise their profile
“We all found it really engaging, made some great contacts and would definitely exhibit again!” Sophie Lampert, Skills Edge Training
“Well advertised, well run and well attended!” Rob Woods, Empresa
For more information or to book a stand at B2B 2018 visit www.norfolkchamber.co.uk/b2b.
You can now book your place at Norfolk Chamber’s MPs Event, which takes place in Norwich on Friday 2nd February 2018
Returning for its eighth year, this high profile policy event brings together members of the Norfolk business community and locals MPs to debate key issues affecting businesses in the region.
Last year’s event attracted over 150 businesses, keen to join the debate and help to shape regional policy and local developments. With plenty to talk about in 2018, next year’s event promises to be an afternoon of stimulating discussions. The line-up of MPs confirmed so far features:
Clive Lewis- MP for Norwich South
Keith Simpson – MP for Broadland
George Freeman – MP for Mid Norfolk
Sir Henry Bellingham – MP for North West Norfolk
Norman Lamb – MP for North Norfolk
Delegates can now book their place to put their questions to Norfolk MPs on the issues that matter to them and their business. You can join the debate and be part of the influential delegate list by booking your place at the event page here.
Exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities available
There are sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities available for organisations looking to raise their profile and promote their business to Norfolk Chamber members. Find out more here Any questions? Contact joe.fitzgerald@norfolkchamber.co.uk 01603 729 708
Norfolk based Fendercare Marine, one of the world’s foremost suppliers of marine products and services, has won a significant contract to supply Yokohama fenders to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The three year contract is for the supply of 3.3m x 6.5m Yokohama original pneumatic fenders. Fendercare Marine has supplied 18 of the fenders to date, with potentially more to follow. Fendercare Marine has been working closely with the MOD to design a protective tyre net which would not only be non-marking to the ship’s hull but would provide minimal fender maintenance issues.
Fendercare Marine has been a supplier of fenders and marine hardware to the MoD since 1999 and also supports navies throughout the world, winning a $29 million contract with the US Navy in 2012. From a base in the Devonport Royal Dockyard in Plymouth, their Naval Solutions division also provides fabrication, welding and coating services for the MoD, having worked on nuclear submarines, warships and naval support vessels.
Sonia Crane, Fendercare Marine Sales Manager commented “We are delighted to have secured this contract with the Ministry of Defence. Our 15 year relationship with the MoD is one that we really treasure and this contract is further evidence of our commitment to supplying reliable and innovative products, supported by excellent customer service.”
Scam Alert – Telephone cold callers offering advertising including ‘online listings’ – April 2019 We are warning businesses about telephone cold callers claiming to be offering advertising including ‘online listings’. This approach is a typical scam targeted at businesses and often, following the call, a demand for payment for the proposed advertising will arrive even if no agreement has been made during the call. We would remind all businesses to ensure that all employees dealing with telephone contacts are aware of this type of cold calling scam. If you or anyone within your business receives one of these calls, do not give or confirm any information about your business. Hang up and report it to us via our partners the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 03454 04 05 06.
Tuesday, April 23 was the Maids Head Hotel’s quarterly Vision and Values staff awards day. The hotel’s vision is to be known as the finest for hospitality in Norfolk and staff receive awards for being nominated by fellow team members, for work that has supported achieving that vision.
Simon Dean, Junior Sous Chef, was named Employee of the Quarter, awarded to the member of staff who receives the most nominations. Simon has been at the Maids Head for six months. He is a graduate in Culinary Arts Management from University College Birmingham, a four-year course, which included a work placement in the United States. Simon moved from Cambridgeshire to Norwich for his new role; his third job since leaving university.
He won the award for brightening the mood of the kitchen, for constantly being cheerful and friendly, for being a team player and very approachable and always being willing to help staff and answer any question.
Simon said: “It is great news for me to be Employee of the Quarter. I would like to thank my colleagues for their nominations. It can be quite stressful in the kitchen when we are very busy and I do my best to keep the mood up. I also think it’s very important for the kitchen brigade to have a good working relationship with the front of house team and I work hard to ensure that our communication is as smooth as possible.”
Some 150 awards were presented to staff on the day by Andy Orchard, Sales Director, Eastern Daily Press and Edward Doe, Director of John Doe. Staff ‘cash’ in their award vouchers for a reward and can also save them until they have enough vouchers for a particular reward e.g. an overnight stay at the Maids Head’s sister hotel, The Gonville in Cambridge.
Examples of award nominations:
“Staying behind after completing to shift to help at a wedding.”
“Excellent feedback for service at the 74th Squadron dinner.”
“Covering the desk when reception was busy.”
“Getting a mention in the groom’s speech at a wedding.”
“Coming in outside of work hours to fix the water supply in rooms with no water.”
Andy Orchard and Edward Doe, who had been the judges for the Norfolk & Suffolk Tourism Awards Investing in the Future category, also officially presented the Investing in the Future award and the Best Independent Hotel award to Maids Head Chairman, David Chaplin.
Edward Doe said: “I can tell by the atmosphere today, how engaged staff are with the Vision and Values Awards. They are an excellent incentive, getting everyone involved and heading in the same direction”
Andy Orchard said: “When we visited the hotel to judge the Investing in the Future category, the dedication of staff throughout the hotel shone through. It was a genuine pleasure to spend time here listening to the hotel’s story of evolution rather than revolution.”
David Chaplin, Chairman of the Maids Head Hotel said: “Congratulations to all our team for their passion and commitment in helping us achieve the two Norfolk & Suffolk Tourism Awards, along with the Employer of the Year category at the Norfolk Business Awards, and for all you have done to make Norwich a great place for hospitality.”
In 2016-2017, UK Export Finance (UKEF) increased the funding it provides to exporters by 60% compared to the previous year.
According to its latest annual report and accounts, the UK’s Export Credits Guarantee Department (which operates under the name UKEF) provided £3 billion in export finance.
UKEF supported more than £585 million of new UK export contracts through its trade finance and insurance products, taking the total amount provided since the products were introduced in 2011 to over £3.6 billion.
The total number of companies receiving direct support from UKEF in 2016-2017 was 221. Of those, 21% were classified as large firms and 79% as SMEs.
Almost two-thirds (61%) of those supported were manufacturing companies, with 11% being wholesale and retail. Construction firms accounted for 7% of those receiving UKEF support, as did businesses engaged in professional, scientific and technical activities.
The most popular UKEF products were bonds and export working capital support (65%) followed by insurance (27%).
Commenting on the figures, Greg Hands, Minister for International Trade, said that the Government is putting export finance at the heart of trade promotion and that UKEF’s results “show that the UK’s world-leading exporters are supported by a world-leading export credit agency as they look to succeed in a global marketplace”.
Looking ahead, UKEF has set out how it intends to increase support for exporters in its Business Plan for 2017-2020.
This identifies a number of measures aimed at helping more UK exporters and their suppliers benefit from UKEF support – including a recently-announced partnership with banks and plans to use the availability of UKEF financing to help create procurement opportunities for smaller companies in the UK supply chain.
UK Export Finance Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17 can be found here.