Member News

Norwich-based IT support company Mayday IT is launching data centre ‘colocation’ and disaster recovery services to boost businesses’ security and productivity throughout the East of England, in partnership with data centre operator MIGSOLV.

Mayday IT supports hundreds of companies across the East of England and beyond, with particular expertise in advising accountancy, legal and other professional services firms.

To-date, it has concentrated on providing IT support, maintenance, training, network design and project management.

By extending its partnership with MIGSOLV after rigorously testing its ‘Gatehouse’ data centre in Norwich, Mayday is now also introducing:

‘colocation’ services – helping companies place their IT equipment in MIGSOLV’s ultra-secure facility disaster recovery – helping customers store copies of their data safely in MIGSOLV’s data centre to avoid data loss or business interruption if anything happens to their main premises

Carl Shiplee, Head of IT at Mayday, explains: “This marks a milestone for our company. It gives us a whole new way to help our customers strengthen their business performance – and to drive our own growth. Through our partnership with MIGSOLV, we can give our customers the ultimate in security and productivity, minimising the risk of any downtime for their business.

“We chose to work with MIGSOLV because its data centre is exceptionally secure and well-equipped. And it’s backed by first-class customer service, so we know we and our customers will be extremely well looked after.”

David Manning, Managing Director of MIGSOLV, comments: “Our focus is on providing exceptional service and security from our Norwich data centre. Mayday bring considerable expertise in advising professional services firms on their technology and an impressive reputation in this market. This makes it an ideal partnership – for us, for Mayday and the customer.”

For customer enquiries: Any businesses wishing to find out more about Mayday’s new colocation and disaster recovery services should contact 01603 481995 or info@mayday-online.co.uk.

MIGSOLV’s Gatehouse data centre is on a nine-acre site in Norwich which, unlike facilities in most major cities, is free of terrorism and flood risks. It incorporates a range of rigorous security measures including data hall access by iris recognition, CCTV coverage of every square inch of the site, microwave intruder detection and state-of-the-art fire protection systems. Customers are expertly supported by MIGSOLV’s in-house staff. For more, see www.migsolv.com.

Mayday IT was established over 20 years ago and provides an extensive range of technology services to businesses from small, family-run firms to multinationals. For more, please see www.maydayit.co.uk.

For more media information & images, please contact:

Tariq Khwaja from TK Associates on:

tariq.khwaja@tk-associates.com

01932 224 212

Pure has launched a new website to provide an updated platform for both clients and candidates to interact with the professional recruitment specialists for the East of England.

Established in 2002, Pure has become established leaders and trusted advisors in the Accountancy, Executive, Financial Services, HR, IT, Marketing and Office markets. The new website has been designed to further enhance the services it provides by offering a quicker way to search for jobs from any device, and to showcase the added-value Pure can provide including psychometrics, skills testing, induction support and transition coaching.

The site features resources and expert advice blogs to help candidates at every stage of their career and to support the growth of the region’s businesses. The calendar section highlights the events held throughout the year to support the growth of the talent pipeline in the region and the development of local organisations. This includes Pure’s dedicated campaigns such as the Women’s Leadership Programme, Finance Leadership Programme and the Best Employers Eastern Region initiative.

Lynn Walters, director and co-founder of Pure, said: “We’re extremely proud to start the new year with our updated website. It’s an excellent window into what it’s like for both candidates and clients to work with us and highlights what differentiates Pure from other recruitment organisations. We’ve showcased our organisation’s values, which capture the very essence of the way we like to work, included case studies of some of the fantastic businesses we’ve supported and highlights how we are committed to contributing to the growth of our region and to making a difference to people’s lives.”

Three Finance Leadership Programme taster events have been organised in Chelmsford, Ipswich and Norwich throughout January to provide free career development support for ambitious finance professionals in the East of England.

The events will be run by professional recruitment specialists Pure in collaboration with Grant Thornton. Aspiring finance professionals looking to step up to Finance Director level are encouraged to attend the evening sessions which will provide business insight, leadership development and the chance to hear from high profile finance leaders.

Tom Earl, Associate Director at Pure, said: “The taster sessions will be themed around the role of Finance Leaders exploring the skills and experience needed to help you develop your skill set to further help you progress and add value within your organisation. These events aim to be an extremely valuable development opportunity as a standalone session but also a great introduction to our overall Finance Leadership Programme which features interactive roundtable sessions throughout the year.”

The Finance Leadership Programme was launched by Pure and Grant Thornton in 2015 to provide support and development opportunities for aspiring finance leaders looking to step up to director level. It has been created as a forum where like-minded senior professionals can get together to share experiences, hear from those already in high profile leadership roles, gain new skills and to spend time on their personal development.

Tom Earl, who has recruited finance roles for over 10 years, added: “The move to become a finance leader can be one of the hardest steps to take on the career ladder. Our aim is to help provide ambitious finance professionals with support to develop the soft skills and capabilities needed to become effective leaders. A wider support network like this programme can play a critical role in assisting ambitious and talented individuals to reach their full potential in a relaxed environment.”

Finance Leadership Programme taster sessions available in January:

Wednesday 25 January at Grant Thornton’s office in New London Road, Chelmsford Thursday 26 January at Grant Thornton’s office in Compair Crescent, Ipswich Tuesday 31 January at Grant Thornton’s office in St James Place, Norwich

All three events will run from 6pm to 8pm and include a buffet. There is no cost to attend. [FA31][CF2][CH3]To reserve a place email Lucy Plumb on: lucy.plumb@prs.uk.com​

CMI Management Qualifications with Distance Learning

Did you know that holding a professional Qualification can boost your earnings by an estimated £81,000 during your working lifetime?

CMI qualifications provide a progressive framework that enables you to develop and broaden your management skills. Each qualification leads on from the next, delivering professional learning that equips you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to take your career further.

Start a CMI Management Qualification today with us at TIPS for Good management and benefit from:

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contact me for more details on 01362699392 emma@tipsfgm.co.uk

or have a look for yourself https://www.tipsfgm.co.uk/featured-qualifications/

When I first found out I’d be doing a week of work experience I was excited, this was a huge opportunity to be able to gain experience in an area I’m extremely interested in pursuing as a career. I was however nervous to say the least. I was told I’d be working in Java, a language I had 0 experience with (though a quick crash course of the basics the weekend before was helpful). I was slightly worried I’d be totally out of my depth, or that I’d be serving tea all week.

The week started with me getting thrown into the deep end of a project. We were given a couple of vague pointers about what needed to be done during the week and were pretty much set free to do as we pleased. The first day was really productive, we fixed most of the problems we were given and I was learning Java along the way (I have a newfound appreciation of semi-colons). It was extremely satisfying to be able to see the project run successfully even after multiple failures.

We managed to complete most of our given tasks in the first day, leaving us the UI to edit/create (it was not a pretty webpage to begin with) for the next day. I loved how varied the work was. I was working in Java one minute and then JavaScript, HTML and CSS the next. I found myself finishing the day with a problem unfixed and thinking of ways to solve it overnight. We ran out of tasks mid way through the week but that only meant were given more to do. I learnt a lot about software development with my time at Naked Element and how simple it is to create a project as part of a group.

One of the best things was that by the end of the week I was able to work independently on part of the project. I was able to get Amazon SQS working and a number of programs that would create/delete queues and send and receive messages asynchronously (something I didn’t know anything about until that day). I was amazed I had gone from barely understanding, to coding Java (with a fair amount of help) within a week.

By the end of the week I really felt that not only did I learn a whole lot of new skills but also that I was able to contribute in a small way to a (mostly) working project. I didn’t really know what to expect when going into my week of work experience at Naked Element but I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Everyone at Naked Element made me feel really welcome. A huge thank you to Paul for giving me this opportunity.

Chelsea Crawford

Clients can access their accounts at the swipe of a finger whenever they want

TaxAssist Accountants has made managing the accounts of its small business clients even easier by introducing a new look app for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets.

As the largest network of accountants specialising in servicing the needs of small businesses, TaxAssist Accountants has used this expertise to completely redesign its app so that help is just a touch away – whether the client is a builder, hairdresser or IT consultant.

With the Government’s Making Tax Digital plans set to revolutionise the way accounts are reported, there has never been a better time to move away from those spreadsheets with a swipe of a finger across a phone screen.

Once downloaded, the app provides clients with full access to Inuit QuickBooks Online and Receipt Bank, clients will also be able to access their accounts and upload their expenses, wherever there’s a wi-fi or mobile data connection.

James Mattam, Group Business Development Director at TaxAssist Accountants, said: “Over the years the way people have looked after their accounts has evolved from handwritten receipts and account books to Microsoft Excel spreadsheets on desktop computers.

“In a world where everyone wants near instant access to information, it is only natural that the next stage of this evolution for clients is being able to access their accounts and receive help from their accountants at the touch of a button. At TaxAssist Accountants we pride ourselves on embracing new developments within the accounting industry to ensure that our clients are able to access and benefit from the very best services available.”

The app also includes a portal to a whole world of handy tax calculators and tables, a mileage tracker as well as a wealth of information, news, important dates and handy tips. More developments will follow later in the year.

For more information about the TaxAssist Accountants mobile app click here.

You can also download the app for Apple devices here and Android here.

For further information about the TaxAssist Accountants franchise opportunity please visit the website www.taxassistfranchise.co.uk or call 0800 0188297.

For anyone interested in becoming a client of a TaxAssist Accountant please call 0800 0523 555.

January 2017

KLM UK EngineeringSigns Virtual Learning Environment Contract for Part 66 Exams

Paris, Amstelveen, Norwich – 13 January 2017- KLM UK Engineering is delighted to announce the signing of a long term partnership with Kris Sakti Aviation (Malaysia) for the provision of EASA Part 147 exams supported by KLM UK Engineering’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) software.

Under the agreement, KLM UK Engineering (KLMUKE) will support Kris Sakti Aviation by providing experienced examiners to accompany its VLE product, allowing the students to gain their EASA Part 66 B Licence, while helping them to grow as a centre of excellence for the next generation of engineers.

With over 220 students graduating each year, the programme is equipping the aviation industry with skilled, qualified and competent engineers for the next generation.

In Kuala Lumpur, Dato’ Sri Mahmud Taib, the chairman of KS Holdings and KS Angkasamudra said: “Aviation engineers are highly trained professionals and with the support of KLMUKE we will provide training and develop individuals to become knowledgeable, skilled and competent. This mutually beneficial collaboration and smart partnership with KLMUKE utilizing their VLE products will enable the trainees to be fast tracked and obtain their EASA part 66 B licences, while helping to grow the next generation of aircraft maintenance engineers which is urgently required in the aviation industry.”

Whilst Peter Van Der Horst, Managing Director of KLMUKE added: “The partnership with KS Angkasamudra is a huge step forward in our aim to connect KLMUKE’s VLE products to many young engineers in the UK and abroad. The industry needs many good engineers for the future to accommodate the growing worldwide fleet and to replace inevitable retirements. KLMUKE wants to leverage its knowledge and experience and connect many more universities and aviation academies to its growing educational centre. This centre will be located within the International Aviation Academy in Norwich from April 2017”

About KS Angkasamudra Aviation Academy.

The Kris Sakti Group is involved in a wide spectrum of activities ranging from Aviation, Petroleum, Agriculture and Trading. As its contribution towards realising the aspiration of ‘Nation building through Aviation and Maritime”, the KS group has embarked into human capital skills and competencies development with its own foray into education and training with professional certification, initially through the setting up of KS Angkasamudra Aviation Academy whereby the Aviation Technical Vocational EducationTraining(TVET) is being organised to fill the specific gaps in the professional certification programs. Its vision is to help meet the training and educational needs of the growing international aviation industry, focused on human capital development of Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers in its professional certification programs for the domestic and regional aviation industries.

In complementing its certified aircraft maintenance licence programs at KS Angkasamudra Aviation Academy to be located in Subang, it will also conduct specialised aircraft maintenance skills and management courses with hands-on experimental industrial-type training and apprenticeship. The KLMUKE’s VLE products thus will support and enhance KSAS’s total learning and training environment for the trainees, building skills and competency while leading towards international professional certification for a licensed aircraft maintenance career.

Norfolk’s professionals have seen pay jump to an average of £32,970 – an increase of 6.4% over the past year, according to Cooper Lomaz Recruitment’s well-respected annual salary survey for the eastern counties.

The influential jobs barometer shows that while the Norfolk figure remains £3k lower than the East of England average of £36.4k, there has been a dramatic drop of 35pc in the number of people who say they are willing to move location to find a new job.

It is the 12th Recruitment Trends and Salary Survey to be produced by independent Norwich and Bury St Edmunds-based recruiters, Cooper Lomaz, using data gathered from thousands of respondents.

“Employers realise they must work harder than ever to attract and keep the cream of eastern counties workers. Salary alone is no longer the be-all and end-all when it comes to remuneration,” said Cooper Lomaz Operations Director Mark Fletcher.

“Recruitment remains a candidate-driven marketplace. Benefits such as a generous pension scheme, private health and dental care, life insurance, child care vouchers and gym memberships are all factors that help retain and motivate staff.”

One of the more surprising revelations was that the gender pay gap in the eastern counties appears to have widened from £8k to £10k. The average salary for a man is now £41k, while for a woman it is £31k.

“That’s quite a shocking finding, which shows more work needs to be done to achieve pay equality. It also suggests that there needs to be more encouragement and support for women to pursue careers in technical areas like information technology and engineering.” said Mr Fletcher.

The comprehensive study of data from 18,000 individuals across seven specialist sectors revealed that six out of 10 workers had enjoyed salary increases. Over half of respondents said they were satisfied in their work; fewer than a quarter were not.

The survey has some ‘could do better’ advice for employers wanting to recruit and keep the best talent. Seven in 10 employees are convinced their work would improve if they were offered training and development opportunities within their current role…. only three in 10 said they had been given the option.

One major shift in working patterns during 2016 saw a 40% surge in the number of people spending at least part of their week working away from their office desk or work station.

Over half of those questioned said they now worked from multiple locations. They may be working from more than one company office, at client premises, during their daily commute and, increasingly, from home.

“More and more employers recognise working from home as an attractive option in recruiting and retaining quality staff,” said Mr Fletcher.

The opportunity to work from home is primarily due to technological advances such as Cloud service systems, which simplify access to corporate IT resources and files from virtually any location with wifi connection.

“The use of tools like Skype and Google Docs means that office colleagues can actively collaborate on a work project. Several people can edit a document online at the same time,” said Mr Fletcher. “It is a big factor for a growing number of people who can now live and work in the eastern counties and enjoy the quality of life it offers, without having to commute to London. It brings a dramatic enhancement in work-life balance.”

The cafe culture is also a growing factor, with 1 in 10 saying that digital advances now mean they prefer to do some of their work over a cup of coffee.

“More and more people are looking for a break away from the office desk and with cafes and coffee shops offering free wifi, they can take a laptop and paperwork with them and enjoy a change of environment,” said Simon Brown, Cooper Lomaz, Commercial Director. “It’s a trend particularly evident among younger people, especially those who are working in the creative industries.

“It’s also a useful option for someone who is visiting a client’s premises some distance away from the office and wouldn’t otherwise be getting back until late,” added Mr Brown.

Some employers are also finding that productivity increases when they operate a shorter working day. It keeps younger staff tasked-focussed and away from the competing distractions of social media platforms and news browsing websites.

The EU Referendum has played its part in the sharp decrease in the number of people willing to move location to find a new job – from 54% to 35.2% in the past 12 months.

“Although employers’ appetites for hiring new staff hasn’t diminished, candidates appear to be more cautious about switching jobs because of uncertainty over how Brexit will impact the sector they work in,” said Mr Fletcher. However 45% do expect their role to change over the coming year.

The survey will be accessible on the Cooper Lomaz website from Monday 16 January 2017 – www.cooperlomaz.co.uk

Picture caption — L to R Mark Fletcher, Operations Director, Cooper Lomaz and Simon Brown, Commercial Director with their Salary Survey 2017. Picture credit Newsmakers

Business masterclasses and workshops are planned for February and March in Cromer and Fakenham, organised by business support organisation, Genix.

Alex Till, chief executive of Genix said, “Business owners their staff and the self-employed need to keep up to date with knowledge and information to ensure they prosper and that’s why we’re holding these effective and great value, masterclasses in North Norfolk.

“Our trainers are experts in their field and course titles include, Book Keeping and Financial Control for Business, The Essentials of Email Marketing and Understanding Balance Sheets and Profit & Loss.”

Holly Stibbon of marketing company, 101 Smart is the tutor for Genix’s email marketing course and aims to help delegates write effective emails which will be opened, read and actioned upon. The workshop is well suited to non-technical people who wish to improve their knowledge and get better results.

Genix’s masterclasses are subsidised and cost just £30 per person, per course, due to the support of the European Regional Development Fund.

Genix also works in partnership with eAlliance Learning Technology providing over 600 online, off-the-shelf e-learning courses, ideal for business owners and their staff.

For dates, content and to book Genix’s masterclasses go to www.genix.org.uk or telephone 0800 096 3013. For more details of its online training email genix@ea-learningtech.com.

Warham Reading Room, a community building inWarham, North Norfolk, has been given a new lease of life after work to refurbish and extend the building was completed. The Reading Room has been a strong presence in the village of Warham, Norfolk, since its opening in 1982. Its use had declined, particularly in recent years with the building requiring modernisation, but the improvements and extensions, carried out by LSI Architects and RobSon Construction, have revived its use to secure the buildings future.

Funded by the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching community’s programme, the restoration is sensitive to the existing building and palette of materials, complementing the existing hall but adding a flexible, functional and modern space. The use of timber, large sliding folding doors and a minimal profile canopy, open the extension up to the grounds to the rear.

A green roof has been added, not only for it’s environmental benefits, but to ensure neighbouring properties have a better view, than looking out onto a more traditional roof finish.

Rachel Harmer, Architect at LSI Architects,commented “It’s fantastic to see the building in use now the work has completed, following a great deal of hard work by a number of very committed villagers. It was important for the community to have a larger and warmer space, with better sanitary, kitchen and storage facilities and the ability to use the hall for larger groups and events or smaller meetings. By opening up the main hall, via existing openings into the extension this has been achieved, and the proposed kitchen is light and spacious with a connection to the hall spaces.” Rachel Harmer

Access and parking has also been improved with new paving and level access so the hall can be enjoyed by all.

40 business people are expected to attend North Walsham’s business networking event, Coffee Means Business on Friday 27th January. Genix, the business engagement specialists in Norfolk were commissioned by North Norfolk District Council in 2016 to hold regular business events and this will be the fourth Coffee Means Business Genix has hosted.

The event will be held at Scarborough Hill Country Inn, North Walsham from 9.30am until 11.30am. The aim is to give business owners the opportunity to chat over coffee, make new contacts and gain information to help them grow their enterprise.

“I’d encourage both new and established business people to come to Coffee Means Business.” Said Gary Parker who hosts the events, “It doesn’t matter if you’ve never been to anything like it before or you’re a start-up business. The connections you’ll make will be highly beneficial to business growth. The feedback has been extremely positive, the informality and friendliness of the format and there being no membership fees has been appreciated.

“We’re the affordable face of business networking charging just £2 per person, payable on arrival.”

North Norfolk District Council has appointed Genix to organise and host Coffee Means Business in the North Norfolk area as they could see there was a need for a regular networking opportunity for businesses which didn’t involve expensive membership fees.

Genix has been appointed to organise Coffee Means Business by North Norfolk District Council because it is a not for profit organisation which, for over 20 years has been supporting businesses. In Norfolk Genix provides, free business advice sessions for established businesses and start-ups, subsidised business skills courses and events for ambitious small businesses and self-employed people.

Cllr Nigel Dixon, Cabinet Member for Business and Economic Development said: “I’m looking forward to this next event and would encourage businesses, whatever their size to come along on the 27th January.”

Alex Till, Chief Executive of Genix said, ” We’re very grateful for the support of North Norfolk District Council who understand the importance of helping businesses to grow ensuring future employment and apprenticeship opportunities for the area and increasing the prosperity of the county.

“My thanks to our Coffee Means Business sponsor, Ruth from Different Dimensions. Her company provides the information businesses need to ensure their websites are user friendly for their target market.”

Coffee Means Business will next be held on Friday 27 January 2017 at the Scarborough Hill Country Inn, North Walsham from 9.30am until 11.30am. There are no membership fees, just £2 per person, towards coffee, payable on arrival. Booking isn’t essential. For full details go to the events page of www.genix.org.uk or call 0800 096 3013.

For more information

Contact Genix Leanne Castle – leanne@genix.org.uk www.genix.org.uk 07496713103

Sue Lawson Communications Manager at NNDC 01263 516344 sue.lawson@north-norfolk.gov.uk

It’s always nice to get good feedback from any business you deal with, but when it’s a charity that feeling is even better. We’ve supportedThe Timber Projectfor the past 4 months now, and since their campaign went live on our digital screens theresbeen a large increase in donations.

Chris Moore, co-Founder of The Timber Project said “Thank you so much for your continued support! We have had a lot of donations on the back of this so we really appreciate your help”

The teamare out in Greece and along the Balkan route devoted to providing basic shelter and hygiene facilities for refugees stranded. Chris also said “The temperature here is well below freezing and many people are still living in tents. The more we can do provide warm spaces for people really makes a difference”

The team haveraised over £10,000 so far,but still need help to continue the building of shelters for the thousands of refugees. Please help support their amazing work by donating what you can, everything helps! You can donate here –https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/thetimberproject