Monthly Archives: June 2021

Employee Engagement, HR News, News

Commitment to employers has decreased by a third since before the pandemic

New findings from Inpulse, the employee engagement experts, show that levels of commitment to employers have decreased by nearly a third (32.5%) since before the pandemic. In 2019, the average level of commitment to employers, as stated by respondents, was 43% compared to just 29% from those in 2021. Inpulse’s surveys reach thousands of employees across the UK and globally*.  A summary of the stats shows that:

  • Workplace happiness has fallen by 75% since 2019
  • Employee motivation has dropped by nearly a fifth since this time
  • Employee anxiety has increased by 78%
  • Thousands of employees surveyed

The data also shows that employee happiness has decreased by 75% since 2019 while employee anxiety has shot up by 78% for those who answered surveys where these emotions were included. Employee motivation also dropped by nearly a fifth over the past two years, from an average score of 21% to 17% in 2021.

Matt Stephens, Founder and CEO of Inpulse, said:

“For the past year, we’ve seen how the impacts of COVID-19 have taken a toll on employee anxiety and stress levels. But we are now seeing the fallout of this – how employee emotions are having a direct impact on employee connection, focus and loyalty to businesses. Worryingly, despite the incredibly high anxiety levels employees are feeling, negative employee emotions are still increasing and levels of commitment, motivation and focus are falling”.

Insight from the survey data appears to show that stress levels in the UK are less than in other regions. In the UK, stress levels increased by 23%, compared to a 39% increase for global respondents.

Stephens explained:

“Though at first glance the data suggests that UK businesses are currently handling employee stress better than their foreign counterparts, in reality, UK stress levels were already higher than the global average pre-pandemic. In 2019, UK stress levels sat at 22% compared to just 18% for global respondents. Because of this, even with this smaller increase, UK stress levels are still 2 percentage points higher than global levels in 2021.

“We can see from this that businesses really are experiencing negative emotions like never before and employers must take care to address the burnout and resilience problems of their workforces by accurately measuring and responding to employee sentiments. Without a timely response, these problems will detrimentally impact engagement, productivity, absence, and retention.”

 

*Data taken from 192 employee emotion surveys between 2019 and 2021, with 201,619 respondents. In 2019 there were 54,645 respondents, in 2020 there were 138,567 respondents, and up to the current period in 2021, 8,407 respondents have taken part. Respondents are from the UK and across the globe, with 142,073 UK respondents and 59,397 global respondents across the three year period.

Appointments, Business News, News, Wales News

Verde Corporate Finance Elevates Team with New Senior Appointment

Experienced private banking expert Louise Santaana joins the deal-making GS Verde Group as Director of the Elevate investment network, as part of Verde Corporate Finance.

Mergers, acquisitions & investment specialists Verde Corporate Finance (part of the GS Verde Group), has announced the appointment of Louise Santaana to its growing team, to support the growth of the business following a record year of growth.

Verde welcomes Louise as Director of the Group’s fintech investment platform, the Elevate investment network.  The appointment supports growing client demand for the services provided by Verde as part of the integrated corporate finance led deal-making team at GS Verde Group.

The Elevate investment network is a fintech platform launched by the GS Verde Group, to digitise the scale-up investment process.  It has been used by businesses across the UK who are seeking to raise investment.

Louise had spent over 20 years working for Lloyds Banking Group in London, most recently as the Head of Private Banking and Lending, a role that saw her lead a UK-wide team of 100 private client managers.

Speaking on her appointment, Louise said:

“I am looking forward to joining the team at Verde and developing such an innovative venture as Elevate. As someone who is passionate about supporting businesses and individuals to reach their full potential, I am excited to be joining Verde and the wider GS Verde Group at this point in time when activity continues to accelerate”.

The experience and analytical skills that Louise will bring, will not only strengthen the expertise of Verde’s team but will provide valuable experience to lead the continued development of the private market/angel network provided through Elevate.

Craig Blackmore, Managing Director of Verde Corporate Finance said:

“It is great to be able to attract someone of Louise’s caliber to the role, and I am sure she will bring a lot of drive and experience to enable the continued development of our corporate finance team. Attracting Louise out of London to lead one of our key teams at Verde is a huge coup for our business and a verification of the quality of the client base we work with across the UK, but particularly in Wales and the South West of England.”

Verde and the wider GS Verde Group have seen active levels rise in the mergers and acquisitions market dramatically in 2021 so far and is expecting its strong pipeline to result in a further buoyant period heading into the second half of the year.

Cybersecurity, News

Scammers Access 50% of Compromised Accounts Within 12 Hours According to New Research

Email Security Company Agari Identifies How Cybercriminals Use Compromised Accounts with New Insight Into Credential Phishing Scams

Agari by HelpSystems, the market share leader in phishing defense for the enterprise, unveiled today the results of an investigation into the anatomy of compromised email accounts. The threat intelligence brief, titled Anatomy of a Compromised Account, is the first research of its kind, showcasing how threat actors use credential phishing sites to gather passwords, and what they do with them post-compromise.

The Agari Cyber Intelligence Division (ACID) completed a six-month investigation by seeding more than 8,000 phishing sites mimicking Microsoft Account, Microsoft Office 365, and Adobe Document Cloud login screens. After successfully submitting credentials, the team linked individual phishing attacks to specific actors and their post-compromise actions in order to better understand the lifecycle of the compromised account.

Specific stats uncovered in the extensive research include:

●       91% of all accounts were manually accessed by threat actors within the first week

●       Half of compromised accounts were accessed within the first 12 hours

●       23% of phishing sites used automated account validation techniques

●       Threat actors were located in 44 countries worldwide, with 47% in Nigeria

According to Agari, once attackers gained access to the compromised accounts, it became apparent that they wanted to identify high-value targets who have access to a company’s financial information or payment system so that they could send vendor email compromise scams more effectively. The accounts were also used for other purposes, including sending malicious emails and using the accounts to register for additional software from which to run their scams.

“Business email compromise or BEC remains the most prevalent threat in email security, and when cybercriminals gain access to legitimate email accounts, the problem is magnified,” states Patrick Peterson, founder of Agari and executive strategy director at HelpSystems. “This research provides key insights into how cybercriminals use these accounts, and underscores the importance of securing your email environment against credential phishing attacks from the beginning.”

In one instance, a threat actor used their compromised account to upload two financial documents to the associated OneDrive account—a rental balance sheet and wire instructions for their bank account. Based on the content of these documents, it is likely that they were intended to be used as part of a BEC attack, presumably one impersonating the real estate investment trust and targeting the senior living community operator, trying to trick them into paying more than $200,000 in outstanding rent.

In another example, cybercriminals targeted employees at real estate or title companies in the U.S. with an email that appeared to come from an U.S.-based financial services company that offers title insurance for real estate transactions. When targets opened the email, they were encouraged to view a secure message, which sent them to a webpage mimicking the company’s actual homepage. From there, they were encouraged to view additional documents and enter their account information—leading to the compromise. This shows the self-fulfilling growth cycle where credential phishing attacks lead to compromised accounts, which lead to more credential phishing attacks and more compromised accounts, and so on.

“Without measures in place to protect against BEC and account takeover-based attacks, the problem will only continue,” said Peterson. “The insight uncovered by the ACID team is a sobering reminder of the scale of the issue—compromised accounts lead to more compromised accounts, and only by preventing the first compromise can we suppress BEC at an early stage.”

To view a complete copy of the research findings, download the threat intelligence brief.

Cybersecurity, News

The Remote Workforce has led to a rise in cyberthreats according to VMware Global Security Insights Report

At Security Connect 2021, VMware revealed the findings from the fourth instalment of the Global Security Insights Report, based on an online survey of 3,542 CIOs, CTOs and CISOs in December 2020 from across the globe. The report explores the impact of cyberattacks and breaches on organisations and highlights the opportunity for security leaders to rethink and transform cybersecurity strategies.

The report shows that the pandemic and shift to anywhere work have undoubtedly changed the threat landscape requiring security teams to transform their cybersecurity strategies and stay one step ahead of attackers. Key focus areas for the coming year must include improving visibility into all endpoints and workloads, responding to the resurgence of ransomware, delivering security as a distributed service, and adopting an intrinsic approach to cloud-first security.

Rick McElroy, Principal Cybersecurity Strategist at VMware said: “Legacy security systems are no longer sufficient. Organisations need protection that extends beyond endpoints to workloads to better secure data and applications. As attacker sophistication and security threats become more prevalent, we must empower defenders to detect and stop attacks, as well as implement security stacks built for a cloud-first world.”

The reports key findings include:

Accelerated digital transformation has caused security teams to face evolving threats as cybercriminals seize the opportunity to execute targeted attacks exploiting fast-tracked innovation and the anywhere workforce. Close to 80% of organisations surveyed experienced cyberattacks due to more employees working from home, highlighting the vulnerabilities in legacy security technology and postures.

A lack of urgency despite surge in material breaches. 81% of respondents have suffered a breach in the last twelve months with 4 out of 5 breaches (82%) considered material. Yet, security professionals have underestimated the likelihood of a material breach. Only 56% say they fear a material breach in the next year, and just over one-third (41%) have updated their security policy and approach to mitigate the risk.

Resurgence of ransomware and remote work creates unpredictable attack surface. 76% of respondents said attack volumes had increased – with majority pointing to employees working from home as the cause – and 79% said attacks had become more sophisticated. Cloud-based attacks were the most frequently experienced attack type in the past year, whereas the leading breach causes were third-party apps (14%) and ransomware (14%).

Cloud-first security strategies are now universal. 98% of respondents already use or plan to use a cloud-first security strategy. But the move to cloud has expanded the threat surface. Nearly two thirds (61%) agree they need to view security differently now that the attack surface has expanded. 43% of respondents said they plan to build more security into their infrastructure and apps and reduce the number of point solutions.

Applications and workloads are top CISO concerns. Applications and workloads are viewed as the most vulnerable points on the data journey. 63% of respondents agree they need better visibility over data and apps in order to pre-empt attacks. 60% of respondents also shared that their senior leadership team feel increasingly worried about bringing new applications to market because of the growing threat and damage of cyberattacks.

Security concerns are holding back adoption of AI. The next frontier for business innovation may be artificial intelligence, but more than half of respondents (56%) say that security concerns are holding them back from embracing AI and machine learning.

For a clearer picture on the evolving threat landscape as well as actionable guidance and recommendations for this year and beyond, download the full report here.

 

News

Convenient aerosol spray developed and manufactured in UK offers 100% protection against Covid-19

AN ANTI-VIRAL and anti-bacterial aerosol spray developed in the UK has been proven to kill the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19 with 100% efficacy.

The Biosan Sanitiser Aerosol was created by Genesis Biosciences in its Cardiff laboratories and follows in the footsteps of the company’s Biosan Total-Release Sanitiser, which delivered the anti-viral and anti-bacterial solution to large areas via a pressurised canister.

The multi-use sanitiser aerosol contains the same solution in a handheld spray, ideal for quick and effective disinfection of areas. The product leaves behind no residue and therefore no requirement to wipe down surfaces after use, offering a cost effective and time effective method of disinfection.

Recommended for use in communal areas such as offices with hot desks, hotels and schools or on shared equipment in gyms and regular touch points on public transport or card machines, the spray is one of the few on the market to be proven to effectively kill coronaviruses.

The liquid within the aerosol, which has a citrus fragrance, has been tested according to BS EN 14476:2013 and A2:2019 and has proven to have broad range efficacy against bacteria and viruses and effectively kill harmful pathogens.

Genesis Regulatory Specialist Dr. Phil Caunt said: “All of our anti-viral products are proven to be effective against the Covid-19-causing coronavirus. Sanitisation is key to being able to maintain a high level of cleanliness keeping employees, visitors and the general public as safe as possible. Genesis’ Biosan Aerosol products – which include the multi-use spray and total-release aerosol – offer a simple and effective method of disinfection, delivering an anti-viral and antibacterial solution to both specific areas and wider spaces. Both can be used in a range of industries such as hospitality, leisure, transport and education as well as by individuals within their home or when out and about, offering protection and peace of mind.”

The Biosan Sanitiser Aerosol is manufactured in accordance with recognised international ISO standards and comes in 500ml canisters which can be purchased in packs of 12 direct from www.genesisbiosciences.co.uk.

 

News

Anglesey dairy will create 100 new jobs and run cheese factory on renewable energy

A £20 MILLION cheese project will create 100 jobs on Anglesey thanks to a slice of Welsh Government funding.

The £3m grant from the Business Innovation and Tourism Escalator Scheme (BITES) will see the Mona Island Dairy factory become the most sustainable in Europe, running solely on renewable electricity.

The funding will support production of Welsh and continental cheeses at the 25,000 sq ft facility, based on Mona Industrial Park, Holyhead.

Additional money in the form of loans and equity will contribute to the £20m site conversion, which is due for completion this September.

When finished, the factory will be the most modern anywhere on the continent, capable of producing 7,000 tons of cheese a year.

Managing Director Ronald Akkerman says the move will see turnover rise to £25m by 2022 and set new standards for the industry, as they look to blend innovative and traditional methods to create Cheddar, Gouda, Edam and a range of artisan cheeses using milk from local farms, overseen by chairman David Wynne-Finch.

“The product range offered to the retail and food service sectors will be for restaurant menus, wholesalers and customers who will be able to choose the type of cheese (brine or dry salted), the fat content, the shape (block or traditional wheel) and have the option of selecting additional ingredients such as herbs and spices,” said Mr Akkerman.

“This will result in premium own label products being produced in significant volumes or in relatively small batches.”

He added: “The cheese production line has been built to accommodate the company’s future growth ambitions.

“Different milk streams can be processed into specific niche products, such as organic cheese. Biodegradable wastes such as milk residue will be processed at the nearby Mona Biogas plant on Anglesey and all the process water will be recovered from the whey concentration, thereby minimizing the intake of potable water.

“This will make it the most environmentally friendly factory in Europe, running completely on renewable electricity.”

Mr Akkerman revealed Mona Island Dairy will collaborate closely with customers to identify market trends, develop new products and create a distinct competitive advantage at retail and food service level.

“This is the largest new development in the food sector in North Wales this year and is attracting an enormous amount of interest across the dairy and cheese industry in the UK and Europe,” he said.

“Linking the Welsh Government with academia and entrepreneurs in the region has formed a strong triple helix that will help to get the economy going again.

“The focus will be to develop long-term partnerships with anchor customers and milk suppliers – it’s an exciting project, fantastic for the industry and the region.”

The Minister responsible for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, Lesley Griffiths, is delighted the project is on track to eventually create more than 100 new jobs for the area.

She said: “This is excellent news for Holyhead, Anglesey and the wider area.  It is good to see that milk from local farms will be used in the production of the cheese which will be a boost for the dairy industry, and it is great to see the measures taken to minimize the impact on the environment.

“I am pleased the Welsh Government is supporting this facility which will create over 100 new jobs, which is very positive for the region.”

Meanwhile, Dr Graham Jackson, from Wrexham Glyndwr University Business School, has joined the Board of Mona Island Dairy as Director with responsibility for Strategic Development and Corporate Governance.

For more information, visit the website: www.monadairy.com

coleg cambria, Tech

North Wales college first in the country to launch ICT academy with world-leading tech giant

A MULTINATIONAL technology leader will launch its first training academy in Wales this year.

Coleg Cambria has been approved as a Huawei ICT Academy and begins delivering a range of cutting-edge courses from September.

Huawei has rolled out free training programmes in more than 90 countries with 3,000 instructors and 60,000 learners worldwide.

Now Cambria is to be the first in Wales to host such programmes, a move welcomed by Nigel Holloway, Director of Business Solutions.

Based at the college’s Yale site in Wrexham, he said: “This is a big honour for us and will enable Coleg Cambria to work in partnership with Huawei to equip people with the digital skills needed to meet demand, especially in the workplace.

“The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated how vital technology is to our everyday lives, and that need is only going to increase in the future.

“We have yet to finalise which courses we will be introducing for the next academic year, but the themes are around cloud computing, big data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), cyber security and 5G, among others.”

Nigel added: “As the relationship develops, I’m sure interest will grow and grow; this is a fantastic opportunity for employees to upskill and for companies wanting to prepare their workers for further technological advances.

“It is also another example of how Coleg Cambria is at the forefront of academia and industry in Wales – we can’t wait to get started.”

Bespoke courses of different lengths can be tailored to meet requirements and there will be evening classes available virtually and in person subject to Coronavirus restrictions, offering accessibility and flexibility for participants.

Huawei continues to build a global structure of learning, certification, and employment, and is focused on helping build a ‘talent ecosystem’ to improve communication between industry and education and bring through the next generation of skilled IT workers.

Pallavi Malhotra, Director for the Huawei ICT Academy Programme in Western Europe, welcomed Coleg Cambria to the programme.

“The Academy provides so many free opportunities for the ICT sector and is totally flexible, which is why we have had such a positive response worldwide and its popularity has grown and grown,” she said.

“We would encourage employers to explore the wide range of choices available for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) as there are options that would be beneficial for them.

“We are providing the latest industry information, which is fantastic for their staff as well as the learners, so there will be a high level of upskilling as demand continues to rise.”

Pallavi added: “I’m so pleased to have Coleg Cambria join us. It is one of the largest and most ambitious colleges in the country, so we are delighted they are our very first academy in Wales.”

For more information visit Computing Courses for Adults – Coleg Cambria

News

Managing a global, entirely millennial tech salesforce through a pandemic.

 As global head of sales for Cognism, the go-to market intelligence technology business, Jonathon Ilett is in a fast-moving role. He manages a sales team of over 40 employees located in UK, US, South Africa, and across EMEA, all of which are under the age of 28 years old. He himself is 27 years old. In fact, 72% of Cognism’s employees (approx. 230) are under the age of 27 years old, a further 18% are under 35 years old.

This past year has brought challenges in managing any team, but a fast-paced sales environment no doubt risks losing its edge when that team is sent home to work. Couple that with a demographic in its 20’s – Jonathon was faced with a huge challenge.

Jonathon joined Cognism as a Sales Development Representative (SDR) four years ago, fresh from his business management degree at Swansea University. He progressed to Account Executive quickly, managing and closing sales, to his role today as head of sales. He is well placed to understand what makes this age group tick when it comes to the work environment.

Single, living in London and very much used to the culture of working hard and having a full social life with work colleagues, Jonathon enjoys working in the Cognism offices and the inevitable after-work social aspect that brings.  He also thrives off the face-to-face sales meetings and the travel. The company offers many social and team building aspects, perfect for those in the early stage of their careers who may be fresh to living in a new city like London.

When the pandemic hit, the company had to move quickly to keep the sales team engaged and continue with its support. Jonathon, in some way thanks to his age and his own personal circumstances, was aware that some may live alone or in a flat share with friends who have no understanding of what it’s like to work in sales. He was quick to appreciate the challenges that brought his team.

He also knew that the buzz and competitiveness of a sales floor is key to development and success. Being able to hear more senior salespeople in conversation with prospects is priceless. A live office environment also gives the ability to unearth problems and solve them in a timelier way than scheduling a Zoom call with a manager.

The challenges were coupled with high demand for Cognism’s intelligent, compliant prospecting technology as companies sought an effective way to find new business. The pandemic resulted in an extremely busy period with new hires required across the team. As well as on-boarding new team members, it was key to keep the existing team engaged.

An SDR role within Cognism usually spans around 18 months, and with internal progression a strong part of the company’s culture, the majority move into Account Executive roles, getting more closely involved with customers. Those who had started at Cognism pre-pandemic were aware of the company’s culture of supporting, training, and socialising which helped to keep them motivated. The culture has in many ways been a key driver for employees to want to build their career with Cognism.

During the pandemic, the culture inevitably had to be modified. Jonathon ensured that his team all felt that they were not simply there to do their sales calls. He orchestrated twice weekly all-team virtual get togethers, be it work training or purely social. Events like cocktail making classes as well as skills training ensured that the team felt part of a wider family. They also sent regular treat packages to team members at home. Cognism also provided a budget that each employee received from the company to kit out a modest home office, as well as all the necessary tech support.

Jonathon said: “Working at home alone in sales can be a lonely place, but we all had to adapt to it. Many of the team are young, single, living alone or with friends – which is very different to the support network of a partner or a family. Working from home doesn’t have the buzz of a sales office with your team to bounce off, so we wanted to ensure that all our team, both new and existing felt that Cognism was there to support them in continuing on a successful sales career path.

“The culture and the opportunities the company creates for a young workforce is a huge reason why I and many of my colleagues choose to work here. I have been extremely fortunate to progress my career in a relatively short time at Cognism. It has been an environment that supports and encourages talent at a young age.

“We are all excited about getting back into the habit of face-to-face meetings, but I do believe we will continue to have remote working and flexibility, especially as we have teams located across countries. We have had a record year so far, so there is no indication that productivity has reduced.

“I do believe the social aspect and team building will continue to be a huge part of what Cognism is about – in order to attract the best driven talent. And we are all excited to get that back on the agenda away from a PC screen!”

Jonathan Ilett, 27 years old, head of global sales for one of the UK’s fast growing tech companies.

 

News

70% of marketing experts believe pandemic has changed consumer attitudes

Senior marketing leaders say consumers are more concerned about social responsibility and corporate values because of the pandemic

New research reveals 70% of marketing experts believe the pandemic has made consumers more concerned about social responsibility and values, with longer-term consequences for their profession. More than three-quarters of the marketing experts (78%) say the next decade will see greater emphasis on social good and transparency.

The findings, from research conducted by the Worshipful Company of Marketors among its membership of senior marketing practitioners and academics, give new insight on the effect of the pandemic on the profession.

More than two-thirds (67%) say marketing coped well with the pandemic, and 57% say it gave marketing the shake-up it needed. 67% also believe the pandemic will make businesses think more strategically about marketing in future.

“As businesses struggled with the drastic effects of the pandemic, the marketing function understood the sudden shifts in consumer and business behaviour, providing leadership and a route to resilience in very tough conditions,” said John Farrell, Master of the Worshipful Company. “As we move forward, companies that place marketing at the heart of their strategies are far more likely to adapt and succeed in the new environment.”

Indicating the extent to which marketing experts feel economic conditions have changed in the last 12 months, 68% of respondents to the Marketors’ survey say CMOs will need to be obsessed with their customers to excel in the next decade and 64% say marketing leaders need to improve their ability to build strategies around what customers think and feel.

“For any business now it is imperative to understand the changes in what motivates consumer behaviour,” added Farrell. “Marketing has never been better placed to lead business from the front. As we move beyond the pandemic, marketing will provide the necessary insights, creative ideas and leadership that fuel business growth.”

please visit: https://www.marketors.org/

News

Growing IT firm takes on five new recruits

A FORWARD-THINKING IT firm is building on its success by expanding its team.

Integrity IT Solutions has recruited five new members of staff and plans to take on two apprentices this September.

The technology business, which is based in Carlisle, Cumbria, and Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, has also undergone a complete brand refresh, with revised livery for its new fleet of vehicles, signage and staff uniforms.

Stephen Whelan, Technical Director at Integrity IT Solutions, said the company had made the investment to ensure it was in the best possible position to offer a comprehensive service to its clients.

He said: “It’s vitally important that we have the right people in place to deliver our extensive range of IT services both now and in the future.

“All our new members of staff bring something different to the business and complement our existing team.”

Stephen said the IT firm had experienced steady growth over the past few years, and that its acquisition by Annan-based business Eco Group at the end of last year had accelerated the growth plans.

“It’s an exciting time for the business and for everyone who has helped make it a success,” he said. “We’re looking forward to more growth in the future and creating more opportunities for people within the technology industry.”

Integrity IT Solutions designs, supplies, supports and installs IT systems to suit all types and sizes of businesses across the north of England and south-west Scotland.

Integrity offers a range of business solutions including IT support, cloud migration projects, server hardware, WiFi installation and hosted telephony services.

The firm currently has more than 200 clients ranging from sole traders to larger organisations, some with more than 1,500 users.

The brand refresh was carried out by Eco Creative, which is part of Integrity IT Solutions’ parent company, Eco.

Staff uniforms have been given a new brand look, along with the vehicles, building signage, office stationery and the website.

The most recent additions to the Integrity IT Solutions team brings the total number of employees to 19.

Stephen said: “With our extensive experience and collective business knowledge, we can provide a solution which can help you make the right decision for your business.

“Our industry qualified and highly motivated team members are among the best in the business, and have a proven track record of delivering exceptional service.”

New recruit Simon McLeod reflects this industry knowledge, bringing more than 30 years of experience to the firm. Simon, 52, began his IT career in the early 1990s at accountancy firm Armstrong Watson and has worked within the public and private sector. His most recent role was with multinational firm CDW.

In his new position at Integrity IT Solutions, he is the first point of contact for clients, providing support and solutions.

Simon, who lives in Silloth, said: “Every day is different working in IT, that’s what I love about it.”

Jonny Brunskill, 28, from Carlisle, joined the company earlier this month as an IT Engineer, and is currently providing first line support to the NHS, as part of a contract with the health service. He previously worked at Armstrong Watson and has experience working within the NHS.

Tom Armstrong, 32, from Seaton, near Workington, has also joined the team as an IT Engineer, solving issues for clients across a range of industries. Tom previously worked at Lakes College, Workington, where he was the apprenticeship programme lead in IT and Catering, and a Digital Learning Coach.

IT Engineer, Connor Burgess, 27, from Dumfries, looks after clients in south-west Scotland, as well as those based across the border. He previously worked for Loreburn Housing Association, based in Dumfries, before joining Integrity IT Solutions. Connor brings a wealth of experience in IT support and expertise in areas such as SQL, which assists clients in their database management.

IT Engineer, Ashleigh Watson, 22, from Carlisle, has recently completed a level-three Infrastructure Technician apprenticeship at Carlisle College, and previously worked for an IT business in Carlisle.

“I enjoy working in IT and being part of a growth industry,” she said. “I like learning about different systems and software, and getting involved in the practical side of the job.”