Category Archives: Midlands News

Business News, Midlands News, News

New digital high streets programme to boost local shopping launches in Warwickshire

A new programme to attract shoppers back to the High Street by harnessing digital technology has been launched across Warwickshire.
The initiative, Local Rewards, a collaboration between Warwickshire County Council and social media specialists, Maybe* Tech – aims to help businesses across Warwickshire recover from the impact of COVID-19 by giving them the support they need to reach more customers and make more sales.
Local Rewards allows businesses to communicate with, and reward shoppers when they hit the High Streets and has been created with the intention of ‘levelling the playing field’ between local retailers and giants like Amazon. Businesses can also cross-promote and support their High Street neighbours to create an online network of connected traders.
The technology enables shoppers to see businesses near them, view and engage with their social media content and shop with them via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
In addition, for every pound a shopper spends “in store” with a participating business they earn a point which can be used to claim rewards offered by local businesses across the county.
The Local Rewards programme, which goes live today, already features over 7,050 businesses from across the county. Data within the technology shows that across Warwickshire, only around 25% of High Street businesses use social media.
Of those retailers on social media around 27% are active, posting most days. Research conducted by Maybe* Tech suggests around 66% of consumers spend three hours per day using social media.
Lara Smith, the founder of Smithery, a shop on Warwick’s Smith Street that stocks handpicked and handmade items produced by small businesses from across the region, has signed up for the scheme. She explains:
“We are very excited to get involved in the new Warwickshire Local Rewards programme. It will help us connect with current customers and hopefully also help new customers discover us, as well as the many other independent businesses whose products that we stock.
“Warwickshire’s independent retail scene is thriving despite the challenges we have all faced across the last 18 months, but we still need local consumers and visitors to support our local businesses. There is an incredible amount of variety available on our high streets, it’s constantly changing and evolving, and each day brings something new.”
Cllr Kam Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Economy and Place, said:
“We saw real business success stories through the pandemic lockdown. These successes have been attributed to the increase in digital skills and innovation from Warwickshire businesses. In this climate of uncertainty, it’s wonderful to see small retailers and High Street businesses embracing social media, changing the way they interact with customers and gaining new customers as they do so.
“Giving businesses access to further digital monitoring tools as we emerge from the pandemic, on top of the continuing digital skills training will enable businesses to provide safe, interesting, social and unique experiences for locals and visitors.
“It’s vital that our businesses embrace the possibilities that digital marketing offers to reach new markets and respond to consumers’ changing habits.
“We are delighted to support with this. I would urge retailers to sign up to the Local Rewards Programme to help improve their resilience, as well as their town and trading environment.”
Every business that signs up to manage their listing on the Local Rewards High Street Guide will also have access to an extensive range of social media tools and training provided by Maybe* Tech.
Polly Barnfield OBE, CEO of Maybe* Tech said: “Around two thirds of shoppers regularly look online for inspiration and the Local Rewards programme groups all social media content by location to encourage people to browse their local high street and then rewards them for their local spend.”
“High streets need infrastructure that until now has only been available for online businesses and this programme will help local businesses level the playing field with giants like Amazon,” adds Barnfield.
“They need to communicate with shoppers in real-time and be able to showcase what’s available. In order to compete, High Street businesses need to up their digital game, promote their physical stores and collaborate. Our platforms help them collectively to do that and we are delighted to be working with businesses   across every high street in the County.
High Street businesses and shoppers can access the Local Rewards programme online at https://www.localrewards.chat/ and can sign up to reap the benefits via Messenger or WhatsApp.
The platform has been developed to provide High Street businesses across all sectors, with access to social media, the tools and training to increase their customer base and drive sales. The Maybe* platform also provides practical suggestions and easy to use tools allowing organisations to connect with their audience, improve their return on investment and understand how to stay ahead of their competition.

Education, Midlands News

Coventry Business School joins global network of business schools

Coventry Business School has expanded its global footprint and engagement with international partners from new regions by joining the Global Business School Network (GBSN).

Founded by the World Bank in 2003, GBSN is a non-profit organisation that works with business schools, industry, foundations and aid agencies to improve access to quality, locally relevant management and entrepreneurship education for the developing world.

Since its formation in 2003, it has grown to a network of over 100 leading business schools in more than 50 countries that are committed to profoundly impacting sustainable development worldwide, through education, research, and community engagement.

Coventry Business School’s membership of GBSN further enhances its working relationships with its business school peers around the world to develop business education and knowledge. Through Coventry University Group’s global offices in China, Dubai, Singapore, Rwanda, Kenya and Nigeria, the school enjoys close links with leading universities and international organisations around the world.

Through GBSN’s international events and capacity building programmes, Coventry Business School will be involved in advising, training and mentoring regional educators. With over 50 years of experience teaching business, the School prides itself on delivering high quality research that informs its teaching and can make a difference to society.

The School also delivers a broad portfolio of grant-funded internationally collaborative research as well as client funded consultancy, knowledge transfer activity, and international research exchange.

Professor Kai Peters, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Business and Law, Coventry University, said: “At Coventry Business School, it is our belief that access to education is paramount for the development of individuals and societies. We are proud of our national and international outreach to both traditional and non-traditional, often first in their family to attend university, students. Through collaborations as well as through our on-line capabilities, we seek to create better futures for our graduates.”

Dan LeClair, CEO of Global Business School Network, said: “The mission of GBSN is to improve access to quality, locally relevant management and entrepreneurship education for the developing world. In short, we enable business schools to foster inclusive and sustainable development, and that clearly aligns well with the vision and mission of Coventry Business School.”

Professor Sukanlaya Sawang, Associate Dean and GBSN membership project lead, Coventry Business School, said: “Through the GBSN network, Coventry Business School will expand our global activities for collaborative research, educational collaboration and international experiences for our students and staff.  This is a great opportunity for our Business School to expand our global footprint and reputation.” ​​

Midlands News, News

Approved WMCA Budget will fund schemes that can support economic recovery and help protect environment

A budget of more than £900m, including funding for infrastructure, regeneration and job training schemes that can support the region’s post-Covid-19 economic recovery and help protect the environment, has been approved by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) today (Friday February 12).

The 2021/22 WMCA Budget includes a package of major transport projects to help drive economic growth and cleaner air as well as funding to unlock and transform the region’s derelict industrial sites for new, energy efficient homes and jobs, relieving pressure on the Green Belt.

An Adult Education Budget (AEB) of £142m, the biggest of any UK region outside London, will be used to give people, especially those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, the skills needed to get back into work quickly and to secure jobs in growing sectors such as construction, digital and the emerging green industries.

 

The Metro tram extension through Dudley is one of the schemes to be funded by the 2021/22 WMCA Budget

 

But in approving the budget, the WMCA Board warned of the financial uncertainty caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic with recent independent research also suggesting the West Midlands could be hit harder than any other UK regional economy.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The investments outlined in this budget will help the West Midlands make significant strides towards a quick and effective recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, as well as tackling the climate emergency facing our region.

“We’re investing hundreds of millions of pounds in our green public transport network, with zero carbon and Sprint buses, new rail stations, cycling infrastructure, and of course Metro extensions – with almost £100m alone being spent over the next year on the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension.

“Meanwhile more than £116m is being spent on the remediation of derelict brownfield land, saving acres of greenbelt from development, and we’re investing £142m to level up our skills, getting us ready for the huge boost in the green jobs of the future as we look to help get people into work.

“What these investments will do is help to create and protect jobs at what is such a critical time for many people’s livelihoods, whilst also helping us on our way to becoming carbon neutral by 2041.

“We are managing to deliver all of this without costing the taxpayer any more money, as this will be the fourth year in a row where we have not introduced a mayoral precept, meaning not an extra penny from us will be added to people’s council tax bills.”

The approved budget includes £363m for the WMCA’s transport arm – Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) – to deliver schemes that will improve connectivity, drive economic growth and help cut carbon emissions by making it easier and more attractive for people to switch to public transport.

Projects include:

  • The expansion of the electric-powered Metro tram system
  • The opening of new railway lines and stations at Darlaston, Willenhall, Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell
  • The development of a ‘Sprint’ rapid bus network using zero emission vehicles
  • Support for the continuing conversion of buses from diesel to hybrid
  • More cycling and walking routes
  • Concessionary travel for older people, the blind, disabled and children

In addition, there will be £11m available for subsidised bus services, £7m for Ring and Ride and nearly £4m to enhance transport for the Commonwealth Games.

More than £116m is committed for housing and land projects and in particular the WMCA’s ‘brownfield first’ policy to unlock and redevelop derelict urban land and help safeguard the Green Belt.

Investments will accelerate the on-going transformation of former industrial sites to deliver energy efficient, affordable new homes and modern commercial premises for businesses to grow and create jobs. There will also be support for the regeneration of town centres and for the research and development of modern methods of construction and zero carbon homes.

Key brownfield housing schemes include:

  • Up to 750 new homes on a former sewage works at Friar Park in Sandwell
  • 252 homes on the former Caparo steel works at Walsall
  • The construction of a further 138 homes using cutting edge construction technology on derelict land at Icknield Port Loop in Edgbaston

Around £120m in capital grants will be allocated to local authorities to help fund major infrastructure projects with significant investment in Coventry (Station Masterplan, City Centre South, Very Light Rail, City of Culture), Solihull (UK Central Programme) and Birmingham including £20m for the Commonwealth Games.

The £142m of skills funding will be used by the WMCA’s productivity and skills team, working closely with local authorities, to fund training courses that give people the opportunity to upskill and get back into work, with more training matched to those industries suffering skills shortages, including higher level skills.

Cllr Bob Sleigh, Deputy Mayor and WMCA portfolio holder for finance said: “I would like to thank all those who have done such tremendous work in putting together a balanced budget in what are extremely difficult times, not least because of the substantial loss of revenue the combined authority has suffered as a result of the impact of Covid-19 on our public transport.

“But it’s important to recognise the significant funding in this budget for new transport infrastructure, brownfield regeneration and skills and training, all of which can help take forward the green agenda and provide support for a future economy that is more focused on innovation and new green technologies.

“Clearly there are challenging times ahead and we will be refreshing our medium-term priorities early in the new financial year with the aim of recapturing our pre-pandemic economic success while driving innovation and carbon reduction.”

The WMCA Budget report also highlights how, ahead of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget announcement on March 3, the authority is continuing to seek the additional funding set out in its Spending Review Submission while lobbying for additional capacity and ongoing funding to tackle the impact of Covid-19.

Midlands News, News, Technology

Amazon and Enterprise Nation launch West Midlands Amazon Small Business Accelerator virtual event at Birmingham Tech Week, as part of drive to support more than 200,000 businesses across the UK

Amazon and Enterprise Nation announce the West Midlands Amazon Small Business Accelerator virtual event in collaboration with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), which will take place during Birmingham Tech Week at 10.15am on Wednesday 14 October 2020, giving people advice on how to start and grow a business online and sell on Amazon.

This comes as research* by Enterprise Nation, the small business support network, revealed that 77% of small businesses across the West Midlands plan to increase their digital skills as a result of the impact of the pandemic and economic lockdown; 100% of businesses surveyed plan to broaden services to improve their business and avoid future shocks.

The Amazon Small Business Accelerator launched in June 2020 with free online training to help 200,000 businesses at every stage. The West Midlands Amazon Accelerator event will be a virtual live panel discussion hosted by Emma Jones, CEO of Enterprise Nation.

Following the event, attendees will be invited to join the Amazon Small Business Accelerator, where businesses can take a quick online diagnostic test to find the learning path that best fits with the current stage of their journey – ‘Start’, ‘Grow’ or ‘Turbo’ – with free e-learning training on accounting, social media, scaling production, hiring teams and more.

Participants can also apply to free week-long sector-specific bootcamps, to provide additional, tailored personal training and expertise for up to 1,000 startups and small businesses to help them trade online. Businesses will have access to new benefits designed to help them, ranging from discounts on business supplies from Amazon Business, to dedicated Amazon Web Services (AWS) training and partner offers. Businesses will also receive 12 months’ free expert support as part of ongoing membership to Enterprise Nation.

The Amazon Small Business Accelerator virtual event takes place in partnership with the West Midlands Digital Skills Partnership, which formed in 2018 to bring together tech firms, businesses, universities, colleges and training providers from the region, to find ways to improve local people’s digital skills and qualifications.

The Amazon Small Business Accelerator is being supported by the team at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Rugeley. Gary Norton, Site Leader at Amazon in Rugeley, said: “As someone born and raised in the West Midlands, I know first-hand the importance of a strong local economy for communities across our region, and we hope the Amazon Small Business Accelerator will help many small businesses grow over the coming weeks and months.”

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy and by helping them we can support families and communities in the West Midlands bounce back more quickly,” commented Doug Gurr, UK Country Manager, Amazon. “We have a long track record of supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, with more than half of all products sold on Amazon coming from our selling partners, including many in the West Midlands. Some businesses have found their way through this year by providing more goods and services online. Now we are working with the West Midlands Combined Authority to provide firms in the West Midlands with access to the skills, tools and support they need to succeed in the digital world.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA): “The West Midlands economy was in good shape before the pandemic, and we are doing everything we can to get back on our feet quickly. We need to keep as many people in work as possible, so it’s critical that we support local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enable our economy to recover.

“We know that companies across the region have had to move their trade online because of the pandemic. Improving their digital capability gives them the potential to increase sales, safeguard jobs and make their business more resilient. The Amazon Small Business Accelerator will help local firms to do exactly that, and I urge SMEs across the West Midlands – whether they’ve just started in business or are an established company wanting to grow their operations – to sign up to the event.”

Emma Jones MBE, CEO of Enterprise Nation: “The pandemic has demonstrated that businesses need to get better at e-commerce in order to continue to trade seamlessly, and our research shows that there is a need for more support. The West Midlands Amazon Small Business Accelerator event will help local businesses become more robust and reduce risk to futureproof trade going forward.”

Small businesses across the UK can learn more about the Amazon Small Business Accelerator and sign up here: enterprisenation.com/accelerator or to access a free place on the event book here: t

Commercial Property, Midlands News, News

“COVID-19 will drive the rural working renaissance” proclaims Burrough Court

From homes to office accommodation, rural settings have well and truly come into their own this year. While plentiful fresh air and space have always held a certain appeal, the new need to socially distance due to COVID-19 is driving a significant rural renaissance.

As Prime Minister Boris Johnson encourages people back to work, Burrough Court in the Leicestershire countryside is one business hub that’s already feeling the impact of 2020’s trend for all things rural.

“We’ve seen a notable uptick in interest in rural business premises since the pandemic began. With remote working suddenly becoming so much more mainstream, there are plenty of companies that are now happy with their workers to be based at home or within regional hubs. Presenteeism in the city is rapidly losing its appeal.”

Fred Wilson, Director, Burrough Court

 

Set in 22 acres of woodland near Melton Mowbray, Burrough Court epitomises the kind of rural office accommodation that many are now seeking. The site is easily accessible by car, offers a COVID-secure environment and comes complete with a variety of walking routes around the farm, enabling socially distanced exercise to be incorporated into the working day. There is also a gym for keeping fit, along with The Studio, for Yoga, Meditation and Pilates classes and an on-site coffee shop for those all-important caffeine fixes.

Burrough Court has seen a notable rise in the number of clients returning to work on-site in recent weeks, with many companies arranging rotas and setting working days for different staff members to aid social distancing.

85% of the offices and 92% of the warehouses at Burrough Court are now occupied, with tenants hailing from a diverse range of sectors and industries, including training, property, charitable, creative technology, sports and many more. Tenants have remarked on how safe and well-managed the site is in the face of the challenges posed by COVID-19.

“Despite the lockdown I have continued to use Burrough Court as the place is quiet, spacious and I have always felt safe here. The team have managed the past few months incredibly well, maintaining a sense of calm and normality that has allowed me to crack on and focus on my business, which has been invaluable to me in these challenging times.”

Jim Overend, Managing Director, Gamechanger Consulting Ltd, tenant at Burrough Court

The push for rural office accommodation – and residential property – is likely to be a defining characteristic of COVID’s impact on the way that we work and live. Rightmove reported a 126% increase in enquiries about buying a home in a village in June and July, compared to the same months in 2019, while Knight Frank has made similar observations.

Nor is the rural renaissance limited to just the UK. UBS reports that a third of rich American and more than half of wealthy British, German, French and Italian investors now want to move to less populated areas.

In the East Midlands, business confidence is rising hand-in-hand with individuals feeling happier about returning to work. The Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking Business Barometer rose four points during July, reflecting the region’s growing sense of positivity.

“We won’t be getting back to ‘normal’ anytime soon, so that means there are plenty of opportunities for businesses to think rural when it comes to their future plans, both short-term and longer-term. Leicestershire has so much to offer both residents and workers when it comes to reconnecting with a more rural way of life. We fully expect this trend to continue at least throughout the rest of 2020.”

Fred Wilson, Director, Burrough Court

For more information, call 01664 454 690, email info@burroughcourt.com or visit www.burroughcourt.com.

Farming, Midlands News, News

Cotswold family-run business steers in right direction by being named dealer for world’s first fully electric skid steer loader

Family-run Cotswold company Heming Engineering Ltd is showing the way in challenging times for the economy by being named as a dealer for the world’s first fully electric skid steer loader.

The company – which has been in business for 52 years and is based in Willersey, near Broadway – is adding to its burgeoning sales portfolio by becoming sole dealer in five counties for the state-of-the-art Elise 900 loader made by Kovaco Electric Company, which is headquartered in Prague in the Czech Republic.

The loader is 100 percent electric, operates for more than eight hours on one charge and boasts zero environmental impact.

Heming Engineering has been appointed as sole dealer for the loader across Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Oxfordshire.

The Elise 900 can be driven manually by way of two in-cab joysticks or remotely via a mobile phone supplied with the machine as standard – or via an optional 433 Mhz two joystick control set.

The Kovaco Electric mobile phone application is available to download from the internet. This application allows the mobile phone to be used as a remote dashboard when operating from outside the cab or as a conventional type dashboard when operating the machine whilst in the cab. The display documents the speed at which the hydraulics and forward motion are set at (four speeds), bucket self-levelling operations, battery usage and life – as well as the two-joystick control function when in “remote mode”.

The Kovaco Electric Company has made two battery types available to its customers to ideally suit all operations and budgets. The first battery (240Ah) affords the operator up to six hours of continuous operation and the second bigger battery (400 Ah) will allow usage of 8 hours and upwards. These batteries can be charged to 100% in 3.5 hours. The company also recently introduced the MINI Z compact loader, which is also completely electric-powered.

Peter Heming, MD of parent company Heming Group, said: “The beauty of the Kovaco Electric machines is that you get all the performance of diesel vehicles without emissions and noise. As there are only electrical motors in the machine service costs are set to a minimum, while operational cost savings compared to a conventional loader are dramatic and should pay for the machine within the first years of operation.”

Finlay Bassett, UK Business Development Manager for Kovaco Electric, said: “Heming Group is a very versatile business operating in various different sectors of industry and this greatly appealed to me.”

The Elise 900 is ideal for use on poultry, pig and fruit farms, as well as in factories, builders’ yards and the construction industry – especially in confined spaces. It is also perfectly suited to the landscaping, amenities and equine sectors.

Earlier this year Mr Heming became Chairman for BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association) for the four counties regional group of Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire. He has played a pivotal role in the growth of Heming Group, which also comprises Heming Services, Heming Plant Hire, Ford Electrical and Major Cooling and Heating – as well as Heming Engineering.

Heming Engineering has built its reputation on providing tractor parts and machinery spares, the servicing and repair of all types of agricultural equipment, commercial and four-wheel drive vehicles and the maintenance of industrial and construction equipment.

Commercial Property, COVID-19, Midlands News, Property, Return to Work

‘We’re all in it together!’ Burrough Court business hub welcomes tenants & their employees back to work

As of 1 August, it is up to employers to decide how their staff can work safely, including whether that means working remotely or coming into the office. So how are companies responding to the new guidance?

At the Burrough Court business hub, near Melton Mowbray in rural Leicestershire, the team believes that blending the right mindset with the right materials is key to creating COVID-secure premises for their tenant clients. Their aim throughout lockdown and heading into the new normal has been to empower those using their business units, office space and meeting rooms to feel safe and confident about doing so.

“Despite the lockdown I have continued to use Burrough Court as the place is quiet, spacious and I have always felt safe here. The team have managed the past few months incredibly well, maintaining a sense of calm and normality that has allowed me to crack on and focus on my business, which has been invaluable to me in these challenging times.”

Jim Overend, Managing Director, Gamechanger Consulting Ltd, tenant at Burrough Court

Nestled in 22 acres of peaceful woodland, Burrough Court is a hive of productivity. The family-run business park provides workspace for companies of all shapes and sizes. With the coronavirus pandemic reshaping how we work, the business is taking an active role in showcasing COVID-secure office premises, as demand for rural office hubs ramps up.

 “It’s clear that the working world isn’t going back to the way it was anytime soon. That presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Rural office locations like Burrough Court, which is easily accessible by car and has on-site wellness amenities, have a key role to play in providing productivity hubs for forward-thinking companies. As such, we need to be at the forefront of providing COVID-secure premises.”

 Fred Wilson, Director, Burrough Court

‘We’re all in it together’

‘We’re all in it together’ is at the core of Burrough Court’s messaging and approach. The on-site signage is one clear example of that approach. High-quality, professionally produced signs speak volumes about the level of seriousness required but are balanced through the use of friendly language and Burrough Court’s familiar colours and fonts. Essentially, the team has taken the government’s messaging and added some soul and personality to it.

“As a business owner involved first-hand with the installation and delivery of Covid-19 safe equipment across the UK, I’m really pleased to see Burrough Court implement a number of safe and friendly systems. Their approach is non-obtrusive and clear, from the installation of sanitiser stations to friendly signage. They are following government guidelines not just with professionalism but with outstanding aesthetics. This approach has made my staff and I feel very comfortable in the current climate. We feel safe and productive at work.”

Andy Galpin, Director, Motion Retail, tenant at Burrough Court

Physical changes to the site have also been implemented, from the creation of single person zones in bathroom and kitchen areas to the installation of hand sanitiser stations across the site. While individual offices are the responsibility of their tenants, the team has reworked communal areas to encourage social distancing of 1m+, for example by removing the central table and chairs in the internal breakout area known as the Den.

“I was pleasantly surprised and relieved to see a hand sanitiser station at each entrance to the building. It made the decision to return to the office less fraught. The availability of disinfectant wipes in the kitchen is also a great idea and I find myself wiping down surfaces and door handles religiously. I’m happy to see that the on-site coffee shop has reopened for takeaways and that the communal areas have all been redesigned to allow people to sit at a safe distance apart.”

Philip Tatham, Publisher, Monsoon Books, tenant at Burrough Court

Embracing the opportunities that the new normal provides has also seen the Burrough Court team work with one of their clients – a steel fabrication company – to produce the ‘corona hinge.’ Applied to every external door on site, the corona hinge prevents doors from closing fully, meaning that they can be opened hands-free.

“Becoming COVID-secure at Burrough Court has been about combining practical measures with personal touches.

We’ve given each of our tenants’ employees their own branded bottles of sanitiser, for example, as well as providing sanitising sprays and wipes in communal areas such as kitchens.

We’re also providing free ‘Zoom Rooms’ to clients who need additional space for video conferencing, which has become such an important part of enabling continued productivity.”

Fred Wilson, Director, Burrough Court

Burrough Court has also installed new, washable flooring in the on-site Pilates/yoga studio. And while the gym hasn’t reopened yet, clients can use loose weights and other portable equipment in the paddock outside. With woodland trails criss-crossing the site, there’s also plenty of scope for outdoor exercise.

The amount of space available to use means that everything from parking and bicycle storage to outdoor seating allows for social distancing. Being located in the Midlands, Burrough Court is well located for those looking for a rural office hub that can be accessed from all four corners of England with relative ease.

“Our enquiries now are definitely more focused around the benefits of rural office accommodation and ease of access by vehicle or even bike. In fact, we even signed up two new forward-thinking tenants in the middle of the lockdown. It’s up to all of us to help shape the new normal and to ensure that we create working environments that encourage reassurance and wellbeing as well as delivering security in the face of COVID.”

Fred Wilson, Director, Burrough Court

For more information, call 01664 454 690, email info@burroughcourt.com or visit www.burroughcourt.com.

Jobs, Midlands News, News

WMCA helps 22 unemployed people in Chelmsley Wood to get new jobs with Amey

Twenty-two people from Chelmsley Wood have all landed jobs with support service company Amey, thanks to a community scheme funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to give jobseekers new skills.

This is part of the WMCA’s wider aims of supporting local people to gain qualifications or retrain, helping them to succeed as productive members of society.

Following training funded through the WMCA’s Connecting Communities programme, the residents are either helping to carry out household bin collections in Solihull, or maintaining green public spaces, such as parks, roundabouts and verges, across the borough.

James Clinton, one of the 22 Chelmsley Wood residents who has landed a new job with Amey

Connecting Communities gives local jobseekers tailored job advice and specialist support in the heart of their own community. In Chelmsley Wood, it is being delivered by the Colebridge Trust, a not-for-profit community and enterprise development organisation, at the Junction in Chapelhouse Road.

With funding from the WMCA, the Colebridge Trust identified 60 candidates for the jobs at Amey, arranged information sessions and interviews for them at the Junction with the company, and trained the residents to prepare them for the interviews.

Cllr Ian Courts, leader of Solihull Council, said: “Although these are very difficult times, there are still job opportunities out there. One of our key priorities in rebuilding the economy after Covid-19 is to make sure those people who are unemployed get back into work.

“It’s great news that 22 local people have been able to get new jobs with Amey through the Connecting Communities programme. I wish them every success for the future.”

James Clinton, aged 33, who lives in Solihull, was unemployed for more than two years before landing a job as a ground worker with Amey.

“I’m loving my new job and I feel that Connecting Communities really helped me to build my confidence and believe in my abilities,” he said.

Serena Sale, employment and skills manager at the Colebridge Trust, said: “We are very proud of our learners. It’s been great to see them grow in confidence through the interview process.
“We are continuing to support those who were unsuccessful by coaching them to apply for other work and helping them with employability skills.”

Wayne Rowley, Amey operations manager for transport infrastructure in Solihull, said: “Thanks to funding from the WMCA, we have been working with the Colebridge Trust to recruit local unemployed people for three years now. The quality of the candidates is always very high and gets better every year. We look forward to working with the Trust again when we have more vacancies to fill.”

Cllr George Duggins, WMCA portfolio holder for productivity and skills and leader of Coventry City Council, said: “It’s crucial that our economic recovery from Covid-19 is inclusive and works for everyone. This is a great example of the WMCA helping local unemployed people back into work during this challenging time.”
Connecting Communities is funded by the WMCA using a grant from the Department for Work and Pensions, as part of the wider transfer of powers and funding from Whitehall to the West Midlands.

This devolution of powers has helped to facilitate new ways of working with skills and training providers to better support the needs of learners and employers across the region. The autonomy and experience has helped the West Midlands ensure it has the skills base it needs to succeed, increase overall employment and productivity, drive growth in key sectors, and achieve its wider economic and social priorities for the region.

There are nine programmes in communities across the West Midlands where unemployment is high and pay levels are low. Over the past year, more than 500 people have gained new jobs thanks to support from Connecting Communities.

The location-based support is aimed at making it easier to engage with local residents and encouraging the communities themselves to use their existing social networks to spread the word about the help available.

To find out more about Connecting Communities in Chelmsley Wood, visit https://colebridge.org/ or call 0121 448 0720.

Construction, Midlands News, News

WMCA hosts visit from infrastructure leaders bringing HS2 to the region

The Balfour Beatty VINCI joint venture, responsible for the delivery of two High Speed 2 (HS2) main civil engineering contracts, has visited the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to see how it is upskilling local people to work on the rail project.

Balfour Beatty VINCI shared its experience of delivering social value with the WMCA and its partners, showing how the construction of high speed rail projects across the world has benefited communities in those areas, in the long term.

During Friday’s (17 July) visit to Solihull, Balfour Beatty VINCI also saw how local people are learning new skills to help the region build its way out of the Covid-19 economic shutdown, thanks to funding from the WMCA through its Construction Gateway programme.

This included demonstrations of the new construction simulator training centre at Solihull College & University Centre – the first of its kind in the region – and hands-on civil engineering and plant training at training provider RMF Construction’s academy in Solihull.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “HS2 is Europe’s biggest infrastructure project and will be vital to our region’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“At a time of such economic uncertainty we need to use major schemes like HS2 to help secure people’s employment and create jobs for those who sadly fall out of work. The WMCA’s Construction Gateway aims to support construction projects like HS2, by offering free training and a guaranteed job interview to those who are unemployed or at the lower end of the jobs market.

“I’m very pleased that the delegation from Balfour Beatty VINCI have taken the time to come and see this fantastic work we’re funding, and I am sure we will continue to work together on future projects to help create local jobs for local people.”

Balfour Beatty VINCI also met employers who are interviewing trainees for roles available now working on HS2, and other partners who are working with the WMCA to give local residents new opportunities in construction through the project.

These include the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), Flannery Plant Hire, Lynch Plant, Tenstar Simulation AB, Solihull College & University Centre, and RMF Construction.

HS2 Ltd is also currently searching for people to play a part in the delivery of Britain’s new low carbon high speed railway. It is directly recruiting for over 300 roles, across a broad range of disciplines, to be based at its flagship head office in Birmingham and is prioritising local people in its job search.

Julie Venn-Morton, HS2 Ltd’s skills manager, said: “HS2 will create thousands of opportunities for people in the West Midlands in the months and years ahead. Right now, we are recruiting for 300 Birmingham-based roles and I’d actively encourage local people who are looking for work, or a career change, to sign up and take part in our skills match assessment at www.hs2.org.uk/hs2-and-you/.”

Balfour Beatty VINCI, a long-established joint venture between two global infrastructure leaders, is responsible for earthworks, ground engineering, viaducts and tunnels along a 90 kilometre stretch between the Long Itchington Wood Green tunnel in the south to the West Coast Main Line tie-in near Lichfield in the north with a major junction into central Birmingham at Curzon Street.

The five-strong delegation to Solihull included Alun Williams of Balfour Beatty VINCI, who said: “It was great to see for ourselves how local people are benefiting from the latest training in construction skills as well as the programmes in place, to support people in securing employment.

“We look forward to learning more about the good work being done by WMCA and its partners over the coming months and to continuing our relationship as we begin to construct Britain’s new low carbon, high speed railway.”

The WMCA’s Construction Gateway programme offers unemployed people, or those on short-hours contracts or low-skilled jobs, free construction training and a guaranteed job interview at the end of the course.

Cllr George Duggins, WMCA portfolio holder for productivity and skills and leader of Coventry City Council, said: “As we recover from the Covid-19 lockdown, the construction of HS2 will provide a much-needed jobs boost for our region.

“The Construction Gateway is a great opportunity for local people to gain the skills needed to land these jobs.”

To sign up for construction training, contact the National Careers Service West Midlands on 0121 296 5550, or you can find out more information about the National Careers Service via https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/ or by calling 0800 100 900.

Residents can access links to new job opportunities and online adult education training by visiting the WMCA’s Covid-19 support site at https://beta.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/covid-19-support/online-resources/

Construction, Midlands News, News

Forces veterans build successful careers in construction with Vistry Group

Ex-forces personnel enjoying successful careers in construction with Vistry East Midlands are encouraging others with a military background to consider joining the industry.

As the UK celebrates Armed Forces Week (Monday 22 to Sunday 28 June), Vistry Group announced it has signed the BuildForce Veteran Alliance Charter, strengthening its support for ex-military personnel looking to transfer their skills and experience into the construction sector.

Vistry Group – whose housebuilding arm comprises Linden Homes and Bovis Homes – employs around 100 former service men and women across the country.

Several of Vistry’s ex-forces employees work for the company’s East Midlands division, which is based in Peterborough.

Among them is 40-year-old assistant site manager Kieron Pittore, who currently works at Linden Homes’ Kingsley Place development in Barnack, near Stamford.

Kieron, who was previously a Royal Engineer at RAF Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire, said: “For those who leave the military, it can be challenging to hold down a solid job, as it’s often difficult to adjust from an adventurous and active working style to a new role.

“But there are huge similarities between the armed forces and the construction industry, one of which is just how much your day-to-day job can vary. I’ve found the vast variety of tasks I have to complete throughout my working day really helps to keep me engaged, just like in my previous job.

“With every day working on site, I learn something new. My past work has helped me to pick up carpentry and plumbing knowledge, which I’m sometimes able to apply during my work on site too.

“I view my working day at Kingsley Place as a team effort from my time in the Army, and I’m not going anywhere without my team. We all work very hard to provide homes of the highest standard.

“This industry really benefits from military personnel – they have great discipline and high standards – and I really think there’s a job for everyone.”

Kev Frances, a 58-year-old site manager from Cambridge, joined the military in 1989 as an internationally based Pioneer, and has been working at Linden Homes’ Brampton Park development in Brampton for the past four years.

After leaving the army, Kev joined the construction industry as a carpenter and has worked his way up through the ranks, securing 11 prestigious Pride in the Job Quality Awards and two Seal of Excellence awards from the National House Building Council (NHBC) in recognition of his work.

Kev said: “The construction and sales team at Brampton Park are like a big family, just like it was in the Army.

“Military employees are trained to be well-disciplined and organised forward-thinkers with great planning skills. We’re also taught to take orders and to perform to the best of our abilities, which is exactly what I believe has helped me to be successful within this industry.”

Rob Spittles, 47, is the Production Director for Vistry East Midlands, and is based at the company’s regional office in Peterborough.

He was employed by the RAF as a Combat Engineer as a 16-year-old and was promoted to Royal Engineer before he left at the age of 28 to pursue a career in construction.

Rob said: “I started out in the construction industry as an assistant site manager when I left the Royal Air Force, and I’ve worked my way up through the ranks since.

“The military taught me resilience, interpersonal skills, man management, communication skills, and how to keep a calm head in stressful situations. These skills have really helped me to achieve a successful career working for a very well-regarded builder.

“Since Linden Homes and Bovis Homes became part of Vistry Group earlier this year, it has presented an array of career opportunities in all different locations across the East Midlands. I would encourage those from a military background looking for a new career to consider this industry, as I believe it is an excellent path to take for those with a military skillset.”

For more information about careers with Vistry East Midlands, visit vistrygroup.co.uk.