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SPS wins staff training deal with Brother UK

Education

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07/03/2018

SPS wins staff training deal with Brother UK

A Salford firm has struck a deal with Brother UK to become a preferred training provider for senior members of the technology company’s 200-strong workforce.

The agreement is with Salford Professional Development and will see Brother UK staff take part in a variety of programmes and courses for managers and leaders.

They will be run by SPD’s executive education division and will cover areas such as such as leadership development, responsibilities of directorship, coaching and mentoring, project management, public speaking, contract negotiation, business law and finance.

SPD also offers a course leading to a Certificate in Executive Business Administration, and runs programmes for the Institute of Directors and the Chartered Management Institute.

Under the agreement with Brother UK, SPD will provide training for staff from junior manager to director level, encompassing departments such as sales, marketing, operations and finance.

Brother UK, which sells printers, scanners and labelling machines, has its headquarters in Audenshaw, Tameside, and has annual revenues of more than £110m.

Linda Willows, the head of legal and business management at Brother UK and its learning and development officer, said: “We want people at their best as fast as possible so they get more out of their jobs and make a bigger contribution to the business.

“This is partly achieved through training, and SPD will be my first port of call when we are looking at strategic and managerial programmes and courses for staff who currently occupy senior positions and those who will do so in the future.

“We also link the training to other aspects of our operations, such as appraisals, promotions and talent mapping, so we get the right person on the right seat on the right bus.”

Phil Whitman, director of executive education, said: “We’re delighted to be appointed as the preferred supplier to Brother UK. It’s a tremendous brand and company and we understand the business and its aspirations.

“This appointment shows the success we are seeing for our executive education division and opportunities and benefits we can offer companies and organisations.”

SPD established its executive education division in 2016 to provide training for leaders and managers in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

The division has delivered or booked £1.3m of training so far in this financial year, which runs to July 31.

It is on track to achieve revenues of £2m for the full 12 months, which will catapult it into the top 10 UK higher education institutions offering executive education by income, said Mr Whitman.

SPD, which is a subsidiary of the University of Salford, posted turnover of £4.87m for the year to July 31, an increase of 31 per cent, boosted by more than £1m of revenues for the executive education division.

Academics and experts from the IoD, the University of Salford Business School and other organisations provide the training provided by the business and all of its profits are ploughed back into the university.

iwoca pledges £100m for small businesses in the Northern Powerhouse

Blog

Sam Whitear

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07/03/2018

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iwoca pledges £100m for small businesses in the Northern Powerhouse

iwoca, one of Europe’s largest small business lenders, is pledging to lend £100 million to micro and small businesses in the North of England by 2020. The alternative finance provider is making the pledge in response to the withdrawal of credit facilities for small businesses by the UK’s banks, which has been most acute in the North.

According to data collected by UK Finance, the value of lending (loans and overdrafts) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the North of England has contracted by 14.3%, compared with the national average of 9.5%, over the past three years. The North West is the worst affected region, suffering a contraction of 15.3% in three years.

In Manchester the contraction has been even more dramatic, declining 22.8% over the period, which is twice the contraction experienced by London at 11.4%, also according to UK Finance. Business confidence in the North West now stands at -17%, in contrast to London at +13%, according to the FSB’s Voice of Small Business Index.

In contrast, iwoca’s support for small businesses in the North of England has seen its lending grow 89% per year over the past three years. In Manchester it has grown 65% per year over the same three-year period. Of the £100 million pledge that iwoca is announcing, £15 million is for Manchester alone.

With 45,000 transactions since its launch in 2012, iwoca is one of the fastest growing business credit providers in Europe. iwoca has issued over £350 million to more than 15,000 businesses across the UK, Poland, and Germany.

Christoph Rieche, Co-founder and CEO of iwoca, said: “Micro businesses are the powerhouse of the UK’s economy. Even though they employ less than 10 people, they account for 96% of the UK’s 5.5 million businesses, 1-in-3 private sector jobs and 20% of all economic output. While these businesses have been feeling the pinch, large corporations and consumers have enjoyed record high levels of access to capital. In light of the continued lack of action by the banks to increase access to finance for this sector of the economy, iwoca is pledging to lend £100 million in the North of England by 2020.”

Mr. Rieche continued: “The banks claim that small businesses are simply not interested in credit products. In reality, the banks discourage these businesses from taking finance through lengthy and cumbersome application forms, and rigid and unfair lending criteria. iwoca understands the needs of small businesses. That’s why our applications are simple and straightforward, and we have built technology to make faster and fairer lending decisions, breaking the barriers small businesses face to accessing finance.”

Logistics and fleet specialist named Entrepreneur of the Year

Sam Whitear

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07/03/2018

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Logistics and fleet specialist named Entrepreneur of the Year

Paul Jorgensen, a man who launched a company that works with fleet managers, logistics firms and businesses with teams out on the road to ensure their safety, has been named Entrepreneur of the Year at the Greater Manchester Business Awards 2018.

Judges praised Paul for ‘exercising initiative by organising a venture to take benefit of an opportunity’ and recognised him as ‘a risk taker who monitors and controls the business activities’.

Paul founded Strategic Analytics Team (SAT), a boutique logistics management consultancy helping companies improve their operational performance through analytics, technology and training courses, in 2016 after more than 25 years of experience in the logistics sector working with big brands such as DHL and Shell in countries all over the world. He decided to set up SAT after recognising that many companies were unable to link elements such as analytics, technology and people development together, particularly SMEs or organisations working in more challenging environments.

Since then, the company has launched the world’s first IVV Diamond-accredited defensive driver education programme specifically for electric vehicles, formed partnerships with Australian technology company JESI Management Solutions and UK firm Trakm8, to deliver products such as telematics, route optimisation and journey management software to its clients.

In the last 12 months alone, Paul has been the driving force in taking Strategic Analytics Team to the next level, winning training contracts with Shell, Agility and the British Council, and remarkably setting up a logistics training Centre of Excellence in Basra, Iraq. He has also secured a slot to deliver a key note speech at this year’s Multimodal exhibition – the go-to event for the transport and logistics sector – on the subject of ‘Driving for work: legal pitfalls, consequences and things to consider on the road’.

Strategic Analytics Team, was also a finalist in the Business of the Year (between 10 and 50 employees) category and, when judges found choosing the eventual winner a close call, they presented the company with a special recognition award.

Paul said: “Being named as Entrepreneur of the Year has left me feeling humbled. To know that this award has been decided on by a panel of independent judges – my peers – makes me feel incredibly proud.

“To then have Strategic Analytics Team recognised with a special recognition award for the work we have done as a team was a very welcome, added bonus. We are at the cutting edge of technological developments in the logistics industry and this award shows how far we have come since winning the Start Up Business of the Year category last year.”

Castlefield entrepreneur inspires young Mancunians as Prince’s Trust Speaker

Education

Sam Whitear

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07/03/2018

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Castlefield entrepreneur inspires young Mancunians as Prince’s Trust Speaker

A Manchester-based entrepreneur has pledged to help young people get started in business through his new role as an Inspirational Speaker for The Prince’s Trust.

Twelve years ago, Jamie Boyd, who lives in Castlefield, experienced a knee injury at the age of 24 that put an end to a promising career as a professional rugby player. Faced with the stark reality of finding a new calling, but with no money in the bank to start afresh, there was one organisation who offered him a lifeline: The Prince’s Trust.

A youth charity founded by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales in 1976 – with a mission to help people aged 11 to 30 get jobs, education and training – The Prince’s Trust loaned Jamie £3,000 to get his same day courier business, Today Team, off the ground.

Fast forward to today, and Jamie’s business has a seven-figure annual turnover and a first-class reputation across the North West, with a number of customers based across Manchester city centre and Trafford Park.

“It was Henry Ford who said: ‘Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right’,” explains Jamie, who is also a member of the BNI Alchemy business chapter based at Didsbury.

“I am a big believer in the power of inspiring words, so I was delighted to accept the Trust’s kind invitation to speak to young people on the first day of each new business course.”

Jamie’s talk, delivered to a number of young people from across Greater Manchester at MadLab on Edge Street, is a ‘warts and all’ account of the highs and lows of being self-employed, as well as an insight into what motivates him.

Accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation and concluding with a Q&A session, the talk has been roundly praised by executives and volunteers at The Trust.

Melanie Hannam, Programme Executive (Enterprise and Awards), said: “Jamie provided a genuinely passionate presentation – sharing his best practices. Young people attending the course engaged really positively with his talk – enjoying a realistic and relatable story, with lots of questions to finish. We are looking forward to working with Jamie again in the near future; he is an absolute delight.”

Paul Lewis, a manager at The Prince’s Trust, added: “It’s brilliant to see young people empower their peers through their expertise, as often they are more knowledgeable than they give themselves credit for. We’re fortunate to have Jamie give his time to the Enterprise Programme; thank you Mr Boyd”

Looking ahead to future rounds of the Programme, Jamie said: “If I can help young people get started in life, then I’m all for it. I was incredibly fortunate to have a helping hand from the Trust when all other doors had been closed to me; repaying that debt of gratitude in some small way is the least I can do.”

75 celebrate two decades with Champion Accountants

Blog

Sam Whitear

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07/03/2018

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75 celebrate two decades with Champion Accountants

Champion Accountants’ Manchester office is celebrating more than 20 years’ of providing expert accountancy and business advisory support to 75 of its longest standing clients.

The accountancy group, which also has offices in Preston, Blackpool and Chester has impressive client retention rates and is celebrating decades of partnerships with clients, some of which span several generations.

One 20-year relationship is with Hyde-based Lynx IDG. During Champion’s partnership with the UK’s leading optical interior design and fit out specialist, the Manchester office has assisted the business by suggesting and managing a complete restructure that allowed it to move forward from a period of uncertainty to a strong, market-leading position.

Mark Fantom, managing director at Lynx IDG, said: “Champion has always assisted us with offering up new ideas and different ways of working. In my opinion they are the best around and always have our best interests at heart. Not many accountancy practices can claim that. With great service and a personal touch, Champion Accountants has helped us immensely over the years.”

Another client celebrating a 28-year relationship with the Manchester practice is Francis House. The Manchester-based hospice provides respite and end of life care for children and young adults with life limiting illnesses, and support for their families. Champion Accountants was appointed to represent Francis House Family Trust when it was established in 1990 and has since provided ongoing accounts, payroll and IT services and advice.

Rev. David Ireland, CEO of Francis House Family Trust, said: “Champion’s managing partner, Ged Cosgrove, took a personal interest in the work at Francis House and still does to this day. His passion for the charity coupled with professional advice has helped us to grow and this has been reflected in the excellent attitude of the staff who work on the Francis House accounts.”

Champion Accountants has also worked with the Sharland Charitable Foundation for more than a decade. The organisation, which supports children and adults with autism, came on board through a third-party recommendation.

While working together, Champion has provided the charity with access to a range of services and valuable specialist advice, including payroll, tax, accounts and audits, legal, loans/mortgages, fundraising and insurance. Most recently, Champion provided specialist HR and wealth management advice on investing charity funds arising from the sale of a property.

Alison Sharland, a trustee at the charity, said: “Champion has continued to play a vital role in supporting any changes and developments that have taken place with the charity and a good working relationship has been established and maintained over many years.

“They have provided the trustees of the charity with crucial advice and support at key points in our development. The services and support they provide are always of the highest quality.”

Ged Cosgrove, group managing partner at Champion Accountants, added: “Our long standing clients are testament to the relationships that our team work so hard to build and maintain. Part of our ongoing vision is to continue evolving, growing and embracing new technology, and this exact ethos is what we instil into all our clients to ensure they’ve the greatest success from start-up to sale.”

Pensionhelp appoints Rory Percival as non-executive director

Blog

Sam Whitear

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07/03/2018

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Pensionhelp appoints Rory Percival as non-executive director

Manchester-based Pensionhelp Ltd is pleased to announce the appointment of Rory Percival as a non-executive director with immediate effect.

The appointment has been made to provide additional expertise to the Board.

Rory Percival was ‘the face of the FCA’ to advisory firms for many years. He worked at the regulator for 10 years and was involved with many high-profile projects such as risk profiling, centralised investment propositions, the RDR, research and due diligence, and the assessing suitability review as well as speaking regularly at conferences.

Prior to joining the regulator Rory worked in the advisory for sector for 20 years mainly in compliance and training roles. He has Chartered Financial Planner status. In November 2016 he launched his own firm – Rory Percival Training and Consultancy Ltd to help support professionalism in the advisory sector. He is also a member of the Personal Finance Society Board.

Rory Percival said: “I am very happy that Pensionhelp invited me to join the Board. It is a comparatively young firm with an interesting proposition. I look forward to working with the firm in the coming months and years.”

Mark Wilson, Managing Director of Pensionhelp said: “On behalf of the Board at Pensionhelp, I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to secure the services of Rory in this position. He will bring significant knowledge and experience to the Board. He is the ‘go to’ person in the sector we operate, and I am looking forward to his contribution in our strategic vision.”

Recruitment partnership seeks young people for training opportunities

Blog

Sam Whitear

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06/03/2018

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Recruitment partnership seeks young people for training opportunities

The UK’s largest privately owned contractor, Bolton-based Seddon, is looking for 15 new trainees this Wednesday 7 March to take part in the latest round of its recruitment partnership.

The sector-based work academy (SBWA) scheme is run by the company in conjunction with Jobcentre Plus and Salford City College as part of a drive to deliver on-site training and career support to unemployed young people across the UK.

Successful applicants take part in a two-week training course and work experience placement are guaranteed a job interview with the company at the end of the process.

Now in its fifth year, the award-winning initiative has so far trained 45 candidates, with 5 going on to secure full-time employment at the company and other candidates offered additional support via Jobcentre Plus and Salford College to move into work in their chosen career.

This year applicants aged between 16 and 25 are invited to attend Salford City College, Worsley Campus on the 7^th March 2018 at 13.00 or speak their Jobcentre Plus Work Coach.

Kat Healey, Training Manager at Seddon, said: “The sector-based work academy is one of our most successful training initiatives and offers young people in the community a real chance to get back into employment and potentially into a career in construction.

“As a company we believe strongly in investing in talent and providing the next generation with the skills they need to succeed.”

Suzanne Cross, Employer Resource Manager at Jobcentre Plus, said: We have built a great relationship with Seddon by working closely with them to support their recruitment needs, and have been able to support customers into their chosen career. As a company, Seddon have shown flexibility in their recruitment methods and made adjustments to enable our customers to apply. This initiative is well received by employers, staff and customers and has proved to be a winner”.

Allan Milne, head of apprenticeships and business development at Salford City College, added: “We work in partnership with Seddon on a number of training schemes that have given large numbers of young people the chance to develop their careers and wider skill sets.

“The sector-based work academy goes from strength to strength each year and we look forward to working with the next cohort to help them achieve their goals.”

Allan Milne, head of apprenticeships and business development at Salford City College, added: “We work in partnership with Seddon on a number of training schemes that have given large numbers of young people the chance to develop their careers and wider skill sets.

“The sector-based work academy goes from strength to strength each year and we look forward to working with the next cohort to help them achieve their goals.”

British manufacturers help Manchester Airport take off

Transport

Sam Whitear

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05/03/2018

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British manufacturers help Manchester Airport take off

British manufacturers have been instrumental in helping Manchester Airport stay open through the winter by coming together to install an airplane de-icer system.

The fluid storage and processing system, created for Airline Services Handling LTD, had assistance from three British manufacturers.

The de-icer containers were supplied by Tuffa Tanks, which provided seven 15,000-litre capacity portable units. Two de-icing rigs were also provided to the airport by Northern Ireland firm, Mallaghan – A manufacturer of airport ground support equipment.

Nigel Daniel, Managing Director of Airline Services Handling LTD, praised these organisations coming together while promoting the provider of the de-icer itself:

“It was great to see all British manufactured products from Tuffa and Mallaghan being used on this project, together with de-icing fluid manufactured in the UK by the Haltwhistle based Chemical manufacturer, Kilfrost,”.

The de-icer system is a safety-critical measure which is vital for the safe operation of aircraft. The new layout of the tanks and plant has enabled the airport to meet demands for travel due to the rapid expansion of flights out of Manchester.

Located at Terminal Two but portable to reach other parts of the airport, the tanks are lightweight – requiring just a forklift truck to be manoeuvred. Housed in an integrated frame, they can be attached directly to fill the de-icing rigs providing there is a suitable concrete base. This has led to the new system being described as a “plug-in and play operation”.

The tanks can be easily drained and transported to another location, making them an ideal choice for multi-site ground crew operators.

The seven de-icer tanks were manufactured in polyethylene – a substance known for its prolonged usage and durability as well as its compatibility with de-icer chemicals.

During the manufacturing process, the tanks are baked in a large oven and cooled. They are then bunded, with the outer ‘bund’ having a minimum 110% capacity of the inner tank. As a result, this extra safety measure helps prevent over-filling and spillage, as well as offering clean, pollution-free storage, and meeting all legal requirements for secondary containment.

A moulded plastic cabinet is also added to the front to contain all the pumps, gauges and dispensing equipment. The result is a bespoke system suitable for the demands of Manchester Airport.

Tuffa Tanks UK General Manager, James Shenton said: “The aviation industry has specific requirements in terms of the grades of material required to store de-icer fluid, the bulk storage capacities required and the mixing and dispensing to the ground crew de-icer rigs. At Tuffa, we have many years’ experience of this type of project and have an expert, specialist team in the design, production and supply of de-icer tanks to airports.”

Manchester Lawyer wins Inspirational Woman of the Year

Awards

Sam Whitear

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05/03/2018

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Manchester Lawyer wins Inspirational Woman of the Year

Ros Bever, family law expert and National Head of Family at leading national law firm Irwin Mitchell Private Wealth, has been awarded bronze for ‘Inspirational Woman of the Year’ at the Citywealth Powerwomen Awards.

The awards took place at the Rosewood Hotel in London, recognising several women in the financial and legal sectors for their achievements.

Ros’ award win follows her recent inclusion on Citywealth’s Powerwomen Top 50 list, which includes women from the legal and financial sectors. One of only four lawyers named outside of London, Ros is the only woman from Manchester to make the list.

Ros said of the award: “It’s fantastic to have received this award so soon after being included on Citywealth’s Top 50. I’m absolutely thrilled to be recognised for the excellent work our team is doing on behalf of our clients.”

Speaking about her recent inclusion on Citywealth’s Top 50, Ros also said: “I was born and raised in Manchester, so being from here is a big part of my identity both personally and professionally. I’m proud to be flying the flag for family law outside of the capital.

“Though I love working with my clients in London, the Powerwomen list shows that you don’t have to go to the capital to find great lawyers who are working on some of the very best and cutting-edge cases.”

Northcoders launches The Developer Pathway: the revolutionary route into the tech industry

Blog

Sam Whitear

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05/03/2018

0

Northcoders launches The Developer Pathway: the revolutionary route into the tech industry

Manchester headquartered Northcoders – the coding bootcamp for the North – is fundamentally changing the way that people can enter the tech sector by launching its brand new Developer Pathway programme.

This unique teaching innovation promotes a fundamentally different, bespoke and compassionate way of learning. It is uniquely personal and ensures that student software developers graduate with the skills to find work that have been learned at a pace that’s right for them.

The Developer Pathway is different. Unlike other courses it is divided into six two-week blocks. At the end of each block, if a student is ready, they’ll move straight onto the next block. But this is where The Developer Pathway is unique: if a person needs more time to consolidate their skills, they have the opportunity to repeat the block immediately at no extra cost.

Northcoders believes that learning in this way will allow students to progress at their natural pace – whether that takes 12, 14 or 16 weeks.

Northcoders has gained a unique insight into the entry standards required by companies across a wide-range of sectors and at different stages of their maturity, from start-up to enterprise, and Developer Pathway is designed to guarantee that each student meets those standards on graduation.

Students on The Developer Pathway course will also work with Northcoders’ in-house team of career development experts who provide support that is tailored to individual ambitions. Their priority is to find every person the right job via their extensive network of Northern tech employers.

James Brooke – co-founder of Northcoders – said: “The launch of The Developer Pathway is a game changer for us as a business but also for the wider tech industry. It is a truly innovative teaching model that will ensure that all students graduate with absolute confidence in their own skills. That is so important to us as we know that everybody learns differently and there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’. It was conceived by exploring our brand values, and what they implied we should change to give the best possible experience for every student who comes on our course.”

James added: We want every new software developer who comes to Northcoders to thrive and to follow the pathway that is right for them. It’s not just about finding a job, it’s about being in the best possible position to not just find work but to fly in their new career.”

Northcoders recently expanded into Federation House. It offers courses that are designed to satisfy the increasing demand for developers across various industries and sectors in the North of England.

The courses aim to give graduates the opportunity to learn coding to an industry-standard level and to ensure they have skills, initiative and attitude well beyond what is usually expected for an entry-level software developer.

To date, seven cohorts – with a total of 129 students – have graduated. The business employs 19 full-time members of staff. Northcoders offers an industry-led curriculum, which is constantly in review against its hiring partners’ needs. Hiring partners include ThoughtWorks, Barclays, Apadmi and MoneySupermarket.

Applications for the first Developer Pathway courses, which start on March 19^th, April 3^rd, April 16^th, April 30^th, May 14^th, May 29^th and June 11^th are now open.

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