Featured News
Second phase of Business Ready will build on success
The £1 million second phase of a major business support programme for small and medium sized companies in Coventry and Warwickshire has been launched. 
Business Ready, run by University of Warwick Science Park and funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Warwickshire County Council as part of the CW Business: Start, Grow & Scale Programme, will help tech-based SME firms across the area which have ambitions to grow and scale.
The first three-year phase of Business Ready proved a major success as it had a positive impact on the companies and thereby helped the wider economy.
Over 70 jobs were created through the direct support of Business Ready, with the potential for more to follow, and clients were assisted to raise £3.3 million in external funding, as 107 businesses were supported during the first phase.
The new phase of Business Ready has similarly ambitious targets, which were outlined at an event to welcome the programme’s Growth Specialists who have a range of experience in a variety of fields.
It supports established businesses as well as start-up companies, helping them overcome barriers to realise their potential for growth – from tapping into the right markets through to accessing sources of finance.
In addition to Business Ready’s own advisers a selection of Growth Specialists can be assigned to an SME business to provide practical support.
Ian McFarlane-Toms, Business Ready Programme Manager at the University of Warwick Science Park, said: “The first phase of Business Ready was a great success and we are now looking forward to supporting many more companies across the Coventry and Warwickshire area.
“The way we tailor our support, and the Growth Specialists we assign to an SME business, means they get help that really does work for them and we typically provide this support over a long period of time.
“Over the past two or three years, we’ve helped companies to access grant-funding, grow and scale, and recruit the right talent.
“In one case, for a small organisation, we facilitated the placement of internships that led to the development of a brand new product that the company is hoping to take to market very soon.
“So I would urge companies across the region to look into how they can be supported through Business Ready because it can make a very real and tangible difference to their ambitions for growth.”
Dirk Schaefer, Business Ready Growth Adviser from the University of Warwick Science Park, said: “The range of companies we work with is very broad. Between our internal adviser team and external growth specialists we have expertise in wide variety of sectors and business functions so that businesses can quickly benefit from our support.”
Business Ready is one of a number of support programmes for businesses managed by Warwickshire County Council and the County Council is the lead applicant for the ERDF money.
Leader of Warwickshire County Council and portfolio holder for economic development, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, said: “Warwickshire has a strong economy and a key factor underpinning this is the success of our many small companies, particularly in the high tech field.
“Warwickshire is fast becoming a centre for the tech industry with many small companies, like those supported by Business Ready, flourishing across the sector. This has not happened by accident, though, and working with the likes of Business Ready has helped smaller companies through the potentially difficult period of start-up or expansion.
“We’re pleased to be supporting this very promising upward trend in tech industries in Warwickshire. It is not only strengthening the local economy but also ensuring that the county can offer rewarding career opportunities for residents and those that choose to make the county their home.” For more information on Business Ready and the help available go to http://www.business-ready.co.uk/
Hundreds of businesses better prepared for Brexit thanks to campaign
"I know how busy people are but I am not talking about taking a couple of weeks out to build a whole new business plan. Just half-an-hour spent going through our Brexit checklist would do the trick."
A campaign to stress the urgency of businesses preparing for life after Brexit has met with great success with more than 400 businesses advancing their plans in the last two weeks.
An ongoing telemarketing campaign targeted 800 businesses in its first two weeks and over half of those responded by seeking further information and support.
The campaign, delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub and the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and backed by Warwickshire County Council, is part of a multi-agency effort to urge businesses to become as informed as possible about potential issues.
With so much uncertainty around and 'Brexit Fatigue' also a factor, local partners are taking a co-ordinated approach to streamline and clarify the support they offer.
The County Council, Growth Hub, Chamber of Commerce, Coventry City Council and the Federation of Small Businesses are working together to deliver a range of advice, supported by an £85,000 grant from the Government's Brexit Preparation Fund.
It could not be easier for businesses to learn about factors that could affect them after Brexit by consulting a simple but comprehensive check-list on line.
A series of 'meet the experts' workshops, tailored to cover different aspects of Brexit, has been arranged while an extensive social media campaign, as well as the telemarketing, is also ongoing.
Warwickshire County Council's assistant director for communities David Ayton-Hill said: "It is very encouraging that more than 400 businesses started to seriously consider life after Brexit in direct response to the campaign.
"The uncertainty surrounding Brexit has been and remains difficult for the business world. Like everybody else, we, as a council, and our partner organisations, can only wait and see what the future holds, so we cannot give definitive advice. But we are doing everything we can to make businesses aware of the issues they may face.
"It appears that some businesses have decided to just wait and see what happens. I would strongly advise not to do that, but to instead become as well-informed as possible about the potential ramifications of Brexit.
"I know how busy people are but I am not talking about taking a couple of weeks out to build a whole new business plan. Just half-an-hour spent going through our Brexit checklist would do the trick. It will help identify the key issues that are pertinent to their company, thereby enabling them to focus their thinking and access information and support that is most relevant to them, for example which workshop or event will be most of use."
"It is surely worthwhile to invest that small amount of time in looking at information which could save a lot of time, effort and money in the longer term."
For comprehensive advice around Brexit please visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/brexit
To go directly to the Brexit check-list please visit: https://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk/sites/default/files/Brexit%20checklist%202019%20from%20CWCC.pdf
New base in Nuneaton will address rail sector skill shortage
Record levels of capital investment have fuelled growth in the UK rail industry which is clearly very welcome news - but the reality of delivering the UK’s multi-billion-pound railway upgrade plan has sparked a skills shortage.
To address this issue, Warwickshire County Council has been working with Trackwork, one of the UK’s leading providers of construction and engineering services for the rail network, to facilitate valuable training in this sector.
Rob Parkin, Training Manager at Trackwork takes up the story:
“Six months ago we were approached by one of our partner employers asking if we could set up training facilities to train new rail engineers from Warwickshire. This was due to a skills gap in this sector. We contacted the local job centres to introduce the rail training services we offer, and to try to attract interest from local people who are unemployed and looking to enter this growing sector.
"We had an excellent uptake of interest from people looking for work in Nuneaton, so we decided to choose Nuneaton as the location for our training delivery centre.
“However, we struggled to find any suitable sites in the area. Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council referred us to Warwickshire County Council and we had an amazing response from the County Council’s Inward Investment Manager, Ian Flynn and the rest of the team. Without their support we would never have got started.
Rob continues: “We were introduced to contacts at Nuneaton College who were more than happy to be involved and resolve our problem by providing us with the space for our portacabins and test track on the Nuneaton campus, as well as equipment to facilitate training. We have now established our training centre and are delivering Rail Engineering qualifications, including · NVQ Level 2 in Railway Engineering, to our first cohort of learners. They are all being sponsored by our partner employer Ballycommon Rail Services. We expect to train and support more than 70 learners into employment over the coming 12 months.”
“We are so grateful to Ian and the team at Warwickshire County Council for all their assistance, as without it, I don’t think this venture would have progressed.”
Warwickshire is home to rail design and manufacturing companies such as Transport Design International and battery train pioneer Vivarail, and an engineering supply chain that works across automotive, aero and rail. Also based in Warwickshire is Quinton Rail Technology Centre, the UK’s largest independent rail test and development facility, as well as rail leasing company Porterbrook. Meanwhile the University of Warwick is a leader in the development of Very Light Rail Technologies, which is accelerating the transfer of automotive technologies into rail.
The County Council has been working with local partners in Coventry and Warwickshire and regional partners such as Midlands Engine and DIT to promote this UK investment opportunity to potential inward investors and the local supply chain in advanced manufacturing and engineering.
Leader of Warwickshire County Council, Cllr Izzi Seccombe said: "The rail industry is seeing unprecedented investment in the rail network across the UK - in excess of £200bn over the next 15-20 years. We are delighted to have played a part in facilitating this new training facility at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, which has the potential to grow the local rail skills supply, and help unemployed residents looking to work in this growing industry."
Lisa is scenting the sweet smell of success
“Financial planning was one of the most challenging aspects of setting up my own business but my mentor gave me advice – it gave me confidence."
A North Warwickshire business is enjoying the sweet smell of success after making the most of a business start-up programme.
Lisa Organ, from Atherstone, launched Lisa’s Sweet Treats as a full-time business earlier this year after giving up her job as a Project Manager at a technology company.
And the company, which provides sweet-carts for weddings and corporate occasions, has been ‘sweetening the experience’ for individuals and businesses who want to bring added flavour to their events.
It was launched with the support of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s start-up team thanks to a project part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
It forms part of the CW Business: Start, Grow and Scale Programme, which is also funded by Warwickshire County Council and the district and borough councils.
Lisa said: “I’d always wanted to be my own boss and I had been weighing up the idea of corporate sweets business for a while. The more I looked into it, the more convinced I was that there was a gap in the market and that’s when I decided I wanted to pursue the idea more seriously.”
Lisa’s path towards her ambition began in December 2018 when she launched the business on a part-time basis. Increasing demand for branded sweets at a range of events soon convinced her that she was ready to take the company full time – she just needed a nudge in the right direction.
Lisa said: “I was always confident about my business case but I was also a little bit nervous about fully committing to the idea.
“I searched online to find out more about the help and assistance that was available to start-ups in Coventry and Warwickshire and came across the Chamber of Commerce.”
Through the Chamber’s Business Start-Up programme, Lisa was given advice and guidance on a range of aspects involved in setting up a company full-time. She also received one-to-one mentoring from a Business Advisor who provided support on sourcing and securing financial assistance.
“Financial planning was one of the most challenging aspects of setting up my own business but luckily my mentor gave me advice on planning – it gave me confidence in the early stages,” said Lisa.
“There are pressures that come with having your own company but the sense of personal fulfilment is second to none.”
Since going full-time, Lisa’s Sweet Treats has gone from strength to strength.
“I’m working with a well-known hotel chain and enquiries are starting to pour in. I’ve been able to expand the range of products on offer and I’ve also established an online presence. It’s a really exciting time for the business and I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Keely Hancox, Operations Manager at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are thrilled to see Lisa’s business really taking off.
“It’s a great example of someone who wanted to launch their own company and had a great idea for a business, but just need some advice and support around the day-to-day running of your own firm.
“That’s where we have been able to help and we look forward to watching Lisa’s Sweet Treats flourish.”
* This project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, forming part of the CW Business: Start,Grow and Scale Programme.’’
Steph's advice points Shipston business on productive path
"We are delighted with the support we have received from the county council’s Business Support Programme and would recommend that any company, particularly small enterprises such as ourselves, take their advice if they are thinking of expanding.”
A Shipston landscaping and grounds maintenance business has invested in a recycling facility to turn customers green waste into organic compost.
Thomas Fox Landscaping, a family-run business, carries out a range of commercial contracts and domestic gardening and landscaping jobs throughout Warwickshire and the surrounding areas.
Every day it processes around five tonnes of green waste which is brought back to site - and this presented the company with a problem. Most of the waste is taken to the local recycling centres which was a time-consuming process - and not particularly green.
Thomas, the owner, wanted to make the waste disposal process eco-friendlier and identified that this could be achieved by investing in a large industrial shredder and creating a facility to produce organic compost onsite. This new product can be sold in large quantities for commercial purposes and bagged up for smaller jobs.
Thomas contacted Warwickshire County Council’s Business Support team for help with access to finance to support the investment.
Steph Williams, Warwickshire County Council’s business advisor, steered the business towards the council’s Small Capital Grant Programme and a grant of £12,484.20 was awarded to the business to set-up the facility.
The investment will create two new additional jobs and the company has created its first product and is now looking into providing an additional service to collect green waste from local businesses, such as florists, who produce large quantities of waste daily.
Thomas Fox paid tribute to Steph Williams for her input. He said: “We were very grateful to the county council’s staff for helping us to decide which funding stream would be most appropriate and then in producing the application, keeping it on track and making sure that it met all the criteria.
“The funding has really created an opportunity for us to grow. We are delighted with the support we have received from the county council’s Business Support Programme and would recommend that any company, particularly small enterprises such as ourselves, take their advice if they are thinking of expanding.”
* The advice for the company was delivered as part of the “CW Business – Start, Grow and Scale” project, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund with further funding from Warwickshire County Council.
To find out more about the range of support available to grow your business, please contact the Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub on 0300 060 3747
Supportive Employers Forum gathers momentum
“We want to be involved in a long-term solution with a long-term strategy to support young people in the community with sustained employment."
The third Supportive Employers Forum, hosted by Hereward College, has seen Warwickshire move closer towards its target of placing 100 people with Special Educational Needs (SEND) in supported internships and other employment opportunities by September 2020.
A range of companies and training providers came together to forge links with the aim of providing internships and valuable work experience to learners at Warwickshire’s special schools and colleges.
The Supportive Employers Inc forum is a partnership between Warwickshire County Council (WCC) and the Careers and Enterprise Company in Coventry and Warwickshire (CEC) which aims to bring businesses together to share ideas and best practice on providing supported internships to people with SEND.
Among the delegates was Maxine Wheeler, the Apprenticeship and Work Experience Manager with George Eliot Hospital, who outlined how far the trust’s ambition to take on up to 12 interns has come.
The trust currently has four interns with SEND, aged between 16 and 24, on a nine-week placement. It is hoped that these will lead into paid apprenticeships, leading to full-time employment.
Two of the interns are in the estates department while two are in the stores which Maxine described as being almost like an ‘Amazon-style warehouse’ which takes electronic orders to ensure wards have essential materials.
This is planned to be the first part of a three-year programme in which four interns are taken on each year. Maxine is looking at building relationships with local special colleges to ensure there are enough suitable candidates for the internships.
Maxine said: “We want to be involved in a long-term solution with a long-term strategy to support young people in the community with sustained employment. Being part of this supportive network is great and. as we move forward, we will look to make strong links with other partners in the trust as well.”
Other speakers included Kelly Westwood, group talent manager at MacDonald Hotels, and Paul Cook, Principal at Hereward College, who introduced delegates to the Premier Inn Training Complex. Sarah Tregaskis, of Warwickshire County Council, reported that Warwickshire now has 65 people with SEND in supported internships and Dave Lennox of the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub urged delegates to pledge support and to get them to look out for the next forum which will focus on interns themselves.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, leader of Warwickshire County Council said: “It is great to see that the Supportive Employer forum is gaining momentum and that more relationships are being forged. At this most recent event, an impromptu speed dating session saw several links made between special schools, colleges and businesses which we hope will bear more fruit.
“The next event, which interns themselves will be attending, promises to be amazing. I look forward to being part of the day and seeing these young people whose dedication and commitment are rewarding the hard work that went into establishing the internships.”
For further information, please contact faywinterburn@warwickshire.gov.uk
Warwickshire's wonderful produce in spotlight at Food and Drink Showcase
"Events like the Warwickshire Food & Drink Showcase really help businesses like ours in a myriad of ways."
Warwickshire’s small and emerging food and drink producers delighted members of the public and industry suppliers with their array of produce at the Warwickshire Food and Drink Showcase at Warwick racecourse.
Despite torrential rain, the event hosted by Warwickshire County Council was a great success as mouth-watering products were sampled - but, most importantly, deals were done and valuable connections made.
One local food producer, Auntie’s Sauces, secured its first trade deal at the event.
Shireen Dhaliwal, co-founder of Auntie's Sauces, says: "Events like the Warwickshire Food & Drink Showcase really help businesses like ours in a myriad of ways.
"Firstly, it puts us out in front of trades people who we wouldn't normally come across and local business people who are looking for slightly different food and drink that they can’t get from a regular wholesaler. Secondly, it's an excellent networking opportunity and provides great potential for collaboration with other local businesses."
Warwickshire-based Michelin-starred chef Adam Bennett of The Cross, Kenilworth, was one of the stars of the show and entertained the audience with cookery demos, useful tips and anecdotes alongside Lawrence Jeffries, the executive chef for Warwick and Cheltenham racecourses.
Adam said: “'It was a pleasure to attend the showcase and great to be able to connect with local suppliers and buyers in a relaxed atmosphere. There are so many great food and drink businesses in Warwickshire, but many of them don't have the opportunity to link up and share ideas as well potentially do business. The showcase is a great way to kick-start this kind of peer to peer support and I hope will be the start of something unique and positive for Warwickshire.”
A lively Q&A allowed food and drink producers to gain insights into recipes for success from Adam Bennett and Tara Mei, co-founder of Bread & Jam, an organisation which supports emerging businesses in the food industry. The discussion was compered by Neil Phillips, aka The Wine Tipster - professional wine and horseracing expert.
Tara spoke passionately about the importance of embracing consumers’ appetite for local produce, and the need to focus on specific target markets rather than trying to appeal to everyone. Adam Bennett emphasised the competitive edge that using local producers can give a business as it creates a story to share with customers, as he has found at The Cross.
Adam said: “We like to use local suppliers in our restaurant. We had a lady come into the restaurant one day saying that she grows salad just down the road. She had learnt horticulture as a child but then had got out of it and worked the majority of her career in an office. She had only picked it up again about six months before coming into the restaurant.
"I gave her a list of items I thought she’d be able to grow at her allotment and she leapt at the opportunity. For the past two years she has been growing some of the best fruit and veg I’ve had in 30 years working as a chef.
"The dish we have is called Millpeace Salad as her plot of land is called Millpeace and everything on that plate is gown there, 15 minutes down the road and picked that morning. This gives us great a story to tell our customers - they love that it’s from just down the road and it gets them talking about the restaurant. It’s something we’d like to do more of, from all around the county.”
Cllr Heather Timms, the County Council's portfolio holder for environment and heritage & culture, said: “The Warwickshire Food and Drink Showcase was a great event with lots of positive outcomes for many of our small local food and drink producers. It was our first showcase open both to the public and to buyers from the food and drink sector and we’re hoping it will be the first of many similar showcases the County Council hosts at different venues across Warwickshire.
"As a region we have an excellent range of suppliers of food and drink, including some real hidden gems and we want to bring them out into the open and make sure everyone is aware of them. We should be eating local, buying local and growing local!”
Region could lead the way in tackling employment land shortage
Coventry and Warwickshire could be a trailblazer to resolve the shortage of employment land and create a better balance of all types of employment provision.
The Coventry & Warwickshire Sub-Regional Employment Market Signals Study has been published following a 12-month high-level study into the latest trends and changes across the sub regional market.
The report points to the tremendous growth and success of the commercial property market in the sub region.
However, it also demonstrates that as a consequence of the success, commercial land prices and rents have risen to unprecedented high levels and created sectoral shortages.
Consultants BBP Regeneration and Hardisty Jones were commissioned to analyse and assess the market for employment land within the Coventry and Warwickshire sub-region.
One of the recommendations of the study is to adopt a similar approach which requires housebuilders to create affordable social housing as part of their developments – identifying a fixed level of “affordable” employment land.
Warwickshire County Council already makes a significant contribution to the provision of employment space across the county. The council's portfolio of business centres provide accessible, flexible and affordable premises for small Warwickshire businesses and the centres are constantly assessed and improved to ensure they deliver exactly what those businesses need.
Cllr Peter Butlin, of Warwickshire County Council and chair of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Planning & Housing Business Group, said an innovative approach was needed to resolve the dwindling amount of employment land and also to address the “affordability” of much of the land and property available.
He said: “This detailed report highlights a wide spectrum of possible interventions which could help prevent the shortage of flexible employment land becoming a real problem for start-ups and SMEs as well as attracting inward investors.
“This would have a detrimental effect on the local economy and our ability to meet the demand of future property requirements in Coventry and Warwickshire.
“The conclusions of the report lays down a challenge to the public sector if we want to have a balanced market which caters for all employment types and sectors.
“We could adopt a similar approach to social housing in the world of commercial land when local authorities and councils have a policy that requires that some types of scheme insert a condition that large-scale development on land they are selling must include a percentage of smaller units of less than 5,000 sq ft to make sites more accessible and encourage growth.”
Bill Blincoe, planning and development adviser at the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) and CWLEP Growth Hub, said this was the most comprehensive and up-to-date report carried out on Employment Market Intelligence in Coventry and Warwickshire - and it was vital it was acted upon.
“The CWLEP will be discussing the report with the leaders and senior management teams at the local authorities and district and borough councils to discuss follow up to the report and encourage partnership working,” he said.
“We have an acute shortage of premises particularly those available for SMEs which, if it continues the report warns that this, will hold back Coventry and Warwickshire’s economy in the future because we will not be developing a pipeline of growing companies to help drive our area forward.
“The CWLEP wants to broker a solution that may be seen by some as radical but there is a feeling we simply cannot continue with traditional models where we rely on market forces to determine all types of employment land provision, we want to be innovative and look at new ideas that can be implemented to help bring greater balance to provision.”
The report was commissioned jointly by Coventry City Council, North Warwickshire Borough Council, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council, Stratford-upon-Avon District Council and Warwick District Council along with Warwickshire County Council and the CWLEP.
To read the full report, please click on the following link: https://www.cwlep.com/key-publications
Talent initiative will nurture aspiring enterpreneurs
A new initiative has been launched to develop the next generation of business stars across Coventry and Warwickshire.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce has created a new membership package and programme aimed at aspiring professionals, entrepreneurs and learners to help them in their future careers.
Chamber Talent is a personal development programme, designed to help individuals unlock their potential and climb the ladder as one of the next generation of business stars in the region.
It gives upcoming professionals, entrepreneurs and learners the opportunity to join the extensive Coventry and Warwickshire community of business movers and shakers, and gain access to the people driving today’s organisations, while also developing their own skills through a dedicated series of workshops and events.
The Chamber Talent programme was developed in response to feedback that regional businesses need support in identifying and nurturing potential stars of the future.
Sean Rose, Chamber Talent Lead at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Chamber has a long history of helping companies in Coventry and Warwickshire to be successful, and a key part of that is ensuring there is a pipeline of skilled and inspired staff coming through.
“We created the Chamber Talent programme to help develop and nurture aspiring businesses influencers – and thereby also help the companies they work for and with.
“In many ways, the programme has also been shaped by how the Chamber has helped develop its own staff internally. We’ve got a strong track record of doing that and are now using that good practice to help our members and the wider business community.”
He added: “There’s a huge wealth of untapped learning that we can gain from the leaders of today’s business world and their experience. We want to help the business stars of tomorrow fulfil their potential and achieve their ambitions by bringing them together with influential regional stakeholders to explore the opportunities for future growth for everyone.
“We’ve designed the programme to offer practical advice and inspiration to Chamber Talent members – to give them the tools and the confidence to demonstrate their talent. This not only enhances their own profile, but also that of the wider regional economy.”
Chamber Talent membership will include a series of personal development workshops and special training courses, delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber Training, as well as opportunities for networking events during the year to meet peers and begin to build a sustainable business network.
Costing £99 per year, Chamber Talent membership is open to rising stars, who are working within SMEs or larger companies, running their own businesses or currently in education.
For more information about Chamber Talent membership, visit www.cw-chamber.co.uk or call 024 7665 4321.
Pictured (left to right): Megan Kaziow, Cheyenne Angliss, Sean Rose, Matthew Hammersley, Megan Snape, Sophie Webb (all Chamber)
Niki brings her passion for data to the Economy and Skills team
Warwickshire County Council’s Economy and Skills team has welcomed a new member with the appointment of Niki Takhar.
A graduate in Education, Culture and Childhood from the University of Sheffield, Niki has found herself drawn to two things since finishing her degree that have shaped her career to date; data and young people.
Working on two streams of work, both fields are playing a significant role in Niki’s working life. Part of the Employability and Skills team, she is coordinating the Active Inclusion Project. This works with Rethink Mental Health to support people with mental health conditions gain employment and also with the Youth Justice Service to improve their educational outcomes.
The second part of her role, as she is shared across the Economy and Skills team, sees her liaising with schools, colleges and training providers and linking them with businesses to address the skills shortages some enterprises might be faced with.
Her love of organised data means that she can find a training provider at the click of a mouse, once she has established what the needs are.
As Niki readily admits, young people and well-arranged data are not natural bedfellows. So what brought Niki to this point in her career?
Upon graduating, Niki took up a role at the University of Sheffield, just as the administration was looking to replace the system by which students communicated with their faculties. Niki liaised between students and departments to feed in students’ wish lists and make sure that the student systems such as systems for uploading assessments and timetable were fit for purpose.
That ticked the box both for working with young people and for sorting data to inform a decision. Niki was hooked.
Her next post saw her return to the Midlands to take up a post at the University of Warwick as an HR Administrator before moving to Warwick Business School as an Events Co-ordinator, signposting Undergraduates to career resources and helping those taking Masters Degrees with any career changes they might have been considering.
Again, it was Niki’s love of analysing detail to get to the best outcome that helped her make such an impression in the job and to solve problems almost effortlessly.
“I must admit, I do really like a spreadsheet," Niki said. "I even use them in my personal life where I draw up a list of restaurants and cross reference various criteria; type of food, location, rating of food etc so if any of my friends asks if there is a restaurant near where we are, I have a load of detail at my fingertips. I even have a spreadsheet of happy hours in bars; times, areas, what the deals are. As a fond lover of travelling, this could get out of hand, I know!”
Niki will be limiting her collection of data to Warwickshire and the surrounding local area and playing a key role in helping her clients.
“We're delighted to welcome Niki to the team, she has a great combination of talents and is already having a positive impact!” said her line manager Helen Hunt.
Careers Hubs in focus at economic conference
"The County Council is proud to support the new Careers Hub which will be working closely with our existing Skills for Employment programme."
Coventry and Warwickshire businesses will be given an insight into the role they can play in improving careers advice and support for the future workforce at a major conference this year.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Careers Hubs is a supporting sponsor for the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Economic Conference at DoubleTree by Hilton Coventry on Friday, November 15.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Careers Hubs, launched in May, will give every school and college in the area the opportunity to work together with universities, training providers, employers and career professionals. Each Hub brings together a group of up to 40 schools and colleges to improve careers support for young people in their area, through a relentless focus on best practice.
The Warwickshire Careers Hub will also play a key role in enabling Warwickshire County Council to implement its new all-age careers strategy. The strategy aims to support a range of high-priority residents, including young people in education, older workers and the most vulnerable, such as learners with special educational needs or disabilities, or those with mental health conditions.
Speaking at the conference will be Monica Fogarty, Warwickshire County Council's chief executive.
Monica said: “The County Council is proud to support the new Careers Hub which will be working closely with our existing Skills for Employment programme. For example, we are already collaborating on My World of Work which will provide opportunities for several hundred pupils to take part in activities across ten sectors early in 2020. Working together in this way, we believe we will provide a higher level of support for Warwickshire schools and colleges than is available in any other local authority area."
Clare Hutchinson, director of Network at the Careers and Enterprise Company, which is behind the Careers Hubs across the country, will also speak at the event and urge businesses to find out the role they can play in improving young people’s understanding and knowledge of the world of work.
The Hubs in Coventry and Warwickshire were bid for by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP)
Louise Bennett, Chief Executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “One of the biggest barriers to economic growth over recent years has been a shortage of skills and, in some cases, that is the softer skills required by businesses.
“There has also been a need, for some time, to give young people a better understanding of the careers that are out there and the skills and qualifications they will need to pursue them. We are delighted to be working with the CWLEP on the new Coventry and Warwickshire Careers Hubs and it is great that this will feature in our conference in November.
“Our annual conference brings together business and civic leaders from across the region in one room and it’s the perfect opportunity to hear about the latest developments across the patch and the key economic information for our region.”
The conference, which is headline sponsored by Warwickshire College Group, will also hear from keynote speaker Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE – the record-breaking expedition leader, who was the first person to reach both North and South Poles by foot
Presenter, broadcaster and journalist, Naga Munchetty, will host the conference, which will feature addresses and panel discussions with a range of business figures and key decision makers.
For more information and to book your place at the conference visit www.cw-chamber.co.uk/events
Seren's courage galvanises North Warwickshire businesses
“It was great to bring three local businesses together and draw so many people to what was a really lovely community event."
A courageous girl from North Warwickshire has inspired a trio of local businesses to raise money for two children’s charities.
Seven-year-old Seren Mawson, who lives near Tamworth, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in December 2018. She has since undergone a series of gruelling treatments and faces a two to three-year battle against the disease.
Seren’s courage captured the imagination – and the heart - of Katie Evers who was determined to do what she could to raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG).
Katie invited African Food specialists the Scotch Kitchen and performing artist Denise Pitter to her beauty therapy business, the Kianna Treatment Centre in North Warwickshire, to participate in an event aimed at raising money and strengthening ties in the community.
All three businesses, which are based in the north of Warwickshire, recently received support from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce through the CW Business: Start, Grow and Scale Programme, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Warwickshire County Council and all five of Warwickshire’s District & Borough councils.
Katie said: “Like many in the community, Seren’s story touched me deeply and I was determined to do what I could to raise money and awareness.
“Seren is a remarkable little girl – her courage and determination through such adversity is truly inspirational.
“It was great to bring three local businesses together and draw so many people to what was a really lovely community event. We’ve all only started very recently with the help of the local Chamber, which is great at bringing businesses together in this way.”
Since learning of the diagnosis last year, Katie has developed a close relationship with Seren and her mother Kate.
Frequent hospital visits, often at no notice, leave Kate, and other mothers in a similar position, spending lengthy periods at Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s cancer ward without access to essentials such as toothbrushes, shower gels and sanitary products.
“No mother wants to leave their child at hospital but unfortunately this often means having to spend hours – and in some cases nights – on the ward at short notice.
“In addition to supporting Seren, we wanted to use the event to encourage people to donate toiletry products for mothers to feel more refreshed at what is often a tiring and stressful time.”
Katie wants to make these toiletry bags available to the cancer ward at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
Katie said: “I have written to some of the bigger retailers to see if they can donate toiletries but they are unable to deal direct with me as I am not a registered charity.
“I understand that there are rules and procedures to follow so I would like to ask any businesses in North Warwickshire – and beyond – who wish to donate to get in touch.”
News in Brief
A round up of the latest Warwickshire news-in-brief...
Support from Coventry & Warwickshire partners attracts tech shows to Stoneleigh
NAEC Stoneleigh has been chosen to host four exhibitions next summer which will see some of the biggest trade names in the world unveil their latest designs and developments in a wide range of industries. The Advanced Materials Show, Vehicle Electrification Expo, Battery Cells and Systems Expo and Ceramics UK, managed by Event Partners, will all be holding events at the exhibition and conference centre, after a collaborative effort between NAEC and bodies including Warwick District Council and Invest in Warwickshire.
“The support we have received from across Coventry and Warwickshire has been magnificent,” said NAEC MD Chris Hartley. "It was a real team effort to bring these shows to Stoneleigh and we’re delighted to have taken part in such a comprehensive proposal.
“Our region is a real hub for the motor industry and the Vehicle Electrification Expo will enable automotive manufacturers to look at the latest powertrain solutions to improve the performance, efficiency, safety and sustainability of electric vehicles.
Third Business Festival on the way
Coventry & Warwickshire private and public partners are putting the finishing touches to plans for the 2019 Coventry & Warwickshire Business Festival, taking place at various venues across the sub-region over a two week period in November.
Delegates will be able to choose from over 60 events between November 11th and 21st covering a broad range of topics related to economic and business growth. These include innovation, accessing new markets such as the rail supply chain, construction and development, business support and business networking,
All events are free and tickets can be reserved by visiting the #CWBF2019 website here: https://cwbf2019.ticketleap.com/
Southam games developer eyes further growth in China
Codemasters, specialists in motorsport games and behind names such as DiRT and the Bafta-winning F1 series, has agreed two new partnerships.
They are with video and online games firm NetEase in Guangzhou to be the exclusive publisher for three of Codemasters' upcoming PC titles within China. It will invest in marketing and localising the games to accelerate their growth there.
Additionally, Codemasters has signed an agreement to develop a new mobile game for the global market.
West Midlands Combined Authority signs £83m tram deal with Coventry’s CAF
A fleet of new trams are heading to the West Midlands from train-maker CAF in a £83.5 million deal to build 21 units.
The company has won the brief from the West Midlands Combined Authority to supply the trams as part of an overhaul of the fleet.
CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarrile) is based in Spain but has a UK HQ office in Coventry and a manufacturing site in Newport, Wales.
Alongside the new trams, CAF will also provide technical support and battery management services over 30 years and there is an option to purchase a further 29 trams as the network grows.
Major refurbishment of Aura building
Canmoor and Tristan Capital Partners are undertaking a £5m refurbishment of the Aura building at Precision Park, adjacent to Spa Park, in Leamington Spa.
Tristan, in conjunction with Canmoor, acquired the building in February. The three-storey 65,000 sq ft office premises was formerly headquarters to plumbing, heating and cooling trade merchants Wolseley.
Fit-out contractor Overbury has won the brief to upgrade Aura. The refurbishment, due for completion in February 2020, will deliver some much-needed Grade A supply to the Warwickshire office market.
Nuneaton town centre welcomes new food and drink offer
Nuneaton is looking forward to the opening of the new Piero Lounge, the latest investment from cafe bar chain operator Loungers, who first came to Coventry & Warwickshire in 2015 when it opened up in Rugby.
The café will add to the town food and drink offer, opening until later in the evening, providing food and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as a bar in the former Maplin unit which closed earlier this year.
Nuneaton has seen a number of chains and independent retailers coming into the town in the last 18 months, including Pure Gym, TJ Hughes and Sassy Giraffe. These investments come as Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council work with partners to deliver the Transforming Nuneaton vision for the town.
Warwickshire now has three Michelin-starred restaurants
Restaurants across the Midlands have been awarded a prestigious Michelin star in the 2020 list, including The Royal Oak in Whatcote, Warwickshire.
A total of nine Midlands eateries have also retained their one stars. The Cross at Kenilworth was among those to retain the culinary recognition.
Historic car-maker Alvis marks centenary with major Japanese order
A Warwickshire car-making company which is marking its 100th year in 2019 has secured £3.6m worth of export deals to Japan.
Alvis Car Company, which is headquartered in Kenilworth, has signed an international partnership with Japanese automotive firm Meiji Sango, appointing the Tokyo-based business as its exclusive dealer covering the whole of Asia.
The deal was signed after the Automotive Council car show 2019 in Tokyo where the company showcased its products with support from the Department for International Trade (DIT).
Jaguar Land Rover opens new £600m creative base
JLR CEO Sir Ralf Speth opened a new Product Creation Centre, home for 13,000 engineers, at Gaydon.
In five years of planning and three of construction, the complex has come to be known as the Gaydon Triangle in recognition of the shape described by the original airfield’s three intersecting runways.
Its opening, combined with relocation to the Triangle of the 280-strong Jaguar design team, of JLR’s advanced engineering group and of the vital but little celebrated procurement team, means that for the first time JLR has an authentic nerve centre - a technical hub where its cars will be conceived, designed, engineered and developed and roll on experimental wheels for the first time, en route to approval for fullscale production.
China automaker Geely expands in Coventry & Warwickshire
Geely Group, which owns EV taxi maker LEVC at Ansty Park, has further expanded with a new design studio in Coventry. The company has also set up engineering teams for group company Polestar and is looking to bring Lotus back to Coventry & Warwickshire to engineer new vehicles.
Coventry University graduate and Geely design studio lead Wayne Burgess said: “Geely choosing to locate here has really supported and bolstered Coventry’s resurgence.
"One huge advantage with the area is the supplier base for designing with facilities such as 3D printing of parts and companies able to manufacture show cars. This, along with Geely existing investment in the city through LEVC and Emerald, made it a logical choice for the site of Geely new design centre."
UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) secures additional £18m from WMCA
A £126m battery facility to keep the West Midlands at the forefront of the automotive industry has been supercharged by an £18m grant from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) on the Coventry/ Warwickshire border, will be key in growing industrial battery manufacturing capability in the UK.
The WMCA Board, chaired by Mayor Andy Street, has approved a repayable grant of £18m to help ensure UKBIC has the latest technology to attract top-tier automotive manufacturers and research and development companies.
A consortium comprising Coventry City Council, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Warwick Manufacturing Group was awarded £80m by the Government towards the UK BIC in November 2017. Business Secretary Greg Clark then announced a £28m boost in May 2019 as his department launched the first Local Industrial Strategy in the West Midlands. The centre will open in Spring 2020.
Vivarail wins £26m order to supply trains to Isle of Wight
Five two-car Vivarail Class 484 electric multiple units have been ordered by South Western Railway for use on the Isle of Wight.
The Class 484s will be refurbished at Long Marston, and will provide more capacity than the existing 81-year-old trains. They will be fitted with passenger information systems and wi-fi.
Vivarail CEO Adrian Shooter said: “It is a great privilege for Vivarail to be part of the wholesale upgrade of the Island Line. Vivarail will be building third-rail trains to make best use of Island Line's electrified track. This follows on from our diesel units for West Midlands Railway and battery/diesel trains for Transport for Wales - and is an example of how flexible the train is.”
The first ‘484’ will be delivered for testing in early summer next year, with track improvement work to take place over winter 2020.