More parents urge young to apply for apprenticeships rather than university
As A level results loom, parents have become more likely to encourage their child to apply for an apprenticeship than to university after leaving school, according to research from Grant Thornton. Its survey of 2,000 parents with offspring aged 12-21 showed that 44 per cent are more likely to encourage their child to apply for a school leaver apprenticeship than for university (40pc). The chance to gain practical on the job experience; get paid while gaining a certified qualification and avoiding student debt were the main reasons cited. Two thirds of parents also believe that the cost of a university degree delivers less value than it used to, up from 45 per cent in a similar survey taken six years ago. A similar proportion of young people also share this view. Charlotte Anderson (right), practice lead for Grant Thornton UK in the East of England, said: “Our region is home or near to several world class universities but there are other alternative paths that can be taken and apprenticeships can be a brilliant place to start. It’s clear from our research that there has been a significant change in attitudes towards school leaver apprenticeships. This is likely partly due to the quality of some of the programmes on offer, which is starting to reshape the traditional views on post-school options.”
Unexpected business wins boost optimism post-election
New business in the region increased for the first time in four months in July and firms are increasingly optimistic on growth prospects for the year ahead, says the latest NatWest Growth Tracker. It shows that demand across the East of England's private sector recovered in July and some firms reported unexpected business wins as market conditions improved. The rate of growth was the quickest since April last year although a business activity index rose only modestly to 51.0 from June's 50.6. Meanwhile optimism was the highest since March as greater political stability following the election, better trading conditions, lower interest rates and investment in staff supported stronger forecasts. Dipesh Mistry, chair of the NatWest Midlands and East of England regional board, said: "The revival in new business growth in July was encouraging, and looking further ahead the 12-month outlook improved. Moreover, confidence and demand may strengthen further in August given the cut in interest rates which occurred after the July survey was conducted. Less positively, growth of total activity and employment both remained below the UK averages in July."
Separately, the number of new businesses set up in East Anglia has begun to rise, after a steep and fall in May when the election date was named. R3 figures show there were 6,860 companies set up in East Anglia in July, up 5 per cent on June and nearly 7pc higher than in May. R3 Eastern chair Hayley Watson, said: “It’s encouraging to see entrepreneurs becoming more confident and willing to push ahead with their new business plans.” Meanwhile debts owed by East Anglian businesses in liquidation fell by 12 per cent in July against the previous month.
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Construction materials firm opens new office to meet ‘huge potential’ for growth in region
A construction materials group, GRS, has opened a new regional office in Bury St Edmunds to support what it describes as a ‘housebuilding and energy infrastructure boom’ in the East of England. The Warwickshire-based firm is looking to grow its supply of construction aggregates made from recovered waste materials to developers across the region. GRS has so far provided thousands of tonnes of aggregates to Sizewell C and it says the annual demand for aggregates in the East of England looks set to exceed 20 million tonnes in years ahead. At an event to mark the official opening, GRS chief executive Jon Fisher said: “There’s huge potential for growth across East Anglia – probably greater than any other part of the UK – and having a base in Bury St Edmunds gives us a platform to do business in this part of the world. The opening of our new office is just the start of a multimillion-pound plan to grow in this region. We plan to open a rail freight terminal near Ipswich, marine wharves in two locations on the East Coast, and a new facility for bagging materials to supply East Anglia’s builders’ merchants.”
Karim Massaad, Sizewell C supply chain business adviser for Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s great to see a business like GRS showing the confidence to invest in the East of England and be part of the supply chain supporting the many developments happening here.”
Photo (l-r): Jon Fisher, Jody Morris, Gary Coles and Karim Massaad.
Sale of Suffolk-based environmental consultancy completed
The sale of a Suffolk-based independent consultancy, Seed Environmental, has been completed by the Cambridge office of Evelyn Partners, a professional services and wealth management group. Set up in 2013 by environmental specialists Matthew Watts and Andrew Matley, Seed Environmental has been acquired by Celnor, a private equity-backed group in the sector. Evelyn Partner identified a buyer for the business, ran a competitive sale process and negotiated and advised on the financial and commercial aspects of the deal. It was supported by a team from law firm Birketts, led by James Allen and Simona Gruodyte. Evelyn Partners has previously advised on the sale of Tri Fire to Phenna Group and Crowthorne to Normec.
Data analytics firm relocates hq to University of Essex research park
Data analytics and custom software firm MSX International (MSX) is relocating its UK hq from Middleborough to Parkside on Knowledge Gateway, the research and technology park at the University of Essex. MSX works with automotive manufacturers including Ford, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, and Hyundai. It has had a base at the Colchester campus for over 30 years. David Branchflower, group financial controller at MSX International, said: “Having previously leased office space there, we are familiar with the excellent working environment the site offers. We have also previously collaborated with the university to support student placements and courses and are keen to build relationships with other businesses at the Knowledge Gateway to explore opportunities for future collaborations. Being on their doorstep will make this much easier.” MSX will be moving into the newly-completed £10.7m Clingoe House (photo, right) at Parkside.
New partners and promotions at commercial property firm
Norwich-based commercial property firm Roche Chartered Surveyors has made a series of promotions. Previously salaried partners Graham Jones and David Hall have become equity partners. Ben Common, part of Roche’s agency team, and Sam Freakley, from its project and building consultancy team, have been promoted to senior surveyors and Hiedi Collis takes on the role of agency surveyor. Meanwhile, the firm’s former senior partner and longest-serving partner, James Allen, has stepped down to become a consultant and will continue to act for his existing clients and deal with on-going instructions. Roche managing partner Sam Kingston said: “These are very well deserved promotions which underline the strength of the Roche team across the whole firm. I am very pleased to welcome Graham and David as equity partners and Sam, Ben and Hiedi to their new roles and, in so doing, thank James for his outstanding contribution as partner, and welcome his on-going involvement as a consultant.”
Photo: Back row (l to r): David Hall, Ben Common, Adrian Fennell, Sam Freakley and James Allen; front row (seated) Sam Kingston, Hiedi Collis and Graham Jones.
Resort shortlisted for sustainability award
Wyboston Lakes Resort, west of Cambridge, has been named as a finalist in two categories in the Meetings Industry Association’s miaList 2024. The resort has been shortlisted for the sustainability award and marketing executive Josh Billings is an individual finalist. Louisa Watson, marketing director of Wyboston Lakes Resort, said: “Sustainability is an important priority for everyone here as we are committed to living up to our philosophy of ‘More Sustainable, No Apology.’ We have implemented so many valuable initiatives across the site, most recently the installation of more than 3000 solar panels and continue to look for new opportunities to be more sustainable. While this is deserved recognition for the whole company, in particular our Green Team have been the driving force behind new ideas and putting them into action.” Since joining the business in 2018, Josh Billings (photo) has been a cornerstone of the marketing team; during the pandemic, he ensured up-to-date communications and materials, supported safe event protocols, and prioritised client relations. The miaList recognises inspiring and exceptional individuals and performance in the business meetings and events industry. The awards will be made at a ceremony in Liverpool in November.
See Profile Wyboston Lakes Resort
Alt-net broadband provider shortlisted for award for rural full fibre delivery
East of England rural provider County Broadband has been recognised for its rollout of full fibre broadband infrastructure in rural and remote communities with a shortlisting at the national Internet Service Provider’s Association (ISPA UK) Awards 2024. The alternative-network (alt-net) provider is a finalist in the Best Rural ISP (Internet Service Provider) category at the awards which mark the digital sector’s achievements and innovation. County Broadband, based in Aldham, Essex, provides gigabit-speed full fibre infrastructure in rural and hard-to-reach areas and has so far connected some 300 villages. It is backed by a combined £146 million of private investment from Aviva Investors. James Salmon, director of corporate development at County Broadband, said: “We remain committed to our vision of ensuring no-one is left behind as the UK scales up at pace to full fibre broadband. Our teams work closely every day with local leaders in rural and remote communities across the East of England to deliver the digital infrastructure they need to access modern online services, whether that’s virtual GP appointments or the ability to work from home.”
Cambridge company supports move to ‘label-less’ bottles
Cambridge company Domino has unveiled a range of high-speed product handling and printing solutions to support beverage manufacturers’ move away from labels on bottles for environmental and legislative reasons. It has developed Bottle Closure Printing Stations to print variable data and machine-readable codes, including QR codes, onto HDPE bottle caps and closures. This removes the need for labels which simplifies the recycling process and reduces the plastic required. It can help manufacturers save up to 50 per cent on their production costs. Nigel Allen, marketing manager 2D codes & high-resolution inkjet, Domino said: “In the beverage industry, there is growing interest in label-less bottles and the role they can play in supporting the move towards a circular economy. New regulations pose a challenge for manufacturers who need to adhere to product labelling requirements and communicate with their consumers but find a way to do so without compromising production performance.”
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