The National Apprenticeship Service has launched a raft of new measures designed to help guide employers through the process of recruiting an apprentice. This follows yesterday’s announcement of the extension of the £1,500 Apprenticeship Grant for Employers of 16-24 year olds for another year. The grant, which is designed to help businesses (with fewer than 1000 employees) to recruit apprentices, has so far enabled over 30,000 young people to start an Apprenticeship. Two new films, ‘How to hire an apprentice’ and ‘Why hire an apprentice’, have been launched on apprentice.tv to guide...
Online Direct Debit payments provider, GoCardless, has launched an online payment tool to enable greater numbers of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK to collect variable one-off and recurring payments by Direct Debit.
Traditionally only larger, more established businesses such as utilities providers and mobile operators have been able to access the infrastructure which underpins the Direct Debit system. As a result, SMEs were excluded from accessing the system by the banks, and forced to cede control of when they are paid to unreliable customers.
These stunning aerial photos show how the developments in the Exeter & East Devon Growth Point are rapidly taking shape.
Captured by Still Imaging, the pictures provide a unique perspective on how huge investment in creating homes and employment opportunities is transforming the landscape to the east of Exeter.
Construction at the new town of Cranbrook is continuing apace. Since May last year, more than 400 homes have been started, with around 200 completed so far. Up to 6,000 homes are expected to be built by 2026.
Intellectual Property specialists at leading South West law firm, Stephens Scown LLP, have highlighted a growing number of South West businesses are turning to trade mark registration in order to protect their brands.
Research has shown that of the 25,000 UK trade marks registered in 2011, 2,047 were in the South West, an increase of 6% on the previous year, with the number of filings also increasing by 14%
Firms with trade marks are 21% more productive, and those who regularly trade mark have 20% larger workforces. Figures also highlight the importance of small and medium...
A dynamic event highlighted the wide range of medical and health research involving the University of Exeter, the NHS and business partners.
Staff from a number of University departments, the NHS, local charities and businesses, as well as students, gathered in the Forum, to speak to researchers first-hand about their pioneering work as part of a poster display.
Interdisciplinary opportunities in research were highlighted by the key note speeches from Professor Nick Stone of Physics, Dr Natalia Lawrence of Psychology, and Professor Jonathan Mill, of the University of Exeter...
Landowners, farmers and businesses across Devon and Cornwall are joining forces with the police to host two major events aimed at combating rural crime.
The events, titled ‘Preventing Crime in Rural Communities' take place in February and bring together representatives of the Country Land and Business Association, the National Farmers’ Union and the Devon and Cornwall Police along with experts from private security firms and specialist equipment suppliers who will all be looking at the ways and means of preventing crime in rural communities.
South West businesses are failing to take crucial steps to boost their productivity, according to a new report from Lloyds Banking Group and the Manufacturing Technologies Association. The report, Understanding the Puzzle, canvasses the views of more than 1,500 businesses across the UK, highlighting a widespread concern about productivity levels in the UK economy and echoing worries that have been raised by Government and industry bodies. It raises an urgent need for investment in order to prevent UK productivity levels falling far behind other countries. The report found 62 per cent of...
Two of the South West's leading trade brands, MST and Parkins, have moved into new larger premises near Ivybridge following a £250,000 investment by parent company Longhouse Group.
The move to Mill Close on the Lee Mill Industrial Estate sees Parkins, a supplier of tools and equipment to general light industrial businesses, and sister company, agricultural and ground care vehicle specialist MST, occupy a facility twice the size of their previous location.
In addition to increased headcount and a wider than ever range of top brand tools and equipment on display, the new...
With the 2015 Media Innovation Awards nearly upon us, we decided to delve a bit deeper into some of the exciting projects which have been nominated.
‘Together for Short Lives’ is one of the three ‘Animation’ nominees, produced by Bristol based company Hurricane Media.
This powerful animation was made for leading UK charity Together For Short Lives. By interviewing parents of children who have a life limiting condition prior to making the film, the company gained a real insight into impact it has on a family.
The result is a moving animation which follows the story...
The University of Exeter Business School in partnership with Devon Local Authorities & RH Environmental Ltd (a private sector supplier of online services) has secured £20,000 in funding from the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) to create and streamline deliver the Safer Workplace Better Business (SWBB) initiative.
Designed to reduce the burden of health and safety compliance on small businesses, the SWBB project aims to provide information to business entities of all sizes on EU, national and local regulations covering a wide range of statutory regulations - Environment...
