2. University of Exeter’s Internships and Higher Degree Apprenticeships to help IT Talent Shortage in City
This
month, MPs have warned that the UK is facing 'digital skills crisis'. The UK needs another 745,000 workers with
digital skills by 2017. 90% of jobs require digital skills to some degree.
This skills gap costs the economy around £63bn a year in lost income. BBC Business News, 13th
June 2016.
The University of
Exeter has seen an increasing number of enquiries from local business, looking
for help recruiting IT professionals, at the beginning of their careers.
Peter
Cooney, Principal Analyst and Director of SAR Insight & Consulting, has
recruited through the University of Exeter’s Internship scheme for the past 3
years. Peter employs students to assist with SAR’s tracking research of
technology markets. SAR covers a diverse number of markets including audio,
MEMS sensors, and wireless connectivity ICs. Most recently the company has
focused on audio technologies, and counts most of the market leaders in this
space as clients. Peter likes to employ students as part-time interns, as they
are a “valuable resource who
enable us to carry out research we would not have otherwise had time to do.”
Jekaterina Moksina, a Computer Science and Mathematics final year student said of her internship with SAR “My main responsibility was to create a database of products in a specific market, data mining, and market research. The experience has helped me prepare for future graduate workplace practice, by working to deadlines and achieving the expected results to the highest possible quality.”
In September the University is launching the new IT Degree Apprenticeships. Employers recruit apprentices, who will be enrolled onto the BSc (Hons) programme at the University. There is generous funding for employers and a career and a free degree for the apprentice.
If you are interested in employing an IT intern this summer, please contact Jo McCreedie, J.McCreedie@exeter.ac.uk , 01392 722617. If you would prefer a solution to your long term IT needs, through the IT Degree Apprenticeships, please contact Jonathan Critchley, j.critchley@exeter.ac.uk, 01392 724067.
3.
Princesshay to welcome entrepreneurs
 The StartUp Britain Bus Tour 2016 visits Princesshay in Exeter on 19 July 2016 between 10am and 4pm.
This tour is being organised by The Centre for Entrepreneurs and is sponsored by NatWest, 123 Reg and .uk
It seeks to celebrate entrepreneurship across the country by providing inspiration, resources and advice to thousands of aspiring and early stage entrepreneurs. The StartUp Bus will visit 30 towns and cities across Britain in June and July with the aim of engaging 15,000 individuals.
Come and meet our local young entrepreneurs! Local media will be there as well as a professional photographer. Please show your support for our small businesses and the entrepreneurs who start them.
More information: http://startups.co.uk/startup-britain-uk-bus-tour-back-road-2016/
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4. Could your business support Young Enterprise?
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Every year, Young Enterprise works with young people to develop the skills, attitudes and aspirations that they will need to succeed in the workplace. Through a series of programmes, they inspire young people to discover why the skills for work are the skills for life.
Enterprise education through ‘learning by doing’ is the answer to both employers’ needs and young people’s futures.
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The Flagship Young Enterprise Programme is aimed at Students
in Years 10 – 12 and is a project that lasts one academic year. It is an Extra Curricular activity with
students spending 1 to 1.5 hours a week developing their business ideas. Teams of up to 25 students are partnered with
a local volunteer business adviser.
This year’s South West winners – ‘The Seaweed Gardeners’
from Truro School, Cornwall developed their passion for the environment into
relevant recycling projects and into seaweed products that are now on general
sale. More information: http://theseaweedgardener.wix.com/cornwall
There is a cost in providing the Young Enterprise programme
as Business Advisers and Teachers are fully supported by the Young Enterprise
team every step of the way. Registration for each student group is £750. As schools may find it difficult to allocate
this sum, local businesses are encouraged to sponsor teams as part of their
business adviser role. Exeter City
Council is sponsoring St James’ School in Exeter for the next programme
starting in September 2016.
If you would like to support local young people in this way,
please e-mail the Young Enterprise Manager for Devon at marian.weston@y-e.org.uk
5. Increase in events causes a boom in business at Exeter Quayside
Business is booming at Exeter’s Quayside with local traders
reporting increased profits as more events are held at this city attraction.
With only six months of the year gone, the popular location
has already hosted 77 events. This compares with 81 events held at the Quay for
the whole of 2015. Events planned for this summer include regattas, raft
and dragon boat races on the water, Jazz on the Quay, Exeter Street Food
Markets, live music, climbing events and more.
The catalyst for this development is undoubtedly the Custom
House Visitor Centre. The Quayside Information Centre moved here from its
original building across the road in April 2015. Visitor figures have
increased as a result with nearly 28,000 people visiting the 17th Century
building in 2015 compared to just over 25,000 in 2014. Having such a
grand and important location as a Visitor Centre enables this building to be a
focal point for events. This gives the Council staff responsible for granting
permission for events a better handle on everything that is going on.
The increase in events is proving popular with local traders
who have noticed more custom on the days when events have been held.
The number of businesses have increased at the Exeter
Quayside too. For example, The Samuel Jones pub-restaurant arrived in
November 2014 after a successful transformation of a 19th century former bonded
warehouse. This is the current home of Balcony TV from where music videos are
made weekly and are watched around the world by those visiting the website www.balconytv.com Other newcomers to the area include Earth Gallery Flowers, and Pizza & Stein.
To find out more about the many events taking place at the
Quayside and Piazza, go to www.VisitExeter.com
Did you know?
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Exeter's new Lord Mayor is Cllr Cynthia Thompson who will be in post until May 2017.
Her chosen charity is Devon Freewheelers which is an organisation of volunteer emergency vehicle drivers. More information can be found here: https://bloodbikesdevon.org.uk/
If you would like the Lord Mayor to attend an event that you are organising, please contact the Lord Mayor's office at mayoralty@exeter.gov.uk
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