SKILLS
UK businesses to invest in people for future growth
TV tech icon Maggie Philbin
TV star Maggie urges businesses to back tech event
80s TV icon Maggie Philbin is calling on businesses across the East Midlands to back an event aimed at promoting STEM-linked careers to young people. The former Tomorrow’s
World presenter is CEO of TeenTech, a charity which helps young people to understand the real opportunities in science, technology, engineering and manufacturing. Later this year, the charity is bringing an awareness event to Maggie’s home city of Leicester, where it is holding an interactive skills festival for local schools. It takes place on 29 October, at the Morningside Arena, and is being backed by Leicester City Council, the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport. By working collaboratively
with education, local government and industry in the region to make the year- round programme both inspiring and relevant, it aims to bring the region together to show young people the exciting careers possible in contemporary industry. It is currently on the lookout
for local businesses to either run an interactive stand at the event, or provide ambassadors to ensure the young people get the most from the experience. It is also looking for
sponsors to support the evidence-based and award- winning skills programmes it runs throughout the year.
If your business would like to get involved, more information is available at
www.teentech.com/teentech- events/regions/east-midlands
74 business network September 2019
UK companies are placing as much focus on investment in people as they are in technology as they plan for growth in the future, according to a new HSBC report. The paper, Navigator: Made for
the Future, found that businesses are taking employee welfare and development seriously with 50% of companies planning to increase investment in skills and training and 42% planning to spend more on employee wellbeing. Almost three in five (59%) intend
to introduce or increase flexible working practices to enhance wellbeing. Meanwhile, half of businesses are planning to increase investment in research, innovation and technology and three quarters (75%) expect their focus on technology to change in the next two years as they seek growth opportunities in a fast-changing world. More than three quarters (79%)
of companies think innovation will make their people more productive,
72% think it will enhance wellbeing and almost half (47%) see it as the only way to grow. Peter McIntyre, Head of Small
Business Banking for HSBC UK, said: “UK companies are telling us that they expect growth to come from both creating the right environment for employees to be at their best and giving them the very best tools to succeed. The way we do business is evolving and it’s encouraging to see that decision makers recognise the importance of a happy and highly-skilled workforce to achieve their growth ambitions.” Overall the survey found that
almost three quarters (73%) of UK companies expect to grow in the next two years, which aligns with their French (72%) and German (77%) counterparts. This British growth is expected to be fuelled by an increasing customer base, improved quality and availability of skills in their workforce and an ability to attract investment.
More UK businesses are planning to increase investment in training
College supports review of post-18 education funding
Leicester College is supporting a nationwide campaign to press the UK Government to implement the findings of the recent Augar Review. The report of an independent panel, led by Dr Philip
Augar, made over 60 recommendations for the Government’s review of post-18 education and funding in England. Leicester College has joined 160 other UK further
education colleges in signing an open letter to the Chancellor and Secretary of State, encouraging the implementation of the Augar Review recommendations, with the aim of improving opportunity and providing the skills required in a fast-changing economy. Verity Hancock, Principal of Leicester College, said:
“The recently published independent review of post-18 education and funding has much more to offer than another round of debates about higher education tuition fees. It is the first review since the 1960s that considers higher and further education together, as parts of a single system. “It concludes that in the national interest, there is
pressing need for this system to be more balanced, and that the improved status, stability and sustainability of further education colleges should become a national policy priority. We have joined our fellow FE colleges nationwide in signing the letter to call upon our political leaders to implement its main findings.” Dr Philip Augar, Chair of the Post-18 Education
Review Panel, said: “The present Government’s review is the first since the Robbins report in 1963 to consider further and higher education together.
Leicester College Principal Verity Hancock “It is an opportunity to consider the roles both parts
of the system should play in meeting the country’s social and economic needs, how they fit together, how they should be funded and whether they are delivering value for students and taxpayers. “Our work revealed that post-18 education in
England is a story of both care and neglect, depending on whether students are among the 50% of young people who participate in higher education or the rest. The panel believes this disparity has to be addressed.”
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