Archive for the ‘Universities & Skills’ Category
Boosting apprenticeships for young people and small businesses in Bedford & Kempston
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Business, Economy, Education, Universities & Skills
New data shows that 600 Apprenticeships have been delivered in Bedford & Kempston in the last year, up 70% on the previous year.
Richard, who recently visited Ultra Precision Engineering in Kempston, where they have just taken on two new apprentices from the Bedford Training Group, said that the record rise in apprenticeship numbers shows commitment to helping employers train the skilled workers they need to build a stronger, growing economy. He added that companies like Ultra Precision Engineering are providing a vital role in skills development.
He was also delighted with the Government’s announcement that it will offer cash bonuses to employers for taking on an apprentice aged between 16 and 24 and urges companies in Bedford and Kempston to take up this opportunity.
For more information on apprenticeships, please visit this link.
Local business leaders join MP to launch Bedford Business Fund and Mentoring Scheme
Posted by admin | Filed under Bedford & Kempston, Business, Economy, Universities & Skills
A new, local initiative aimed at invigorating the economic recovery by investing in a new generation of start up and early stage businesses is planned for Bedford. One hundred local business leaders from Bedford attended the launch by MP, Richard Fuller at the University of Bedfordshire.
The proposed Fund, which will be advised by local business leaders and managed by South East Fund Managers Limited, an FSA regulated entity, will seek to raise an initial fund of £500,000 in units of £10,000.
This will be boosted by co-investment from Finance South East and national government schemes, with a potential total of £2 million. Investments will be made on a purely commercial basis, with the goal of maximizing financial returns to investors.
Richard praises green training in Kempston
Posted by admin | Filed under Business, Climate Change, Economy, Education, Universities & Skills
Richard with Jake Marsden (PV Installer) at Carillion
Bedford MP Richard Fuller has praised local company, Carillion Energy Services for its commitment to training and apprenticeships.
The MP was keen to see how the company was creating sustainable jobs in Bedford and the impact that this was having upon skills in the area.
Mr Fuller met senior managers and also had the opportunity to speak first hand with renewable installation engineer, Jake Marsden who gained vital training on the installation of solar photovoltaic panels at the Academy and qualified fully in October 2010.
Richard said: “I was really pleased to see first hand the scale of the Training Academy and I am particularly proud that Carillion Energy Services have chosen to use Bedford as the location for their UK Training Academy. Green Skills and employment are vital to the development of both the local and wider economy and here in Bedford, we are actively involved in developing these.”
Technology businesses show Richard their latest innovations
Posted by admin | Filed under Business, Economy, Universities & Skills
Richard recently visited Cranfield University Technology Park to learn more about the leading innovative businesses based there and the technical advancements being made in the region.
Screenetics, Prolite and Cabair – all based at the Technology Park’s Innovation Centre – gave tours of their offices and explanations of their latest innovations to the MP, who also took part in a flight simulation provided by Cabair. The three businesses exemplify the type of organisation that is attracted to Cranfield University, which aims to encourage and facilitate the development of knowledge-based businesses.
Richard was impressed with what he saw, commenting:
“The businesses I visited compete in very different sectors but they share the same passion for entrepreneurship. We need to nurture that passion to create the next generation of businesses and jobs, and Cranfield University Technology Park has a critical role to play in making that happen.”
Setting Our Training Experts Free from Labour’s Paperwork Mountain
Posted by Richard | Filed under Economy, Education, Universities & Skills
Talking with the inspiring Rakesh Ram at Community LD, a town centre group that provides training and support for people seeking employment, I got a clear understanding of what a crushing burden the top down, bureaucracy beloved of Prime Minister Brown can be. Rakesh is local, highly motivated, experienced and capable. In short, he is exactly the sort of person that someone in Bedford would want to turn to get advice and encouragement. However, because of the intrusive, restricting and obsessive requirements of the bureaucracy, Rakesh finds much of his time taken up by the requirements of form filling, and less of his time available for doing what he loves to do –serve the needs of his clients.
