Member News

The Oscar’s are happening this Sunday, splashing red carpet glamour and designer dresses across our newspapers! It’s the moment when the cream of the movie world reap their rewards for first-class performances.

And this week we’re taking tips from Hollywood to help you deliver a successful job interview presentation. We can help you plan and deliver your own Oscar-worthy performance!

If you’re going for a marketing or PR job in the East of England a presentation is likely to be part of your interview. But if you reallywant a new job you need to get your strategy right. Let’s get started with a bit of thespian-inspired advice…

1. Analyse the task Let’s say you’ve been given a fictitious customer pitch to present at an interview. Like a good actor scrutinising their lines, you should read the instructions carefully. Then read them again. And again. Make sure you understand what the interviewers want you to do. Do you feel you know the product or service you’re ‘selling’? Do you have a clear idea of the audience you’re presenting to? This level of thought will form the basis of a good quality presentation.

2. Your audience comes first Think about your audience (the interviewers): What do they want to hear and see? What skills do they want to see you use? Read the job description again, and make sure that when planning the presentation you give yourself opportunities to demonstrate these key skills.

3. A personal touch Actors bring their own ‘je ne sais quoi’ to each role. So just like the movie icons, inject some of your personality into the presentation. Are you able to charm your audience easily? Does your passion come through in your presentations? Are you a natural story teller? A quick note: Keep it professional and be cautious with humour – it can be inappropriate for some interviews, and easily misunderstood.

4. Learn your lines You wouldn’t see a star of the silver screen reading their notes on camera, so aim to learn your script before your performance too. Write down what you want to say, learn it, then condense it into note-form on a few flashcards. When you run through the presentation to get your timings right, have the cards handy in case you need a prompt. By the time you get to the big day, you should know it by all heart.

5. Creating the content Actors know how to catch an audience’s attention. If you’re using PowerPoint, you can create some great content your interviewers will love. Avoid using lots of lists – think of other ways to present information. Use images, bold text and graphics, but if you must use a list, make it short and punchy. You can flesh out each point with your script. Whatever you do, don’t risk losing your audience’s attention. Try it out on an honest friend – they’ll tell you whether or not it works!

6. Fake it till you make it Not many of us have the charisma of Tom Cruise or Angelina Jolie. But you can get your own ‘X’ factor from being self-assured, stylish and by using positive body language. If interview nerves are getting to you a little, you should fake it till you make it! Play the role of a confident presenter and your performance could clinch you that job.

7. Accept the critique No matter how accomplished they are, many actors dread reviews of their performances. But they accept good reviews graciously and take bad ones on the chin. The same applies to other professions. Hopefully, you’ll get sparkling feedback and you’ll get the job. But should the feedback be mixed, simply accept it and use it to improve your performance next time. Thank the employer, and you never know – the job might still be yours but with areas for improvement.

Next time you find yourself planning a presentation for a job interview, you’ll know what to do to deliver one of award-winning calibre -we’ll even roll out the red carpet for you. Good luck!

Teaching Assistants and those working in schools across Norfolk will receive extra support with their learning thanks to a £70,000 funding boost.

Norwich based training provider, Qualified Education, have partnered with City of Westminster College to offer those working to support children and young people in schools the opportunity to access funding of £70,000 through the 24+ Advanced Learning Loans.

Those wishing to improve their knowledge and skills to increase the level of support they offer pupils and schools will be able to do so without the need to pay the course fees upfront. This makes accessing learning and the attainment of a qualification much easier for those working in schools.

All UK learners starting Level 3 qualifications who are aged over 24 will be able to access a 24+ Advanced Learning Loans and will not have to repay anything until they have completed the course and are earning over £21,000.

Georgina Sexton, Centre Director at Qualified Education, said: “We’re committed to raising standards and improving outcomes for Norfolk’s schools. The 24+ Advanced Learning Loans will enable us to offer vocational qualifications to more teaching assistants in the area. The more skilled the workforce in our schools, the greater quality of support to a child’s learning and development.”

Project Manager, Quantity Surveyors and Building Surveyors, Allman Woodcock Ltd based in Tombland, Norwich welcomes Wesley May to their team. Having graduated in 2012 with a BA Honours in Construction Management, Wesley is currently studying for his Masters in Construction Management and has, for the past 6 years gained extensive experience delivering a variety of roles such as Site Management and Estimating for local contractors.

The practice looks forward to working with Wesley and is confident that his skills and expertise will enhance their growing reputation of delivering a varied portfolio of projects to a consistently high standard within both the public and private sectors.

To meet the rest of the team at Allman Woodock Ltd. please visit www.allmanwoodcock.com.

polkadotfrog are advising companies to move quickly to secure the best IT candidates as the economy continues to flourish.

Nick Hunter, Divisional Manager of IT Recruitment at polkadotfrog explains: “The number of suitably qualified candidates coming through is not keeping pace with the expansion of high-tech businesses in Norfolk and the skills required are constantly changing as the world of IT rapidly evolves.”

The IT skills shortage is part of the bigger economic picture which saw the unemployment rate fall to six percent in the three months to October*, the lowest for six years. It is expected to continue falling as more jobs are created as forecast.

Nick advises that candidates are often getting multiple job offers and will move fast if an offer is on the table:“If you see a CV that you like, act fast and get them in for an interview. Good IT candidates don’t stay on the market for long. If you sit on CVs and delay interviews you will lose fantastic people.”

“We are now out of the recession and seeing a steady growth in IT jobs. This means that permanent job applicants can pick and choose and often don’t need to wait for a response from a prospective employer. It’s likely they will have submitted their CV to a few companies and will take a position from a company that comes across professionally and acts fast, so it’s important to communicate quickly and offer feedback. “

“The tables have turned,” he continues. “During the recession employers had an oversupply of applicants for jobs but now they’re finding it harder to fill their vacancies with high calibre candidates who are moving fast when they’re offered a good opportunity. The early bird catches the worm!”.

*Source: Office for National Statistics

Valentine’s Day is almost upon us and we hope you’re feeling the positive vibes in the air this week!

But the annual day of love doesn’t have to be about gooey cards, candlelight and heart-shaped chocolates. Oh no. It’s also a great moment to celebrate good relationships in all areas of life. So why not give some attention to the relationships we rely on all year round?

With around 90,000 hours spent at work in a lifetime, it’s important that we take care of our relationships at work. This not only helps us do our jobs well, but it makes working life more enjoyable and interesting! There is lots that you as an employer can do to nurture excellent relations among colleagues. Take a look at our Valentine’s Day guide to building wonderful working relationships…

1. Respect and tolerance Creating an atmosphere of respect and tolerance helps people form relationships through mutual understanding. This should come from the top, with management setting strong examples in how people interact with each other and their teams. Accepting others’ ideas and openly discussing issues can help people find solutions and work together harmoniously.

2. Create social spaces Encouraging an environment where staff can be sociable can support the development of solid working relationships, since they get to know each other on a more personal level. A light, airy coffee shop, communal eating space or place for people to take a break can be very inviting to people who want to spend time working together or just chatting over lunch.

3. Work on retention A high staff turnover is no good for anyone. People need time to get to know each other and to gel. So by developing your retention and engagement strategy, staff are more likely to stay longer and you’re more likely to increase the chances of positive working relationships forming in the office. Check out our other blog articles for lots of ideas on engaging employees.

4. Trust your colleagues Trusting others is another cornerstone of good relationships. Without this fundamental ingredient, workplace relationships can crumble causing serious discord. Have trust in other people that they’ll hit the deadline or that they’ll deliver work to the required standard. Don’t look over colleagues’ shoulders – they’ll quickly pick on your doubts and could start to feel unhappy working with you.

5. Have a laugh Humour is said to help productivity, Humour can also be a great stress reliever at times of pressure. So keep the vibe positive and let people interact with other through fun that’s appropriate to the workplace or inject an element of fun by encouraging a social committee to arrange activities outside of work hours

6. Communication is key Good communication is a building block of any successful relationship, be it with your spouse, sister or a best friend! So, it naturally applies to professional relationships too. For instance, when delegating tasks to colleagues, make sure your instructions are easy to understand.. Also, emails are often open to misinterpretation – re-read emails before sending them, or if possible, pick up the phone or talk face to face!

7. Be approachable If you’re a manager or director, don’t shut yourself off from your team. Relationships are a two-way street after all, so it’s a good idea to make sure others know that they can approach you with concerns or ideas. This way people will feel more comfortable working for you and enjoy developing an honest relationship with senior level staff.

By injecting some Valentine’s Day inspiration into the workplace, you can’t fail to build happy and long-lasting professional relationships. On that note, we’ll love you and leave you, and wish you a positive year ahead with your colleagues.

Following public consultation, the government has recently introduced measures to reduce ‘red tape’ surrounding the regulation of company and business names. The changes introduced will have a substantial impact on the registration process for start-up businesses and current businesses considering a change of name. Two new regulations came into force on 31 January 2015, introducing a number of changes to the previous regulations. The following information highlights two of the more significant changes:-

The ‘same as’ restriction

A company may not be incorporated if its name is the ‘same as’ another name appearing on the registrar’s index of company names. The definition of ‘same as’ has a wider scope than simply catching two identical names. Firstly, certain characters and expressions are treated the same, such as ‘two’ and ‘2’ and ‘at’ and ‘@’; therefore ‘Name Two Ltd’ is considered the ‘same as’ ‘Name 2 Ltd’. Secondly, certain words and expressions at the end of a company name are disregarded, such as ‘CO’ and ‘UK’; thus ‘Name UK Ltd’ is considered the ‘same as’ ‘Name Ltd’. These provisions are intended to prevent two company names co-existing that are so similar, they are likely to confuse the public as to which company is which. However the downside of this is restricted freedom to choose a company name and more barriers for start-up businesses.

The new 2015 regulations have attempted to mitigate the restrictive criteria under the previous regulations by reducing the list of words to be disregarded when comparing two company names. The following words have been deleted and can now be used at the end of a company name without fear of it being rejected under the ‘same as’ restriction:-

– exports

– group

– holdings

– imports

– international

– services

So, for example, ‘Name International Ltd’ and ‘Name Group Ltd’ will no longer be rejected on the basis that they are the ‘same as’ ‘Name Ltd’. This should therefore allow more choice when choosing a company name and should make name swaps within groups easier to achieve.

Restriction on ‘sensitive’ words

There are certain names which, though not prohibited, still require the approval of the Secretary of State or other relevant body prior to registration. This includes using words and expressions which are considered ‘sensitive’ and could mislead or harm the public.

The 2014 regulations have deleted a total of 26 words from the previous regulations, some of which include:-

– board

– European

– group

– holding

– international

– national

– registry

– United Kingdom

Reducing the list of sensitive words removes an additional hurdle for prospective businesses and should allow a greater proportion of new companies to incorporate quickly without delays to the process.

If you are unsure about how these new regulations will affect your prospective or current business, or you wish to seek further information on the content of this article, please get in touch with our Corporate Team on 01603 610911 or email info@leathesprior.co.uk.

Note: The content of this article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Specific legal advice should be taken in any specific circumstance.

Norwich Research Park-based company Food Forensics is the first laboratory in the UK to achieve UKAS accreditation focused on combatting food fraud. Accreditation is an endorsement of the proficiency of the company and provides added reassurance to customers of the accuracy and reliability of results

Food Forensics is addressing the global problem of food fraud by the application of new science to determine authenticity, offering businesses a wide range of risk management solutions including due diligence testing, screening for labelling compliance and the profiling and creation of custom solutions for authenticity validation.

Based in the Innovation Centre on Norwich Research Park, Food Forensics has been awarded UKAS accreditation to ISO17025:2005 for the measurement and interpretation of stable isotope compositions in food, beverage and feedstuffs. It is the only laboratory in the UK to have been awarded the accreditation to date.

Food Forensics Managing Director Alison Johnson said: “Achieving our UKAS accreditation is the result of a great deal of hard work and commitment from the Food Forensics team and provides our customers, who are facing increasing risks of food fraud, accredited testing solutions. We are very appreciative of all our customers who have supported us during the accreditation process.”

Although food authenticity and origin has always been high on the public’s agenda, the horsemeat scandal in 2013 placed the food industry under intense scrutiny; completely undermining consumer confidence in the food industry. The subsequent publication of the Elliott Review in September 2014 made it increasingly important for businesses to demonstrate their due diligence when verifying product claims.

Food Forensic analyses the stable isotopic compositions of individual foods or beverages and compares these to its authentic reference datasets to establish the validity of claims on the label. The company has developed a wide portfolio of solutions covering both country of origin claims (country or region) and verification of production system (organic, free range etc).

The company’s customers include primary producers and processors through to blue chip retailers who insist on optimum due diligence and risk profiling to help protect their product integrity. Food Forensics is working with its customers to establish robust Food Fraud Risk Management systems and test modelling to mitigate and monitor risk.

Food Forensics has also established a strategic partnership with Centre Testing International (CTI), which operate in over 30 labs across China. CTI is one of the largest and fastest growing testing companies in China. Food Forensics has been selected as CTI’s partner to establish a stable isotope testing laboratory in Shanghai. The Shanghai laboratory will be commissioned in February 2015 and will initially focus on developing solutions for the local market, as well as providing Food Forensics with reference datasets of authentic Chinese export products.

Alison commented: “We are very excited by this partnership with CTI. Working together will enable both CTI and Food Forensics to provide enhanced solutions to our customers and give both companies global reach.”

The Innovation Centre at Norwich Research Park has over 30 state-of-the-art office and laboratory units set within a customised three-storey building. The office and laboratory suites are designed and fitted out to the highest standards for businesses involved in all aspects of science, technology and support services, including food, health, environmental sciences, bioscience, DNA technologies, pharmaceutical, clean energy, IT, software development and sustainable raw materials for industry. The facilities include spacious, bespoke wet laboratory and offices suites, integral shared access laboratory service facilities and equipment, tailored to tenants’ requirements, high bandwidth internet access, a staffed reception and offices support services within a Business Centre.

Food Forensics can assist with risk identification, mitigation and monitoring in line with the new retailer/BRC requirements, to explore how Food Forensics can help you contact Chris Balaam on 07779 106823 or email chris.balaam@foodforensics.co.uk

In January the Swarm team was really proud to host a visit from four South Korean students from Yonsei University, who were looking to learn more about our education system and apprenticeships.

Ji-hyeon Park, the team leader, is a 21year old education major who organised the trip on behalf of the university as they have been researching about ‘Aptitude-Developing & Career-Coaching Education of Korea’. They came to the UK searching for the best practices of career education in UK with the view to introduce those successes to Korea.

During the two days in January, the Swarm team took them on a whistle stop tour of Norwich to take in the culture, and then over two days introduced them to Ormiston Victory Academy, Wymondham College and also meta number of business leaders and Chloe Smith at the Norwich 4 Jobs celebration event.

Ji-hyeon Park comments on their trip and their experience of the two days in the UK.

“We are an undergraduate research team from South Korea, which is funded by Yonsei University. We found Swarm Apprenticeships remarkable in doing such great apprentice programmes. It was quite impressive that Swarm’s programmes have been done in an aspect of entrepreneurship. Also, it was interesting that the founding spirit of Swarm Apprenticeships originated from Robert’s personal experience.

Students deserve second chance in their life, and apprenticeships are probably one of the best ways to provide such opportunity. Regarding the company’s structure, Swarm Apprenticeships is doing a great job. Even though it’s a new born company, the team in Swarm performed their distinct abilities to successfully thrive in the field of education.

South Korea is in a start-up level in career education for teenagers. Students still suffer from test-based educational atmosphere. But there happens some changes and movement for making better education which relate to real life experience and career. Therefore Norwich, the city was very amazing.

They have many meaningful projects like ‘Norwich for Jobs’ and many social enterprises to support apprenticeships of young people. It is very outstanding not only the city’s heritage but also the education trials. Including the school, Ormiston Victory Academy, the whole local community seems to successfully share visions about education for next generation. The great hospitality of Swarm Apprenticeships and also the Norwich city itself made our journey much more precious. It must be a great help to Korea for making better ways for career education. Unforgettable memories we had will be with us the whole life”.

Swarm’s Managing Director, Chris Perry was contacted back in November by the team at Yonsei who explained they had come across Swarm and wanted to visit. “I was a bit taken back by the original email as it’s not very often a small training provider like us gets noticed from half way around the world. It was a fantastic visit that taught me a lot about their culture and economy, and equally they learnt a lot about our education system. The students were an absolute delight to get to know over the two days, and I am really proud that the vision and values of a Norfolk apprenticeships provider like ourselves were able to influence research being done to challenge the current Korean education system.”

Aston Shaw, Chartered Certified Accountants have launched a monthly advice service to provide professional support and guidance to people with existing businesses or entrepreneurial ideas. As a part of the firm’s 2015 CSR strategy, Aston Shaw will run free advice sessions on the first Thursday of every month between 1pm and 5pm at all 5 office locations. To book a free business advice session, email: marketing@astonshaw.co.uk.

Due to launch on Thursday, 5th February 2015, these sessions are free to attend and open to anyone (e.g. employed, unemployed, going through redundancy, developing a business idea or a new business) who would like to receive free technical and practical business advice from a qualified professional.

Mark Noakes, Director, stated, “We want to drive forward local businesses in our area and give back to our community, so we decided to offer our advice and expertise to the local people who need it, but may not be able to afford it. The monthly free advice sessions will run on a ‘first come first served basis’ and we will advise on a range of topics from business, finance, tax, marketing and legal”.

The sessions will give existing and prospective business owners the chance to ask about:

• Business Research
• Business Plan
• Setting Up a Business
• Buying Premises
• Business Banking
• Tax
• Finance
• Business Insurance
• Staff & HR
• Advertising/Marketing/Social Media
• Business Networking
• Legal

Key Details:

• Every first Thursday afternoon of the month between 1-5pm
• Locations: Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Great Yarmouth and Dereham
• On first come first served basis and free to attend
• Free business advice sessions must be booked in advance
• Technical and practical advice from qualified professionals
• Open to anyone regardless of circumstance e.g. employed, unemployed, going through redundancy, developing a business idea, getting into a new career or a new business (under 3 years old)

For full details and to book your session please email marketing@astonshaw.co.uk

www.astonshaw.co.uk

At Norwich Castle we need to raise £14,500 to re-gild the frame of one of our rarest and most famous paintings, The Paston Treasure, before it goes on display as the centrepiece of a major international exhibition.

Visitartfund.org/arthappens-norwichif you’d like to donate – and bag yourself some great rewards as a thank you for your support, including an exclusive tote bag, a beautiful photo-book or a VIP day that takes you behind the scenes at the museum.

The Paston Treasure is a Norfolk masterpiece of international importance. It was painted by an unknown Dutch artist at Oxnead Hall in Norfolk around 1670 and portrays some of the treasures collected by the famous Paston family.

See The Paston Treasure for yourself in the Treasure, Trade & the Exotic Gallery at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery.

EarlyBird ticket sales for NorDevCon are still available for £95 + fee – less than half the standard ticket price! EarlyBird sales end this Friday, 13th February. You can purchase your tickethere.

This year, not only will the conference be a gathering of some of the brightest minds from the tech community, but over 100 business representatives from businesses in and around the county.

With somebusiness based sessionsand the opportunity to network with investors, designers and everything in between, the conference is the perfect chance to mingle with like minded folk and attend interactive sessions demonstrating how technological advances can add efficiency and value to a company’s business model.

Ali Clabburnof Norwich based Liftshare speaking on “How to get the best from developers when you haven’t got a clue” may be of particular interest to members.

Aspiring aviation students are one-step closer to achieving their ambitions after New Anglia LEP secured £3m Growth Fund money to kick-start the development of the aviation academy at Norwich International Airport.

The £12.5m project, unveiled in September 2013, will create an internationally-recognised centre of excellence for education and skills in aviation with a unique collaboration between the region’s employers, education groups, the LEP and local authorities.

It will be the first of its kind in the UK and support 80 engineering apprenticeships per year, as well as degree-level and further and higher education courses in engineering, airport operations and cabin crew training, for hundreds of students. The £3m secured by the LEP will pay for the creation of the centre at the airport.

Mark Pendlington, chairman of New Anglia LEP said: “This project is the centerpiece of all our ambitions to create an aviation cluster around Norwich Airport. The benefits of this academy will be felt by aviation businesses across the UK and the world, it will be a powerful draw for further inwards investment and once again give our region a strong competitive advantage over other key European locations. The academy presents a whole new world of opportunities for local students and we are delighted to have been able to support its creation.”

Andrew Bell, Chief Executive of Norwich International Airport, said. “The Norwich International Aviation Academy addresses two key issues. Firstly it helps to satisfy the demand for diverse skills at Norwich Airport, a demand which is increasing as the airport, and the businesses that are based here, grow. Without the right skills, the potential of these businesses, and of the Airport, will not be realised.

Secondly, it projects a clear message both across the UK and internationally that we are intent on becoming a centre of excellence for aviation. There is a well-documented global skills deficit across a range of aviation activities which the academy will help to address. This facility will enable local students to go global in their career ambitions, and will attract students into the region from the UK market and overseas.”

KLM UK Engineering Limited has been a founding partner in the project. Arjan Meijer, managing director, said: “KLM UK Engineering is looking forward to delivering its Aircraft Engineering courses to a much larger group of students through the NIAA than can currently be managed at our own college. This will allow the company to transfer its excellent skills and knowledge to the aircraft maintenance engineers of the future.

I am very excited about the academy as it will significantly increase the availability of local technically trained staff for our company. To interest future generations early-on for jobs in aviation is crucial, not only for sustaining our current aircraft maintenance business, but also to allow for further growth of our industry worldwide. The NIAA will position Norwich firmly on the international aviation industry map.”

Simon Witts, Chief Executive of Aviation Skills Partnership said: “We are delighted that we have been able to play a pivotal role in bringing the partners together to make this project a reality. With our main skills partners City College Norwich and University of East Anglia and main project partners NPS Group and WT Partnership, we are immensely proud that we can launch the first of our planned Aviation Skills Hubs in Norwich, a City within a region that I believe offers exactly the right ingredients for a successful academy”.

The remainder of the £12.5m investment is expected to come from loan funding and the private sector, who will provide the “real world” training experience with a full size aircraft, plus additional equipment and aviation facilities.

It is supported by a core group of founding partners, including KLM UK Engineering, Norwich International Airport, Aviation Skills Partnership, City College Norwich, University of East Anglia, New Anglia LEP, Norwich City Council, Norfolk County Council and Broadland District Council.

The Academy plans to open its doors in September 2016 although a ‘feeder’ programme with City College Norwich started in September 2014.