UNiDAYS acquires Indian firm
UNiDAYS, the Nottingham-based student affinity network with over 20m members worldwide, has acquired Student Identify, the Indian digital student verification provider.
The acquisition will provide UNiDAYS, which works with over 800 global brands, with the tools and local market insight to make a marked step-change and reward more of India’s fast-growing student population.
The acquisition comes during a period of heightened growth for UNiDAYS which, after launching in India last year, predicts it will have 2.5m Gen Z members in India by the end of the 2022/23 financial year.
Launched in 2019, Mumbai-based Student Identify is an automated digital verification technology built to address the specific challenges of the India market.
By integrating Student Identify, UNiDAYS will deliver a more seamless experience to students, while giving global brand partners access to this highly valuable market in India.
Josh Rathour, founder and CEO of UNiDAYS, says: “We’re delighted to welcome Student Identify to UNiDAYS. Integrating Student Identify’s verification capabilities with our own proprietary technology will enhance our global verification solution, meeting the specific needs of the fast-growing India market and delivering a better verification experience for members and brands. Having them on board will help drive the UNiDAYS offering in India to new levels.”
Armaan Vananchal, co-founder of Student Identify, says: “Students are extremely important consumers and in today’s digital India, they are influencing purchase decisions like never before. We are thrilled to join hands with UNiDAYS and extend rewards to a new legion of customers via UNiDAYS’ advanced solutions and brand partners. This is a big moment for students in India – exciting times ahead!”
Can we really futureproof our careers? By Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder of RSViP Business Networking Agency
Fiona Duncan-Steer, founder of RSViP Business Networking Agency, discusses how humans and businesses can futureproof themselves.
Recently I had the pleasure of facilitating a series of webinars for the psychology department of a university I work closely with and in amongst the array of knowledgeable and inspiring speakers was a very articulate gentleman whose job title was ‘Futurist’, specialising in helping organisations manage their future and ‘navigate the new normal’- a genius business service that is more prevalent now than ever.
We explored the topic of ‘Humans Verses Machines’, covering everything from technology in the workplace to AI and everything in-between. Alongside this talk, and many others delivered by psychologists within various specialisms from forensic, to cognitive, to occupational to clinical, I noticed a stand-out key theme within their messages and that was – ‘be more human’.
What do I mean when I say, ‘be more human’?
Well, it’s exactly as it sounds, given that the hybrid world we now live in is slowly being taken over by automation and technology, some might say that we as humans are in danger of becoming extinct – well not exactly extinct, but certainly replaceable, so the obvious would be for us as humans to somehow ensure that we are irreplaceable right?
So, how do we ensure that? How do we futureproof ourselves?
The question one might ask is, what jobs are currently out there, or what business products or services can be created that we as humans can do but robots/machines can never do?
Reverting back to the presentations from the psychologists, my scribbled down notes throughout pointed to words such as ‘critical thinking’ – no amount of technology could ever replace a person’s ability to ‘reason’, ‘reflect’ and ‘experience’ – not to mention ‘creative thinking’, ‘idea generation’, ‘innovation’ itself, all of which cannot be pre-programed.
So, the answer seems simple, we must continue to draw upon our key human skills such as empathy, support, compassion, and resilience to ensure that whatever we do in our careers or businesses we offer that personal, human service of support. An almost integrated holistic way of working, which can of course still be combined with strategy, innovation and strong leadership skills – these are after all the USPs we as humans possess and have the potential to develop.
We have all learned to adapt and navigate change in our own ways these past few years, but it doesn’t stop here, we live in a world of supply and demand. When a gap in the market appears, someone, somewhere will fill it. When a new market trend goes viral, new businesses launch from it – look at how many jobs have been created from the arrival of the digital space, such as SEO experts, social media managers and the ‘influencer’ concept in more recent years as an example. ‘LinkedIn experts’ offering to assist in your digital marketing and more recently since events and education has transferred to screen, we have now seen an influx of ‘hybrid event management’ companies or ‘podcast management services’ ready to assist in offering you even more exposure via every possible platform. We have all become so accessible, so digitised and as such so much more exposed and vulnerable – which has led sadly to an increase in mental health issues.
As a result of this, we have seen an increase in mental health support services, such as holistic therapies, counselling support-based groups and the launch of retreats offering everything from yoga to fitness to meditation and as such an increase in these kinds of businesses being launched in the mainstream and guess what? We aren’t interested in booking a 1-2-1 session with a robot when we need support, empathy or compassion because quite frankly we know the only way we are going to get what we need is by seeking out someone who is…more human.
As Futurist Matt O’Neill says: “We need to get better at being human.”
Fiona Duncan-Steer, www.fionaduncansteer.com / www.rsvipnetwork.co.uk
East Midlands Airport to hold first in-person jobs fair since start of pandemic
East Midlands Airport (EMA) will hold its first face-to-face jobs fair in two years on Saturday 26 February 10am – 2pm in its check-in hall.
Last year’s event was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic and, instead, the airport has been running virtual events as part of its recruitment drive.
The jobs fair allows people to meet employers in person to find out more about the roles available. It’s also a great opportunity for recruiters to showcase what they have to offer job seekers.
Hundreds of roles are available across the airport site working for the airport itself and with partner businesses. Vacancies range from front line operational jobs to hospitality.
Employers attending the jobs fair include:
- East Midlands Airport (EMA)
- Aviation services experts Swissport
- DHL Express
- The Restaurant Group (TRG) which operates Frankie and Benny’s within the airport’s departure lounge
- HMSHost which runs food outlets within the airport
- World Duty Free (WDF) – Dufry
- WHSmith/InMotion
- Boots
- cargo handling agent, HAE
- Aviation Recruitment Network
New project lights up Derby to boost the city centre
A new project supported by Derby City Council is set to light up landmark buildings with high definition illuminations, making the city centre a more attractive place to be.
QUAD, Derby’s arts centre and charity based in Derby Market Place, is behind the project which has won £50,000 from Derby City Council’s Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) Vibrancy fund.
With the funding TECH:SQUAD, QUAD’s technical team, have bought three high definition 20,000 lumens projectors to light up city centre buildings to create events in themselves. They are also buying smaller projectors and lenses to use for displays such as lighting the frontages of historic shop buildings.
The team has built up expertise in projected light displays over a number of years, working with leading national landmarks such as the National Trust to wrap up a property like a Christmas tree as part of a festive light night, or projecting the history of Derby onto the Silk Mill. Each time this has involved hiring in expensive projectors, adding to the cost.
Now TECH:SQUAD own their own projectors, partners in the city will be able to use them with QUAD’s support in developing the content and operating them. Derby City Council is putting together guidelines to ensure they are used for maximum impact.
The team at QUAD is already working with Derbion, who have put additional funding into the project to produce animated displays, including fireworks, on the side of the shopping centre. Trials for the new equipment also took place in the run up to Christmas, with festive illuminations on Derbion and snowfall projected onto the front of the Council House for the Christmas lights switch on event.
Derby Cathedral tower is another location where there are plans to use the projectors. QUAD produced the stunning animated projections there during Christmas 2020. Their newly-acquired large projectors, first used in the UK for the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, will give double the quality and definition of those displays.
Dr Alex Rock, Head of Technical and Commerical Services at QUAD, said: “TECH:SQUAD has had a vision to purchase these projectors for the city of Derby since 2019, and the ARG funding alongside support from Derbion has facilitated that. What this now means is that the city of Derby, at low cost, can use projection mapping to highlight its key landmarks, bringing vibrancy to the city and spectacular light shows to the public.
“We’re very excited, in 2022, to be working on projection-mapping projects across the city, including Derbion roof, Derby City Council house, the tower of Derby Cathedral, and a number of key historic retail units in the city centre.”
Adam Tamsett, general manager at Derbion, added: “Derbion is proud to be working alongside Derby City Council and Derby QUAD on the illuminations on the exterior of the centre. The projections were live throughout December, helping to spread cheer throughout the festive period and we look forward to continuing to work together on the project.”
The aim of the ARG Vibrancy Fund is to support projects that will help bring footfall back into the city centre, making it a more attractive place to be while local businesses and the city economy recover from the impact of COVID. So far the pot of £250,000 has funded around 11 projects.
Councillor Ross McCristal, Derby City Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture, Tourism and Wellbeing, said: “This funding for QUAD will make vibrant, high quality lighting projections possible for our partners across the city as we all work to find ways to bring people back to the city centre. It’s this kind of working which is at the heart of our bid to become UK City of Culture 2025. It’s a good example of how our ARG Vibrancy Fund can be used to good effect, although the real winners will be visitors to Derby who will experience some fantastic light shows that are events in themselves.”
Karcher takes final spot at Phase 1 of Teal Trade Park
Phase 1 of Teal Trade Park, Netherfield, Nottingham, has reached full occupation following an 8,429 sq ft letting of units T19 & T20 to Karcher.
The German household name joins occupiers including Screwfix, Howdens, Toolstation, Paintwell, Trent Valley Windows and Trent Vehicle Charging. The development has reached full occupation in under four months of practical completion.
Iain Taylor of Northwood Urban Logistics said: “We are very excited to have made our recent acquisition of Teal Park at a time when there is chronic lack of supply in the area. Teal Park is able to cater to a wide range of occupiers who will be able to adapt the units for a variety of uses.”
Mark Tomlinson of FHP Property Consultants said: “We are delighted to have secured Karcher for the last two units on phase 1. They are a complimentary trade user to an already excellent line up of occupiers on the estate.
“We now turn our attention to phase 2 and would suggest there is a real opportunity on the estate for Electrical trade users, Tile Trade users and Automotive trade users to fill a gap in the development. We look forward to speaking with more occupiers and progressing the Trade Park with clients Northwood and joint agent Phillips Sutton.”
Brodie Faint of Phillips Sutton said: “It is another good news story for Teal Park to have attracted such a high quality occupier as Karcher to the scheme to further complement the existing line up of trade users. With good interest in the second phase, we don’t expect the remaining units to remain available for long and would urge occupiers to come forward early to register their interest ahead of the units’ completion in April.”
Phase 2 of the development is well underway with construction with a further six trade units ready for April 2022 ranging between 215 sq m (2,311 sq ft) to 401 sq m (4,315 sq ft) with already one unit pre-let. A further phase of six larger units will be ready for Summer 2022 ranging between 878 sq m (9,450 sq ft) to 2,923 sq m (31,470 sq ft).
Carter Jonas acted on behalf of Karcher in the letting.
East Midlands unemployment rate hits fresh record low – but skills development must be prioritised to combat lingering recruitment issues
The East Midlands’ unemployment rate continues to drop – once again hitting its lowest point on record, new figures show.
It was 3.4% for the period between October and December last year, compared to a 4.1% national average.
This is the lowest level since the Office for National Statistics (ONS) began publishing regional labour market figures in April 2015, and is higher than only four other regions – East of England, South West, Wales and Northern Ireland.
East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “After falling to 3.5% in the previous reporting period, it’s fantastic news for the region’s labour market that the unemployment rate has fallen to a new record low, which sends a clear signal that the East Midlands is open for business.
“It reflects our own research that indicates our region’s firms are creating jobs to meet strong demand following the effects of the pandemic. The Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q4 2021, covering the same period as the ONS figures, showed two-thirds of companies attempted to recruit, while a net 35% expected to increase their headcount in the first three months of 2022.
“We are represented by a very diverse economy in the East Midlands but there have been some standout sectors to celebrate in recent times, such as a logistics industry that has been a major driver of job creation during the pandemic, which has accelerated pre-existing online shopping trends.”
Tightening labour pool presents acute challenge for businesses
However, the East Midlands economic inactivity rate – which measures the proportion of 16 to 64-year-olds who have exited the labour market for reasons such as retirement, caring duties or studying – was above the 21.2% national average at 21.9%. It recorded the largest increase compared with the previous year at 1.7 percentage points.
Another key finding in the ONS data was that UK wage growth continues to lag behind the rising cost of living – representing a 0.8% fall when taking inflation into account.
The ONS said early estimates suggest employers are beginning to push up wages further and faster – with median monthly wages in January increasing by 6.3% compared with the same month last year, and 10.3% higher than before the pandemic in February 2020.
Scott added: “Despite the positive trajectory in unemployment, businesses are still encountering major recruitment challenges in a super competitive jobs market, as evidenced by yet another record of 1.3 million job vacancies nationally between November and January.
“The significant rise in the proportion of people exiting the labour market in the East Midlands means there are fewer people to choose from – a worrying trend at a time when companies are desperately trying to fill roles to cope with demand, which will enable them to continue growing and creating more opportunities for local people.
“Many companies in traditional industries such as manufacturing and construction often tell us about the difficulties in replacing an ageing workforce with younger talent, and the latest QES showed that eight in 10 of those that attempted recruitment struggled to find people with the right skills.
“All this highlights the importance of investing heavily in skills, something that was highlighted in the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper as one of its 12 ‘missions’ but must now be prioritised with rapid action to ensure our post-Covid and post-Brexit economic recovery doesn’t stall.”
Flurry of deals for Trent Gateway as region’s industrial sector sees continued growth
Due to high demand in recent months, Northwood Urban Logistics now has just two units (one 10,488 sq ft unit and one 3,250 sq ft unit) remaining at its Trent Gateway scheme.
Recent deals, brokered by JLL and FHP, have included Tekled, Conker Bespoke Furniture Ltd, and Europadisc. They join a range of other established businesses based on the 18-unit industrial site, including RSK Group and BW Flexible Systems.
Demand for logistics real estate in the East Midlands is on an upward trajectory, according to the leasing agents of Trent Gateway.
JLL’s own research has revealed that the industrial property sector is being driven by increasing demands on ecommerce and express parcel delivery, as well as those requiring third-party logistics, healthcare and life sciences. Yet, suitable land and planning permission for new units is currently in short supply.
Gemma Constantinou, industrial director at JLL East Midlands, said: “The uplift in demand for space within the East Midlands reflects the wider trend visible across the sector regionally and globally. Our own research has shown that 74% people in the sector are expecting growth in the next five years but equally struggle to secure the facilities required.
“Nottingham continues to experience this robust demand with limited new build Grade A options. Trent Gateway has benefited from having quality units, in a great location with enviable green credentials.”
Iain Taylor, director at Northwood Urban Logistics, said: “We are very pleased to welcome our latest occupiers to the scheme. Trent Gateway is able to accommodate a wide range of occupiers who will be able to adapt the units for a variety of uses.”
Anthony Barrowcliffe, surveyor at FHP said: “The marketplace is starved of excellent quality industrial units like Trent Gateway and due to this we have experienced great success with only 2 units remaining but with several active conversations taking place on these remaining units.”
New Leicestershire HQ for international hygiene company
A hygiene company is on the move to new headquarters.
Citron Hygiene has signed a five-year lease to make Ceva House in Ashby de la Zouch its new UK HQ in a deal concluded by commercial property specialists Bromwich Hardy.
Citron has taken more than 3,000 sq ft of space on the ground floor of the Grade A office development, which sits close to junction 13 of the M42.
The company, which provides bespoke managed washroom & hygiene services, has its international headquarters in Canada, and supplies and services more than 30,000 commercial premises across the UK.
Bromwich Hardy’s Michelle Mills negotiated the deal just 12 months after helping the company find six new sites across the UK covering more than 35,000 sq ft of space, to help it meet its strategic growth plans.
“We are delighted to have been able to find this excellent property for Citron and help play a further part in their continuing success,” said Michelle. “The offices are superbly equipped and well located and are ideal for Citron as the company continues to grow across the UK.
“The deal was tied in with negotiating a surrender of Citron’s current warehouse in Bardon, Leicestershire, from where they are relocating their finance and corporate development team.”
Robert Guice, CEO at Citron Hygiene, said: “In line with our rapid growth strategy and continued expansion, the move to a new headquarters seemed only a natural progression for the business.
“Our new home supports Citron’s ongoing recruitment drive with state-of-the-art facilities available for our staff and customers to reap the benefits as we continue to cement our position as a market leader in the washroom hygiene space.”
Avison Young acted for the landlord over the deal.
EMR to improve wayfinding signage at eight stations across its network
East Midlands Railway (EMR) is rolling out wayfinding improvements across eight of its stations aimed at helping its customers use more logical and safer ways to navigate its sites.
The £73,000 project will deliver accessible wayfinding improvements at locations up and down EMR’s network, including Kettering, Wellingborough, Nottingham, Beeston, Bulwell, Newark Castle, Hinckley and Sheffield.
The new signage has been placed to allow customers to better understand how to get to a platform, exit, or entrance, as quickly and as safely as possible. EMR has also reduced sign clutter as much as possible, helping customers navigate the station environment with confidence and in a way that suits individual needs.
Standardising the language used on the signs is another feature of the work, helping customers to become familiar with the same words and better understand their meaning.
The project is wholly funded by EMR with the exception of a £3,000 match funding contribution from Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council.
Depending on funding, similar wayfinding projects at other stations could also be rolled out in the future.
Examples of the works include:
Sheffield
The current signs in the concourse (directly below) show three separate way out lines. In the new design this has been changed to two, with different alignment disciplines to improve the wayfinding experience.
Bulwell
The installation of a new poster case that highlights the step free route to the town centre.
Helen Dolphin MBE, Chair of East Midlands Railway’s Inclusivity Panel, said: “The Inclusivity panel is delighted to see the introduction of this much improved wayfinding signage.
“The signage will significantly improve the experience of customers, particularly those with disabilities where finding the quickest and safest route is vitally important. As a society we don’t always appreciate the difficulties people can have navigating around a station and this signage is going to make a big difference.”
Lisa Angus, Transition and Projects Director at East Midlands Railway, said: “We are always looking at better ways to help our customers navigate easily and safely around our stations.
“We hope this project will help in this regard and cut down the number of trips and falls which do occasionally happen when customers mistakenly take a more challenging route to either a platform, entrance or exit.”
Nottingham City Council set to invest £230m in five-year housing programme
Nottingham City Council looks set to invest £230m in a five-year investment programme in its housing stock, when it goes to Executive Board next week.
The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme provides funds for improvements to properties, new build council housing and improvements to estates. The HRA, which is the council’s landlord account, will also need to fund improvements to make council homes warmer and more energy efficient, both in new builds and retrofitting of the current stock. With energy prices rising sharply, creating and investing in energy efficient homes is becoming increasingly important to help lower fuel bills.
Nottingham City Council, along with its arms-length housing management company, Nottingham City Homes (NCH), has already built over 650 houses, with over 300 more new council homes planned or in the pipeline across Nottingham over the next two years, including at Bestwood and Clifton, where 144 new homes are already under construction.
The council capital programme, which aims to help improve the council’s current housing stock of 25,218 homes, includes new kitchens and bathrooms, energy efficient windows, solar panels and external wall insulation.
Additional home improvements include:
- Upgrading around 2,500 heating, 1,100 of which are high efficiency boilers
- Upgrading existing fire alarm systems across 375 homes in low rise blocks
- Delivering new, large-scale fencing, guttering, painting and concreting as part of the Decent Neighbourhoods programme, due to start shortly.
- Overall, housing stock reduction caused by Right to Buy and the need to create more new council homes to replace them
- Impact of Covid 19 on housing management costs and rental income
- Increased construction cost affecting the costs of repairs and the overall new build and investment programme
- The impact of implementing new regulations including the Building Safety Act, the Social Housing White Paper and energy efficiency requirements.
