Research from Build to Rent specialists, Ascend Properties, has revealed how the sector is poised to gain further momentum due to the number of units currently under construction. Previous research by Ascend found that where pandemic completions across the BTR sector were concerned, London had seen a 28% uplift, while
Prime Bellshill site set to be transformed into 245,000 sq ft state-of-the-art logistics facility Knight Property Group has submitted a full planning application to South Lanarkshire Council to develop a brand new £ 50 million logistics park in Bellshill, south east of Glasgow city centre. The development, which will be
Finning UK & Ireland receives RoSPA Engineering Services Sector Award for health and safety achievements Finning UK & Ireland, the exclusive distributor for Caterpillar® products, is celebrating after landing an internationally recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards. The company is now in the running for the highest
The risk of injury – or even death – within the rail industry can unfortunately be stark. According to the Office of Rail and Road’s annual statistical release, from 2019-2020 there were 5,099 minor workforce injuries, 130 major incidents and, tragically, three fatalities. While major and minor injuries were at
Kawneer introduces an enhanced +/- 5mm expansion joint to its high-performance AA®110 SSG system. One of the main complexities in designing a glazed façade is the accommodation of slab movement/deflection, and due to the extension of structural spans seen in contemporary building designs, slab deflection is increasing. This places additional demands on a façade design team to accommodate movement between slab
Making your name for yourself in any industry is hard- making a name for yourself as a freelancer is even harder! To become an effective freelancer, you’ve got to have a wide variety of skills, and this means that you’ve got to have the right skills in place, while also
While many businesses have experienced a downturn over the past 18 months, plumbers have found themselves in a spot of luck. This Is Money has highlighted the impressive year that Pimlico Plumbers had in 2020-21, and how this has been indicative of a wider market boom. The boom, partly due to a
Leading real estate developer, Graftongate, has committed to delivering a new £30 million advanced helicopter logistics hub on behalf of Italian aerospace giant, Leonardo. The 210,000 sq ft project in Yeovil, Somerset, will see the consolidation of eight existing warehouses into one all-encompassing logistics hub. The single-site logistics facility will
The CEO of a British technology training firm and tech think tank has warned of a looming crisis facing UK laboratories – in particular those at the forefront of Covid-19 testing – due to a massive shortage of qualified and skilled lab technicians. Andy Lord, CEO of Manchester head-quartered Credersi, a tech talent training incubator
The majority of homeowners in England remain unconcerned about a stamp duty holiday deadline dip in house prices, although a third would be deterred from selling should one materialise. That’s according to research from the homebuying platform, YesHomebuyers, who found that 83% were unphased about a potential cool in house
Research from Build to Rent specialists, Ascend Properties, has revealed how the sector is poised to gain further momentum due to the number of units currently under construction. Previous research by Ascend found that where pandemic completions across the BTR sector were concerned, London had seen a 28% uplift, while elsewhere across the UK completions were down -33%. However, when analysing sector data on the number of BTR units currently under construction, the opposite is true. The latest data shows that across the UK, 36,054 BTR units are currently in the pipeline, a -1.8% drop year on year. In London, there are 16,227 BTR units currently under construction in 2021, a year on year decline of -8.2%. However, elsewhere across the UK, the number of BTR units currently in the process of delivery has climbed by 4.1% in 2021 when compared to the previous year. Ascend also analysed the Build to Rent pipeline In terms of the sheer value of bricks and mortar it will be bringing to market as a result. In total, the 36,054 UK wide BTR units currently under construction are estimated to add £10.9bn in value to the Build to Rent market. With new build property values higher in London, Ascend estimates those units currently under construction to add an additional £8.1bn in market value. While higher than the rest of the UK, this does equate to a -7.5% drop in the total value of the capital’s BTR pipeline on a year to year basis. In contrast, the BTR pipeline across the rest of the UK is estimated to be worth £5.7bn and while it trails London, this is an impressive 9% uplift on an annual basis. Managing Director of Ascend Properties, Ged McPartlin, commented: “The strength of the build to rent sector goes beyond the number of units being delivered to market and so it’s important that we also consider those currently under construction as an indicator of future sector performance. In this respect, the strength of the sector is pretty evident as despite the uncertainty posed by the pandemic, build to rent construction is down less than two per cent in 2021 when compared to the same time last year just as Covid was taking hold. While London is leading the way in terms of pandemic completions and the overall potential value of the build to rent pipeline, the rest of the UK is steaming ahead in terms of an increase in the number of units under construction and their year on year value growth. So there are positive signs across the board that the build to rent sector continues to build momentum and it’s also important to note that this is based on the Q1 pipeline only, with these figures only likely to grow as the year progresses.” BtR units under construction Location 2020 Q1 2021 Q1 Change 2020 Q1 to 2021 Q1 London 17,672 16,227 -8.2% Regions 19,040 19,827 4.1% Total (UK) 36,712 36,054 -1.8% Data sourced from BPF.org BtR units under construction est total values Location 2020 Q1 2021 Q1 Change 2020 Q1 to 2021 Q1 London £8,765,352,072 £8,112,222,335 -7.5% Regions £5,239,677,609 £5,710,379,764 9.0% Total (UK) £10,606,015,560 £10,922,786,332 3.0% Values based on quarterly new build values and pipeline delivery for each quarter
Prime Bellshill site set to be transformed into 245,000 sq ft state-of-the-art logistics facility Knight Property Group has submitted a full planning application to South Lanarkshire Council to develop a brand new £ 50 million logistics park in Bellshill, south east of Glasgow city centre. The development, which will be branded as Belgrave Logistics Park will be located on the site of the former Devro manufacturing facility, which was acquired by Knight in February this year and is currently undergoing demolition and site clearance works. Knight’s submission for the 14-acre site, which will be developed on a speculative basis, includes plans for five high-quality logistics units of 28,940 sq ft, 18,940 sq ft, 33,945 sq ft, 47,940 sq ft and 125,665 sq ft. If approved, the development has the potential to attract new businesses and bring employment opportunities to the area. Each unit will have a target EPC rating of A. Further green credentials include electric car charging points, solar photovoltaics panels to the roof, all electric heat recovery / air conditioning to offices and water management flow restriction to conserve water. Howard Crawshaw, managing director of Knight Property Group said: “We are hugely excited to have submitted our proposals for this significant development. It is fantastic to see the redevelopment of the site moving swiftly and gaining momentum and the lodging of the application after the consultation period takes us another step along the path. “We firmly believe the delivery of high quality logistics warehousing to the Scottish market will be well received and even more so given the location and multi access points to the motorway and road network that are accessible within minutes. Construction work should start later this year and the first units will be available in the second quarter of 2022.” Alan Gilkison, partner at Ryden added: “Knight has a strong track record of developing and delivering versatile and well-designed industrial and logistics units. Given the prime location and excellent connectivity, we anticipate positive demand from discerning logistics businesses. Belgrave Logistics Park is certain to be well-received.” Belgrave Logistics Park will be situated within the popular Bellshill Industrial Estate with excellent transport links and quick access to the A725 dual carriageway which provides direct access to the M8 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh and also the M74 which is Scotland’s main road link south. Glasgow international airport is only 25 minutes drive west via the M8 motorway and Edinburgh International airport is only 40 minutes drive east. Ryden is agent for Knight Property Group at Belgrave Logistics Park. Further information on can be found at: https://knightpropertygroup.co.uk/developments/belgrave-logistics-park/
Finning UK & Ireland receives RoSPA Engineering Services Sector Award for health and safety achievements Finning UK & Ireland, the exclusive distributor for Caterpillar® products, is celebrating after landing an internationally recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards. The company is now in the running for the highest possible accolade in the health and safety awards from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The Finning business revolves around extremely large and heavy equipment, from mining trucks that stand three stories high to hydraulic shovels that weigh in at hundreds of tons. Safety therefore is a central focus to ensure that staff, contractors and customers are free from significant risk of accidents. “Organisations receiving a RoSPA award are recognised as being world leaders in health and safety practices, so receiving the Engineering Services Sector Award is a fantastic achievement,” said Keith Oakes, Head of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) at Finning. “I would like to extend my thanks to all employees for their ongoing commitment to health and safety. I would also like to recognise the work carried out by Martin Parker, Finning’s SHEQ Business Partner, who completes the substantial submission process every year by liaising with multiple departments to evidence our performance and achievements. “Everyone should feel incredibly proud of this accomplishment, which means we now go into the final evaluation process for the chance to be awarded the Sir George Earle Trophy. If we were to secure this prestigious accolade it would be the second time, following our win back in 2012.” Each year, applicants submit their entries to the internationally recognised health and safety awards for the chance to receive the highly coveted Sir George Earle Trophy — the highest occupational health and safety award in the world. Currently, around seven million people are directly impacted by the RoSPA awards but the scheme’s global influence is even wider, with over 2,000 organisations from 46 countries represented in 2021. “The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, but it receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for health and safety worldwide” said Julia Small, RoSPA Achievements Director. “RoSPA is very proud of the achievements of its entrants, and with this award we recognise the best of the best, those organisations that have gone the extra mile, raising the bar for the delivery of safety in the workplace. “Employees, wherever they are, should be able to go to work safe in the knowledge that they will return home unharmed and healthy at the end of every day. Our RoSPA award winners are central to achieving this goal. By entering they are driving up standards and setting new safety benchmarks for organisations across the world.” For more information about Finning’s commitment to safety and how it upholds its high standards, visit the Finning UK & Ireland website.
The risk of injury – or even death – within the rail industry can unfortunately be stark. According to the Office of Rail and Road’s annual statistical release, from 2019-2020 there were 5,099 minor workforce injuries, 130 major incidents and, tragically, three fatalities. While major and minor injuries were at their lowest since the current comparable data series began in 2007-08, these statistics demonstrate the need for continuous high-quality training and education. This is what Astutis, an industry-leading training provider, is offering through its newly upgraded IOSH Managing Safely online course for the rail industry. One of the world’s foremost health and safety certificates, this course is ideally suited to the demands and potential risks of the rail industry. Latest digital concepts combined with ‘on-the-job’ simulation Astutis’ Managing Safely online course – requiring 24 hours of study online – is a fully-accredited health and safety certificate for those in middle management positions within the rail industry. Tutor-led courses are three days long, while online learners have six months’ access to course materials and tutor support, which they can work through at their own pace. The course combines the latest digital learning concepts with a practical ‘on-the-job’ simulation to equip learners with an understanding of the importance of health and safety and how to implement best practice. In doing so, it aims to develop participants’ health and safety strategies, essential management skills, and greater confidence in their role. Learning through gamification To make the course more interesting, engaging and ‘real’, it includes simulation training using real-life workplace examples and elements of gamification. One element of Astutis’ ‘real-life’ simulation is budget control – an essential HSE management skill. Learners, acting as an HSE manager, are presented with a variety of scenarios and hazards and given a budget against which they must balance their decisions. This not only motivates participants but allows them to better apply their learnings to the real world, as Steve Terry, Astutis’ Managing Director, explains: “Quite simply, our aim is to raise health and safety training to a higher standard and continuously improve our learners’ experiences. Adopting elements of gamification in our simulation training certainly plays its part in helping us do that. We find that it helps challenge participants’ thinking and build motivation – two things we feel lead to better outcomes.” User experience is paramount “We care deeply about the overall experience of the individuals and organisations that work with us and take part in our courses,” continues Steve. “It’s why we make it easy for businesses to monitor the progress of their learners, by giving them all the data they need to make smart, actionable decisions. A clear training roadmap is provided at the start of all our online courses, and each one is designed to complement our other courses seamlessly. We also appoint learning designers, multimedia developers and graphic designers to give our learners the very best – and most engaging – experience possible.” Benefits for participants and their organisations Steve comments: “First and foremost, this course ensures that its participants – and their organisations – comply with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) legislation and meet their managerial responsibilities for safety in the workplace.” This includes (amongst other things): Recognising common workplace hazards and implementing appropriate control measures Estimating, evaluating and reducing risk by applying a hierarchy of risk control Carrying out structured risk assessments and accident investigations A ‘must-have’ for rail professionals As well as being well-suited for a variety of industries, Astutis’ IOSH Managing Safely course encapsulates the knowledge needed specifically for rail health and safety professionals. Completing the course syllabus prepares professionals to create and foster a safety-conscious workforce while avoiding high costs. Many of the UK’s leading rail organisations have benefitted from Asutis’s industry-leading course, including Merseyrail, for whom it’s vital that staff have a high level of health and safety knowledge. Daniel Dale, Competency Training Manager, Merseyrail comments: “We choose Astutis as our learning partner because they guarantee immediate access to a learning management system and provide the reporting and monitoring functionality we need. It’s also important for us – should we need it – to access customised content that’s both relevant and up-to-date. We have been happy with the training provided by Astutis which has proved invaluable in the support of implementing an effective H&S policy within Merseyrail”. For more information, including the course syllabus and how to register, visit astutis.com/iosh-courses/online, email enquiries@astutis.com, or call +44(0)345 241 3685.
Kawneer introduces an enhanced +/- 5mm expansion joint to its high-performance AA®110 SSG system. One of the main complexities in designing a glazed façade is the accommodation of slab movement/deflection, and due to the extension of structural spans seen in contemporary building designs, slab deflection is increasing. This places additional demands on a façade design team to accommodate movement between slab and façade. When building designs require glazed facades to withstand high slab deflections one solution is to incorporate unitised curtain wall systems like Kawneer’s AA®201 or AA®265 systems, which due to their construction, can provide greater movement allowance. However, unitised curtain walling usually comes at a cost premium and is generally more appropriate for very large facades and where there might be issues of site access. Traditional stick curtain wall is more readily used by most fabricators and installers in the UK, hence the development of a new expansion joint by Kawneer. This new development has now enabled Kawneer to offer an expansion joint for its AA®110 SSG system that can withstand a +/- 5mm amount of movement tolerance. The recent launch of the capped variation of the expansion joint for Kawneer’s AA®110 curtain wall system, which allows a +/- 15mm building tolerance, has now been successfully followed by the SSG (Structurally Silicone Sealed) variant. While a conventional SSG system would be limited in its movement capabilities due to the hidden clamping nature of the glass and toggle engagement requirements, the new Kawneer solution has re-designed glass clamping rails and a re-designed toggle system to allow for greater slab deflection and differential movement. The addition of the SSG expansion joint allows increased flexibility in architectural specification where the clean lines of a silicone glazed façade are desired, but without compromising the requirement for reduced slab sizes and cost. The new joint locates at each slab level and is therefore concealed by spandrel glass or panels. Its specialised engineered foam seals expand and contract with the movement of the structure. To ensure compliance with UK standards, the new enhancement has been rigorously tested during development to ensure high performance in all UK conditions. In consultation with the CWCT, an enhanced version of the ‘Standard for Systemised Building Envelope: Sequence B’ programme was developed. This included a series of performance tests while the new +/- 5mm SSG expansion joint was in its compression, extension and neutral positions. Alongside the new expansion joint enhancement, Kawneer has also increased the glazing weight capacity of the AA®110 system which will bring it in line with the current AA®100 system, providing glass weight capability of up to 600kg. The introduction of a 36mm thermal break provides enhanced thermal performance and increased glass thickness capability up to 50mm. Kawneer’s Technical Director Gary Ledger commented: “Glazing and cladding systems need to be designed to allow for building movement without compromising the performance or safety of the system. The consequences of failing to provide enough allowance for in-service building movement can range from a reduction in weather performance to glass breakage and significant system failure. “Our new +/- 5mm SSG expansion joint is a welcome addition to our AA®110 product offer and follows on from the popular capped expansion joint launched in 2019. This subsequently gives architects ultimate design freedom by providing a traditional stick curtain wall system that gives exceptional performance and tolerance of building movement.”
Making your name for yourself in any industry is hard- making a name for yourself as a freelancer is even harder! To become an effective freelancer, you’ve got to have a wide variety of skills, and this means that you’ve got to have the right skills in place, while also ensuring that you can promote yourself effectively. Freelancing is great, but it is undoubtedly the hardest way to make a living, especially in an oversubscribed industry like construction. But if you are looking to make a significant impact in this industry, you can learn a number of effective tactics. Let’s show you how you can make a difference and a name for yourself in the construction industry. The Right Networking Tactics Networking is is something that everybody has to get under their belt. It’s a skill that we must recognise that forms a basis in every single industry. Whether you are creating an elevator pitch or a unique selling proposition, the benefits of networking are about advertising yourself. To make a name for yourself in construction, you must know how to promote yourself in the right ways. This means looking at the big wide world and understanding which tactic works best in any given situation. You could easily use printed square business cards to give out at every networking meeting, but this is where you have to embody a solid mix of promoting yourself in the real world as well as online. You can find many people on LinkedIn that are constantly networking by commenting on other people’s threads, but when you see them in real life, they are a shrinking violet. Remember that when you are networking, always put forward that same personality, regardless of the medium. Learning to Thrive as a Freelancer A freelancer in construction can work on different projects. We can look back to the recession in 2009, which provided a lot of people with a short sharp shock and they soon refused to enter the white-collar disciplines of the construction industry. This is where a freelancer can fill certain skills gaps. A freelancer can jump from project to project, but they have to learn how to thrive. We can do this by understanding how to conserve our finances, but also recognise the areas that are in demand. For example, quantity surveyors are in short supply at the moment, and freelancers can earn up to 40% more than their permanent working counterparts. But as a freelancer, it’s not just about the money, it’s about making sure that you can go into a sector that can yield a significant return over time. One of the biggest mistakes freelancers make is by working to fulfil a short-term need. This is great for the client, but not for the freelancer. Focus on Quality of Work Freelancers are given short shrift- they are deemed to be the type of people who are not committed to the bigger picture or end goal. This is why many construction companies try to bring on full-time workers because they think they can buy dedication. Freelance professionals are more than aware of the nature of the construction industry. This is why freelancers are always careful to guarantee a high-quality service. Because this doesn’t just help them and the client now, but secure future work. By bringing extra value to a project, it provides a fresh pair of eyes and a different way of working. Compare this to a full-time worker who has got into a rut and only works in a certain way. But this is not all. Employees hesitate because of the rates that freelancers command, however, one of the greatest advantages freelancers have is that they may charge a salary that goes beyond the basic amount, but we have to show clients the true cost to the permanent member of staff. When we consider commission, benefits and perks, as well as insurance, this will inflate the cost of a permanent member of staff. You should also recognise that when you are promoting yourself the cost of upskilling a permanent member of staff in something that you already know is going to save the client money. The professional expertise you bring to the table shows a practical solution that fills in the gaps left by permanent members of staff. Consider yourself an extra resource to help a project across the finishing line. Navigating the Negativities of a Freelancer Freelancing can be lucrative, but there’s no holiday pay, healthcare, and ever company benefits. But this is why, as a freelancer, you have a higher daily rate. This reflects the higher risk. Because there is a lack of job security, you have to make sure you are selling yourself for the right amount. As a freelancer, you may work with clients for a certain amount of time during the year, but there are going to be fallow periods. There is that initial attractive paper packet, but you also have the benefit of leaving a project if there are any issues or delays. But this means you’ve got to consult legal specialists to ensure that any contract you put out there guarantees you are paid according to the work you complete. Is it Worth Being a Freelancer in the Construction Industry? The industry has a wide variety of construction roles, from senior surveyor to site manager, and everything in between- this means that if you are a flexible individual who knows how to work effectively, you will be able to reap the rewards. For many people, becoming a freelancer is the most effective way to earn a living in a competitive environment. As a freelancer, you can be a flexible individual, which means you can enjoy a variety of different projects so you get variety as the spice of life. However, you must remember that a freelancer life is about going where the money is. Think about yourself as a commodity, and make sure you’re not underselling yourself. But also realise what it takes to make
While many businesses have experienced a downturn over the past 18 months, plumbers have found themselves in a spot of luck. This Is Money has highlighted the impressive year that Pimlico Plumbers had in 2020-21, and how this has been indicative of a wider market boom. The boom, partly due to a greater number of emergency plumbing jobs in strained homes, also points to a wider malaise in the British water network – and work to be done. Water safety concerns Britain is well-known for the safety of its drinking waters; Europe as a whole has extremely high standards on what is considered safe to drink. This doesn’t mean that the average home has safe water, however, and increasing numbers of homes are turning to filtration systems to filter out harmful bacteria and poor quality taste – especially in the more mineral-laden waters in the south. There’s good reason for this: a recent Guardian report noted how current water testing standards are not up to par, with potentially harmful chemicals being completely missed in the screening process. A worsening system Higher amounts of time spent at home have exacerbated the plumbing issue. More time in the home means more time spent in the kitchen, and, as the Manchester Evening News highlights, that means more waste being put into the already delicate water systems of the country. This has a reflexive impact on plumbing systems and fresh water. With the water systems of the country being put under fresh strain, analysts have called for investment in the sector. Positive signs That investment may be forthcoming with the news of new international interest in Britain’s plumbing industry. American private equity has moved into the market, with supply chain experts Ferguson recently selling its plumbing arm for £308m. With new investment and new pressures, the plumbing industry can arguably experience a renaissance that should, hopefully, put British homes back into a positive state with regards to the quality of the plumbing at home and the water homeowners are using. This is good news, both in terms of cleanliness of water and the straightforward running of the home. This has bigger impacts on the wider UK commercial and residential network. Good quality water systems are an imperative for public health and sanitation. Finding new ways to tackle the pressures of modern living on those systems should be a key policy objective for planners in the future.
Leading real estate developer, Graftongate, has committed to delivering a new £30 million advanced helicopter logistics hub on behalf of Italian aerospace giant, Leonardo. The 210,000 sq ft project in Yeovil, Somerset, will see the consolidation of eight existing warehouses into one all-encompassing logistics hub. The single-site logistics facility will help support Leonardo Helicopters’ global fleet through the warehousing of components and tooling in a state-of-the-art development, which has sustainability at its core. Its features include rainwater harvesting tanks for brown water services, full LED lighting throughout the facility and a heat recovery system in the main warehouse, which will be complemented by a modern office temperature control system. In addition, there will be a bank of electrical vehicle charging points. Graftongate will deliver the new development on a 35-year lease in partnership with a CBRE Investment Advisory retained pension fund. Leonardo’s logistics partner, Kuehne+Nagel, will operate the new facility under a ten-year logistics contract. Construction of the development will commence in August and is scheduled for practical completion in Q4 2022. Jamie Hockaday, Director at Graftongate, said: “We are very pleased to have collaborated with Leonardo Helicopters and Kuehne+Nagel to aid the delivery of the UK’s only onshore helicopter manufacturer.”
The CEO of a British technology training firm and tech think tank has warned of a looming crisis facing UK laboratories – in particular those at the forefront of Covid-19 testing – due to a massive shortage of qualified and skilled lab technicians. Andy Lord, CEO of Manchester head-quartered Credersi, a tech talent training incubator and think tank producing the data scientists, lab technicians and software specialists of tomorrow, believes the skills shortage could severely impact Covid testing laboratories – many of which are already at capacity and struggling to keep up with demand – in a matter of months. His comments come hot on the heels of the Prime Minister’s announcement last week, in which he set out plans to “cement the UK’s place as a science superpower”. Andy Lord, CEO of Credersi, said. “At the moment, there are simply not enough trained and skilled lab technicians and quality assurance (QA) technicians across the UK. This is a particularly acute problem within the Covid testing laboratory sector, which is struggling to keep up with the increasing demands on the testing system. Laboratories are understaffed and some are at crisis point; they simply cannot get enough lab technicians and QAs through the doors and into key roles. “As lockdown restrictions are lifted in areas such as travel, the level of Covid testing will begin to rise rapidly. At the same time, if we continue to have further variant outbreaks, this will put even greater pressure and strain on the testing system. This will put the laboratories under severe pressure and ultimately into a crisis situation. “This will result in test delays and a backlog in Covid tests being processed. The laboratories are a huge part of the UK’s armoury in tackling Covid, both with testing and vaccinations. “The Government and the Prime Minister need to commit funding from the new Office for Science & Technology Strategy and light the fuses of the tech training providers in the private sector to make technology accessible to all. “But most importantly, they need to allow the private sector to run with the baton and innovate a new generation of tech and lab-based talent, including data scientists.” As UK plc. navigates the unchartered waters of post Brexit, Andy Lord believes it is absolutely vital that we not only train an entire army of lab technicians, data scientists, and software devs and testers to lead UK plc., but ensure that the training they receive is fit for purpose, built by business for business and world-class. Credersi is not only developing future lab technicians, coders, testers and data scientists, but it is also doing it in a unique, immersive way using VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) technologies as a tech first in training campuses. It is converging and disrupting science and technology to make something truly unique. Credersi uses some of the best-in-class industry experts as lead instructors, all of whom are skilled practitioners in the subject matters that they teach. This enables the “talent of the future” to gain fluency and capability across many platforms with real-world simulations and exercises. The company also collaborates with leading professionals and industry experts through workshops, commercial client projects and industry think tanks. Credersi also plans to announce details of its think tank forum, through which it aims to bring experts from the worlds of science, data, technology, software and data analytics together to spark new ideas on disruptive technology and establish how Credersi can deliver that in unique tailored training programs for its tech talent incubator. Darren Coomer, an industry leading CIO & Founder of the tech and digital consulting firm The Strategy & Architecture (S&A) Group is co-founder and tech angel behind Credersi. He adds: “Manchester is the second fastest growing tech hub in Europe. We believe that, through establishing Credersi here, we can leverage the culture this great city has to help train and inspire the next generation of innovators, technicians, scientists and engineers that our economy, and indeed the world, is crying out for. If anything, Boris Johnson needs to provide even greater funding for the tech sector in places like Manchester, which is the tech powerhouse and future for UK plc. Manchester was an innovator in the industrial revolution and today it is doing the same, leading tech hub innovation alongside London on the global stage. “What we are doing with Credersi is not only disrupting education through our innovative training methods and technologies, but also converging curriculums such as science and tech to really meet the needs of individuals and industry. Our purpose is to train, inspire, incubate, develop and nurture, through our career alumni, some of the greatest minds and talents of the future. Alan Turing had long and established links with Manchester and the university, and we are looking to incubate and develop the Turings of the future; the code-breakers, vaccine developers, biological and cyber defenders, programmers and data scientists that can walk in his footsteps.” CEO Andy Lord added: “The more serious longer term issue is not just in providing the training and qualifications, but the innovation behind the tech training courses. More and more lab technicians, for example, will need to bolt on other complimentary skill sets, such as data analytics in lab testing. So, what you will get in effect is a lab technician who is also trained and qualified in key tech skills such as data analytics. This then expands the capability offering of a lab technician who can not only do lab-based testing, but also extrapolate the data sets, investigate and conclude the results. “By devising immersive training courses in tech, science and data analytics, we are also designing those courses, so they are ‘fit for industry’ and in sync with the actual needs and requirements of companies in this new, post-covid era, as opposed to giving them an irrelevant, outdated, off-the-shelf training package.” Janet Morris NED and former Director of Cambridge International Education – part of Cambridge University – which provides education programmes to over 10,000 schools around
The majority of homeowners in England remain unconcerned about a stamp duty holiday deadline dip in house prices, although a third would be deterred from selling should one materialise. That’s according to research from the homebuying platform, YesHomebuyers, who found that 83% were unphased about a potential cool in house prices now the initial stamp duty deadline is about to expire. When asked the same question with regard to the second and final deadline expiring in September, 82% remained unconcerned about a potential market cliff edge causing house prices to tumble, with just 4% stating they were very concerned. Yes Homebuyers then asked if a dip in property prices would deter homeowners from selling, with 32% stating it would, although again, 68% would still hit the market regardless. However, it may be the cyclical nature of the property market that is helping boost homeowner confidence in the face of a potential house price slump. 87% stated they had no plans to sell within the next two years, meaning any house price decline caused by the end of the stamp duty holiday is likely to have come and gone. Just 7% plan to sell within two years, although 6% do have plans to sell within the next year. Matthew Cooper, Founder & Managing Director of Yes Homebuyers, commented: “There’s a very real chance that a house price dip is on its way once the stamp duty holiday fully expires. Having spurred an unprecedented level of buyer demand for such a sustained period of time, it’s only natural that this artificially manufactured, house price boom bubble is going to burst once the stimulus is removed. It has caused such concerns that the government has tried to soften the blow, not only by extending the stamp duty holiday itself but by implementing a staggered deadline to minimise the immediate impact on the market. The good news is that many homeowners remain unconcerned, no doubt due to investing with a long term view rather than on a profit and loss basis. With many also having little intention of selling anytime soon, the chances are that any market decline may have been corrected by the time they do. However, those with plans to sell within the next six months may want to do so sooner, rather than later, in order to achieve current market values. That said, with sizable delays also plaguing the market, the best chance to complete before a house price dip is to consider alternative options to sell your house fast.” Survey of 1,080 homeowners in England carried out by Yes Homebuyers via consumer research platform Find Out Now (25th June 2021). How concerned are you with the value of your home falling when the first stamp duty deadline expires? Answer Respondents Not concerned at all 83% Somewhat concerned 14% Very concerned 3% How concerned are you with the value of your home falling when the second stamp duty deadline expires? Answer Respondents Not concerned at all 82% Somewhat concerned 14% Very concerned 4% Would a dip in property values deter you from selling? Answer Respondents No 68% Yes 32% Do you intend to sell your home in the next: – Answer Respondents I don’t intend to sell in the next 2 years 87% 24 months 7% 3 months 2% 12 months 2% 6 months 1%