News Archives - Page 13 of 68 - North East Local Enterprise Partnership

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership and Durham University Business School have published a new report looking at how COVID-19, and the introduction of widespread flexible working, has contributed to the Good Work Agenda in the North East.

Researched and written during the coronavirus pandemic, it provides a unique insight into how changing working patterns accelerated employers’ ability to ensure better working practices for their employees, providing better quality and more meaningful work.

The new research supports existing Good Work pledges, charters and toolkits published by organisations including the North of Tyne Combined Authority, Northern Trades Union Congress, and North East England Chamber of Commerce.

Drawing on more than 20 qualitative interviews carried out between January and April 2021, the report includes a set of recommendations to support other businesses in the North East to implement and carry out better working practices for their employees.

Michelle Rainbow, Skills Director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The unique thing about this research is that it was developed in real time during the pandemic, which was a period of huge change for businesses.

“Almost all organisations were compelled to introduce some form of flexible working, which introduced its own set of challenges for employers and employees. How do you provide a supportive and rewarding working environment when your staff are instructed to work from home by government?”

“What we’ve found is that lots of businesses in the North East have been installing the principles of Good Work as a result of the pandemic. The introduction of remote and hybrid working has helped employers focus on important employee issues, such as work/life balance, flexible working, health and wellbeing, and communication.”

Organisations including AkzoNobel, Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Irwin Mitchell LLP and Quorum Business Park took part in the research. Employers discussed how the experience of adapting during the pandemic has introduced better working practices for employees, particularly around areas like flexible working, encouraging a healthy work/life balance, and what the future of work will look like post-pandemic.

Contributors described good work as being more than just having a good job; it was about delivering justice, fairness, transparency, opportunity, balance, enjoyment, and support.

A spokesperson from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: “Although we were quite flexible before COVID-19, we have been really flexible during it, and I think it will be about maintaining that and looking at different ways to support people within the various things that they go through in life.”

A spokesperson from AkzoNobel said: “Obviously when you introduce a policy like flexible working, people immediately think it is just for mothers who have children, to allow them to do drop offs. We very much promoted it in that it is not, if you have got a hobby on a Friday afternoon that you want to go and do, we want to encourage you to go and do it.”

The Good Work Agenda and flexible working report was conducted and written by Dr. Cat Spellman, Prof. Jo McBride from Durham University Business School, and Dr. Andrew Smith from Sheffield University Management School, in collaboration with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership. It was funded by a Durham ESRC IAA grant awarded by national research body, UK Research and Innovation.

Professor Jo McBride, Chair in Work and Employment Relations at Durham University Business School, said: “COVID-19 restrictions forced a rapid extension of a more flexible way of working. For many organisations this contributed to a reflection and reassessment of the future of work in their workplaces. It also led to the realisation for some of the significant value of a workforce.

“At a time when organisations are faced with an opportunity to proactively change the way they work and improve their employment relationship, this is also a perfect opportunity to link into and develop the Good Work Agenda.”

Michelle Rainbow from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership added: “I think the timing of the publication of this research is important because many organisations are considering what the future looks like in terms of how and where their employees work.

“The insight we have gathered will, I hope, give businesses confidence in knowing they’re not alone in tackling these issues. The conclusions and recommendations in the report are focused on centering policies around employees’ needs, welfare and wellbeing; and that is at the core of the Good Work Agenda.”

The impact of COVID-19 on the Good Work Agenda and flexible working is available to read on the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Evidence Hub via evidencehub.northeastlep.co.uk.

For more information about the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, visit www.northeastlep.co.uk.

For more information about Durham University Business School, visit www.dur.ac.uk/business.

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic business owners in the North East are being invited to a consultation meeting with MP Chi Onwurah to share their views about any barriers they face when trying to access business advice.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday 30 November at 2pm as a ‘Question Time’ style panel discussion via Zoom.

Expert Panel

Chi Onwurah will be joined by a panel of business support experts including Yvonne Gale, CEO of North East Loan Fund Managers, who provide tailored funding solutions to small and medium-sized businesses across the North East, and Diana Chrouch, special advisor to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Business Owners and the Chair of Ethnic Minority Business Policy for the Federation of Small Business. Ammar Mirza of Asian Business Connexions and Colin Bell, Business and Sector Growth Director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will also join the panel.

Listening Exercise

The team behind the North East Growth Hub, which provides free, impartial business support in the North East LEP area, and is currently also running a series of online focus groups meetings as part of a ‘listening exercise’ to hear the views of diverse entrepreneurs, chaired by Diana Chrouch. Separate meetings will be held for different ethnic business communities with a women-only meeting for diverse female business owners.

Colin Bell, Business and Sector Growth Director at the North East LEP, explained: “We’re committed to being an inclusive service for all businesses and we want to listen to the Black and Minority Ethnic business community to understand if businesses know about the support available and if there’s anything that stops them from accessing support. The mission of the North East Growth Hub team is simple: we want all businesses in our area to get the support they need to start, grow and thrive.”

Diana Chrouch added: “We’re really pleased to have the support of Newcastle MP, Chi Onwurah, who will be attending one of the events, plus a number of ethnic minority community leaders, ethnic minority business networks and faith groups. I hope that people can join us to share their views and opinions on business support in our region.”

Book a place at the event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/north-east-black-asian-minority-ethnic-business-owners-business-support-tickets-214370597227

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Strategy and Policy Director, Richard Baker, has commented on today’s regional labour market statistics, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)*.

“As we move out of COVID-19 controls into a policy agenda focused on levelling up the national economy, today’s data supports the need for government to focus this agenda on a group of issues in the northern labour market.

“Today’s figures show furlough has been successful in containing the rise of unemployment amongst employees throughout the pandemic. Early commentators suggested the impact of COVID-19 could see North East regional unemployment exceed 10% but today it is around just half that at 5.1%.

“They also show a bounce back in employee numbers in the region. Between February and November 2020, payrolled employee numbers in the North East LEP area fell by almost 20,000 or 2.5%. However, between November 2020 and October 2021, numbers increased by almost 32,000, resulting in a figure 1.5% higher than it was pre-pandemic – which is good news. But there are also significant challenges.

“The region’s economic ambitions set out in our Strategic Economic Plan are that the North East has more people working, with fewer unemployed people (not in work but looking for work) and fewer being economically inactive (having left the labour market) compared with the rest of the country.

“Today, we can see that whilst we’ve had the largest decrease in the unemployment rate over the last year, this has not been accompanied by an increased employment rate. Instead, the economic inactivity rate has increased by more than in any other English region, with an additional 32,000 working age people being inactive compared to the same period of 2020. Recent increases in inactivity have been particularly large among older workers.

“There is more work to do to understand the detail behind these changes. However, we can see that the North East region has about 4,200 fewer employees in manufacturing than pre-Covid, with decreases in some service sectors too. Meanwhile there have been large increases in the number of employees in sectors such as health, science and education as our economy changes.

“Experimental data produced this month seems to confirm the trend we saw last month that we are seeing large numbers of older workers leaving the labour force, as well as continuing challenges for the very youngest.

“Both the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber have also experienced falling employment and rising inactivity, but this is not true elsewhere in England, highlighting the need for distinct employment policies for the North.

ENDS.

Alan Welby, Innovation Director discusses today’s announcement of the Chancellor’s plans for UK to be the world’s first net zero aligned financial centre.

Put simply, net zero refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. We reach net zero when the amount we add is no more than the amount taken away.

Net zero means a radical change across the entire economy, replacing fossil fuels and other sources of emissions wherever possible.

This is why the announcement at COP26 that the global finance system will be rewired for net zero and that the UK will become the first net zero finance centre in the world is so important. This step is of huge significance to the North East LEP area.

The North East holds considerable potential for investors interested in market growth that assists our net zero ambitions, particularly in ‘green’ industries but also in the technologies that will enable all sectors to reduce their carbon debt.

Our businesses already contribute to net zero markets, from renewable energy generation and energy storage to electric vehicles and battery manufacture but we also have capabilities in emergent and nascent markets that will also be looking to their net zero commitments. We have significant regional specialisms and capabilities, and operate internationally in autonomous vehicles, robotics, space and satellites whilst our presence, along with our capabilities, in other markets including biopharmaceuticals, fintech and cybersecurity is growing.

We need to ensure that businesses in these markets are reaching their full potential to achieve net zero carbon emissions and commitment to investment in these markets is critical. Through a gearing up of finance for sustainable growth, we can give a big boost to business innovation and investment that powers this transition.

One example of what we are doing to accelerate investment in innovation and boost net zero innovation activity is the 12-month ‘Finance for Sustainable Growth’ or ‘F4SG’ pilot with the City of London Corporation that is showcasing the North East’s initiatives in green innovation and associated enterprises to a wider investor base. Its aim, through intensifying the region’s connections to London and its global network, is to boost the flow of green investment to the region and to reinforce the North East’s ecosystem for nurturing sustainable businesses. The initiative is a collaboration of the Corporation with the North East LEP, Northern Accelerator and North Star Ventures.

We’re excited to see where this pilot takes us and to show London-based and international investors some of the ground-breaking innovation happening in our region.

Find out more about the innovation support and finance available in our region via the Innovation Toolkit on the North East Growth Hub.

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has re-affirmed its commitment to working with its partners to help tackle climate change, ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).

The North East LEP is playing a key role working with the region’s businesses and universities, with northern partners, and with Government as the country comes together behind the UK’s aim to achieve net zero climate emissions by 2050.

On Friday (22 October) the North East will welcome the Zero Carbon Tour, which will see the electric Carbon Battle Bus parked outside Newcastle Helix.

Lucy Winskell OBE, Chair of the Local Enterprise Partnership said: “The North East has made significant progress in reducing its emissions and in contributing to the global transition to a cleaner, less polluted world over the last few years. We have reduced emissions from energy generation and industry, we have seen new businesses grow and new jobs created that are enabling the drive to net zero emissions, and scientists in our region’s businesses and universities are developing and commercialising new ideas in areas including energy, water, transport and construction.

“There are significant opportunity areas for the regional economy in the transition to Net Zero and we are committed to working towards a decarbonised economy which creates more jobs, protects our climate and outstanding natural environment, and which includes people and communities across the region.

“We also know we need to do more, accelerating the impact on transport and domestic emissions in particular, which together represent 70% of our current emissions. A firmer national policy framework, new investment programmes and strengthened powers locally can enable this acceleration by continuing to invest in our energy assets, and promoting a modal shift in transport, decarbonisation of vehicles and the retrofitting of homes.”

The region’s Net Zero drive will get a boost on Friday 22 October when Planet Mark’s Zero Carbon Tour makes a stop in the region. As part of the national effort to highlight the UK’s leadership of COP26, the tour has been making its way across the country to showcase the efforts being undertaken – both locally and globally – to aid in the transition to a net zero carbon economy and to highlight how businesses can reduce costs while reducing emissions.

The North East leg of the Net Zero Tour will shine a spotlight on the region’s energy sectors which are highlighted in the North East Energy for Growth strategy. The strategy, led by the North East LEP, aims to drive economic growth in the North East by bringing partners together to accelerate delivery of large-scale regional energy projects which contribute to net zero. Priorities include uniting the region’s energy innovation and demonstration assets to showcase solutions to global energy challenges, and to support growth in the offshore renewables, low carbon heat and electric vehicle and battery sectors.

Andrew Clark, Energy Programme Lead at the North East LEP, said: “Our aim, through the Energy for Growth strategy, is to create more and better jobs in renewable energy sectors and to put the North East on the map as a leader in low carbon energy innovation.

“This regionwide focus on energy was established as one of our key areas for action in the North East Strategic Economic Plan and we have implemented a range of initiatives to support growth in these sectors; securing inward investment into key sites in our ports and rivers, investing in key technologies and innovation facilities, and identifying a pipeline of £600m of low carbon energy projects around our region which we are working to move into delivery. These projects will not only create a greener economy but will provide jobs for our residents and supply chain opportunities for our businesses.”

The Zero Carbon Tour is an online event designed to give an overview of what net zero carbon means, the significance of COP26, how organisations can set their own credible net zero carbon targets in line with the UN-backed Race to Zero’s criteria and implement plans to achieve them.

Lucy Winskell continued: “The Net Zero Tour affords businesses of all shapes and sizes the opportunity to further explore how to achieve net zero carbon emissions in their products and processes and learn from some of the businesses in the region who are at the forefront of this work.

“I would encourage any interested parties to sign up to take part in this online event.”

For more information and to sign up to the event, visit eventbrite.co.uk .

Civic and business leaders from across the North are putting forward a collective partnership offer to Government, setting out how the North can lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution and deliver on the levelling up promise.

In a document published today by the Convention of the North and the NP11 group of northern local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), northern leaders set out the five “gamechangers” which, through collaboration across the North and with Government, will grow an inclusive economy that delivers for the North and the country, while also tackling the health inequalities that have been laid bare by COVID-19. Those game changers are:

Leading the Green Industrial Revolution
Closing the healthy life expectancy gap between the North and South through innovation
Closing the education and skills gap
Improving connectivity in towns and cities in the North
Increasing private and public investment in R&D spending in the North

The five gamechangers represent a combined Northern offer to Government to ensure the North plays its full part in levelling up the UK, leading the transition to a Net Zero economy and developing a competitive Global Britain.

Leaders have invited the Secretary of State for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, to join them for a working Convention in Liverpool in January 2022, focused on turning the Government’s positive commitment to level up the North into action.

Liverpool City Region Mayor, Steve Rotheram, who will mark the document’s launch with a business roundtable in Liverpool focusing on the opportunities for the North to lead the transition to Net Zero, said:

“True levelling up has to mean tackling long-standing and structural inequalities that exist between North and South in this country on a wide range of issues, from healthcare and job prospects, to transport and infrastructure spending. This is not an issue of party politics but one of fairness and social justice.

“As leaders representing millions of people across the North, we want to work with government to make that a reality. The North has been hit harder than the rest of the country, but I believe that with proper support we also have the potential to bounce back further and faster than the rest of the country too.

“From levelling up to climate change and everything in between, the solutions to many of the fundamental issues facing the country lie in empowering local leaders to work with central government and take the decisions that our areas need to shape our own destinies and build a stronger, fairer, better balanced United Kingdom.”

Cllr Nick Forbes, Leader of Newcastle City Council and Chair of the Convention of the North, said:

“The North of England is ready and prepared to play a leading role in driving this country forwards but we need meaningful partnerships with Government if we are to succeed.

“We are asking the Government to work with us and equip the North so it can achieve its full potential. Delivering this would truly demonstrate a commitment to levelling up the North.

“We want to develop skills within our communities, tackle the health inequalities that have been laid bare by the pandemic, attract greater investment into our towns and cities, and lead on the Net Zero transition. We cannot achieve these goals on our own, and that is why the North is united behind these priorities and this offer to Government today.”

Sir Roger Marsh OBE DL, Chair of the NP11 and of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said:

“The North has phenomenal assets in areas such as energy, advanced manufacturing, health innovation and digital that can power the UK’s post-COVID recovery and create jobs and opportunity for our people. As a combined region, we also have the scale to help the Government deliver on its ambition for a competitive and confident Global Britain.

“Successful partnership working between the public and private sectors is going to be crucial to delivering the gamechangers we have collectively identified. Businesses drive innovation and create quality jobs, both of which contribute to people’s health, wealth and quality of life. This is why the NP11 is adding its business voice to that of northern civic leaders in making this offer today.”

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

“Today is a powerful statement of northerners’ desire to get on with the job of levelling up, working together across the North and with Government. Through a clear focus on our levelling up priorities of health, skills, transport, innovation and leading the transition to net zero, we can deliver an inclusive, productive, sustainable economy that works for all northerners and for the country.

“As an immediate action, we’re calling on Government once again to publish its Integrated Rail Plan and commit to delivering both Northern Powerhouse Rail and HS2 in full. We will not be able to achieve levelling up without an affordable, effective and reliable transport system that connects people to jobs, education and essential services.”

Kim McGuinness, Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, added:

“All too often, health inequalities go hand in hand with the wider impacts of poverty. That’s seen in so many different aspects, from missed life chances for young people to the greater risk of being a victim of crime for people living in areas of deprivation.

“The way to solve this, to spread opportunity and to reduce crime, is to level up health services and investment in the North.”

Today’s publication of Northern leaders’ collective offer to Government will pave the way for a Convention of the North with NP11 event, due to take place in Liverpool in early 2022.

Following the success of its inaugural event in September 2019, at which Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a series of commitments to the North, the Convention of the North with NP11 will work with Government to focus resources and investment on the North to allow it to level up.

Ends

The Convention of the North

The Convention of the North brings together people from across the North, including businesses, trade unions, elected leaders, and community and faith groups, to speak with one voice on pan-Northern issues.

The NP11

The NP11 is the business-led voice for the North that brings together the 11 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) from across the North of England. It plays a leading role in realising the vision for an economically thriving Northern Powerhouse that drives economic prosperity, international competitiveness, and inclusive growth that benefits everyone across the North’s great towns, cities and rural communities.

Colin Bell, Business and Sector Growth Director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership, explains why evolution is key to simplifying the business support landscape to be meaningful for businesses

It won’t surprise anyone when I say that the business support landscape is too confusing and overly transactional. There are many reasons for this but perhaps the biggest contributor is the way funding is administered and governed.

If we truly want the UK to be the best place in the world to start and grow a business, then we need to grasp the once in a generation opportunity represented by the current LEP reform. This will allow us to break with the status quo while building on what works, creating regional ecosystems that deliver economic and business transformation while strengthening our global competitiveness.

However, there is a real and present danger – if we don’t act now then we risk merely evolving what’s gone before, and even worse, creating a post code lottery of locally focused small scale schemes that will result in limited impact and increased fragmentation; and inefficiencies that will exacerbate rather than address the weaknesses of the current funding and fragmented landscape.

Addressing the frailties of the system is relatively simple. We need to develop a way of working that effectively connects the essential pillars of regional economic development, which are Governance, Strategy, Funding and Delivery infrastructure.

Where these don’t work hand in hand, it leads to many of the existing issues that we are experiencing, such as inefficiency, confusion, duplication and unhealthy competition between stakeholders.

Modernising the landscape requires:

Creating systems that connect the essential pillars (Governance, Strategy, Funding, Delivery infrastructure) without dictating a one size fits all approach.
Developing regional strategy and frameworks that are built around businesses operational and competitive horizons.
The creation of a long term regional economic development ‘system’, backed by long term strategy and long-term funding.
A system that is focused on delivering impact and transformation rather than box ticking and transactional approaches.
The modernisation of the business support landscape by a) rethinking how we segment the business base to identify those with real underlying potential, and b) structuring support that directly tackles business pains and helps business to deliver the gains they’re striving for.
Building on the existing and proven ability of LEPs and Growth Hubs to align collective energy and resources towards clear and common goals and strategy.

The evolution of LEPs and Growth Hubs should be welcomed as a much-needed chance to modernise business support.

I know I’m joined by many in the belief that this is an opportunity to develop a landscape that enables genuine business and economic transformation. Through meaningful change, we can deliver powerful and integrated customer journeys and focused resource and energy on the businesses, programmes, and initiatives that make a real difference to the business community.

Get this right and it could be a powerful and effective way to support the government’s agenda to level up our regional economies.

Colin Bell is Business and Sector Growth Director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership has published two new reports, one, an annual state of the region report and the other exploring the impact of COVID-19 and EU Exit on the North East economy.

The LEP’s annual Our Economy report has been published in two parts in 2021. The first report tracks the long term performance of the North East LEP economy across a range of key economic indicators and provides an overview of how it is changing over time.

It also includes an update on progress towards the North East LEP’s aim of bringing 100,000 more and better jobs to the region by 2024, and analysis of the impact of emerging policy priorities, like levelling up and decarbonisation, on the North East.

The second report provides a comprehensive and in-depth look at the national and regional data, research, insights and commentary that shows how COVID-19 and EU exit has impacted the regional economy. Drawing on a range of additional and innovative sources of data, ‘Our Economy: Insights into the impact of COVID-19 and EU transition on the North East Economy’ gathers intelligence on the impacts of the pandemic and EU exit on the North East economy from March 2020 to the current day.

Lucy Winskell OBE, Chair of the North East LEP, said: “This year, perhaps more than any other, developing our shared understanding of change in the regional economy is crucial.

“The work we have done to track, analyse and interpret data and evidence about the performance of our regional economy is central to our role at the North East LEP and a core part of the support we offer our partners.

“It is integral to our economic leadership, our influencing work with government, and underpins our investment decisions and stewardship of public funds, ensuring that regional programmes of delivery are targeted at addressing the key opportunities and challenges we face.”

The reports state that whilst the short-term impact of COVID-19 on the North East was highly disruptive and challenging, the region has continued to sustain increased levels of employment compared with its baseline in 2014, with continued growth of the proportion of better jobs – managers, directors and senior officials; professional occupations; and associate professional and technical occupations – in the region.

They also show the impact of COVID-19 on business and the labour market has been significant. Some sectors, including retail, culture and hospitality, have seen severe changes. Local, regional and national intervention has had an impact in protecting businesses and jobs, but the impact now many of these support measures have ended is unclear.

Inequalities within the region have been exacerbated by the pandemic too, with employers in many industries struggling with skills shortages.

The reports also include data showing that the region’s engagement with the global economy is changing, with the impact of EU Exit creating barriers to trade and the future trading environment still evolving.

Our Economy 2021 also looks at the performance of our programmes and sectors – which have been identified as areas of opportunity for the region, including health and life sciences, digital and energy.

Richard Baker, Strategy and Policy Director at the North East LEP explained: “The economic shock has accelerated a number of opportunities for the North East, with growth and new jobs in some of the key areas of strength and opportunity we have been focused on – in energy, life sciences and digital industries for example.

“Many firms across the economy have changed their operational models, with rapid deployment of digital technology, changing approaches to delivery of goods and services locally and growth in online exporting. There are genuine opportunities for the region to drive forward greener businesses and to drive productivity.”

The evidence provided by Our Economy is used to inform the work of the North East LEP and partners across the region in delivering the North East Strategic Economic Plan – the roadmap for increasing economic growth in the North East.

Our Economy 2021 is available to view on evidencehub.northeastlep.co.uk.

Our Economy: Insights into the impact of COVID-19 and EU transition on the North East Economy is also available to view on evidencehub.northeastlep.co.uk.

The North East Strategic Economic Plan can be read at northeastlep.co.uk.

Across the North East, partnerships have been formed between people working in sectors from marketing to manufacturing and their local school or college. Michelle Rainbow, Skills Director at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) explains how the Enterprise Adviser network works, and how it’s survived the pandemic.

Enterprise Advisers are people who’ve signed up to help the senior management team at their local school or college better align careers guidance with what businesses need.

At the start of 2020, we had a fantastic network of 250 people who have volunteered to share their knowledge to help bridge the gap between education and industry. This happens by embedding careers in the curriculum and giving young people real-world experience of the workplace.

But when the pandemic hit, businesses were under such pressure that we thought we may lose the entire network. However, we were absolutely delighted and surprised that the majority of our Enterprise Advisers were able to continue and we’re really grateful for their contributions.

The activities our Enterprise Advisers have been able to help their schools undertake during COVID have been extraordinary and, for a generation of young people who will see the lasting effect of COVID on their employment opportunities, it’s been so important that the North East business community has continued to support them and help them see the opportunities that are out there when they leave education.

At St Robert of Newminster Catholic School in Washington, our Enterprise Adviser, Carole White, who is CEO at TEDCO Business Support, secured 10 businesses to meet year 10 pupils and tell them about careers in their sector. While at Bishop Auckland College, employability skills workshops and virtual work experience was put in place by the college’s Enterprise Adviser from Bowmer & Kirkland construction.

Businesses in our region genuinely want to give back to the local community and help young people build a brighter future and I want to thank every person who’s already helped make a difference through the Enterprise Adviser network, especially throughout the pandemic.

Now we’re wanting to grow our Enterprise Adviser network even further. We’re looking for people of any age, from businesses in any sector and of any size, who want to help schools give young people a better experience of careers guidance. We recognise one size doesn’t fit all and people have different amount of time to commit, so whether you’re a one-man-band or a multinational company, we can work something out to suit you.

We want all young people across the North East to have the opportunity to interact with businesses and employers. It gives them something that’s tangible in terms of understanding future career options and just one interaction, like a visit to your workplace, or the chance to work on a real-life project with an employer like you, can be the trigger that helps a young person see a future for themselves in your business.

Find out about being an Enterprise Adviser at NorthEastAmbition.co.uk.

Category: News

New report shows impact of COVID-19 on Good Work Agenda in the North East

Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic business leaders invited to share views on North East business support

North East Local Enterprise Partnership reaction to ONS regional labour market statistics.

Investing in Innovation for a greener UK

North East LEP to welcome Planet Mark Zero Carbon Tour

Northern leaders set out collective offer to work with Government to level up the North

A once in a generation opportunity to modernise business support

New reports on North East economy reveal impact of COVID-19 and EU Exit

North East businesses helping the ‘COVID generation’ find a pathway to the workplace