Tag: NEWS

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Education Secretary Damian Hinds challenges employers and universities to seek out all the talent in the North East.

As the Education Secretary today, (8 October 2018), launches a £24 million programme to increase opportunity for communities in the North East of England, Andrew Hodgson, Chair, North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP),  said:

‘The North East LEP is committed to reducing the gap between our best and lowest performing secondary schools and to improving social mobility for our young people.

“While we have the second highest proportion of outstanding schools, we also have the second highest number of schools rated less than good after Yorkshire and the Humber. It’s this disparity that we are tackling by supporting teachers, governors, schools and leaders. Ensuring the next generation has a clear pathway to achieving their full potential is a fundamental part of our Strategic Economic Plan.

“I am delighted with today’s investment announcement and recognition by the government of our ambition to drive up student attainment levels.  This funding will allow us to accelerate and build on our existing activity in this area and make a real difference to the lives of each and every young person in the North East.”

Read the full details of the funding announcement.

To learn more about Education Challenge, the North East LEP’s goal to reduce the gap between our best and lowest performing schools and to reach a target of all schools achieving a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ OFSTED rating, email: [email protected]

Ends.

 

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VentureFest North East 2018 line-up announced

Delegates at VentureFest North East will have the chance to hear from game-changing business leaders who have transformed their sectors through pioneering models and emerging technology.

Taking place on Wednesday 14th November, the region’s innovation conference has today (Thursday 13 September) announced its speaker line-up, which includes Dr Nick Appleyard from the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as Anne Doyle, Director of Operations at flight comparison site, Skyscanner, and Holly Tucker founder of online marketplace, Notonthehighstreet and Holly & Co.

Notonthehighstreet broke the mould when it launched in 2006, championing small artisanal enterprise and bringing their goods to a wider custom-base online. Holly will address delegates with the story of how the platform disrupted the online retail world, before winners of the inaugural North East Innovation Awards are announced.

Building on the events key themes of Healthy Ageing and Manufacturing, speakers also include Dr Hakim Yadi, CEO of the Northern Health Science Alliance, Ian Shott CEO at pharmaceutical research firm Arcinova and Ryan Maughan, Managing Director at leading automotive manufacturer, AVID.

Estelle Blanks, Executive Director at the Innovation SuperNetwork who plan and deliver VentureFest North East, said: “VentureFest is all about creating the space for businesses from all sectors and of all sizes to collaborate and learn from one another. Each year we seek to reflect a diverse range of business sectors in the speakers we attract, whilst providing inspirational keynotes who can share valuable experiences and learning.

“This year’s line-up is a good mix of dynamic individuals all with a fantastic story to tell. We hope they will help inspire our delegates to think differently and complement our hands-on programme aimed at providing the tools regional businesses need to embed innovation and maximise business growth.”

Register to attend VentureFest for free at www.venturefestnortheast.com.

 

                                                                 

 

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5G technology for the North East

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership and the North East Combined Authority have jointly investigated the opportunity presented by 5G technology for the North East region, and are highly regarded by industry and Government to be a key place to promote the advancement of 5G technology.  Unfortunately for our region, the recent DCMS funding for the Testbed and Trials Programme  “Urban Connected Community Project” was awarded to the West Midlands, but that does not dampen our ambition.  The North East recognises that it is in a strong position to promote the advancement of 5G technology in this region and is interested in talking to private sector partners about opportunities in this area.  Private sector companies who are interested in talking to us should contact Alan Welby, Innovation Director at [email protected].  We recognise that due to the cutting edge nature of the technology, potential private sector partners may only be prepared to enter into discussions with us under confidentiality arrangements.

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North East LEP ONS Regional Labour Market Statistics Reaction

North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Senior Economist Victoria Sutherland gave her reaction to today’s regional labour market statistics.

“We are pleased to see that unemployment continues to decline, with there being 3,000 fewer individuals in the North East that are unemployed than three months ago and 22,000 fewer than a year ago,” she said.

“The decline in the North East’s unemployment rate over the last year has been larger than any other region of the UK, with the North East now having a lower unemployment rate than North West, West Midlands and London.

“Today’s statistics show that there has also been decline in employment, with 34,000 fewer individuals in employment than three months ago. This reflects a broader trend with six of the nine regions across England and Scotland all experiencing declines in employment over this period.

“There has also been an overall decline in employment in the past 12 months, although this has been more modest – 17,000 – as the region had experienced good employment growth earlier in the year.

“With a decline in both unemployment and employment, we have seen an increase in the numbers that are economically inactive. This group includes individuals who are outside the labour market for a wide range of reasons, including full-time study, looking after family and home, disability and ill-health, and retirement.

“The North East LEP will continue to work with partners to deliver the North East Strategic Economic Plan and its ambition of ‘more and better jobs’ for the region.”

 

ENDS.

 

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Funding Opportunities with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)

The ESFA Transition Programme has launched four specifications for the North East LEP area, supporting four Investment Priorities:

 

 

 

IP 1.1:  Skills Support for the Unemployed

IP 1.2: Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) (15-24)

IP 1.4: Community Grants

IP 2.1: Skills Support for the Workforce

Further details can be found here. Full specifications can be found on Bravo; organisations not already registered on Bravo must do so before accessing the documents.

The closing date for applications is 17 SEPTEMBER 2018

Contact details of your local Technical Support Team can be found here.

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In conversation with Business Growth Director, Colin Bell

In May 2018 Government launched a Business Productivity Review. The review considered the ‘firm-level’’ factors that impact productivity and how firm level interventions by the public and private sector can support business growth and productivity improvement.

Here the North East LEP’s Business Growth Director, Colin Bell, explains why this is a critical piece of work and how a collaborative approach has led the response.

Why is this review important to the North East?

The economy has been great at creating jobs, but what we are not seeing is such vibrancy in the jobs market being reflected in people’s living standards and pay packets. Central to the North East’s vision of creating More and Better Jobs is making people’s lives better. Tackling the underlying causes of low levels of productivity is therefore an essential focus for the Government and the North East LEP.

Finding the solution together

In the North East we have been working with a range of partners including the business community, academia and third sector to develop a depth of insight and evidence as to what drives firm level productivity and the approaches to business support that have generated the best results.

Our joint evidence supports the notion that higher levels of leadership skills and the adoption of technology are key drivers of productivity improvement. One of our most powerful findings is that the biggest influence on businesses is exposure to and connectivity with peers who have undergone leadership development, invested in new technology and are now realising the benefits.

This is an important review and we now look forward to working with Government and partners to mobilise our ideas through the creation of the North East’s Local Industrial Strategy.

Access the Business Productivity Review call for evidence here

Access the North East LEP’s response here

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In conversation with North East LEP chair, Andrew Hodgson

The North East economy is front and centre of Government investment this week aimed at capitalising on our industrial strengths and building our infrastructure.

 

A series of announcements to coincide with the Government’s Cabinet meeting at the Sage Gateshead brings the prospect of new high quality jobs in the energy sector, faster more frequent journeys on the East Coast Main Line and extra funding and responsibilities for Local Enterprise Partnerships to help drive regional economic growth.

It represents a real vote of confidence in the North East and the course of action it is pursuing to create 100,000 more and better jobs by 2024 through investment into sectors of high business growth opportunity.

The Government announcements recognise the pioneering work being carried out in the North East to embed innovation into our economy.

The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult at Blyth will benefit from part of a £180m funding package over the next five years to bolster its cutting edge research and development activity.

The energy sector is a real North East success story and the North East LEP has just appointed Andrew Clark to lead work in this sector to help maximise its potential.

His knowledge and expertise as sector programme lead will be invaluable in bringing together public and private sector organisations to create a far reaching energy strategy.

A commitment by Government to invest £780m into major upgrades on the East Coast Main Line – to be completed by the early 2020s – is a great first step in giving passengers faster, more frequent journeys, which is in turn great news for new and existing businesses through improved connectivity to markets.

Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, also announced that the North East is among six areas around the country being asked to develop local industrial strategies to create more opportunities and growth.

The national LEP Review was also published on Tuesday which is a welcome move by Government. It provides clarity on the role of LEPs going forward and reinforces the benefits of a strong business voice in leading strategic economic policy and investments. Government are making available an extra £20m to LEPs to help deliver these roles including the new local industrial strategies.

The fact that these strategies will be developed across LEP areas is extremely positive and will support the on-going delivery of the Strategic Economic Plan.

The North East LEP is recognised by ministers as a strong LEP and we are well positioned to meet the roles and opportunities set out in the review.

The Government also confirmed it has laid legislation in Parliament to make the £600m North of Tyne Devolution Deal a reality and the LEP is fully supportive of devolution in the North East in order to bring more local powers and decision making to the region.

However, it is also very important to note that the North East LEP remains committed to working with all seven local authorities to deliver the Strategic Economic Plan with the goal of creating more and better jobs across the region, and to develop the new local industry strategy together for the region.

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North East LEP ONS Regional Labour Market Statistics Reaction

North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Senior Economist Victoria Sutherland gave her reaction to today’s regional labour market statistics.

“We are pleased that today’s release shows that the numbers of people in the North East that are unemployed has fallen, with 17,000 fewer unemployed than a year ago,” she said.

“We are disappointed to see that the numbers employed in the North East region has also fallen. Until additional data comes through, it will be unclear whether this is a temporary fluctuation.

“With both unemployment and employment falling, we’ve seen growth in the number of people that are not actively participating in the labour market – a group known as the economically inactive.

“The most recent data on the economically inactive suggest there has been particularly strong growth over the last year in the number of people that are inactive because they are studying, which we would consider a positive trend.

“We will continue to monitor conditions in the labour market closely.

“The ambition of the North East Strategic Economic Plan is to deliver ‘more and better jobs’ for the region, creating opportunities for those living and working in the region. We will continue to work with our partners to deliver this ambition.”

ENDS

 

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Funding available for business Incubator space

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (North East LEP) is inviting Expressions of Interest from Incubator projects which match the strategic aspirations set out in the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) and the innovation programme with significant potential to make a demonstrable contribution to the Incubator network within the region.

Projects must demonstrate clear links to the SEP and be able to provide a clear and coherent programme of business incubation support.

We anticipate that the North East LEP will be asked to fund around 50% of the capital costs of the (re)development incubator space (subject to State Aid). The maximum grant available will normally be up to a maximum of £500,000 however in exceptional circumstances, where there is clear demand and a strategically significant project is put forward, a higher level of funding may be awarded.

Prospective applicants, who can be from public, private or voluntary sector, are encouraged in the first instance to read the Project Call Information document which can be found along with other supporting information on our funding page.