Clearview North October 2013 - Issue 143 | Page 80

BUSINESSNEWS

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS WITH A
LITTLE HELP FROM STEVE DAVIS
Six Time World Snooker
Champion Steve Davis helped
Oldham-based AWC Windows
& Home Improvements
celebrate its 35th anniversary
recently, with an open weekend
at the Saddleworth Summer
Show.
The Network VEKA member,
which is a major partner of the
show, brought Steve (Network
VEKA’s Brand Ambassador)
along with them, and he took on

all-comers in a marathon Charity
Pool Challenge. Director Michael
Griffiths explains: “Steve was a
great pull for the show, and his
appearance gave the audience
a chance to play him in a game
of pool, for donations in aid of
Doctor Kershaw’s Hospice.
“This was a fantastic way to
celebrate our 35th anniversary,
and the weekend was a great
success for us, with sales of
£42,000 from leads taken at the

show and many more over the
forthcoming months no doubt.
“We want to say a massive
thanks for Network VEKA for all
their help and input in organising
a very memorable anniversary for
AWC. We used Network VEKA’s
exhibition trailer for the show,
which was a huge advantage for
us, as it allowed us to clearly
and professionally demonstrate
our products and services to the
visitors of the show.”

Network VEKA, 01282 473170,
www.networkveka.co.uk

EMPLOYERS FAIL TO MAKE THE
GRADE IN YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
The CIPD, the professional body for HR
and people development, has revealed how
few employers are stepping up efforts to
reduce youth unemployment. According
to the CIPD/Hays Resourcing and Talent
Planning Survey 2013, less than a third
(29%) of employers are taking on more
people aged 16-24, despite the upturn in the
jobs market.
Commenting, on the eve of the exams results,
Peter Cheese, Chief Executive at the CIPD,
said: “CIPD research has shown that many
young people fear that they will struggle to

‘Business has a key role
to play in developing
our young people’
find jobs and establish their future careers. Last
week’s employment figures also highlighted
that, while overall unemployment went
down, youth unemployment is on the rise.
There are some great examples of employers
who are seeking to address this trend by
implementing youth engagement strategies,
creating apprenticeship opportunities or

school leaver programmes. These organisations
should be congratulated for their great work.
However, there remains a significant proportion
of employers who are not doing enough to
engage with young people to help them to
build the work skills they will need, and at
the same time to build the future workforce
their organisations need. Business has a key
role to play in developing our young people
in order to bridge employability gaps and
skills mismatches. We cannot simply expect
governments or education systems to churn out
off-the-shelf employees.”

GCSE CHANGE MUST EQUIP STUDENTS WITH
THE RIGHT SKILLS FOR THE WORKPLACE
The planned overhaul of GCSE
exams needs to help young
people get the right skills for the
workplace say small business
owners. Recent research
suggests five in 10 small firms
believe young people lack a
good attitude to work as well
as other skills such as problem
solving.
The Government consultation
on GCSE reform has now closed
and the Federation of Small

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OCT 2013

Businesses (FSB) believes it is
vital that changes do not just
focus on grades alone. Employers
need the staff of the future to
have much wider skills, such as
communication, problem solving
and a good attitude to work.
Further research by the FSB
suggests small firms believe
numeracy (37%) and literacy
(41%) are skills lacking in young
people. The FSB suggests the
Government should consider a

pass/fail exam for these functional
skills giving employers a clearer
understanding of ability.
Indeed there must be more time
in the school day to give students
quality careers education and
guidance. More than half (61%)
of small firms are not confident
they will find the right young
person for the job.
Finally the FSB stresses how
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