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Boost for Shropshire Jobs as £11.2m investment is secured!

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Boost for Shropshire Jobs as £11.2m investment is secured!

Boost for thousands more homes and businesses as Connecting Shropshire announces £11.2m contract

Connecting Shropshire has announced that Airband Community Internet Ltd will be the delivery partner for the next phase of Shropshire Council’s superfast broadband programme.

Since 2002, Airband has been providing high-speed wireless broadband access to rural areas. The Worcester-based company will be responsible for delivering superfast broadband to over 14,000 homes and businesses in the Shropshire Council area over the next three years.

Airband will be deploying wireless broadband, which works by sending a signal from a transmitter on a mast, to a receiver attached to the property. A cable is then run into the building allowing the end-user to access the internet in the same way as any other broadband connection.

Councillor Nic Laurens, Shropshire Council cabinet member with responsibility for broadband, said: “I am delighted that we have secured a technology partner that can deliver superfast broadband to some of the most rural parts of the county. When this contract is completed, we expect 98% of premises in the Council area to have access to superfast broadband. This means that even more people living, working and visiting Shropshire will be able to benefit from access to faster internet connection speeds, enhancing their quality of life. The Connecting Shropshire programme runs till 2020 and will continue to work towards providing superfast broadband to all premises without access to it and we remain confident in being able to achieve this aspiration.”

Graham Wynn OBE, Chairman of the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said: “Slow internet speeds are a significant barrier to business growth, which is why we secured just over £5m in our Growth Deal with Government to help us address the issue working with our partner, Shropshire Council. As well as connecting up thousands of businesses with superfast broadband, this investment is also expected to boost our regional economy by around £220m.”

Redmond Peel, Managing Director of Airband, commented: “We are delighted to have won the contract to deploy our fixed wireless network in Shropshire. Knowing how essential high-speed broadband is, we are looking forward to working with local residents and businesses to provide fast and reliable internet connections.”

“Our experience of building masts to deploy wireless broadband services in the Midlands, Wales, Dartmoor and Exmoor has given us extensive insight into dealing with the geographical challenges that we will come across in Shropshire. Our solution uses state-of-the-art radio technology, ensuring high-speed connections where fibre broadband is not available. Using wireless overcomes many of the speed and reliability issues that are experienced with long copper cable lengths, meaning that many who have long suffered from poor broadband due to their locality will soon be able to access speeds comparable to those of their urban counterparts.”

Frequently asked questions

Q. Why is this a good outcome for Shropshire?

A. An extra 14,170 premises will get a superfast broadband connection from this contract. This is 88% of gap areas we included in the procurement.

Q. What about the gaps. When will you resolve these?

A. We have a balance of funding and will look at seeking a solution to provide superfast broadband for the remaining gap areas now this procurement is complete. We remain confident that we can provide a superfast solution to all our premises by 2020.

Q. Why have you decided to award the contract to Airband?

A. A primary requirement for the Council was to procure a solution that provided inclusive coverage in our most rural areas. Airband have demonstrated that they have a technical solution for the Shropshire geography, which will provide the best coverage outcome within the budget that was available.

Q. When will the contract start?

A. Immediately from July. Some sites can be enabled relatively quickly with 7,000 being within reach of a connection by the end of winter 2017.

Q. When will the Airband contract finish?

A. Winter 2019/Spring 2020

Q. Why’s it taken so long to conclude the procurement, which was launched back in November?

A. Spending public money (State Aid) on telecommunication solutions is a complicated procedure. As a result a number of assurances and processes have had to be undertaken by ourselves and partners to meet strict EU legislation. The verification and evaluation of the bids needed to be rigorous to ensure the Council made the right choice and was not open to challenge.

Q. How much is the Airband contract worth and how much is Airband contributing?

A. The contract is valued £11.2m. Airband are contributing £1.4m capital. In addition Airband are contributing £19m operational expenditure.

Q. How much money has Shropshire Council committed to the Airband contract?

A. Shropshire – £2.24m

Q. Where has the other funding come from?

A. Broadband Delivery UK and Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
BDUK – £5.29m          LEP – £2.27m

Q. Is wireless an inferior technology to a fibre optic (wired) solution?

A. Wireless technologies have continued to evolve and now provide the same broadband speed capabilities as a fibre optic solution with the same resilience. The technology has been approved as a compliant technology.

Q. How will you mitigate the adverse visual impact of masts on the Shropshire countryside?

A. Airband has recently completed deployment of a new wireless network across the National Parks of Exmoor and Dartmoor. They have excellent experience of working with stakeholders with interests in sensitive landscapes. 

Connecting Shropshire will work closely with Airband, Shropshire Council’s planning department and other key stakeholders to ensure this contract is deployed to the benefit of all our communities. Mitigations of visual impacts include: re-using existing infrastructure, locating below the skyline, planting, painting etc.

Q. How high will the masts be and where will they be?

A. Existing commercial masts and buildings will be used wherever possible. Some new masts will need to be built. In many cases, new masts will resemble telegraph poles. Airband will work within the Planning guidance process which has purposely been relaxed by the Government to encourage the roll-out of Telecommunications equipment to address the frustrations of communities. Where required, full consultation processes will be undertaken and in all cases we will work with communities to ensure information is shared prior to construction.

Q. Is wireless broadband more expensive for customers than fibre broadband?

A. Generally speaking, similar wireless and fibre packages have comparable costs.

Q. Is there a choice of internet service providers off the Airband network?

A. Yes, Airband build the infrastructure and provide a service to the customer, but they also wholesale their network out to other Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Q. Am I in plan to benefit?

A. For an interactive map with a view of the planned/current NGA coverage in the Shropshire Council area up to 2020, go to: https://shropshire.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=ddc8d72666934ca4ab4f938050be4ee4. 

Please be aware that the map is indicative and actual coverage may change depending on where the infrastructure is located. NGA infrastructure is capable of delivering 30mbps. To check availability, go to the Airband website and enter your postcode: https://home.airband.co.uk/coverage/. You will then be able to register your interest in the project and be kept up to date on progress.

Q. When will I get access?

A. The build is split into phases, with phase 1 due for completion at the end of winter 2017. Further information will be added to the Connecting Shropshire website as the first phase progresses.

Q. How does the system work?

A. Airband technology relies on ‘Line of Sight’, which means that the receiver on your property needs to have a clear view of one of the Airband transmitters. In the design and planning phase of the project, Airband use advanced software to map each property and establish where a connection can be achieved, without the need to complete an onsite survey for each property.

Q. What does the Airband equipment look like?

A. The receiver that will be installed to your property is a small, lightweight piece of equipment – about the size of a 2-pint milk carton. Where your property is a bit further away from our transmitter, the receiver will have a round, mini dish-like attachment.

Q. Will it cost more?

A. There will be a number of different providers and monthly packages available depending on the speed you require. 

 

  • Connecting Shropshire

Entatech Telford Employees – We Are Here To Help!

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Entatech Telford Employees made redundant due to failed buy over!

Following on from the earlier news that Beta Distribution had pulled out of a deal to acquire Entatech, reports have now emerged that the Telford-based distributor has gone out of business altogether.

Entatech had been widely advertised to potential buyers over the past few weeks. Following on from the failed acquisition, the company was apparently put into administration at 4pm yesterday with most staff relieved of their duties.

If you have been affected by the recent redundancies at Enta please feel free to get in touch with us on Hello@graffitirecruitment.co.uk or 0330 2233 047 or check out some of our latest featured jobs here! 

ACQUISITION STRATEGY BOOSTS SHROPSHIRE JOBS

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ACQUISITION STRATEGY BOOSTS NASSTAR

Further, IT Jobs will be created as revenue has edged toward the £20m mark at Telford-based cloud computing specialist Nasstar following a “robust performance” from its core businesses.

Nasstar generated revenues of £18.4m in the year to 31 December 2016, up from £13.8m a year earlier.

Pre-tax losses widened to £1.8m from £1.3m due to a hike in exceptional items and administrative payments.

Chief executive Nigel Redwood said the group’s acquisition strategy in 2016, which led to the £13m purchase of Modrus in August, has provided a “strong platform for organic growth”and more IT Jobs within the Shropshire area.

“Modrus completes our service portfolio and enables the Group to focus on maximising and realising the benefit of bringing together five businesses over the last three years,” Redwood added.

“Our enhanced marketing plan saw the relaunch of our Nasstar brand which I truly believe now reflects the capabilities of our end to end fully managed service. The rebranding of the subsidiaries continued in the second half of 2016 with both the e-know.net and Kamanchi subsidiaries undertaking a full Nasstar rebrand with their names changing to Nasstar.

“Our focus in 2017 is to realise the efficiencies that have been made possible via our acquisition strategy with a view to improving margins in future years. We believe this will continue to provide a strong platform for organic growth, and create further new IT Jobs within Shropshire while increasing shareholder value.”

Nasstar’s board has recommended a final dividend of 0.052p per share, a 16 per cent increase on its maiden dividend announced last year.

For more information on other Shropshire Jobs that are available now, please visit our website 

– Storm Rannard 

Midlands Business Merger set to create more IT Jobs!

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A Kent-headquartered cybersecurity services provider has expanded with the acquisition of a Birmingham counterpart to create a £50m-turnover business.

SecureData has taken over Cygnia Technologies for an undisclosed sum, with all of the company’s employees & jobs remaining with the group following the deal.

Cygnia generated sales of approximately £9m in 2016, and operates from offices in Birmingham and Central London.

Established in 1992, SecureData provides a range of professional, support and managed cybersecurity services that assess security risk, detect security breaches, protect customer environments and respond to specific security incidents. The company is headquartered in Maidstone with a second office in London.

Executive chairman Ian Brown said: “The enhanced group is now clearly positioned as one of the leading independent cybersecurity services businesses throughout the UK and selected overseas markets.

“With over 210 employees including 150 cybersecurity engineers, analysts and consultants the group is well positioned to provide business customers with a one-stop shop service for all their cybersecurity needs.” The merger will create lots of new IT jobs within the Midlands and surrounding areas.

Jon Busfield, managing director at Cygnia, added: “The whole Cygnia team is excited to be joining SecureData. With an enhanced offering as a result of SecureData’s extensive range of professional, support and managed services this is great news for our existing customers, partners and people.”

To view a range of other IT jobs available within the Midlands, Shropshire and surrounding areas, please visit our local featured jobs here. 

 

Insider Media 

 

£2.8 million pound development will create around 2700 Shropshire Jobs

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The Marches LEP has awarded three contracts worth £2.81m to develop Advanced Manufacturing Hubs in the region which will create nearly 2,700 Shropshire Jobs.

Around 2,700 Shropshire Jobs will be generated as part of the private sector-led LEP’s plans for tackling the skills gap, the project will see regional training centres, in Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury and Hereford, set up to support employers in areas where there is limited access to workforce training.

The Shrewsbury Colleges Group has been awarded £425,166 to develop a ‘hub and spoke’ model of training provision, supporting 183 businesses and more than 450 apprenticeships.

Herefordshire and Ludlow College, with Herefordshire & Worcestershire Training Association has secured £464,763 to develop the third centre, creating 260 apprenticeships and supporting 225 businesses.

As well as apprenticeships, all three hubs will deliver more than 1,960 additional qualifications over the next five years.

Graham Wynn, Chairman of the Marches LEP, said: “We have a need across the Marches to ensure there are enough of the right people with the right skills to meet the demand of our employers. It is vitally important that they remain invested here, and continue to grow their business here.

“But this can only happen with additional capital investment. We developed this project to support the manufacturing sector to develop its skills base, equipping them to maximise future opportunities.”

Chris Greenough, commercial director of Salop Design said: “The key issue facing our sector is there is simply not enough people with the right skills, to do the jobs we need them to do in order to grow manufacturing businesses, the sector and ultimately the UK economy.

“The Marches LEP has developed a project which will see industry take the lead in training its own workforce. Our employer-led consortium is delighted to have secured this contract and look forward to delivering apprenticeship placements, training opportunities and supporting hundreds of businesses. Our aim is clear, 2020 learners by 2020.”

Ian Peake, Principal & Chief Executive of Herefordshire & Ludlow College, said:

“This significant LEP and College co-investment to develop Advanced Manufacturing Hubs in the Marches will have a transformative impact on education and skills development in engineering, strengthening the college’s capacity to meet the requirements of cutting edge industries.”

Lyn Surgeon, Principal of Shrewsbury College, added: “The project has cemented the relationship between Shrewsbury College, Shrewsbury Sixth Form College, Staffordshire University, Caterpillar and Festo, which will be collectively known as the Shropshire Advanced Manufacturing Skills Hub.

“It allows us to significantly extend our investment in state of the art equipment to suitably train the engineers of tomorrow and puts the college in the position of being able to offer a range of full time and part time courses from basic introductory levels through to degrees, apprenticeships from intermediate through to higher levels and bespoke training to meet individual company needs.”

The training centres are due to open in 2017. Funding for the project was awarded to the LEP via its initial Growth Deal for skills capital projects.

Upon completion of an apprenticeship, there are many opportunities around the county which are suited to newly trained professionals looking at taking the next leap in their careers. Check out our latest Shropshire Jobs on our vacancy page by clicking here!

 

– MarchesLEP

 

How to choose the right Recruitment Agency

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Discover in this article how to choose the right Recruitment Agency most suitable to your Business needs.

Whether you are a candidate seeking a new role or a client looking to hire, identifying a good recruitment agency is the first vital step in making this often tedious process a pleasant and fruitful experience.

Applying for a job is hard work, time consuming and extremely competitive. Despite having an outstanding CV, hiring managers may never get to see it even if you have the right qualifications and experience. In order to maximize their chances, candidates are turning to a recruitment agency to help them in their search for their dream job.

So, how should you go about identifying a recruiter who is right for you? A quick Google search will bring up a myriad of results, and a scan of positions available may be one way of choosing who to entrust your CV to, however, this isn’t necessarily the best approach. When you research agencies, many of them will have things in common – but you need to find the one that will best serve you in your search for a new job.

The first thing to consider whether you are a client or candidate is the agency’s approach. Do they really care about you? A good agency will be keen to speak to you, find out about you and your motivations behind looking for a new job as well as quizzing you about your career goals. The same principle goes for clients who are looking to place a role with a recruitment consultant. Recruiters should be inquisitive about your organisation, the sort of culture you have there and the type of person that would fit in, as well as the usual job description.

An ability to sell is essential in a recruiter. They are your representatives in front of your potential new employer and as such, when they find you a great role, you want them to pitch you as the perfect candidate, with the right skills and personality for the role on offer.

Furthermore, you need to conduct your job search with an enthusiastic recruitment agency. Job-hunting is not an easy process, so working with someone who is positive and who motivates you when the going gets tough will make life better all round.

A recruitment agency that has genuine experience in the sector you are interested in is vital. They must understand the jobs they are recruiting for and the needs of the client entrusting them with finding the perfect candidate. There is nothing worse than being put up for a job by a recruiter who doesn’t understand the industry they are recruiting into.

A good agency should be able to help you tailor your CV so that it stands out and meets the employer’s needs, as well as offering you tips for interviews. They should be able to get you in front of great companies, respect the confidentiality of your CV and only send your details to companies with your permission.

So in short, you are looking for a recruitment agency that is enthusiastic and highly motivated to help you develop your career.

They should take the time to understand your experience and requirements, and offer you advice and support throughout the process – helping you secure your next brilliant role.

If you’re a Business Owner or Hiring Manager, ensure you select a recruitment agency that displays genuine interest in your Business and how it operates. A detailed understanding of your Business will enable a recruitment agency to fine tune their image of your desired candidate.

Finding the right talent is extremely important for growing and established Businesses. Recruitment Agencies are a highly effective way for Businesses to obtain high quality talent that is matched to Business needs, values and culture.

Graffiti Recruitment offer IT Recruitment Solutions for Businesses seeking talented candidates in the areas of operations, support and development.

Get in touch with us on 0330 22 33 047 or E-mail us at hello@graffitirecruitment.co.uk to discover how we can help you!

 

– Sarah Bloomfield

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