31 minute read
TOMORROW’S WORKFORCE
The right skills for tomorrow
In today’s competitive marketplace, it has never been more important that businesses in Cornwall are equipped with the skills to succeed. The Skills Hub outlines the key considerations for building the workforce of tomorrow.
With the Coronavirus pandemic leaving no corner of the business world untouched, the world over is now being greeted by a new set of challenges. From challenge comes opportunity, however, an opportunity in which the work context can benefit from a tremendous reset.
This reset will include the disruption of organisational lethargy, changing perspectives on what is essential for progress, and touch points on areas such as connectivity, sustainability, inclusivity and sound mental health.
Where previously we might have planned five to ten years ahead, the past 18-months have shown us that there is an unpredictability to what may play out over the coming five to ten months. So how do we plan for the future, when the future remains so uncertain? where we may be faced with a new range of ethical dilemmas.
There is a need and desire for business to be innovative and agile, creating opportunities even when such conditions might not seem favourable on face value. In addition, there is also an appetite that exists for redesigning economies and social systems to ensure that they meet the needs of people and the planet.
As the future of work rapidly evolves and organisations integrate people, technology, alternative workforces and new ways of working, leaders are wrestling with an increasing range of ethical challenges. These challenges are especially pronounced at the intersection between humans and technology, but it is not just technology
While juggling the combining of man and machine will be a major part of future business strategy, a business that also has its people and the planet at the forefront of its future thinking How can we link will prosper best. In 2020, Deloitte’s Global people and planet Human Trends report found with prosperity? that 85% of respondents were cognisant to the role that ethical challenges will play in future workforces. However, only one-quarter of respondents said they had a policy in place to manage these. The same report found that over 50% of respondents placed managing ethics at the top of their priority list when building their workforce of the future, with two-thirds saying that if effective ethics management was yet to be in place it would be actioned within the next three to five years.
So where does this leave us, and business in Cornwall? It could be easy to look at this and say to yourself ‘this won’t be of concern to me’, but the Skills Hub believes that it would be well worth re-thinking this.
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly prides itself on its close-knit business community, alongside its passion for sustainability and protecting the planet. So how can we link people and planet with prosperity, and what are the key touch points for building the Cornish workforce of the future? Let’s take a look…
A CULTURE OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
In talking about future workforces, we need to ensure that our workplaces and workspaces are built to promote and encourage staff development and skill building.
New skilling, up-skilling, pre-skilling, re-skilling, levelling up; call it what you will but a culture that pushes its people to continually learn new things will be one that thrives in future ways of working. For anyone who has watched the highly popular BBC programme Line of Duty, you would be wellversed with these three words: motive, opportunity and means. They are the categorical trinity that has become either an expressed or subliminal convention in narratives that present the sleuth at work, but the same can apply to catching bent coppers as it can to building a thriving workforce in the years to come. So long as we tweak motive for motivation, of course. All employees should be provided with the motivation, the opportunity and the means to explore and supplement their existing expertise. Building a workplace culture that is part of a larger ecosystem that allows individuals to be on a constant path to bettering themselves will see them being resilient for whatever the new economy throws at them, and us. It won’t just be your traditional or more ‘harder’ skills that will be needed, either. With so many people working remotely either full-time, or within a hybrid capacity that mixes the office with home, softer skills development that encourage empathy, creativity and emotional intelligence will help people effectively adapt to their new reality. With the world constantly changing, workplaces and employees must demonstrate both adaptability and the want to actively learn in order to succeed.
INCLUSIVITY
While ensuring our workplaces and workspaces foster a culture that promotes the development of a team’s skills, this same environment must also be one that is inclusive to all.
We need to ensure the environment a business creates is one in which all staff are permitted to be their true and whole selves within the workplace. This will be an environment in which your team is enabled to make a positive contribution to your business, and beyond.
Equal representation in leadership, equitable recruiting, a system that challenges your assumptions about the knowledge, skills, attributes, and experiences required for a role; these are just a selection of things to consider when building an inclusive workforce that is fit for the future.
On top of this, and with so many teams now working remotely, people are now connecting in a multitude of ways. You cannot effectively advocate for someone without understanding what they are facing, so take a moment each day or each week to ask how your team is doing. Ensure that as many voices (and faces) as possible are included in your Zoom or Teams meetings. And, should the opportunity arise, create time for connection as a substitute for in-person, impromptu engagement – the water cooler moments - as a sense of inclusion is strongly linked with increased employee engagement.
Whether working remotely, with a mix of office and home, or if you’re back to how things were pre-pandemic, there is no doubt that inclusion matters.
SUSTAINABILITY
With the UK Government among many nations furthering their green agenda to align with the Paris Agreement, the concept of sustainability will continue to drive the development of the circular economy and the creation of more green jobs.
Businesses of the future will be defined not just by the way they treat their employees and customers, nor will success solely be measured by financial value.
TECHNOLOGY
The fourth industrial revolution is not only radically changing the way in which we live and work, it continues to re-define and challenge what it means to be human. These challenges are especially pronounced at the intersection between humans and technology, where the ethics agenda is ever-changing when it comes to the impact that technology has on both our workforces and society at large. As technology becomes more embedded into our everyday work, the design and use of this technology needs to be assessed for both fairness and equality.
Business will need to consider the ethical implications that the increasing use of technology and automation will have on their workforce moving forward. At present there is a considerable amount of grey that lies around questions concerning who should be responsible for the actions and decisions made by machines.
A re-definition of business success will include societal impact and environmental sustainability, placing people and the planet at the heart of future prosperity.
The power of the individual is now evident, as employees push their employers to demand change that better aligns with their personal values.
Millennials and those of Generation Z are some of the most passionate in terms of sustainability and social good. And, with both generations set to become the majority of both workers and consumers in the future, businesses must quickly understand and adapt their attitudes towards sustainability.
Global climate policy is changing at a rapid rate, with these changes to be felt by business both large and small. After all, small businesses make up 99.3% of the UK’s business population.
What can you do today to prepare yourself for a sustainable future tomorrow? It’s simple, really, stay ahead of the game and start making changes now. The conventional thinking when it comes to the future of working is that improvements in technology will make jobs obsolete. However, according to Harvard Business Review’s project on Managing the Future of Work, this proved to be a misconception. Respondents to a survey conducted by the project in 2018 felt that automation and artificial intelligence could help their future working environment, rather than hinder. In fact, respondents were far more concerned about their jobs being taken by freelancers or temporary workers and the furthering of the gig economy than a robot or supercomputer. As we face both the increasing use of technology and the range of ethical challenges that sit alongside this, business needs to ensure it is making considered yet bold choices.
Does your According to Deloitte, these choices need to be framed in workplace foster a language that sees business a culture of new owners shifting their thinking from ‘could we’ to ‘how learning and skills should we’ when approaching new ethical questions. development? By considering the broader implications on how to integrate teams, people and technology, businesses will need to further their strategic thinking on the impact that technology will continue to have on both their workforce and their businesses future prosperity.
When asked why they had a positive outlook with regard to advances in technology, respondents said they looked forward to the prospect of better wages and the thought of more interesting and more meaningful jobs. Are you and your business prepared for the future of working? Is sustainability front of mind for how your business operates? What policies do you have in place to balance the ethical implications of increasing uses of technology? Does your workplace foster a culture of new learning and skills development?
Continue the conversation and join the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub to discuss how to build your workforce for tomorrow at a special event later this month.
Featuring a keynote address from future working specialist, Dr Paul Redmond, as well as key figures from the business, innovation and skills sectors in Cornwall, the Skills Hub will provide you with the skills you need for your future way of working. It all takes place on Tuesday, September 28 with full event details on the following page.
Contact the Skills Hub; the independent and impartial specialist when it comes to all things skills, training and development. We can equip you and your team with the skills needed to ensure that you’re ready to tackle whatever comes next. Call us on 01209 708660.
Putting employersfirst
The largest college group in the region is responding to the needs of the workforce with a host of new apprenticeships.
CCB Training, part of The Cornwall College Group (TCCG), has announced six new apprenticeships designed to help boost the workforce that local employers are crying out for. Martin, says: “We’re incredibly proud to be the largest apprenticeship and training provider in the region.
TCCG, which boasts ten campuses across Devon and Cornwall, is also the first in the country to run the master’s degree apprenticeship in ecology which will be taught in partnership with The Eden Project.
Construction plant operations, crop technician, early year’s educator, supporting teaching and learning and hospitality team member also make up the new suite of apprenticeships that businesses as well as apprentices can benefit from, starting from September.
Head of apprenticeships and business engagement at CCB Training, Lorna “This enables us to give a valuable and rewarding
A valuable education route for apprentices whilst giving and rewarding employers access to a skilled workforce.” education route for In addition to the new apprentices whilst apprenticeships, the college has also announced giving employers a partnership with the access to a skilled Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), and workforce Cornish haulage company Conway Bailey Training to form a bespoke Haulage Sector-based Work Academy. The academy will see local unemployed people given the chance to take an intensive six-week training programme, culminating in them sitting a test to become a qualified HGV driver and help fill a huge shortage in the sector. Meanwhile, as ‘The Career College’, The Cornwall College Group offer every fulltime student an opportunity to have work experience in a professional environment.
“Work Experience, and Industry Placements are a great way to nurture young people and add value to your business,” explains Jenna Gazzard, skills for business manager at CCB Training.
“Employers have also used work experience and industry placements to see how a particular individual might work in their business prior to them starting an apprenticeship with them.
“Our experienced team of Industry Placement and Work Experience Coordinators will help you find the right learner for your business, and work with you and their course tutor to develop, monitor and review SMART objectives for that learner to ensure they make an impact in your business.
“If you want to help address the current skills shortage in your industry and inspire tomorrow workforce get in touch with us.
“We rely heavily on work experience students to keep us running on a daily basis. Their support frees up our time to focus on business activities. Industry Placement students are really conscientious and this last year, respectful to follow all Covid-19 restrictions, including regular testing to keep our team safe. They’re invaluable!” Hannah Jenkins, senior animal carer at Maria’s Animal Shelter
SKILLS FOR CORNWALL
Skills for Cornwall is part of the Business Clusters Project, part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF). The project focuses on the development of skills, training programmes and qualifications in sectors identified as priorities by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.
“A fantastic opportunity not to be missed,” is how Lorna Martin, head of apprenticeships and external engagement at CCB Training, described the project.
“There are two parts to the Skills for Cornwall project. Firstly, £3k funding through the Apprenticeship Development Fund. This funding is aimed at businesses that take on a new or existing staff member onto an apprenticeship in either motor vehicle (light & heavy), bricklaying, healthcare, property maintenance or construction plant operations.
“In return we ask for feedback on ways to develop the apprenticeship. This funding is additional to the existing Government’s grants and incentives, which means you could benefit from up to £7k.
“Secondly, we are looking for further insight from various sectors including agriculture, rural, health, technology, engineering and construction - through a series of free networking events with key industry speakers.
“This insight will enable us to develop new apprenticeships or foundation degrees to meet businesses future needs.”
To get involved in Skills for Cornwall contact CCB Training on 0800 731 7594, email hello@ccbtraining.co.uk or visit
www.ccbtraining.co.uk/skills-for-cornwall/
Q&A with head of apprenticeships and external engagement at CCB Training, Lorna Martin
How is TCCG responding to the needs of local employers? What workforce trends have you noticed recently in your role?
We are actively working with employers across the south west by establishing their staffing needs, supporting them to access government incentives and funding, identifying skills gaps and working with them to deliver existing or develop new programmes and apprenticeships.
We have also established Employer Advisory Boards where we bring together local employers with our expert curriculum staff to identify these gaps and keep our programmes relevant to them. The lack of skilled workers in many areas is driving up demand for apprenticeships to future proof their skills requirements. Employers are considering their long-term skills requirements and future workforce planning or succession planning.
We find companies are increasingly interested in ensuring they work towards the green agenda and are working with us to ensure our apprenticeships develop with their sector requirements.
What role do you think apprentices and apprenticeships play in the Cornish economy?
A vital one! With an aging workforce and demographic in the area, and historically many people leaving the county to secure work, apprenticeships are a key route in retaining our skilled workforce in the county.
They will be essential as we work towards a prosperous covid recovery and establish the workforce for a successful long-term future.
Why should local businesses consider hiring an apprentice?
An apprentice can immeasurably aid a businesses’ future planning by developing individuals to meet their specific needs.
They allow you to keep local skills in the county, succession plan effectively, continue the development of fresh ideas and means their training is relevant to the environment they are working in.
Government grants such as the current £3k (minimum) available to firms that hire a new apprentice of any age before September 30, along with the £1k incentive when you take on an apprentice aged 16-18 – are also very attractive for many.
Skillsfor the future
The Employment and Skills Board is helping match modern businesses with tomorrow’s skills today.
The climate emergency is now impossible to ignore. The United Nations has warned about a “code red for humanity” unless we urgently decarbonise our economy. This will require new technologies, new ways of working, and crucially new skills, some of which aren’t even invented yet.
Cornwall Council declared a climate emergency on 22 January 2019 and is committed to facilitating the reduction of Cornwall’s carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030. To achieve this, the Council is supporting the development of new technologies, such as floating wind power, lithium mining, electric car batteries and geothermal energy.
These emerging sectors require a steady stream of local skilled people. But despite higher level skills growing in Cornwall at twice the national level, a pre-pandemic survey found that four in ten employers had difficulty filling roles in the preceding 12 months, with a lack of even basic skills cited as a major factor.
The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Employment and Skills Board (ESB), set up and run by Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is addressing this mismatch between the supply and demand for employment and skills at a local level.
It brings together local businesses, education and training providers, public sector employers and the voluntary and community sector to address current and future skills needs at a strategic level, to deliver the ten-year Employment and Skills Strategy that was published in March this year. By shaping and influencing local skills training to make sure employers across Cornwall and Scilly can get the skills they need, the Board aims to boost the local economy
Addressing the for the long term whilst also responding quickly to current mismatch between employment and skills the supply and challenges. Brexit and the pandemic demand for have impacted on migrant employment and labour, which three years ago accounted for more skills at a than 21,000 jobs in Cornwall or 8.6% of the working local level population. Many of those workers have returned home, leaving gaps across a range of industries, from hospitality to social care, and prompting debate about working conditions and fair pay. As the furlough scheme is wound down, we
can expect some businesses to downsize, with remaining employees expected to take on more diverse roles by learning new skills.
The ESB was reconstituted last year to better respond to the threats and opportunities posed by the pandemic, and to focus on the LEP’s Local Industrial Strategy priorities.
Frances Brennan, chair of the ESB, says: “Cornwall has an ambition to drive the green industrial revolution in the race to net zero and that will require new skills, whether it’s with floating offshore windfarms, geothermal energy, analysing data from space or pioneering low-impact agriculture.
“At the same time, we can help deal with some of the immediate employment and skills demands and labour shortages posed by the pandemic and look at how we can fully utilise the talent pool we have available. I am passionate that we need to be fully inclusive and give people of all ages a chance.
“We’re getting the building blocks in place for that now so that we can create opportunities for local people with better skills, better wages and a better quality of life.”
The alignment between supply and demand is already evident with continued investment in education and training facilities across Cornwall which have been informed and shaped by the ESB.
In March next year, a new £6.3 million STEM and Health Skills Centre will open in Bodmin, backed by £3.78 million from the LEP via the Government’s Local Growth Fund. It will tackle a decline in STEM subject learning locally and address nursing and care staff shortages. Truro and Penwith College’s £7 million Valency building opened in July and is part of the South West Institute of Technology. It will help put Cornwall at the forefront of digital and engineering education from age 16 through to master’s level qualifications and is home to the College’s Cornwall Space and Aerospace Technology Training team. to identify skills issues and opportunities in different parts of the economy, working with the Skills Hub.
New initiatives are already having an impact. The Green Jobs Task and Finish group set up by the ESB is supporting Cornwall’s transition to a net zero economy and delivering environmental growth and a green recovery. Having recently helped inform a funding bid for a new green skills centre focusing on renewable technology including electric vehicles, floating offshore wind, and air and ground source heat pumps, the group will focus on employment and skills as part of an action plan to help deliver Cornwall’s 2030 target.
Channelling significant European investment in skills and employment support, the ESB is also working closely with other skills-led projects including the Careers Hub, the Skills Hub, Cornwall Apprenticeships, the People Hub, and the Digital Skills Partnership. Skills are the bedrock of economies and communities. The collective experience and knowledge of the workforce is vital for economic prosperity and in tackling social exclusion and disadvantage. For
Cornwall, skills are also at the heart of responding to the climate crisis. Cornwall is once again becoming a hotbed of innovation, and through the work of the ESB, we want to see future solutions to global problems created right here.
Businesses looking to develop their workforce now and into the future should contact the Skills Hub, part funded by the LEP, for a free skills review with their expert and impartial team, who can find the training and development opportunities that are right for you. Call 01209 708660 or visit www.cioskillshub.com
This month, the ESB will be surveying local employers about barriers to recruitment and skills shortages in Cornwall and will be running of a number of sector focus groups,
IMAGE SOURCE: BRITISH LITHIUM
Through continued investment in infrastructure, qualifications and the futures of Cornwall’s young people, Ofsted Outstanding Truro and Penwith College is at the heart of transforming Cornwall’s vision of a sustainable, future-focused workforce into reality. Partnership working is central to the success. The college works closely and collaboratively with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly LEP, Cornwall Council, Chamber of Commerce and Cornwall’s key industry and sector leads to ensure the shared vision is delivered.
As Cornwall stands on the brink of such an exciting 21st Century period in its transformation, Truro and Penwith College is perfectly positioned to capture the energy of this moment and help our young people bask in its glow.
College investing in the future of Cornwall
Technical Engineering
In March, Truro and Penwith College opened the Valency building at its Truro campus as Cornwall’s only partner in the South West Institute of Technology (SWIOT).
The £7 million investment has more than 1,200 square metres of space over two floors playing host to facilities matching the best in the UK for training students from across the region in technical subjects.
The SWIOT is one of only ten new Institutes of Technology (IOTs) planned by Government nationally to equip the British workforce with required skills across key sectors. SWIOT consists of five major FE colleges in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset working in collaboration with the University of Exeter and the University of Plymouth, delivering higher technical skills across the region. The Valency building features state-of-the-art electronic and digital laboratories, engineering workshops, specialist welding facilities, a variety of industry-standard, computercontrolled (CNC) machinery and shared learning spaces.
Qualifications include higher-level Certificates, Diplomas and brand-new Higher-Level Apprenticeships, all drawing on expertise from a group of ‘anchor employers’ and key regional and Cornwall-based businesses with investment from the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) for the Heart of the South West and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
Much of this provision will include additional qualifications and training that reflect Cornwall’s growing need for these skills that underpin the aerospace, space, creative, energy, marine and mining sectors highlighted in the Local Enterprise Partnership’s ’10 Opportunities’ publication. These sectors are also going to be crucial to post-Covid-19 economic recovery whilst simultaneously facilitating the ‘clean and inclusive’ growth demanded in the draft Local Industrial Strategy due to their capacity to expedite the smart use of remote technology and to improve renewable energy use and manufacturing techniques.
Space Sector
In space, the college is delivering on a collaboration that will provide training for a range of exciting careers in the sector with the launch of an innovative Space Technology Training project.
Unique to the south west, the project is run in partnership with the University of Exeter as part of the Meeting Smart Specialisation Business Needs through Higher Level Skills (SSHLS) project, which is part-funded by the European Social Fund.
The project team officially started on May 4 and will provide the opportunity for experts in space and satellite technology, engineering, physics and astronomy to work with employers in Cornwall in identifying appropriate training to help boost their development and the development of the sector as a whole.
Guided by experts in the sector based at the University of Leicester, the Open University, and in Cornwall at Goonhilly Earth Station, Spaceport Cornwall and Aerospace Cornwall, based on information from businesses, the team will develop a suite of courses that will provide graduates and non-graduate staff within the sector with the education and training needed to support new and existing businesses linked to the space industry.
Heading up the team as space technology training project manager is Heidi Thiemann, an experienced space sector educationalist who has worked in the space skills domain for over five years.
Nursing
The college is investing in a new STEM and Health Skills Centre that aims to transform learning opportunities for young people in Cornwall and equip them with the industryrelevant skills they need to succeed.
The £6.3 million STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and Health Skills Centre in Bodmin is planned for completion next March. It is supported by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which is meeting £3.78 million of the costs after successfully bidding for funds through the Government’s Getting Building Fund.
The centre will offer engineering, manufacturing and digital skills for the aerospace, space, creative, energy and mining sectors, in line with the LEP’s Local Industrial Strategy.
It will also provide a range of locally-delivered nursing and care apprenticeships up to and including registered nurse, extending the College’s current work with the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust (RCHT) to other health providers across the county. The facilities will exploit the latest technology in simulation training suites and replicate this in Truro also.
Over 80 Nursing Associate RCHT trainees – a new role created by the NHS to bridge the gap between a healthcare assistant and a registered nurse – are currently following their two-year apprenticeship at the college which includes a foundation degree qualification awarded by the University of Greenwich. This allows learners to study a programme from one of the leading nursing universities in the UK without leaving Cornwall, and fulfilling the need for more nurses on the frontline of Cornwall’s NHS. From September the college will extend its apprenticeship and degree provision to include the full registered nurse qualification and degree, helping to provide local training, careers and a sustainable workforce in Cornwall.
Truro and Penwith College is the first nonuniversity provider to join the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) list of approved education providers.
STEM and Construction
Truro and Penwith College has been awarded a share of £48.5 million to invest in new learning facilities at its campuses in Truro and Penzance which reflect the needs of the industry and employers.
The college’s Construction and Health and Science departments are recipients of this investment with new construction areas and state-of-the-art science laboratories to be developed.
Truro and Penwith College is one of seven colleges in the south west which have been awarded the Department for Education (DfE) investment to ensure young people studying pioneering T Level qualifications have access to the cutting-edge facilities and equipment they need to get ahead.
In Health and Science, two large laboratories with experimental and technician areas will be created with space to deliver theory and laboratory work across the disciplines. These will provide excellent progression routes for those wishing to study nursing-related courses and apprenticeships including degree level locally in Truro and the new Steam and Health Centre in Bodmin.
In construction, the investment will fund the building of a new construction trades area at Truro College, to recognise the growing importance of this sector in the local economy. In 2020 the college saw a large increase in students entering its construction trades provision and this growth is forecast to continue.
As well as new construction and carpentry bays for students to practise their skills, additional industry-ready construction tools and equipment will be installed, ensuring students are as career ready as possible after completing their course.
Singing for the world
Prompted by Cornwall’s hosting of the G7 summit back in June, a choir from Truro School played its part in inspiring children worldwide.
Sing2G7 is an international children’s engagement programme which grew out of the suggestion ‘imagine if we could put children’s voices at the heart of G7 and make the summit relevant to their young lives’.
Co-founded by Chris Gray, director of music at Truro Cathedral, and Esmé Page, founder of Cornwall Hugs, the project involved close partnerships between Truro Cathedral, Truro
School and Cornwall Music Service Trust as well as, Cornwall Council, The Diocese of Truro, Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station and Future Leaders Network.
At the centre of the initiative was a song, ‘Gee Seven’, written for the project by Tim Rice, patron of Truro Cathedral Choir, with music by Peter Hobbs, arranged by Joseph Wicks.
Through the song and its moving You Tube video, the 35 choristers, who are educated at Truro School, inspired children worldwide to unite and ‘sing to G7’ urging them to take full responsibility for the rest of the world. Over 27,000 children signed up to sing the song in 31 countries, from Australia to Mexico, Portugal to Poland, South Africa to Canada and USA. Over 300 UK schools took part, from Bristol to Birmingham, Thurrock to Newcastle. In addition, Truro School teachers created a comprehensive cross-curricular primary school education pack on G7 themes with further conservation and leadership modules by Kensa Heat Pumps, South West Water and Sing2G7 volunteer, Vicky Garner. Nearly 250 schools downloaded modules, representing over 100,000 pupils. Sarah Patterson, head of Truro School Prep, says: “I am really excited that schools in Britain, Europe and across the planet have had the perfect opportunity to connect and encourage children to consider issues such as leadership, sustainability, and what it really means to be global citizens.” Moved by the Covid vulnerability of fellow singers in poorer countries, the choristers began a Crowdfunder and pledged all royalties from their Gee Seven single to Unicef’s
Phenomenal VaccinAid appeal. The project raised £8,434, enabling ambassadors for UNICEF to provide over 10,000
Cornwall Covid-19 vaccine doses. ‘I can’t quite believe that by singing a song we have enabled 10,000 people to be vaccinated. It’s amazing. Thank you so much everyone.’’ says Hhad Chorister Jacob, 13. Sing2G7’s VaccinAid appeal attracted support from far and wide, including from the original Poldark actor, Robin Ellis and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Donations came from individuals and corporations such as the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group.
Steven Waugh, interim executive director at the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), says: “UNICEF UK is greatly inspired by the dedication and passion of the Truro Cathedral Choristers. Their aim of reaching out and uniting children all over the world with their voices while also supporting VaccinAid is something we are incredibly proud to be a part of.”
Esmé Page, co-founder of Sing2G7 and founder of Cornwall Hugs, adds: “Truro Cathedral’s choristers have been phenomenal ambassadors for Cornwall, both in leading Sing2G7 and their VaccinAid fundraising. Cornish businesses have been right behind them, helping them to make a difference, be they partners such as Truro School and CMST, sponsors like Kensa and South West Water, or our wonderful pro bono film crew led by Chris Yacoubian.”
Unique apprenticeship programme offered by leading Cornish accountancy firm Bishop Fleming.
Top 30 professional services firm, Bishop Fleming, is one of only three accountancy firms who are an accredited and approved apprenticeship provider.
Last year, the firm, which delivers accounting, tax and advisory services to business and individuals took the leap into becoming a provider, offering a bespoke programme that gives learners access to real clients and businesses.
The unique apprenticeship programme, known as ‘Launch Pad’ enrols school leavers directly onto a Level 7 apprenticeship.
All trainees pursue qualifications from the Institution of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). The firm has proudly gained a new status as ‘Partner in Learning’ with the ICAEW.
The firm, which has seen continued growth for the past ten years, developed its own curriculum which gives a structured rotational programme.
Leoni Sterling, corporate and business services associate, who has undertaken her apprenticeship with Bishop Fleming, says: “I’ve got great colleagues and managers around me, when I first started, I was appointed a buddy who I would work with daily, and they helped me gain the skills I needed. Everyone has been so helpful in developing my career.” After taking on 45 trainees, its record number of school leavers and graduates last September, the firm is preparing for its next cohort due to start this month, another record intake of 62.
Anna Averis, people director for Bishop Fleming, said: “Becoming an approved provider demonstrates our continued growth and commitment to our people, in creating the most rewarding working environment. We have had a fantastic first year as an apprenticeship provider and are looking forward to our next cohort joining us in September. We look forward to supporting those wanting to pursue a career in accountancy.”
The firm recruits from a diverse education background, including with degrees in science, health, music and languages.
For further information on our apprenticeship programme or if you are interested in joining Bishop Fleming, please contact Ally Allington on 01872 247066 or at aallington@bishopfleming.co.uk
Details of our current vacancies can be found at www.bishopfleming.co.uk/careers
