Business Scotland 2

BusinessScotland Scottish Chambers of Commerce Magazine

SUMMER 2015

Inspiring Women in Business Special Feature

Meet the Chamber Network Female CEOs Insight into Europe’s Best Airline - Turkish Airlines Across the Pond with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

Scottish Chambers of Commerce

PLUS! ECONOMIC BENEFIT FOR SCOTLAND WITH HEATHROW AIRPORT EXPANSION?

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CONTENTS

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INSIGHT INTO EUROPE’S BEST AIRLINE - TURKISH AIRLINE

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DEVELOPING YOUR PEOPLE – YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET

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CREATE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND & MEET SCC’S NEW TALENT

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QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

Scottish Chambers of Commerce Scottish Chambers of Commerce 30 George Square Glasgow G2 1EQ T: 0141 204 8316 F: 0141 204 8371 E: admin@scottishchambers.org.uk www.scottishchambers.org.uk @ScotChambers Like us on Facebook

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MEET THE CHAMBER NETWORK’S FEMALE CEOs FIRST MINISTER NICOLA STURGEON PROMOTES LINKS WITH USA WHY SCOTLAND IS MORE POPULAR THAN EVER HOW MENTORING CAN WORK FOR YOU

77 78 80

YOU REALLY SHOULD CONSIDER THE IT INDUSTRY SPACEPORT HERALDS NEW ERA IN AEROSPACE SECTOR GROWTH IN AYRSHIRE ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR SCOTLAND WITH HEATHROW AIRPORT EXPANSION

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Disclaimer

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FOREWORD

Gender equality – not there yet Nora Senior

Chair, Scottish Chambers of Commerce Executive Chair of UK Regions & Ireland, Weber Shandwick

It certainly has been a busy year for business in Scotland and Chambers of Commerce have been at the heart of supporting business interests. Whether it be in the general election or promoting tourism in Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, or as this edition will highlight, leading the charge for more gender equal boards, Scotland’s business voice has been shouting loud this year.

As the first woman in its history to be honoured to hold the office of Chair of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, I have a conscious sense of responsibility to inspire other women to strive for greater success in business.

As a business community, there is still work to be done. There are huge challenges facing women in the workplace; and the stats back this up.

Women make up 47% of the UK’s workforce, but are significantly under-represented in key sectors such as science and engineering, accounting for just 13% of that workforce. They are also under-represented on boards and senior management positions.

It is a bit of a conundrum. There are actually more young men than women in the UK, but in 2013, there were more female (55%) than male full-time undergraduates (45%) enrolled at university; so one might expect a growing increase in young women studying science and technology subjects. Not so.

The reality is that as educators and businesses, we are not ‘setting out our stalls’ to showcase the opportunities for women in these areas. As a result, young women are shying away from exploring the traditional male sectors of engineering, science and technology.

That is a great pity, as women are missing out on what can be highly rewarding careers and companies are missing out on a huge pool of talent.

It is so important that education and business take responsibility and work more closely together to ensure young people are exposed to the dynamic career choices that exist in science, technology, engineering and mathematics industries, before they choose their academic subjects.

Similarly, senior managers in the business world, have a responsibility to nurture their middle managers, particularly women, to give them the skills and confidence to step up to senior management positions. The most successful companies, I believe, have effective boards, with a balanced mix of men and women.

I am proud of the work we have done so far on the equality agenda. But as my report card said: ‘Positive progress…but could do better.’

A diverse work force is a must for business Liz Cameron OBE

Director/Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce

Throughout this year, the Greek debt crisis has dominated the headlines and at last Greece, together with the rest of Europe, is working towards a sustainable solution to what had looked like an intractable problem. This situation highlights the importance of trading within Europe, the opportunities but also its fragility. We will all be watching closely in preparation for our own Government’s renegotiations with Europe and the proposed referendum in 2017.

For those of us running our own businesses life continues. Our quarter 2 Economic Indicators makes interesting reading. The good news is that there is a continuing positive buoyance in the Scottish economy amongst most sectors. There is strong expectation for the next quarter particularly in tourism, retail, manufacturing and construction. However, we identified strong signs that the ongoing oil price situation is continuing to impact on the extensive oil and gas supply chain which includes our financial and business services industries. This is not only in the North East but across Scotland. It has not yet expanded into other parts of our economy, so we need to be mindful of the importance of continuing to diversify our business base. As we embark upon looking ahead to our own Scottish elections in 2016, all aspiring and existing politicians should make sure that this remains their top priority when both developing and implementing important policy decisions which impact on business.

There has been much publicity recently about the role of women in our economy. I took part in a roundtable dinner discussion hosted by the First Minister recently, surrounded by inspiring and successful female leaders. Within this environment I found it difficult to contemplate a business, or a board, failing to nurture or promote women to the top and throughout their organisations. Within Scottish Chambers of Commerce, we have a balanced Board of Directors, the mix of talent working as one team, never fails to impress. Statistical evidence proves that a balanced team achieves much more and successfully impacts on the bottom line. So why would we not all go out and recruit that untapped talent? (Answers on an email please…)

I am constantly been told that females lack confidence, and in some cases, ambition. I don’t think this is the issue. From going around the country and meeting some fantastic businesses set up by female entrepreneurs, this is difficult to relate to. Perhaps we all need to challenge attitudes and change the way we all communicate, nurture, support and promote talent?

@LizCameronSCC

@NoraSenior1

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CHAMBER NEWS

West Lothian schools pump it up Competition increased six fold at this year’s ‘Pump It Up Heat Pump Challenge’, as many of the best and brightest pupils from schools across West Lothian prepared to go head to head for the ultimate ‘green’ energy competition hosted by the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce.

With over 1,000 pupils from all 11 schools having competed for a spot in the 2015 final, it was Inveralmond Community High School who took the top spot, with Linlithgow Academy coming in second and Deans Community High School taking third place.

Teams consisting of five or six pupils of varied ages from each school were tasked to come up with an innovative creation for an energy efficient heat pump that can turn cold air into hot air and vice versa.

Linda Scott, CEO for West Lothian Chamber of Commerce, said: “This competition is all about encouraging Scotland’s younger generation to think outside the box and come up with clever and innovative ideas that give them a greater understanding of technology and engineering.

“Ultimately, we are looking to help our younger generations learn and develop new skills and competitions such as these are great for this because they tap into a number of different skill sets such as creativity and teamwork.

“It was fantastic to see so many pupils take part in this year’s event and we were all very impressed by the creative ideas that were presented to the judges.”

After a hugely successful pilot competition in 2014 with Armadale Academy, the joint venture between local employer, Mitsubishi Electric Air Conditioning System Europe and the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce expanded to 11 schools across the area, making the competition bigger than ever before.

On the day of the final, pupils pitched their ideas to a special panel of judges, including local MSP Angela Constance, Mr Atsuhiro Yabu, President of the Mitsubishi Electric Air Conditioning System, Mr Kitaoka, Consulate General of Japan and other senior representatives from the public and private sector, who collectively decided on the overall winner of the competition.

Aimed at encouraging budding engineers to take part in the special design and innovation challenge, the Pump It Up competition intends to help pupils develop a better understanding of the science and technology involved in green energy.

It is also hoped that the competition will assist young people by helping them develop various skills that could be beneficial towards future career choices.

Rodney Ayre, Senior Department Manager,

Mitsubishi Electric Air conditioning Systems Europe Ltd, said: “The schools project has created a link between Mitsubishi Electric and the local schools within the West Lothian area developing the workforce of the future and ensuring students get first-hand experience of manufacturing, environment and renewables. This activity promotes Mitsubishi Electric’s commitment to Scotland and the local community.”

Annual Business Dinner raises a remarkable contribution to local hospice Simpson CBE, and Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, as special guests.

Inverness Chamber of Commerce hosted its flagship Highland Business Dinner in May, drawing over 350 members of the Highland business community together to celebrate the successes of 2014/15. The sell-out event welcomed BBC World Affairs Editor, John

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The Highland Business Dinner has a long tradition of supporting one of Inverness Chamber of Commerce’s member charities.

Thanks to the generosity of those attending, the 2015 event raised over £7,500 for the Highland Hospice Project Build Appeal, adding to the £3.1m that has already been raised by the Highland community. The funds will be used to rebuild Highland Hospice’s In Patient Unit which, at over 25 years old, no longer meets healthcare guidelines.

John Simpson provided the capacity audience with a fascinating insight into his award-winning career, which encouraged guests to look beyond home shores and consider Scotland’s place in the wider

world. This had particular resonance for the Chamber, given the importance of international activity to current and future economic growth for the region as it develops its International range of services.

This year’s Highland Business Dinner not only celebrated the end of an extraordinary twelve months, it also marked the start of another busy season of events for Inverness Chamber of Commerce including the return of our annual Highland Business Week. Set for the 21st to 25th September, Highland Business Week is a celebration of innovation and enterprise within the Highland Community, and definitely not to be missed.

Find out more about Inverness chamber: www.inverness-chamber.co.uk

Best Airline in the Middle East Best Airline in the

World’s BestEast Middle Business Class Seat

World’s Best Business Class Seat

Airline of the Year

Airline of the Year

Proud to be voted the

World’s World’s Best Airline Best Airline Proud to be voted the

are proud be voted the World’s Best Airline theYear Year We areWe proud to be to voted the World’s Best Airline ofof the by a group of extremely important people. Our passengers. by a group of extremely important people. Our passengers.

On behalf of everyone at Qatar Airways, we would like to express our heartfelt

On behalf of everyone at Qatar Airways, would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the millions of people whowe voted for us. thanks to the millions of people who voted for us.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard Qatar Airways for a truly rewarding

departure to arrival.

We look experience forward tofrom welcoming you onboard Qatar Airways for a truly rewarding experience from departure to arrival. qatarairways.co.uk

qatarairways.co.uk * Skytrax is acknowledged as a truly global, independent aviation industry monitor. Results of the 2015 World Airline Awards are derived from millions of passenger surveys involving travellers from 160 different countries.

* Skytrax is acknowledged as a truly global, independent aviation industry monitor. Results of the 2015 World Airline Awards are derived from millions of passenger surveys involving travellers from 160 different countries.

World’s 5-star airline.

World’s 5-star airline.

CHAMBER NEWS

Record attendance at first ever Loch Lomond Springfest The first ever Springfest Scottish Food and Drink Festival at Loch Lomond Shores (LLS) outstripped all previous event attendance records.

Around 30,000 people visited the event over its two days to sample fine wines, ales, ciders and food from a wide range of producers and suppliers. Almost 70 Scottish food and drink related businesses took part – many of whom were partaking for the first time.

Dunbartonshire chamber member Clare Gemmell, general manager at the attraction, said: “The feedback over the weekend from visitors and from the businesses taking part was very positive indeed.

“From setting out to do this once-only event, to celebrate the Year of Food and Drink Scotland, it seems there is a high demand to keep this event in the calendar for forthcoming years.

“From food tasting, learning about the science behind your taste buds, the great live music from local bands, through to the phenomenal weather, everything just pulled together to showcase Loch Lomond at its very best.”

Springfest was supported as part of Year of Food and Drink Scotland 2015, delivered by

VisitScotland and EventScotland.

The popular visitor attraction looks set to increase its overall visitor numbers for the fifth year in a row. It also reached the final five in the best marketing team category in The Scottish Entertainment and Hospitality Awards in April, as did Loch Lomond Sea Life Centre, in the favourite family day out sector.

Over the last 12 months LLS has received a number of awards, including one for safer parking and a gold for sustainability.

“Loch Lomond Shores is not simply about shopping and great views, it is a place to stay, a place to have an adventure, it is a place to visit time and time again,” Claire added. www.lochlomondshores.com

New Chamber President appointed Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has appointed a new president at its annual general meeting. Edel Harris was confirmed as President at the Chamber’s AGM as Alec Carstairs stands down having completed his two-year term.

Edel is chief executive of Cornerstone, one of Scotland’s largest social care organisations providing a wide range of health and social care services to people with disabilities and other support needs.

Harris who currently lives in Stonehaven with her husband and has two grown up sons, has spent the last 15 years in senior management and leadership positions

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working in the social enterprise sector.

A former Metropolitan Police officer, she holds a first class honours degree in Health and Social Care, and worked for NHS Grampian for many years. She joined Cornerstone as chief executive in May 2008 having previously been deputy chief executive of Aberdeen Foyer.

Edel is a former chairman of the Life Changes Trust, director of The Fragile X Society and a board member of Aberdeen FC Community Trust. She is also a former chair of the Scottish Government’s Scottish Investment Fund. Speaking after her appointment, Edel said: “I feel

very honoured to represent the business community of the North-east of Scotland in my new role as president. As someone who has lived and worked in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for the last 26 years, I am passionate about the area.”

We wish Edel all the best in her new position at Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce where she has already proved herself to be a valuable addition to the Chamber team. Edel states, “I am committed to supporting the Chamber and its members to ensure the region remains a great place to live and work.”

The £1.13 billion City Deal agreement between the UK Government, the Scottish Government and a partnership of eight Local Authorities across Glasgow and the Clyde Valley is set to unlock a number of new, high profile development sites across the region.

Glasgow and the Clyde Valley is at the heart of the Scottish economy, the largest city-region in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK, with a population of 1.8 million, clustered around a vibrant urban core with world-class educational, recreational and business facilities.

Director of the Glasgow and City deal Programme Management Office, Alan Vesey said, “Glasgow and Clyde Valley is one of the fastest growing City Regions in the UK and the City Deal will drive further economic growth through 26 key projects. Most of these are infrastructure projects and the partners will be seeking Inward Investors, Developers and Occupiers for a range of stunning new sites with infrastructure laid in.”

The £1.13 billion infrastructure programme includes projects for roads, bridges and improved transport infrastructure, quay walls, remediation, construction, public realm works, design and architectural consulting services, legal services, professional services - assisting further capital developments for housing, retail and commercial.

umbrella of the City Deal, a procurement strategy has been instigated by the partners to explore and develop best practice, provide a more common and consistent experience for suppliers to local government in areas such as policies, payment timeframes, terms and conditions, information requirements and to maximise opportunities for community benefits.

The City Deal is expected to give the Glasgow City Region a permanent uplift in its GVA of £2.2 billion per annum (4.4%); generate 15,000 construction jobs during the construction period and 28,000 permanent additional jobs once construction is complete and will unlock £3.3 billion of private sector investment.

Although projects will be delivered over a period of twenty years, the bulk of procurement is anticipated to take place in the first five years, with the majority of contracts advertised and awarded through Public Contracts Scotland (www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/) Confirming the partners commitment to working together under the

The Region benefits from numerous economic assets, with existing strengths in areas including financial services, life sciences, engineering, manufacturing and creative and media industries. Successful universities and research institutes provide the space for both innovation and the people who will drive the city’s development. More widely, the region benefits from a highly skilled workforce across a wide range of industries.

Other projects under the City Deal will support further growth both in the life science sector through the establishment of world class R&D / commercialisation facilities and for small and medium sized businesses with additional business incubator and grow-on space for entrepreneurs.

The eight local authorities participating in this City Deal are: East Dunbartonshire Council; East Renfrewshire Council; Glasgow City Council; Inverclyde Council; North Lanarkshire Council; Renfrewshire Council; South Lanarkshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council.

For more information contact: citydealGCV@glasgow.gov.uk

CHAMBER NEWS

Business Bee’s Knees Awards 2015 Renowned local architect, Gerry Quigley, has lifted the Lifetime Achievement award in the Greenock Chamber of Commerce Bee’s Knees Awards 2015. He joins ten category winners in the line-up for the top titles in this the 12th annual awards initiative aimed at business operating across Inverclyde.

Gerry set up J G Quigley Architect in 1968 and the practice went from strength to strength and over the next 40 years was involved in all aspects of the commercial and domestic world of Inverclyde, with a body of work encompassing the full spectrum of the build environment. Like many entrepreneurs, Gerry claims to have retired yet still offers invaluable advice as a consultant to the practice he sold to his son, Graeme, when he retired in 2000.

Whilst maintaining this busy and thriving practice, Gerry undertook a number of wider roles in support of the local business community. He was proud to be involved with the Greenock Chamber of Commerce and served as President of both the Junior and Senior Chamber from 1969 to 1972 and from 1983 to 1985 respectively.

Most promising new business winner, Carishea skin and haircare is part of revolutionary social business, Trade Right International, which offers trade and employment to disadvantaged communities and excluded people at home and abroad. Trev Gregory, CEO of Trade Right International CIC said on the night, “The celebrations of this award will be held both here in Inverclyde, but also in Ghana with the many disadvantaged women who harvest and process our shea butter. We’re delighted to have won, as it demonstrates some important milestones of achievement for our business and employees, whether based in Inverclyde or Ghana.”

The event was a great success and raised an impressive £3,500 for this year’s chosen charity, Reach for Autism. In his opening remarks Greenock Chamber President and CEO of Stepwell congratulated the 30 finalists and closed with, “Tonight is a time to pause and remind ourselves that we have the privilege of living in a place of stunning beauty, which is rich in history and heritage. Inverclyde has continually proved over the years that it is adaptable to change and is still full of opportunities. It is a place where business continues to succeed and is committed to future generations.”

PR sponsor was Elaine Stewart Public Relations Ltd, programme sponsor Love & Humphries and media sponsor, Gryffe Studios.

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Gerry Quigley (Lifetime Achievement winner) and his wife Maureen

Bee’s Knees category winners are: Excellence in Customer Focus – Sponsored

by Caledonian MacBrayne and was awarded to Enchanted Forest Early Learning Most Promising New Business – Sponsored

by Business Gateway and was awarded to Trade Right International (Carishea) Best Use of New Technology or Innovation – Sponsored by Autotec Scotland Ltd and was awarded to Finlaystone Country Estate Excellence in Marketing & Communications – Sponsored by Oak Mall Shopping Centre and was awarded to Mearns T McCaskie Excellence in Skills and Learning – Sponsored by West College Scotland and awarded to Enchanted Forest Early Learning

Best Performing Small Business – Sponsored by University of the West of Scotland and was awarded to MacDonald & Co – Wealth Management Best Performing Medium Business – Sponsored by Holt Leisure/Kip Marina and was awarded to Holiday Inn Express Best Performing Large Business – Sponsored by Riverside Inverclyde and was awarded to Caledonian MacBrayne Inverclyde Goes Global - Sponsored

by Texas Instruments (UK) Ltd and was awarded to PG Paper Emerging Young Talent – Sponsored by Inverclyde Council and was awarded to Helena Ptolomey of West Coast Cinemas

CHAMBER NEWS

Enchanting Scotland with our Early Learning and Childcare Enchanted Forest Early Learning (EFEL) was established in 2006 by husband and wife team Mariessa and Bernie Devlin. From humble beginnings in Erskine the successful nursery group has grown from strength to strength and now provides award winning early learning and childcare to over 500 families across five locations in Scotland.

Our partnerships with local authorities, our fantastic Care Inspectorate grades and our award winning practice are firm reassurance to us and to our families that we provide the very best in early learning and childcare and create a place ‘Where Little People Feel Precious.’

Due to continued success, this year we successfully launched our 5th enchanting nursery in the up and coming area of Robroyston. With many enquiries and bookings being made before our doors opened and even more families joining on a daily basis, the magic of Enchanted Forest Early Learning continues to grow in Robroyston as well as in our other locations.

We at Enchanted Forest fully believe the key to our success is our people and we run a successful Modern Apprentice programme

which has resulted in home grown talent, many of whom are now in internally promoted posts. We have a skilled staff team of 100 people to whom we provide continuous training and development opportunities and we continue to see success whilst operating a sustainable business model which focuses on investing profits into expansion plans and continuous improvement.

Enchanted Forest were recently awarded winners of the Bees Knees 2015 for both Excellence in Customer Focus and Excellence in Skills and Learning and our staff have been shortlisted in 3 categories

for the forthcoming National Nursery Management Today Awards to be held in October. We are currently involving all of our staff team in fundraising activities to raise £10,000 for the Beatson Cancer Trust, our chosen charity of the year.

Enchanted Forest is a business which continues to grow due to its commitment to putting the customer first and to providing the very best for each and every child that comes through our magical doors. We do have a secret though….our staff go the extra mile and are recruited on the basis that we all love what we do.

Chamber leading the way on youth entrepreneurship Caithness Chamber of Commerce has a proud history of working with young people to encourage and develop their entrepreneurial spirit and over the past year, the Chamber has significantly increased its efforts in this area.

The lynchpin of these efforts has been the Chamber’s work in spearheading the local “Invest in Young People” group. This innovative initiative aims to bring together employers, education and the public sector to work towards the development of an expanded range of employment opportunities for young people in Caithness and Sutherland.

Work on this group has been progressing well, with two highly positive stakeholder engagement workshops held earlier this year in Wick and Golspie to understand what local stakeholders in youth employment see as the key issues from an employer perspective.

Following discussions at these workshops, a project bid has been finalised and submitted to the Scottish Government and the Chamber hopes to formally launch the project in September this year.

In addition to its work with the Invest in Young People group the Chamber has continued to successfully develop other strands of work with aspiring young business people in the area.

Entries have recently opened for the George Bruce Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2015, now in its sixth year, which aims to recognise and celebrate the achievements of a young business person in the area. Previous winners have gone on to great success, and the Chamber expects that this year’s winner will see similar success.

Finally, the Chamber has also worked closely with the North Highland Regeneration Fund, for which it is the managing agent, to develop initiatives

designed to support and encourage youth entrepreneurship.

As a result, the Fund will this year be collaborating with the North Highland College to run “I-Start”, a business ideas competition for young people in the area.

The aim is to develop a safe and nonthreatening platform where young people can develop their entrepreneurial mindset for the long-term benefit of themselves and the local community in which they live.

The competition is expected to run throughout September and October, with prizes awarded in December at an event featuring guest speaker Ashleigh PorterExley, winner of the Young Apprentice 2012.

Creating new opportunities for young people is one of the key elements of the Scottish Business Pledge, and is hugely important in ensuring Scotland’s economic future. Caithness Chamber is proud to be leading the way on this important issue in the North of Scotland.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Great advice for networking lunch Renfrewshire Chamber recently had two chiclets from Entrepreneurial Spark (the world’s largest business accelerator) speak to the members. Morag Pavich and Carol Smille talked passionately about their business ventures and the support eSpark has provided.

Commenting on their talks, Chamber Chief Executive’ Bob Davidson said “Carol and Morag went down a storm at our recent networking lunch – with both sharing great advice for women, men in business.

Delivered with passion and humour – it is no surprise that their business ventures are heading for real success.

Morag Pavich of Mo’s Cookie Dough, spent her life being dragged between Greenock and San Francisco. As a former Communications Director, she enjoyed an international career but it was her love of cookies and a surprise third baby which spurred her long-standing ambition to launch her own business. From a kitchen table start, Mo’s Cookie Dough was launched into retailers in 2013 and is now stocked in over 100 independents as well high-end multiples such as Whole Foods, Booths, Waitrose and Ocado.

Carol has been a TV presenter for the past 28 years fronting shows like Wheel of Fortune The National Lottery, Holiday, Changing

Carol Smillie, Honorary President Tom Johnston & Morag Pavich

Rooms but she’s now ‘Changing Careers’ with friend and partner Annabel Croft, bringing a completely new and innovative idea to market. DiaryDolls are pretty pants with a secret waterproof panel for heavy periods, pelvic floor weakness and post

maternity. Since launching less than 3 years ago, they are now available in over 500 stores across the UK and are literally changing the lives of women all over the world. www.diarydoll.com

Get your business on track with Borders Rail businessmen and women in the National Mining Museum Scotland in Newtongrange.

The meeting took place only yards from where workmen were putting the finishing touches to the new station, one of seven built for the new 30-mile line which will carry passengers from Tweedbank near Melrose to Edinburgh Waverley in around an hour.

The packed hall of more than 120 at the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, for the Borders Rail presentation.

Pic Nigel Duncan Media.

The new Borders Railway link will have a major impact on Midlothian, council and business bosses claimed at the recent Business Breakfast event.

The opening of the new rail line in September will bring the area to within 25 minutes of Edinburgh and 1hr 20min of Glasgow, opening up new business opportunities.

Kenneth Lawrie, chief executive of Midlothian Council, claimed: “The impact on Midlothian will be enormous.”

He was addressing a packed audience of more than 120 small and micro-

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And the £300m investment is forecast to carry 600,000 passengers rising to 1 million annually.

Mr Lawrie declared: “The case for the Borders rail line is rock solid. This part of Scotland, and Midlothian in particular, will see the greatest economic growth in any part of Scotland in the next 20 years.”

And he added: “We want to see business in Midlothian grow, providing high value jobs.

“The Borders Railway is a fantastic opportunity for Midothian businesses and the community. We must take full advantage of this.

Mr Lawrie added that the area was already on the map because of its science and research sector at the Pentland Science Park and at the Roslin Institute, world-famous

for Dolly the Sheep 19 years ago, the first animal to be cloned from an adult cell. Major employers like the Scottish Qualification Authority office at Shawfair near Dalkeith are already located in Midlothian along with leading garden retail brand, Dobbies.

There are also 120 food and drinks firms, 180 in creative industries, 170 tourism companies, over 250 firms in finance and 98 per cent of Midlothian businesses are small firms, employing less than 50 people.

The rail investment, he claimed, will make Midlothian a better place to live as it will have four stations within 25 minutes of Edinburgh’s main station at Waverley.

The location, he forecast, will attract more commuters who want to stay near Scotland’s Capital.

It will, he added, also have a significant impact on tourism and other business sectors.

George Archibald, chief executive officer of Midlothian Chamber, who welcomed delegates, said: “The opening of the Borders Railway is an exciting prospect and we hope it will provide a lasting boom.”

NEWS

An insight into Europe’s best airline Ahmet Serhat Sari is the General Manager for Turkish Airlines in Scotland. The airline company flies to more destinations around the world than any other airline and was recently chosen by millions of passengers as the best airline in Europe for the 5th year in a row. With this exciting accolade, Ahmet talks to Business Scotland about the future of Turkish Airlines!

by Roop Designs Photography

Which destinations do Turkish Airlines fly to from Scotland?

Worldwide we fly to more countries than any other airline with 280 destinations across 110 countries.

Airline competition worldwide has increased. How successful are Turkish Airlines and how do you measure it?

The customer decides – that is our main measurement of success. We were delighted and honoured to have been chosen as the “Best Airline in Europe”, for the fifth year in a row by Skytrax. The experience we offer our passengers is truly exceptional, as well as award winning. We continually strive to achieve excellence for our customers.

A recent example is the investment in our Business Lounge at Istanbul Airport. It is leading ledge, unique to Turkish Airlines, transforming the customer experience and service to another level. This has also been recently recognised with us being awarded the top spot as the “World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge”. To have earned this accolade competing with others across the globe is remarkable. The fact it is based on over 13 million survey questionnaires

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completed by 112 different nationalities of airline customers speaks volumes. As the world’s leading airline, we will continue to excel.

How do you plan to celebrate this worldwide recognition?

Our third year anniversary of establishing our base in Edinburgh was on 16th July 2015.

This presents the perfect opportunity. We have a number of events organised to thank our business and tourism customers, our fantastic team on the ground and in the air, and the outstanding support we receive in Scotland and in particular from the team at Edinburgh Airport. Nothing remains the same however, we will continue to lead a quality experience for all and a benchmark for others to follow.

What challenges did you face establishing a start-up operation for Turkish Airlines in Scotland and how has the business grown world-wide?

I am a firm believer that challenges also present great opportunities. Turkish Airlines was not as well known in Scotland as we were within the rest of the UK and internationally. We set out on a mission to

The best thing about Scotland is definitely its people. We were welcomed with open arms when we launched in Scotland. As Scottish and Turkish people share many similarities I feel quite at home here.

NEWS

communicate our “message” by engaging with every travel agency, a programme of advertising and establishing a partnership agreement with the business community through the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network.

In terms of our global business, we are all delighted with our success. We started flying four times a week out of Scotland – this has now grown to daily flights with this escalating during the summer period.

By operating through our Istanbul hub this connects to over 280 global destinations.

Our passenger numbers have increased from 14 to 60 million, with the development of new packages for the business and tourist travellers – all exceptional. We will shortly be announcing a special business package for the Scottish Business Community through the Scottish Chamber Network so watch out for that. Overall, we invest in our aircraft fleet, our lounges, and our people. It works.

How is Turkey changing and evolving as a country?

Turkey has grown economically over the last 10 years. The recent economic growth has also impacted the aviation industry with a new airport opening shortly with 6 runways and 150 million passenger capacity. With a young and increasingly educated population the future for the country is full of promise.

Istanbul is among the most special cities in the world with its position as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Scottish business can take advantage of this growth and connectivity.

What other activities are you involved in?

I took the decision to embrace every opportunity to develop stronger links between Turkey and Scotland. I do this in a number of ways. I am a Business Partner of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, supporting many businesses to explore exporting to grow both the Scottish and

Turkish economies. We are also able to utilise our resources and connectivity across the globe, utilising Istanbul as the major gateway to over 110 countries.

I am also a member of the Scottish Government’s cross-party group on Turkey promoting opportunities across a number of different areas facilitating connections at a government/government level, and B2B network. We will be leading inward/external business groups in partnership with SCC during this year and next. Our airline team are also involved with voluntary organisations connecting Turkey and Scotland. In addition to all of this – we think using social media and utilizing technology to get our message and promotions across to our customers is crucial. We operate a series of ongoing partnership events throughout the year.

Turkish Airlines is an International Alliance Partner of Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

Find out more at www.turkishairlines.com / www.scottishchambers.org.uk

“So tell us a little about the man who leads Turkish Airlines in Scotland?”

What is your leadership style?

Engaging, supporting and involving the whole team is important to me. Communicating and motivating others to ensure that we all understand the direction of travel to achieve success; and making sure that my team have the necessary skills to reach our goals.

What was the best piece of advice you ever received?

“Raise your words, not your voice; it is rain that grows flowers, not thunder”- it is an aphorism by Rumi, a 13th century Muslim saint and Anatolian mystic known throughout the world for his exquisite poems and words of wisdom, and this particular quote reflects my philosophy on leadership perfectly. The aim is always to get the best out of people.

What advice would you give young people interested in pursuing a career in business?

The cornerstones of success are hard work, determination, creativity and above all, patience. As I believe that the economic development is gravitating towards the East, I would urge languages to become mandatory throughout our education system – Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Turkish for starters.

Working within the airline industry, what would be your personal top destinations which you have travelled to?

I have visited so many countries all of which were special. If forced, my top three would be Thailand with great culture, I have also lived and worked in Los Angeles, and of course probably California with its weather and lifestyle. However, Istanbul is a unique city where East meets West with two continents, Asia and Europe. This is forever the number one city in my heart.

Incidentally, your readers should know that when travelling with Turkish Airlines they can access our free of charge tour guide around Istanbul.

Tell me something interesting about yourself that we may not know?

I am a huge football fan, and an avid supporter of Galatasaray.

Having followed the sport since childhood I am now in the extremely lucky position to be able to meet in person football legends like Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry.

What have you found to be the best and worst thing about living in Scotland?

The best thing about Scotland is definitely its people. We were welcomed with open arms when we launched in Scotland. As Scottish and Turkish people share many similarities I feel quite at home here. Though the weather could do with improving.

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MORAY COLLEGE UHI

Centre caters for everyone The Alexander Graham Bell Centre for Digital health is located in the Moray College UHI campus in central Elgin, and offers a number of facilities for a range of organisations working in related fields of work and study.

These include top of the range conference facilities capable of hosting up to 190 delegates at any one time. Bespoke event packages can be developed on request.

Since its official opening in June 2014 the centre has hosted a number of high profile conferences including the Moray Community Sports Centre Public meeting attended by over 300 delegates, the 2 day UHI Research Conference, Moray Tourism Summit, and a number of inaugural lectures by professors working with UHI and NHS. The centre lends itself to both large and small conferences and events, and is the location for the Moray Game Jam which has now run for 2 years.

The Game Jam is part of the Global Game Jam phenomena and the Alexander Graham Bell Centre is proud to have hosted the first ever event of its kind for the Highlands and Islands attracting delegates from as far afield as North of England.

The centre is easily accessible for delegates travelling from outwith the area only 5 minutes walk from Elgin Train Station and 10 minutes from Elgin Bus Station. Delegates can also take advantage of negotiated special deals with local hoteliers when staying overnight.

there are 5 commercial office spaces for lease to small and medium sized enterprises within the digital health sectors. Lease terms are flexible depending on individual requirements and separate packages can be negotiated.

The centre also offers facilities for a range of specialist organisations. Staff from NHS Grampian, one of the main funding partners, can access top quality facilities for staff training which includes a mock ward, resuscitation room and minor surgery rooms.

The project is funded by a partnership of Moray College UHI, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), NHS Grampian, and the European Regional Development Fund.

Moray College UHI students studying in related fields learn within an environment which fosters collaboration and partnership working between health, research and development and commercial activity.

Also located in the centre is the UHI Chair for Digital Health further fostering and developing research opportunities.

n Moray College; £1.4M

For companies working in the field of digital health, looking to start up and/or expand

Funding for the Alexander Graham Bell Centre includes: n NHS Grampian; £1M n HIE; £1.5M n EU Funding; £2.6M

For more information about the Centre and to discuss your individual requirements please contact: Hilda Puskas on (01343) 576475 e mail: hilda.puskas.moray@uhi.ac.uk.

Great discoveries and improvements invariably involve the co-operation of many minds.

Alexander Graham Bell, 1847-1922

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The Alexander Graham Bell Centre for Digital Health, located in the heart of Elgin just 2 minutes walk from the train station, brings to the heart of Moray a principal research, education and continuing professional development (CPD) facility for the Life Sciences Sector in the North East of Scotland.

The Centre, a shared facility with Moray College UHI and NHS Grampian, also provides the opportunity to bring together research and development, academia and industry under one roof.

There are many facilities on offer within the Centre including: • Competitively priced research and commercialisation rooms aimed at companies working in the field of life sciences perfect for companies of growth or start ups.

• State-of-the-art conference facilities able to accommodate up to 190 delegates with special bespoke catering packages available on request.

• Smaller breakout rooms, lecture theatre and video conferencing facilities.

For enquiries and more information about this fantastic facility please contact: Hilda Puskás, Moray College UHI on (01343) 576475 or accommodation.moray@uhi.ac.uk www.moray.uhi.ac.uk/agbc

KAPLAN FINANCIAL

Developing your people – your most important asset 1. DEVELOPMENT The inputs – energy, creativity finance and emotion are not matched by the outputs

2. GROWTH The initial effort begins to produce growth and the business starts to operate effectively and profitably

Financial, physical, emotional and intellectual energy

A very important turning point – commercially and emotionally for the SME leader, but also the team

By Andrew Perkins One key lesson for any successful SME leader is to follow the mantra: Always employ people better than you.

While there are different schools of thought over how to define ‘leadership’, it is easy to agree that great leaders make great decisions. Weighing up the evidence, gathering views, assessing options, mustering resources, making good choices, articulating a vision – decision making is the essence of leadership whether you’re a small start-up or well established larger organisation.

The best decisions are those that consider the all-important numbers: doing the sums, making accurate projections, and weighting the risks. But good decisions also benefit from a wide and deep understanding of the ‘softer’ issues: how others perceive challenges, the impact on your workforce when making changes, and the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that come into play.

The best leaders are able to apply both technical knowledge and an understanding of

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3. MATURITY The business has grown into steady state; however it will need to be constantly refreshed to avoid complacency

4. DECLINE The business begins to fail – possibly because of a lack of creative energy

PEOPLE REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH STAGE

1

Mentally tough, able to cope with ambiguity, uncertainty and constant change, flexible in approach, self-motivating, collaborative, creative, comfortable with risk and multi skilled. Potentially ‘addictive’ for some SME founders.

2

As the business crystallises, it needs people who can build and apply process, who are self-disciplined and structured, and customer focussed – still creative but within a maturing commercial framework.

3

SME founders frequently over value their business at this stage of the life cycle and live in the future rather than the present.

4

Many SME founders and the original team will be unsuited to this stage of the business life cycle. The team needs to be very structured and process driven, calm and certain.

the behavioural implications of their decisions.

It is these two strands that form the Kaplan leadership DNA model – a double helix that illustrates the dynamic interdependent strands of technical and behavioural confidence. Together, they inform and sustain leadership excellence, driving organisational performance.

Our approach to leadership development is rooted in this holistic, systemic approach to decision making: one that encompasses an appreciation that behaviour is influenced by a situation, which explores the effects of group process, and that views organisational culture as a key component.

It also explores the role money itself plays – not simply in transactional terms, but also in the powerful social and psychological effects money has on behaviour. While money can excite, motivate, and reward; it can also divide, create selfishness, and alienate.

In our view, the leader who thinks of money purely as a number is being wilfully blind to the human consequences of their decisions and, more importantly, failing in their responsibilities as a leader of people and of businesses.

SME leaders need to recognise the different needs of the business at different stages of the life cycle – Development; Growth,

Maturity; Decline – and to select and their people appropriately.

By strengthening technical competence and behavioural confidence with structured and targeted development interventions, organisations will grow better leaders and improve the quality of their collective decision making to drive commercial success.

While the key mantra – always employ people better than you – still applies, the more important message for SMEs is select and develop people that best fit the NEXT stage of your business life cycle.

Andrew Perkins is the Director of Leadership and Professional Development at Kaplan – developing talent globally. Kaplan offer tailored leadership and professional development solutions to match your business needs.

To find out more about how Kaplan can help your business grow great leaders, contact the Leadership and Professional Development team at www.kaplan.co.uk/ leaders or call 020 34680907.

business links the iconic turnberry resort is part way through an exciting and impressive renovation by new owners the trump organisation With plans recently unveiled for the refurbishment of the whole hotel and the Ailsa Championship golf course, the first phase of the renovation is complete with spectacular new meeting and event facilities now available.

Located on the Ayrshire coast, just one hour from Glasgow and two hours from Edinburgh, the key function and meeting spaces at this five-star resort have been entirely revamped, with the centre piece being the magnificent Caledonia Ballroom. This spacious room is filled with natural light and features sparkling chandeliers.

Take your business to the next level and choose Trump Turnberry as the venue for your conference, meeting or event.

Call our team on 01655 333 996 to find out more or to arrange a site inspection trumpturnberry.com

Many employers still have misperceptions about what it might mean to employ a blind or partially sighted worker. In fact in many cases, they might only need to make relatively minor adjustments to their workplace environment. And where an employee might need additional aid or equipment, the costs can often be subsidised by government schemes such as Access to Work.

Here’s what just some people with sight loss who are working in Scotland have to say…

“It’s what the person can do that counts!”

Alistair, physiotherapist, Edinburgh

“Employers have to look at the person - they are employing a human being with skills, abilities and knowledge, not just a pair of eyes.”

“The assistive technology is there for people with a disability to take advantage of most job opportunities - and the rate it’s developing at means there’s really nothing to hold blind and partially sighted people back.”

John, development and funding officer, Glasgow

Carri, sales and marketing manager, Inverkeithing

“It actually can be a lot of fun to have a blind person around - especially when we are the first to make jokes, ourselves, about our blindness!”

Wanda, astrophysicist, Glasgow

“People with sight loss probably work harder to compensate for their vision they’re more aware of how they interact with others and likely to have very developed communication skills.”

Mary, secondary school teacher, Dundee

The Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland advises both employers and employees about the adjustments and assistance available to help people with sight loss find work, or retain the jobs they’re in.

Read our ‘This Is Working’ publications (available online) to find out more about what workers with sight loss can do. www.rnib.org.uk/scotland

CYCLING SCOTLAND

Join the Cycle Friendly Employer Award scheme to support healthier, happier, more productive staff Cycling offers a range of benefits to employers and employees including improved mental and physical health, increased productivity and cost savings on travel to work whilst also reducing the environmental impact of travel within a business.

How do I register on behalf of my business?

Cycling Scotland offers a nationally recognised Cycle Friendly Employer Award to support Scottish business committed to increasing the number of staff cycling to work. The award is open to all businesses large and small, and is entirely free of charge! Want to know more?

To find out how to join more than 250 businesses in Scotland representing more than 100,000 employees already signed up to the scheme, follow the simple process below or contact Mark Kiehlmann at Cycling Scotland on mark.k@cyclingscotland.org or 0141 229 5350

What are the benefits?

The step-by-step Cycle Friendly Employer registration process

Cycling Scotland will support businesses through each stage of the award process with tools and incentives to promote cycling to staff, best practice advice on commuting, cycle training and advice on creating sustainable travel plans.

1. Find a committed workplace ‘cycle champion’ to lead the process, this person may be you!

4. Cycling Scotland will contact you to arrange the next steps and carry out a visit to your workplace 5. Once you have collected supporting evidence we will carry out a short assessment visit 6. If you’re successful your workplace will receive a framed certificate and access to a range of supporting services 0141 229 5350 mark.k@cyclingscotland.org www.cyclingscotland.org

2. Register your organisation online at www.cyclingscotland.org 3. Complete the short online self-assessment

Pedal for Scotland - the ultimate team building day out in the saddle!

TO EDINBU RGH SGOW GLA

Scotland’s biggest bike event, Pedal for Scotland, returns on 6th September and promises to be the best yet.

In partnership with MadeBrave creative agency, Pedal for Scotland is proud to present the Team Challenge, a bespoke VIP event package tailored to workplaces and businesses of all sizes.

The MadeBrave Team Challenge gives companies the chance to enjoy either the Classic Challenge 50 mile ride or the Big Belter 110 mile ride together as a team, with extra benefits including transport and bag transfer, queue jump for catering, VIP finishers lounge, team photos, prizes and more!

Sign up with your colleagues now for the perfect team building experience that you’ll never forget! www.pedalforscotland.org

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51st INFANTRY BRIGADE

Army Reservists – Bringing skills to the employer’s table

7 Scots Infanteers carrying the General Purpose Machine Gun return from checking targets at Richmond Ranges in Warcop

Lance Corporal Ruairidh Carry (24) from Mauchline, Ayrshire, during Exercise Strike Op which took place at Garelochead

There has been a noticeable shift in the perception that employing an Army Reservist was a disadvantage to a business. Due to the Army’s nationwide close liaison with employers, the commercial world is now becoming more conscious of the huge benefits to be gained from having part-time soldiers in their workforce.

“To date there is absolute recognition by RBS of the qualities that ex-service personnel can bring to the business world, especially that of behavioural and leadership skills” said Julian McElhinney from RBS. “However the challenge has always been that the service leaver has limited understanding of hard business skills. The ideal is an individual with a mix of these skill sets, who can deliver high standards in both worlds. The modern day Reservist is in this unique position”.

Young 7 Scots Reservists train on Javelin Anti Tank missile systems in the classrooms of Warcop. The soldiers run through computer simulated scenarios to mimic real situations in the battlefield

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Recognizing that employers have been unfamiliar with the many and varied opportunities and experiences gained by their employees whilst on military duty, the Army set up nationwide Employer Engagement teams to enlighten organisations of their hidden resources.

Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Mackenzie, Head of Employer Engagement for the Army in Scotland explains: “The increased part the Reserves will play in defence of the UK provides significant opportunities for reservist and employer.

It is a symbiotic relationship, because both parties gain from the world-class training delivered by the Army”.

The Army in Scotland, 51st Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Scotland, based at Stirling, commanded by Brigadier Paul Harkness, has been relentless in enlightening businesses, large and small, of the attraction of such a dual-hatted individual. Exercise Executive Stretch, Leadership in Practice (LiP) courses and employment schemes such as 4 Weeks 2 Work have all embraced the employer/ military focus.

“The relationship between employer and the

reservist has never been more important”, says Brigadier Paul Harkness.

“We need the support of employers to build a sustainable Armed Forces Reserve, and we seek to develop a close and honest relationship”.

“The service a Reservist delivers, their skills, qualifications and active challenges which support their health and well-being are second to none”.

Army Reservist Sergeant Steven Brown (48) from Tranent’s Royal Mail Depot proudly wears his uniform during “Reserves Uniform to Work Day”. Steven serves as a Troop Sergeant with the Livingston based 278 Battery, 105th Regiment Royal Artillery

51st INFANTRY BRIGADE

The full-time Army has always been well respected for its highly trained and disciplined soldiers; this ethos and dedication has been enhanced within the Army Reserves through training closely together and deploying with their regular counterparts as an indistinguishable team.

Selection to become a reservist is identical to the high criteria required of a regular soldier. The two day assessment, at Glencorse Barracks near Edinburgh, includes fitness, teamwork, medical, interview and aptitude tests with the experienced selection board members looking for the same moral component as the Regular Army’s Values and Standards; discipline, integrity, courage, selfless commitment, respect for others and loyalty.

Craftsman Ashley Cooke shows local women the basics of a car engine at 106 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Army Reserve service offers people the opportunity to experience military life as well as gain a trade and some leadership skills alongside their civilian jobs – the best of both worlds. Following on from selection, a Reserve soldier will embark on military training at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh which includes skills in weapon handling, fitness, field-craft skills and Army Values and Standards – all of which boosts confidence, personal determination, teamwork, sense of achievement, self-motivation and, of course, needless to say a high standard of fitness.

As one of the Commanding Officers of the 14 Army Reserve Units around Scotland, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Hughes, from 106 Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), explains the vision for a focused and professional Army Reserve that will support the Regular Army as well as benefit civilian employers who will gain rounded and developed individuals: “I am committed to making my Battalion accessible to men and women interested in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, ensuring that each person is managed as an individual and is afforded the flexibility to fit their Reserve service around their already busy lives”.

Third year student nurse at Stirling University, Craftsman Ainsley Cook who joined 106 Battalion REME in June last year as a vehicle mechanic and completed her military and professional training before Christmas:

High flying!- Recruits test their stamina on the cargo net of an Army Assault course during Basic Recruit Training

“Being in the Army Reserve has really improved my confidence and brought me out of my shell; I am now giving presentations to my colleagues and external audiences. I thoroughly enjoy my weekly training with all the variation that it brings to my life, as well as the new friends that I have made”.

The Army is seeking 30,000 trained Reservists across the UK, around 4,500 of them in Scotland. The 14 Scottish Reserve Units, and their respective satellite detachments throughout Scotland, are recruiting in are logistics, medical, engineering, artillery and intelligence fields amongst others.

To arrange a visit to learn more, contact Maj Susan Duthie in the Regional Employer Engagement Team, on 07867 143665. e: 51X-Emp-Engt-SO2@mod.uk

“Gently does it!” 4 Weeks 2 Work recruits carefully work through a Team Challenge exercise. Teamwork is everything at the Army Selection Centre, Glencorse

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MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

4 ways to create your personal brand today Charandeep Singh Marketing & Communications, SCC

If you are still in the thinking stages of creating your personal brand, let’s get there faster.

A personal brand has become a must for anyone and everyone. If you’re in business, it can add a whole new dimension of engagement for your customers and clients and in the long-term contribute to the growth of your business.

1. Start today by seeing yourself as a brand: Whether you work with a company or lead one, business is all about relationships. That means, your prospective and current clients are interested in you. So it’s time to take the step forward and see yourself as a brand.

The simplest decision you can make to start your Personal Brand journey is to work

out what you see as your specialist subject matter and then define what unique insights and perspectives you bring to your company and your sector.

This will not only shape the content that you share and talk about but will be the attraction for other business leaders and individuals to engage and share with you.

2. Have you “Googled” yourself?

No, this is not an exercise in vanity. But actually, the quickest way for you to understand what your online presence is. Check out the articles and the images – do they add to how you want to be seen? Does your existing online presence reflect your personal brand and values?

Either way, it’s time to take control of your online presence.

3. Get online You may already use social media for personal use to share photos with your family or stay in touch with friends. That’s great! You are already tuned into some of the benefits of using social media.

For your personal brand aspect, pick a social network that you are not already using and make it your professional one. My recommendation would be using LinkedIn or

Twitter – both are great for sharing content and engaging with like-minded people.

4. There are no shortcuts You get out what you put in. You will have to work hard and spend time making new connections and engaging in conversations.

So don’t jump right in and set realistic achievable goals.

Follow Scottish Chambers of Commerce on Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn for more Top Tips from Charandeep

Meet SCC’s future talent Ross Henderson

interacting with business leaders from each region and understanding their local needs.

For me, the best part about the internship Marketing and has been the wide range of activities I Communications Intern at am involved in – from organising the SCC SCC London Business Trip to visiting Business Partners to attending business networking events; no two days are the same. An Looking back at day one of my internship, important element I have picked up is the it’s not a task or an event that springs to need for an international outlook which mind, but by how far I underestimated the has stemmed from the global position that wide reach of the Chambers of Commerce the Chambers of Commerce have Network. I have seen first-hand the around the world but also the value that local Chambers bring potential growth of Scottish to their communities. Visiting businesses. There really local chambers allowed is no other organisation me see first hand how Everyday offers an with such a huge agencies, businesses, opportunity to grow scope of contacts and schools and the public reach. sector can all work and learn and different together to make a My top tip for environments require positive impact in interns: everyday their communities. different solutions - so offers an opportunity This is no office job. to grow and learn be prepared and adapt and different Meeting businesses at to challenges! environments require their offices and visiting different solutions - so local Chambers across the be prepared and adapt to country has definitely been challenges! a great learning opportunity!

Of course, it is easy to “shout” out Ross is a History and Politics about the vast Network of Chambers in graduate from University of Strathclyde and Scotland but the real value comes from is interested in the field of communications.

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Louise Milligan

Marketing and Communications Intern at SCC Walking into the Scottish Chambers of Commerce on my first day I was unsure of what to expect but I was excited and eager to learn. My first two days were a whirlwind. On day one, I visited West Lothian Chamber to learn about their exemplary work with schools and businesses and on day two, I travelled to Edinburgh to take part in a meeting with the Turkish Airlines team to discuss international trade opportunities for Scottish businesses. A lot to digest for my first two days!

In addition to the external activities I participated in, I was delighted to be a part of the team that produced this very magazine.

Of particular interest to me, was our Special Feature - Women in Business, particularly as I am a young female interested in a career in business. Through my role at SCC, I was able to meet the Chamber of Commerce’s female Chief Executives who are leading Chambers up and down the country – a great and inspiring opportunity for me!

Louise is a 3rd year student at University of St. Andrew’s.

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Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland

Health Pro mo ti o n Sch e me

Would you like to help your staff achieve healthy goals?

We’ll take care of it!

The Health Promotion Scheme is an exciting programme aimed at businesses across Scotland from Scotland’s Health Charity, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS).

Right now in Scotland: • 1 in 10 people is living with chest, heart or stroke illness • 1 in 3 people have high blood pressure • Every 45 minutes someone has a stroke • Every 55 minutes someone has a heart attack

Our Health Promotion Specialists provide: Blood pressure screening and lifestyle assessments Individual lifestyle assessments raise awareness of risk factors for chest, heart and stroke illness and staff will learn how to reduce their risk by making healthier lifestyle choices.

Interactive workshops Our fun and engaging workshops cover a range of topics to equip staff with important healthy lifestyle messages.

Support for staff-run health promotion activities Further resources can be provided to support your staff to run their own regular health and wellbeing groups.

What are the benefits?

Participation in the scheme can help meet staff health and corporate social responsibility goals for your business.

Research shows that a Workplace Health Promotion Scheme can*: • Reduce employee absenteeism by an average of 30-40% • Improve work performance by 10% • Increase employee job satisfaction • Achieve a positive return on investment – at least £3 for every £1 invested

How you can get involved: By working in partnership with CHSS you can help raise funds to provide vital services which support people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions across Scotland. There are many ways of supporting CHSS from bake sales to abseils! Ideas include:

||

I enjoyed the fact that I could get a blood pressure check without making an appointment and waiting at my GP outside of work hours

||

• Choosing CHSS as your ‘Charity of the Year’ • Organising fundraising events in your workplace • Entering CHSS fundraising events - individually or as corporate teams • Promoting payroll giving • Encouraging staff to volunteer for us

Get in touch with our Corporate Team Phone: 0300 1212 555 • Email: healthpromotion@chss.org.uk

www.chss.org.uk/health_promotion *references available on request

Registered with and regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (no SC018761), Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is a wholly Scottish charity.

It also operates as CHSS and is registered in Scotland as a company limited by guarantee, no SC129114.

LDDS, the consortium of Landmark Press and Direct Distribution, has been awarded the prestigious 3 year contract for the storage, distribution and display of leaflets, brochures and publications for VisitScotland, Historic Scotland, National Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, and the Forestry Commission.

Winning this contract on quality, service delivery and sustainability, as well as price, is a significant achievement for LDDS and confirms their position as Scotland’s leading source and distributor of visitor information.

Andrew Murphie, GM of Landmark Press commented that ‘this contract brings with it a responsibility to match the requirements of these leading public bodies to their target market segments. VisitScotland and their partners recognise that LDDS’ collaborative approach to the business and a network of over 5000 outlets is best placed to deliver their message to the millions of visitors who come to Scotland each year’.

Winning this contract will give LDDS customers access to display in many key iconic sites throughout the country in publications such as the Welcome to Edinburgh Guide/Scotland Guide and with leaflet distribution.

This is fantastic news for any business looking to increase their visitor numbers.

Please get in touch on 01479

841 900 if you have any questions.

MURRAYSHALL HOTEL & GOLF COURSES

Ideally located in central Scotland, 3 miles from the City of Perth, Murrayshall House Hotel provides a range of high quality corporate and conference facilities with extensive on-site parking.

With a range of unique rooms for your corporate events and conferences, our business guests find that Perth provides the perfect meeting place for multi-location firms across Scotland.

Murrayshall House has all the facilities you need to make your corporate event or conference a success. Whatever your requirements for your next meeting or function - from superb accommodation options to delicious corporate lunches and dinners - you’ll find everything you need at Murrayshall House Hotel.

For more information on meetings at Murrayshall email us on events@murrayshall.co.uk

For more information about Corporate Golf Memberships or Golf Days email us on golf@murrayshall.co.uk www.murrayshall.co.uk | Murrayshall House Hotel & Golf Courses, Scone, Perthshire PH2 7PH

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TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT – UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE

Take the Strathclyde route to a top MBA Strathclyde Business School’s MBA programme is highly-regarded. The business school is triple accredited by the three international accrediting bodies, AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB – it was the first in Scotland and one of the first in the UK to gain this accolade.

EQUIS and AACSB assess the business school as a whole while AMBA accredits the MBA programmes. With recent reaccreditation from all three bodies for the maximum five year period, Strathclyde is delighted to continue to be one of the small number, out of thousands of business schools around the world, to be triple accredited.

Students who choose our MBA programme can opt for full-time, part-time or flexible learning study options. Our full time programme is studied over 12 months in Glasgow amongst a group of international peers and involves nine months of participation in classes, group work and personal development processes and three months for the MBA project.

We also offer a flexible learning option which allows individuals to direct the pace of their own studies while providing the level of support that an internationally recognised school can offer. The Flexible Learning MBA offers a balance between self-study and group interaction, and we encourage peer interaction and group learning through workshops and seminars which gives those on the programme the opportunity to meet with their peers.

Our part time programme is ideal for anyone who wants to fit the MBA programme around their career as the part time MBA is offered mainly through evening class twice weekly with four compulsory weekend

MBA academic director Dr Sean Ennis said, “We find that the more experience people have in the workplace at managerial level, the more they have to share with their peers and the more they get out of the programme.

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schools spread over the period of study.

Typically part timers complete their degree in around three years. A major strength of the part time route is that course members can investigate issues at work through the various classes and put what they learn on the MBA into practice immediately.

Our programme is based on collaborative learning – students share experience, knowledge, understanding and skills so the more experience they have to share, the better for all on the programme. Our fulltime programme is also highly international and our students regularly comment on how this helps them get the most out of their studies by mixing with people from different backgrounds, cultures and industries.

“We have always had a wide range of backgrounds on our programme. People have come from the private and public sector, from banks, charities, from their own business, engineering, marketing…the list goes on!”

This summer we are hosting a series of MBA preview sessions, for further details and to register visit www.strath.ac.uk/business or contact us directly on 0141 553 6118/6119, email sbs.admissions@strath.ac.uk

A triple-accredited business school that’s around the corner… and around the world

Summer MBA open evenings – 5.30pm 15 July, 12 August and 9 September Strathclyde Business School’s triple accreditation status and international rankings place it in the top echelons of global business schools. To learn more about our flagship MBA programme which can be studied on a full-time, part-time or flexible learning basis, we invite you to attend one of our early evening preview sessions.

To register for any of the evenings visit:

www.sbs.strath.ac.uk/apps/previews University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, number sc015263

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Ensuring current and future skills are met

Fife Energy Skills Hub - Kirkcaldy High and Glenwood High

From the future of the renewables sector to the effects of oil price volatility, it’s no surprise that Scotland’s energy industry is never far away from the headlines.

Employing more than 60,000 people and accounting for more than a quarter of the nation’s economic output, ensuring that the industry can access the skills it needs is fundamentally important.

In March, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) published a Skills Investment Plan for the sector, developed in consultation with employers and a broad range of industry voices, featuring themes including promoting

careers to young people, increasing uptake of Modern Apprenticeships and improving the skills of the existing workforce.

Much of this work is already underway, with SDS working with employers and partners from across the sector on a range of initiatives to address current and future skills needs.

They include the Junior Saltire Prize, delivered in partnership with SCDI, which challenges schools around Scotland to design, build and test their own renewable energy device, stimulating interest in STEM subjects and how technology is applied in the real world.

More than 200 teams entered this year’s competition, with Daviot Primary near Inverness, Carnoustie High in Angus and Castlemilk High in Glasgow being named winners.

Junior Saltire Award - Daviot Primary

Business Scotland

30

Diane Hill, Energy Partnership Manager at SDS, said: “The judges were hugely impressed with the hard work and the creativity shown by all of the teams who reached the final, and they should be extremely proud of themselves.

“The wide range of designs developed by the teams showed real inventiveness and a genuine insight into the world of renewable energy, and we hope this will encourage pupils to explore career options in this growing industry in the future.”

Senior school pupils in Fife had a chance to explore such options further thanks to a pilot project offering an insight into the energy industry.

Twenty-seven pupils from Glenwood High in Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy High took part in the innovative programme with oil and gas firms including Sparrows and Datch Offshore sharing their expertise.

Jane Allan, Sector Manager at Energy Skills Scotland, part of SDS, said: “The students who have taken part in this initiative are to be congratulated for their hard work and efforts, but so too are the employers who have played a key role in its development.

“The value of the Fife Skills Hub lies in its ability to bring together schools, pupils

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

apprenticeships, not only to grow as a business but also to invest in the future of our industry.

“Both Adam and Riccardo have worked extremely hard during the time they have been with us and are perfect examples of the kind of talent we aim to nurture within our company. We are looking forward to welcoming more trainees into our apprentice programme this summer.”

At the same time, improving the skills of the existing energy workforce is of key importance if current and future skills needs are to be met.

The Energy Skills Challenge Fund aims to help experienced workers improve their skills and gain qualifications suited to working in the energy sector through the development of transition training courses.

Dundee steel fabrication firm Metaltech UK benefited from the fund by offering additional training to welders including Mark

Motive Offshore - Adam Gordon (L) & Riccardo Pegler (R)

and their parents, employers and the wider energy industry to create a pathway for young people as they consider their future career.”

For many new entrants, that pathway involves a Modern Apprenticeship, with many firms across the sector using apprenticeships to develop new talent.

They include Motive Offshore in Banff, who recently saw their first two apprentices graduate after creating their own four-year training programme in response to their skills needs, combining practical paid work with college training.

The programme saw Riccardo Pegler and Adam Gordon operating and learning about various heavy duty equipment in the firm’s machine workshop, becoming fully-qualified engineering machinists.

The firm’s Chief Operating Officer, Dave Acton, said: “It is important for us as a company, committed to people development, to have a strong commitment to providing

Junior Saltire Award - Carnoustie High

Stephenson thanks to a three-week course provided by Dundee and Angus College.

Fiona Ferguson, Business Development Manager at Metaltech, said: “Following new CE Marking regulations for structural steelwork, we needed to upskill some of our semi-skilled employees, like Mark.

“This would provide the company with vital additional capacity to not only fulfil our existing clients’ requirements, but to pursue new clients in the Construction and Energy Sectors.”

There are opportunities for energy employers of all sizes to become involved in this work, from encouraging future generations of sector workers to enhancing the skills of their own employees. To find out more, visit www.energyskillsscotland.co.uk

Junior Saltire Award - Castlemilk High

Business Scotland

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SQA INTERVIEW

SQA Scottish Vocational Qualifications – 25 years young One of the most important developments in Scottish skills training is 25 years old this year – the Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) – and playing a leading role in its success over that time has been the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

The team at Scotland’s national accreditation and awarding body works in partnership with employers, colleges, schools, universities, industry and government departments throughout the UK and internationally, to provide flexible qualifications and assessments that are relevant to employers.

SQA is committed to helping people realise their potential and to achieve their ambitions and has a track record of providing qualifications that are fit for purpose and deliver for Scotland’s people and economy.

The SVQ is one of the main types of qualification in SQA’s portfolio. There are over 500 available across a diverse range of occupational areas from engineering to retail and from fashion to youth work.

SVQs are well known by employers right across the Scottish economy and have an established track record of guaranteeing that someone who holds an SVQ for a particular specialism can do that job well.

They are an integral part of most of Scotland’s range of Modern Apprenticeships, which are a key way of getting people – including many young people – into skilled and meaningful employment.

SVQs are based on national standards which are drawn up by people from industry, commerce and education, including SQA.

SQA has played a key role in developing SVQs over the past 25 years and they are continuously reviewed to ensure that they remain relevant.

Business Scotland

32

Liz McGrath

This means that if you have an SVQ, then you have a way of proving that you can do your job well, to national standards agreed by whatever industry or commercial sector you are in.

they remain relevant. Their content and how people are asked to demonstrate competences encourages self-reflection and improvement and has kept pace with what employers really need.”

SQA’s role has been both to regulate the high standards and quality of SVQs and to ensure Scotland has the range of provision it needs.

Liz continued: “SVQs are recognised as a great option for anyone wanting to start in or build a career in many, many industries. In particular they can be a passport for young people into work. The Scottish Government’s Developing Young Workforce strategy has already kick-started a number of interesting new ways young people can benefit from SVQs. SQA is working with colleges, training providers and schools to see where SVQs can take young people.”

Liz McGrath, Head of Qualifications Portfolio Management at SQA, said: “The 25th anniversary of SVQs is significant for the country and for SQA. We are proud to provide this wide range of vocational qualifications to the people and businesses of Scotland – including some that are very specialised and which other awarding organisations do not offer. We are committed to supporting business right across the country and in all areas of the economy.

“The big advantage with SVQs is that they provide employers and employees with what they need to succeed throughout their working lives. Because they are focused in the workplace, SVQs have the flexibility to keep pace with the needs of the modern workplace. They are available at a range of levels of difficulty – ensuring they meet all needs – from those just starting out in an industry to those who have years of experience.

SQA has played a key role in developing SVQs over the past 25 years and they are continuously reviewed to ensure that

So what does the future hold for this stalwart of the vocational skills system in Scotland?

Liz concluded: “Many businesses continue to see education and training for their workforce as a valuable investment and SVQs can be an integral part of their business strategy. We think that the years to come will see SVQs continue to develop with the needs of employers.

“As long as Scotland needs skilled workers and growing companies there will be a role for SVQs. At SQA we see this as very much the first 25 years of SVQs.” To find out more about SQA’s SVQ portfolio, visit www.sqa.org.uk/mysector Meet SQA’s Regional team in Scotland – www.sqa.org.uk/businessdevelopment

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT – SCOTLAND’S RURAL COLLEGE

We offer flexible and accessible opportunities If you are an employer looking to train your work force in a cost efficient & effective manner, then Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) may be the perfect solution for your business.

Having established itself as the main provider of land-based and rural education in Scotland, in addition to full-time and part time courses, SRUC offers “on the job” learning opportunities such as Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) and Modern Apprenticeships (MA). Subject areas include Agriculture, Land-based Engineering, Horticulture, Landscaping, Forestry, Horse Care, Greenkeeping, Professional Cookery and Environmental Conservation.

A combination of specialists’ work-based training and assessment coupled with high quality College learning ensures that your employees gain the relevant skills and knowledge in a manner that works around your business. SRUC’s MA and SVQ programmes are an exciting and practical way for your workforce to gain hands-on industry skills and qualifications, whilst at the same time offering you a cost effective package of training to meet the demand for a skilled and motivated workforce.

Smaller employers operating on tight margins recognise the advantage of having

an apprentice, while larger companies appreciate the efficiency of working closely with the College for their staff training and development.

SRUC’s Work-Based Learning team can design specialist bespoke training packages to meet the requirements of businesses and Local Authorities. SRUC also offer a full range of land-based and industry endorsed training courses.

funding and can assist with completing the necessary documentation.

For further information on how you and your business can benefit from these opportunities contact our dedicated WorkBased Learning team on 01506 864800. www.sruc.ac.uk/wbl

Our staff are available to discuss the options open to you, from the mode of delivery to

3 Wemyss Court, Glenrothes, Fife KY7 4SX tel. 0845 5192671 email. we.are@focusedonlearning.com web. www.focusedonlearning.com @FOL_ltd

We do learning... l We provide a range of learning and development courses, and we take great pride in designing and delivering tailored training programmes that are practical, interactive and fun l We offer courses on a 1:1 basis or for groups

l We can help you with learning technology – be it helping you evaluate your needs, working with you to implement systems and software, or training your staff to make the best use of what you’ve got l We organise and manage learning events – conferences, seminars, exhibitions l We offer facilitated learning

l We write training materials

We have a track record for providing trusted advice and support. We are absolutely committed to providing high quality services and delivering excellent customer service. Much of our work comes from the recommendation of existing customers, which we believe demonstrates our attention to quality and customer satisfaction.

We’re Certified Trainers for Teamwork.com and can provide basic and/or advanced project management training - we also provide very customised training to fit in with your exact requirements.

l We can help you evaluate your learning strategy

l We run CPD and post registration training and learning events In short, we’re focused on learning.

Business Scotland

33

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

When it comes to business education, you want to learn from the best.

The University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School is a tripleaccredited business school producing enlightened research and engaging with governments and organisations around the world. We have the expertise to help you take your business to the next level.

Engage with the Adam Smith Business School, where we promote the tradition of Scottish enlightenment and enterprise. www.glasgow.ac.uk/business

INSPIRING PEOPLE TO SUCCEED Business Scotland

34

Adam Smith Business School University of Glasgow Gilbert Scott Building Glasgow G12 8QQ The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT - UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

Business Schools in Economies and Societies

by Professor John Finch At the University of Glasgow Adam Smith Business School we are in the unusual position of being an ancient university with a long heritage of teaching and research, while also being a modern business school, for which we have adopted the naming and branding of our alumnus Adam Smith.

As with many organisations, we value and are valued, we evaluate and are evaluated, in ways that are often partial, overlapping, designed for specific purposes, and difficult to align. Indeed, alignment might not be the most beneficial way to proceed.

Economic sociologists Boltanski and ThĂŠvenot published On Justification: Economies of Worth in 1991. It contained the striking idea that our economies and societies nurture many orders of worth and value, which do not always fit together.

They list seven orders of worth: market, industry, civil, domestic, inspired, fame, and sustainability. The key message is that we operate across a number of dimensions in which our services offer value, are valued and evaluated. Identified below, is how we as a business school offer worth and value.

1. We develop and undertake educational and research services. In being an international business school, we are a successful exporter of degree programmes and are aware of the competition among business schools locally and internationally.

2. Our research develops into long-term programmes, often in collaboration with other universities and with user communities. It is often technical and planned: qualities that pave the way for our research having impact.

3. As part of a university we are keenly aware of our role in civic society, notably in devising programmes of learning and teaching and awarding degrees to our students.

4. We realise that our teaching and research find their way into many places including businesses, households and societies, which we can think of as domestic, multiple and varied spaces. Creating more of these spaces becomes an enjoyable challenge. As we work locally and internationalise, so we become domestic globally too!

5. Supporting creativity among a wide range of organisations is a serious

responsibility, especially in how we design and assess learning and teaching, make spaces around assessment, and make our research open to engagement.

6. While fame may be an unusual claim to value, business schools are also marketing research organisations, nurturing a brand. Our link to Adam Smith differentiates our business school and demonstrates our interdisciplinary approach.

7. Regularly, questions of ethics and sustainability inspire our students. Adam Smith in The Theory of Moral Sentiments provides further impetus to these vital qualities, which we aim to bring into economy and society through an impartial spectator who allows us to anticipate the worth of our actions, and help us to reflect.

The Adam Smith Business School offers an education experience that is enhanced by history and innovation, by tradition and creativity, and by the combination of leading edge research and practical achievement.

Our students graduate with the skills needed to compete in a global workplace, and with friendships and networks that last a lifetime.

Business Scotland

35

THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION: THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION: THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION: Can you risk not getting board?

Can you risk not getting on on board?

Can you risk not getting on board?

• Are you an employer trying to engage with customers across many different digital platforms?

• Are you an employer trying to engage with customers across many different digital platforms?

• Are you paying external agencieswith to help you with your digital campaigns?

• Are you an employer trying to engage customers different digital platforms? paying external agencies to help you with youracross digitalmany campaigns?

Would you like these skills in-house?

• •Would Are youyou paying external agencies to help you with your digital campaigns? like these skills in-house?

• IfWould you like these skills in-house? youanswered answered to any of above the above questions, you may to consider onApprentice a Modern Apprentice If you YesYes to any of the questions, you may want towant consider taking on taking a Modern Creative and Digital from Forth inin Creative and Digital from Forthquestions, ValleyValley College.

If you answered Yes to Media, anyMedia, of the above youCollege. may want to consider taking on a Modern Apprentice in Creative and Digital Media, from Forth Valley College.

“Digital are aemployees valuable asset The growth in digital media and new print and producing video and video audio material.

It material.

“Digital savvy arefora valuable asse Theexplosive explosive growth in digital media and new print and producing and audio It savvy employees any business. The programme will develop the skills technology over the past few years has changed the will also cover essential knowledge such as media any business.

The programme technology over the past few years has changed the will also cover essential knowledge “Digital savvy employees are aengagement valuable asset for will develop The growth digital and new with print and producing video and audio material. Itsuch as media to ensure powerful customer and way explosive businesses acrossin the globemedia communicate regulations and copyright law. to ensure powerful customer engagement a way businesses across the globe communicate with any business.

The programme will develop the skills regulations and copyright law. technology over the past few years has changed the will also cover essential knowledge such as media enhanced customer experiences. Businesses could their customers. All organisations - big and small enhanced customer to ensurebrand powerful customer engagement way businesses the globe communicate with their customers.

Allto organisations - big and small regulations and copyright law. will attend the Those undertaking the course increase awareness, grow their experiences. onlineand presence,Businesse - now need to beacross able engage with customers undertaking theCampus courseone willday attend theenhanced customer Businesses couldtheir online their customers.

- bigwith and small increase brand awareness, College’sThose state-of-the-art Stirling - now beorganisations able to engage customers website traffic, onlineexperiences. conversions and more.grow across a need range to of All digital media platforms in order to Those undertaking the course will attend theCampus one increase awareness, growonline their online presence, College’s state-of-the-art Stirling day brandwebsite -survive. now need to be able to engage with customers traffic, conversions and more per week and will benefit from industry standard across aEmployers range of are digital platforms in order also media increasingly realising the to College’s state-of-the-art Stirling Campus one day “The Modern routeand is also an website traffic,Apprenticeship online conversions more. across a range of digital media order to per and will benefit from industry andweek studios.

The programme will also be standard benefits of having theseare abilities in houseinwith digital survive.

Employers alsoplatforms increasingly realising thefacilities increasingly popular choice forApprenticeship employers. per week and benefit fromtalented industrystaff standard “The Modern route is also an survive.

Employers areexclusively also increasingly realising the by awill team of studios. highly with vast facilities and The programme will also beModern Apprenticeship media skills longer required by those “The routehave is also an benefits ofnohaving these abilities in house with digitaldelivered Apprentices expert facilities and studios.

The programme will also be increasingly popular choice for employers. benefits of having these abilities in house with digital experience. a team of highly talented staff with working in media outlets or agencies. required by those industrydelivered increasingly for employers. vast popular choice media skills longer exclusively knowledge of your business have expe delivered by a teamby of highly talented staff with vast media skills nono longer exclusively required by those Apprentices Apprentices have expert industry experience. With this in mind, Forth Valley and can bring added value of your bu working media outlets or agencies. industry experience.

The programme may Multi-skilled individuals who can work across working in in media outlets or agencies. knowledge knowledge of your business whilst also gaining an industry College isWith encouraging employers different digital media platforms and who have the be suitable for current this in mind, Forth Valley and can bring added v With this in mind, Forth Valley and can bring added value The programme Multi-skilled individuals who can work The programme may in a may Multi-skilled individuals who can work acrossacross standard qualification. knowledge and expertise to spot new opportunities employees interested to consider taking advantage of whilst also gaining an whilst also gaining an industry is encouraging encouraging employers employers digital media platforms andto who have the be be suitable for currentCollege isCollege different digital media platforms have suitable foror current indifferent a rapidly changing industry willand be who vital thethe development progression their new Modern Apprenticeship standard “With thequalification. growthstandard in digital qualification. knowledge and expertise to spot new opportunities employees interested in a knowledge and expertise to spot new opportunities employees interested in a to consider taking advantage of to consider taking advantage of success of any business in the future. opportunity who would media expected to continue, in Creative and Digital Media inina a rapidly changing industry will be vital theto the development or progression rapidly changing industry will betovital “With the growthoffers in digital development or progression their newtheir Modern Apprenticeship benefit from adding a digital “With the growth in di the programme the new Modern Apprenticeship With this in mind, Forth Valley College is encouraging success of any business in the future. opportunity media expected to continue, success of any business in the future. opportunity dimension towho theirwould rolewho or it would potential for significant return media expected to con in Creative and Digital Media employers to consider taking advantage of their new in Creative and Digital Media benefit from a digital the programme the on investment. It’s simply an area thatoffers businesses could also beadding thefrom perfect solution for those working With thisApprenticeship in mind, Forth Valley College encouraging benefit adding a digital the programme offers Modern in Creative andis Digital Media.

With this in mind, Forth Valley College is encouraging dimension to their role or it potential for significant return can’t afford to ignore.” employers to consider taking advantage of their new in a digital media roletowho arerole seeking a formal dimension their or it potential for significan employers to consider taking of their newcould on investment. It’s simply an area that businesses also be the perfect solution for those working The 36 week programme beenadvantage developed help Modern Apprenticeship inhas Creative and Digitalto Media. qualification. on investment.

It’s simply an area that busin could also bewho theare perfect solution for those working can’t afford to ignore. ” in a digital media role seeking a formal Modern Apprenticeship inofCreative and Digital businesses harness the power digital media and Media.

Would you be interested in ignore. taking advantage can’t afford to ” in a digital media role who are seeking a formal The 36 week programme has been developed to help qualification.

Alternatively if businesses identify the need for a use it to their advantage. of this opportunity?

The 36 week programme beenmedia developed businesses harness the powerhas of digital and to help new rolequalification. within their organisation, the College will Would you be interested in taking advantage if businesses identifycandidate. the need for a With focused helping stand and Alternatively use itcontent to their advantage. businesses harnesson the powerbusinesses of digitaltomedia Please contactWould Vicki Francis oninterested (01324) 403140 be able to help source a suitable this opportunity? you be in taking advan new roleAlternatively within their organisation, theidentify Collegethe will need forof if businesses a email: vicki.francis@forthvalley.ac.uk out initantoincreasingly competitive and fragmented use their advantage. or With content focused on helping businesses to stand of this opportunity? contact Vicki Francis on (01324) 403140 be to help source a suitable candidate.

Zakable Stark, Development Manager for Business the CollegePlease marketplace, the programme will develop a range new role within their organisation, will for further details. out in an increasingly competitive and businesses fragmented content focused on helping to standDevelopment at to Forth Valley College said: candidate. or email: vicki.francis@forthvalley.ac.uk ofWith skills including creating online content, writing for Please contact Vicki Francis on (01324) 4 beDevelopment able help source afor suitable Zak Stark, Manager Business marketplace, the programme will develop a range for further details. out in an increasingly competitive and fragmented or email: vicki.francis@forthvalley.ac.u Development at Forth Valley College said: of skills including creating online content, writing for

marketplace, the programme will develop a range of skills including creating online content, writing for

© Forth Valley College 2015.

All information was correct at time of publishing,

butForth may Valley be subject to change.

College 2015. CM111 ©

All information was correct at time of publishing, but may be subject to change. CM111

© Forth Valley College 2015.

All information was correct at time of publishing, but may be subject to change. CM111

Zak Stark, Development Manager for Business Development at Forth Valley College said:

for further details.

MYSECTOR — an easy search for qualifications

et for the skills and es could e presence, e.

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ert usiness value industry n.

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403140 uk

MySector is an interactive area on SQA’s website which allows you to browse available SQA qualifications by sector and by qualification level.

Find the ideal qualification for your future. www.sqa.org.uk/mysector

Fife apprentice Morna McMurray

Delivering Scotland’s Future Workforce With well over a decade’s experience of delivering one of Scotland’s largest modern apprenticeship contracts, Fife College has a vital role to play in meeting the demand for a skilled workforce within the Energy and Engineering sector.

I

These partnerships and the collaborative nature of the College’s working relationship with fellow colleges within the collaborative Energy Skills These partnerships and the Partnership (ESP), all ensure that nature of the College’s workingFife College steadfastly remains at the forefront of the relationship with fellow colleges within the development and delivery of(ESP), a qualifications Energy Skills Partnership all ensure portfolio to College meet both the current and future that Fife steadfastly remains at needs of the industry the forefront of the development and The extensive portfolio of portfolio education delivery of a qualifications to and training services delivered Fife needs College meet both the current andby future of the from industry. ranges completely managed Modern Apprenticeships (MAs), Scottish Vocational The extensive portfolio of education Qualifications (SVQs) and accredited and training services delivered by courses in the major engineering disciplines, Fife College ranges from completely tomanaged the provision of work-based assessors Modern Apprenticeships and training advisors.

In addition to these (MAs), Scottish Vocational Qualifications main qualifications, College (SVQs) and accreditedFife courses in the also works university partners totothe ensure majorwith engineering disciplines, progression pathways to degree provision of work-based assessors level qualifications as well as and training,advisors.

In actively additionengaging to with employers to tailor qualifications these main qualifications, Fife College and bespoke training solutions partners to meet their also works with university specific business needs.pathways to to ensure progression degree level qualifications, as well as Anchoring Skills and Jobs in Fife actively engaging with employers to Fife College currentlyand delivers thetraining largest tailor qualifications bespoke solutions their specific business MA contracttoofmeet any college in Scotland, with needs.750 MAs trained each year across around 17 frameworks. Nicky Inglis, Head of the Anchoring Skills and Jobs in Fife Department of Engineering Technologies at FifeCollege, Collegesays currently delivers the largest Fife “Modern Apprenticeships MA contract any college inforScotland, provide fantasticofopportunities individuals 750 MAsin trained each career. year towith takearound their first steps a rewarding across frameworks.

Nicky They also17 play an invaluable role Inglis, in providing Head of the Engineering employers withDepartment the skilledofworkforce they Technologies at Fife require to address anyCollege, specificsays skills gaps “Modern Apprenticeships provide closely with SDS, awarding bodies, fantastic opportunities for individuals the sector skills council and employers to take their first steps in a rewarding to ensure that companies from all career. They also play an invaluable role engineering disciplines are able to access in providing employers with the skilled the required training to meet their own workforce they require to address any demand for a skilled workforce.

ndustry leaders agree that the demand created by major engineering projects in the East of Scotland such Industry leaders agree thatas theBabcock demand Marine’s super-carriers contract, thein created by major engineering projects development a new workforce for wind the East ofofScotland such as Babcock energy and the on-going contract, Forth crossing Marine’s super-carriers the project will lead to further growth for development of a new workforce forthe wind sector withand hundreds of new jobscrossing being energy the on-going Forth created in will thelead coming years, in areas project to further growth for suchthe as sector fabrication and welding, electrical with hundreds of new jobs being created in the coming years, and in engineering, mechanical maintenance such as fabrication and welding, CNCareas machining. electrical mechanical Recent Skillsengineering, Development Scotland (SDS) maintenance and CNCcurrently machining. figures show that Scotland has over 13,300 engineering employers with dramatic Recent Skills Development Scotland increases year on year. order to meet (SDS)seen figures show that InScotland projected demand, the13,300 sector engineering will need to currently has over recruit and train at least 2,500 new engineers employers with dramatic increases seen everyyear year.on year. In order to meet projected Sodemand, with unprecedented in engineering the sectorgrowth will need to recruit across accelerating demand andScotland train at and leastan2,500 new engineers for skilled personnel across the sector as a every year. whole, there has never been a better time to So with growth in consider the unprecedented wealth of training opportunities engineering across Scotland and an that Fife College has to offer. accelerating demand for skilled personnel Partnerships for aSuccess across the sector as whole, there has never been a better time to consider the In recent years, Fife College has invested heavily wealth of training opportunities that Fife in the sector to support an increase in Scotland’s College has to offer. capacity to deliver skills. Offering world-class Partnerships for Success facilities and experienced staff, the College works closely with SDS, awarding bodies, the In recent years, Fife College has invested sector skills in council and employers ensure heavily the sector to supporttoan that companies from all engineering disciplines increase in Scotland’s capacity to deliver are able to access required training to meet skills.

Offeringthe world-class facilities and their experienced own demand staff, for a skilled workforce. the College works

within their own organisation. This in turn supports the growth and development of the local economy by anchoring specific skills gaps within theirskills own and jobs in Fife, so the benefits of the programme organisation. This in turn supports the are extensive and far reaching.” growth and development of the local The current portfolio of jobs Modern economy by anchoring skills and in Apprenticeships for the Engineering sector at Fife, so the benefits of the programme Fifeextensive College includes: are and far reaching.”

Engineering TheAutomotive current portfolio of Modern Computer Aider Draughting & Design Engineering Apprenticeships for the Engineering sector at FifeEngineering College includes: Electrical

n Engineering Automotive Construction Engineering Fabrication and n Computer AiderWelding Draughting & Design EngineeringEngineering Mechanical n Non-Destructive Electrical Engineering Testing (NDT) n Project Engineering Construction Fabrication Management and Welding Wind Turbine Service Technician n Mechanical Engineering The College also offers an extensive n Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) range of skills training and qualifications in the above n Project Management disciplines, as well as: n Wind Turbine Service Technician Electrical and Electronic Engineering TheEnergy College offers an extensive andalso Utilities range of skills training and qualifications Fabrication, Welding and Inspection in the above disciplines, as well as: Mechanical and Systems Engineering n Electrical and Electronic Engineering Petroleum Engineering n Energy and Utilities Renewable and Sustainable Engineering n Fabrication, Welding and Inspection n Mechanical and Systems Engineering ForPetroleum more information about training and n Engineering development at Fife College, n Renewable and Sustainable callEngineering 0344 248 0123, email info@fife.ac.uk or visit business.fife.ac.uk For more information about training and development at Fife College, call 0344 248 0123, email info@fife.ac.uk or visit business.fife.ac.uk

VALUES INTO ACTION

Values into Action Values Into Action Scotland promotes rights, choice and control for people with learning difficulties and individuals on the autistic spectrum.

We work in partnership with business to promote diversity. In Scotland there are 120,000 people with learning difficulties and 50,000 individuals on the autistic spectrum.

Many goods and services are currently inaccessible to these individuals so business is missing out on a sizeable market. Creating an inclusive environment will impress friends and family too!

Here are ways in which we can help your business:-

Mystery shopping Not sure if your policies are being put into practice? Let our mystery shoppers help you to find out!

Consultancy Whether you have a human resources issue or want to find out how to improve your customer experience we can help.

experience so why not tap into this lucrative market?

Training From getting it right for every customer to recruiting and inducting staff we can design bespoke courses to meet your needs.

Business Planning Our planning tools and graphic recording make any business planning session dynamic, fun and highly productive!

For a limited period we are offering a 20% discount to Scottish Chamber of Commerce members for any business service commissioned before 30 September 2015.

For more information please call 0141 212 3395 or email info@viascotland.org.uk.

Creating Accessible Information From leaflets to menus to signage we can create documents that will make life easier for your customers.

Small and inexpensive changes can make a world of a difference to your customer

Realising Realising Realising Potential.

Potential.

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Providing Skills for Scotland’s Workforce SQA is ambitious for Scotland’s businesses, and a smart, well trained and qualified workforce is essential to developing a successful economy.

We offer a range of services, delivering business benefits and measurable achievement. Our qualifications are developed in partnership with industry experts to enhance your workforce.

SQA offers something for everyone, from new-starts to senior management. We quality assure every qualification and make sure they keep pace with industry advances and changing regulations.

Benefits to our business Qualifications are at the heart of Scotland’s business ambitions, which rely on a skilled, enthusiastic workforce.

Your people can realise their potential by benefitting from a world-class qualifications system. Through them, your business can nurture the skills and knowledge it needs to thrive now and in the future.

Expert advice on hand Every company working with SQA benefits from their own dedicated Regional Manager; an expert advisor they can trust. It’s a simple idea, but one that works perfectly: provide one main point of contact who takes time to get to know our customers and their business. The more customers know about what SQA will bring to their business, the more they will benefit.

Your local Regional Manager Your area is covered by a local Regional Manager who can advise on SQA’s very broad range of high quality, inclusive awards, and also the extensive customer services including accrediting and endorsing in-house training.

Backed by a support team, and with access to sector specialists, your Regional Manager is on hand to listen and advise, help identify goals and zeroin on the qualifications that bring the biggest business benefits.

Finding the right qualifications The importance of staff qualifications has never been clearer. It’s proven that trained and qualified people are more motivated and more productive, making the businesses they work for more competitive and more profitable, whatever the size, whatever the sector.

SQA — providing skills for Scotland’s learners.

It’s critical, however, to ensure that the qualifications are relevant to your business and right for your future.

There’s no simple answer to what kind of qualification will benefit you. Every industry and every business is different.

Relevant qualifications for your sector SQA qualifications are developed in partnership with industry experts across hundreds of sectors. We have a wide portfolio of qualifications covering a range of levels offering something for everyone from new starts to senior management.

Our qualifications are Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) credit rated, so they are easy to understand and universally transferrable. More information can be found at www.sqa.org.uk/mysector

Find out more Successful relationships are formed by listening to your requirements and developing an understanding of your business. It’s a simple idea, but one that works. To find out more, please go to www.sqa.org.uk/businessdevelopment

THE EXPERIENCE

Confertainment - The Ultimate Experience The Experience in Hillington Park is everyone’s idea of a great day out and for businesses it offers the perfect opportunity to take the humdrum out of everyday meetings or host an event to remember.

The themed entertainment and events venue was recently awarded the prestigious 5-star Quality Assurance Grading by VisitScotland, and houses Scotland’s only indoor electric Go-karting Arena, The Academy restaurant, Laser Experience and Slot car racing. Whether it’s an event space for 2 or 100 delegates, this unique arrangement enables The Experience to offer a range of confertainment packages with a difference.

With a dedicated Events Co-ordinator

on-hand to help, a stress free occasion is guaranteed.

Research has shown moving out of the office environment can unleash creativity, and open up different ways of thinking and learning. At The Experience, confertainment fuses the traditional elements of conferences and meetings with the excitement of the entertainment available onsite, whether it’s going head-to-head on the track or a culinary cook off! Delegates can stay energised with a delicious menu prepared by UK Masterchef Donald Munro and his team, using locally sourced fresh vegetables and salads from their Community Gardens. VisitScotland has recognised this with their Taste our Best Award.

programmes, and training courses covering topics such as entrepreneurship, social enterprise development, child and youth care, and social innovation.

Owned by Kibble, one of Scotland’s oldest youth charities, The Experience operates as a social enterprise, providing valuable work experience, training and employment opportunities for young people (aged 16+), and opportunities for the local community and charities. Choosing The Experience to host a meeting or event is not just a great decision; it’s about making the socially responsible choice.

Visit www.theexperience.org.uk for details, email hello@theexperience.org.uk or call 0141 883 4005.

Programmes are tailored and flexible to ensure they meet business needs, and the location is conducive to nurturing creativity and development. The Experience also provides a range of learning and development

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THE QUICKFIRE QUESTION

THEQUICKFIREQUESTIONS Q1 What one thing would you wish for Scotland in the future?

Q2 What makes you smile about Scotland?

Stuart Patrick

Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce

Stuart Patrick is Chief Executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce committed to increasing trading opportunities for Chamber members and delivering a strong business influence on the growth of the Glasgow city region. Stuart joined the Chamber in 2009 and has worked with the Chamber’s team, Board and Governing Council to build the Chamber’s policy voice, evolve member services and increase the Chamber’s contribution to Glasgow’s ambitious economic strategy.

International trade, transport connections, industry sector growth strategies, youth unemployment, city centre development and general business development are all areas where the Chamber is active. Stuart sits on the Glasgow Economic Leadership board and is a Director of Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

Stuart was previously Senior Commercial Director at Scottish Enterprise responsible for the development of the agency’s business plan and he led Scottish Enterprise Glasgow in its role as Glasgow’s local economic development agency for two years.

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I would wish to see steady growth of those key industrial sectors in Scotland that will help us build our export trade. In Glasgow we have been supporting sectors like health and life sciences and engineering for some time now and we have some genuinely distinctive competences that can help us compete. We have seen support coming from both UK and Scottish Governments to develop competence in, for example, stratified medicine and advanced manufacturing. I would hope for a solid consistent industrial policy from both Governments to invest in the infrastructure and skills that will turn these competences into fast growing trade across the world.

A1

I smile ruefully about the Scottish weather. Glasgow was amongst the first 35 cities in the world to be chosen by the Rockefeller Foundation as a resilient city and it makes my smile even more rueful when I see that one of the issues we face in the future is yet more rainfall. Perhaps we can develop world beating companies trading in goods and services that make the most of rain.

A2

THE QUICKFIRE QUESTION

Dr Waiyin Hatton

BA(Hons), DipHSM, DMS, MBA, PhD, MIHM, CIHM, MAC, FRSA

President, Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, Director, Wai Beyond Passionate about unleashing talents, Waiyin’s consultancy Wai Beyond inspires and nurtures greatness in people and organisations. Before this, she had extensive leadership experience in health sectors across UK, describing her last Chief Executive role (NHS Ayrshire and Arran) as ‘creating an environment to succeed’.

Waiyin is non-executive director of Scottish Chamber of Commerce; Ayrshire College; University of West of Scotland; President, Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce.

A former karate international medalist, she co-founded and Chairs Ayrshire Sportsability, promoting and providing sporting opportunities for people with disabilities.

Ray Riddoch

Managing Director of Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd

Ray Riddoch is the Managing Director of Nexen Petroleum UK Ltd, the largest oil and gas producer in the UK. He has 30 years of experience in the oil & gas industry, mostly in production operations with extended assignments in business development, HR, finance/auditing, inspection, maintenance, facilities engineering, major construction projects and HSE. A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from RGIT he went on to gain a MSc [Dist] in Offshore Engineering majoring in production, drilling and reservoir technology A native of Aberdeen, he is married with two children. His main pastimes are hillwalking, reading and red wine!

Awarded Woman of Inspiration, Association of Scottish Businesswomen, 2014 and Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International, 2015.

Aspiration and ambition are instilled from a young age and right through the lifework pathways in everyone by parents, educational institutions and in the workplace.

When the lethal combination of a highachieving mind-set and continuously developing skill-set come together, individual achievements will bring personal success and play a key part in the collective economic strength for Scotland in the world stage.

A1

A2

A1 A2

For the Scottish Education system to be once again, the envy of the world.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the stunning scenery and landscape, whatever the weather.

Robert Collier

Chief Executive, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce

Robert Collier joined the Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber as Chief Executive in April 2009. Prior to joining the Chamber he was an independent consultant, Marketing Director of Parkdean Holidays, Managing Director of RGIT in Aberdeen and the CEO of Tourism South-East.

He is a member of the Board and Council of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce; a member of the Boards of Aberdeen City Centre Regeneration Board, Aberdeen Inspired and ACHT; a member of the Board of Arts & Business Scotland, and sits on the Energetica and Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) steering groups.

On behalf of the interests of members of the Chamber, he sits on a variety of other groups and committees to put forward the business case.

A1 A2

That Scotland plc manages to get joined up support to businesses to grow exports

People thinking that Scotland can beat the All Blacks at Murrayfield. (See below!)

The generosity of many people I have met in helping others to succeed – giving of their time, advice and networks.

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COVER STORY – INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Meet the Female CEOs at the helm of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network Our people bring a whole wealth of talent & entrepreneurship to the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network and with our CEOs spanning from many different sectors and industries, we are proud to be the Scottish Business Voice. So let’s meet the pioneering female CEOs!

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COVER STORY – INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Meet Nora Senior Nora Senior is Chair of Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Executive Chair of UK Regions & Ireland, Weber Shandwick.

Did you ever think you would be Chair of SCC and President of BCC at the same time? How does that make you feel?

It is a huge honour - and challenge - to be the first person to hold both offices at the same time; but I love a challenge! The position within SCC led me to the Board of BCC and I am very proud of the fact that both Boards supported my appointment. This unique position has enabled me to drive awareness of business interests both locally, nationally and internationally. The influence of Chambers of Commerce continues to grow; the network is increasing its brand reputation and profile and operates cross border in a global marketplace, responding to a kaleidoscopic audience that is more diverse than ever.

What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?

Management is taught but leadership is in the genes. Believe in yourself, your team and what you are doing. You need to be committed to what you are doing and walk the talk. Successful people are totally focussed on what they do. Always be a ‘radiator’ not a ‘drain’ motivation is key. Don’t

There is sometimes an eagerness for people to impress by talking the loudest! I observed through time that actually I was more respected because I got on with the job, focussed on my team and growing my business, proving my business acumen through results. I was never afraid to say what I thought, I just didn’t feel the need to preen.

be afraid to make decisions and be prepared to get it wrong! Understand your customer.

What challenges have you faced at work and how did you overcome them?

Different challenges for different parts of my career. As a start up company, juggling time to service clients and find new business was a major challenge personally and professionally as I had a young business and a young family. My solution was to recruit the right people to complement my skillset, learn how to delegate and focus on what I was good at.

Egos in the boardroom: a common challenge.

Challenges are different within a PLC: now I have to hone my debating and diplomacy skills to ensure that long term planning is considered rather than just looking at the next accounting quarter .

Where did you last travel to and why?

I am really fortunate that my job as Chair of Weber Shandwick gives me an opportunity to travel extensively both here in the UK and around the globe. My last overseas trip was to Shanghai and Beijing working with clients in the healthcare and infrastructure sectors.

In the UK, travel mainly involves going to London where our UK head office is – but also takes me to Westminster for political meetings in my role with Chambers. My last meeting weas with Lord Maude to discuss the role of Chambers in international trade.

Meet Liz Cameron OBE How did you get to where you are today?

Well to start with by sheer hard work, a constant drive and ambition to succeed, being passionate about anything I take on, and finally the support of my parents and family. I left High School at 16, deciding that I wanted to work in business. That decision took me on a career journey that was unplanned in a multi-national Company focussing on production, planning, management and motivating people. I was then given an opportunity to start up a new business venture. Having no experience whatsoever I quickly realised the power of tapping into the expertise of others. The buzz and excitement of starting up and growing successful ventures, working with many inspiring people, taking risks and achieving success is simply phenomenal. In my earlier career I returned to education, attending day-release and evening classes at my local College for 9 years, and then to University gaining my Master’s degree. I was the first female Chief Executive of the Chambers of Commerce in Scotland, establishing Renfrewshire Chamber, and then grasped the opportunity to head up Scottish Chambers of Commerce Limited. Attitude is very important. I strive on challenge and refuse to accept barriers. I pass this on to those I

into expertise which you don’t have by surrounding yourself with great inspiring people. Create your own opportunities, don’t wait for them to come to you and be a leader that people look to, and be the person that businesses want.

What is the best thing about working in business?

have the honour of mentoring and inspiring whenever I get the opportunity.

What advice would you give to young women interested in starting and advancing in a career in business?

Absolutely go for it, have fun, and be ambitious – there are no barriers to achieving your success. Set your goals high, be focussed, proactive and lead from the front – always remember that the customer is the centre of the universe and they have high expectations which must be surpassed. Whatever environment you work in, be fair to all, learn how and what motivates and inspires your staff, communicate often, take risks, tap

The diversity and opportunity. No two days are the same with each one presenting new and different challenges. The realisation in business today, is that we all need to constantly learn new skills, the world is small the competition can be harsh and the consumer expects more. If you strive in this environment then business is certainly for you. It is great to change direction and be in an environment which encourages new ideas whilst supporting risk taking. There is always a sense of great achievement when you and your team win a new order or come up with great solutions to some of the challenges. It is just fun and people are simply fascinating to observe.

What motivates you in life?

Success, supporting others, and doing what is right. ©Roy Henderson / Shutterstock.com

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COVER STORY – INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Meet Lesley Benfield Lesley Benfield, Chief Executive of Lochaber Chamber of Commerce What traits do you think are important in being a good leader?

Leaders need to be knowledgable enough to listen to diverse subject matter experts, filter their recommendations for bias, and manage influences to reach a sound decision whilst maintaining stakeholder commitment. This requires proactive leadership in addition to interpersonal and inspirational stakeholder and team leadership.

Leaders also need specific developmental strategies based on who they are and what they are capable of. As a qualified occupational psychometric assessor I have worked with leaders to identify their preferences for dealing with stress and change, explore their leadership style and develop effective interpersonal relationships.

Finally, leaders are also responsible for ensuring that the team has pride in its work and have a duty to never to leave an employee with a sense of failure.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

Summer placements in the HR Department of Mobil Oil, London kick-started my interest

in Human Resources; fostered by a graduate training programme with Sainsbury Plc. I don’t believe that anyone could go into a career in HR without a passion to work with, and for, people. Often there are hard messages to deliver, but what singles out good HR from bad HR is a fundamental desire to bring the business need and the people together. When a business does that it has a successful company.

What are the most difficult decisions to make as a leader?

Today’s business leaders have to cope with a great deal of ambiguity as they make important choices about the future. All leaders need to have the courage and ability to make difficult decisions, making layoffs, expansion or cost cutting and damage control. When leaders find ways to cope with this uncertainty they are more able to make decisions quickly and effectively.

My own strategies to aid judgement under stressful conditions include thorough advance preparation and planning, peer and subordinate discussion, expert advice and experimentation.

Lesley Benfield presents Ian Blackford MP for Ross, Skye & Lochaber with Honorary Chamber membership

25 years working with people in business has taught me that the effectiveness of a leader is not measured by the tough calls they have to make - it is the way in which they are dealt with that matters.

Meet Alison Henderson Alison Henderson, CEO of Dundee and Angus Chambers of Commerce, leads My Pinkie Promise Limited and Fraser’s Whisky tasting, past chair of Women Ahead and current President of the Association of Scottish Businesswomen. that I was naturally drawn to leading. It was during personal development work and personality profiling that I began to realise where my strengths lie.

I launched my own business in 2009 and found myself in a much more natural position, taking full control of how the organisation and the people within it operate.

This led me to stretch myself by getting involved in different business organisations where I could take on a voluntary board role.

I quickly moved into senior & chair roles within these positions.

What projects or roles are you involved in outside the Chambers of Commerce?

When did you know you were a Leader?

I have always enjoyed taking control of my own role whilst helping and influencing others’ work, without directly understanding

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I am President of the Association of Scottish Businesswomen (ASB), a national organisation that represents and promotes women in business. This is a voluntary board role that I am really honoured to hold, as it is an area that I feel very passionate about.

The ASB is a national and regional network that works to give opportunities to inspire and support women in business. We also work closely with partners to influence policy, encourage women into business and to grow their businesses. I am part of a great team of women who work hard to deliver the ASB’s objectives.

How do you encourage creative thinking within your organization?

I do as much as I can to involve my team in projects, strategy and decision-making.

We often use our members to help us with training which help us grow as an organisation.

I also actively encourage the team to come up with creative ideas & solutions, and welcome their feedback on my own ideas, as I know that together we have great potential to learn from each other.

COVER STORY – INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Meet Helen McCormick Helen McCormick, Greenock Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive and Innovation Catalyst – helping to nurture and grow our Inverclyde Community of Businesses.

What are some of the most important decisions you make as a leader of your chamber?

inspirational role models. I know that in business and life nothing ever stands still – change is constant so I work hard at keeping my skills up to date.

There are so many thing I could I also love listening to, and spend my day working on collaborating with, positive that a big decision I have people who find ways to make is what takes of turning problems priority. My main into solutions. We “Choose Your Attitude.” focus is meeting have some real as many of our Realising that while it is experienced members as not possible to control business people possible and in our Chamber what happens in life but understanding network who give their business it is possible to control us great advice priorities and how you react to it is very equally engaging problems. with schools, empowering. Try it the next This allows our universities and Board to develop time something happens. young business and tailor events leaders helps me know and offerings which what I need to learn members enjoy and about next. value.

How do you continue to grow and develop as a leader?

Two key things I always try and do are embrace change and get motivation from

What was the best piece of advice you ever received?

“Choose Your Attitude.” Realising that while it is not possible to control what happens in life but it is possible to control how you react

to it is very empowering. Try it the next time something happens.

The women that taught me about “Choose Your Attitude” is Debra Searle and her story is truly inspiring!

Meet Margery McLennan Founder board member of Moray Chamber of Commerce and currently Executive Director of Moray Chamber which now encompasses MoraySpeyside Tourism.

What was the best piece of advice you ever received?

Whether in business or personal life treat other people as you would wish to be treated yourself and you will not go far wrong.

What female leader do you admire and why?

Depending on my mood and perspective at the time - Margaret Thatcher - ‘If you set out to be liked, you would be prepared to compromise on anything at any time, and you would achieve nothing.’ And Audrey Hepburn - ‘If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun!’

What advice would you give to young graduates just starting out in the business industry?

Don’t forget the little guys - to many university leavers, the big graduate schemes seem like the holy grail – and missing out is a cause for despair. Don’t dismiss small- to medium-sized companies (SMEs, with less than 250 employees) – that’s where the bulk of graduate vacancies lie. Of the 60,000 graduate jobs in the UK, only 16,000 are with blue chip companies, The remaining 44,000 are with SMEs, the public sector or charities. Thousands of SMEs are desperate to hire bright young graduates – but they may not advertise in the obvious places as it’s expensive, so do some extra sleuthing to track them down.

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COVER STORY – INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Meet Trudy Morris Trudy Morris, Chief Executive, Caithness Chamber of Commerce What is a current project you are working on in work?

and challenges they faced in their different industries, and then seeking to provide a range of services to help meet those needs and develop their businesses.

We are leading and facilitating a North Highland Invest in Young People Group proposal on behalf of our region which covers the counties of Caithness and Sutherland.

This is an exciting initiative which has generated real support and enthusiasm among local businesses. It has the potential to make a real difference for our young people’s futures and their journey into employment. We hope it will secure Scottish Government approval in the late summer.

What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as a leader?

What challenges have you faced during your career and how did you overcome them?

One of the challenges I’ve faced in my career has been starting the Chamber from scratch in 2009. We had to develop new products and services to meet the needs of the local business community, and had limited opportunities for income generation.

I overcame this challenge by building relationships with local businesses, taking the time to listen and learn about the issues

Last year I started coaching and mentoring staff as well as individuals outside the Chamber in various aspects of their career and personal life. I am not only passing on and sharing my experience and skills learnt over many years, the good and bad, but it’s also helping to develop me as an individual and a leader as I need to explore and utilise different models and coaching techniques to develop others. It’s a great experience and privilege and very rewarding, not only for me to share and learn but to see others develop and grow. There’s always something to learn and I don’t think anybody can honestly say they’ve made it!

Meet Val Russell Val Russell - daughter, wife, mum, grandmother and CEO of Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

present themselves, as they help you to learn, develop and improve yourself. Finally I would say that to succeed in business don’t settle for satisfactory, always do more than you are asked to do and when faced with challenges, take them on!

My first job was at the age of 12 in the village shop which was the hub of the community selling almost everything you could imagine.

I learned that I liked working with people and the value of good What is the best thing about customer service – if we working in the business didn’t have what you industry? wanted we soon got Always be positive and it for you! Skills In this particular learned at this role its knowing proactive, make sure that early age have what I do supports you are doing a job you stood me in not only other good stead love and have fun doing it! businesses but in later life young people and Furthermore always say across several the wider Ayrshire “yes” and “I can do that” ‘careers’ Community. when opportunities present Additionally every day is different and What skills and themselves, as they help I also get to meet qualities do you you to learn, develop and a huge range of think are crucial interesting people all in succeeding in improve yourself. at different levels from business? all walks of life.

Always be positive and proactive, make sure that you are doing a job you love and have fun doing it! Furthermore always say “yes” and “I can do that” when opportunities

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What female leader do you admire and why?

This one was a bit of a challenge – females

who have influenced me include my grandmother and mother who despite many hardships always remained positive, had a real zest for life, kept their sense of humour and were generous with their time for others.

In a business sense Ayrshire is lucky to have so many female leaders – three local authority CEOs and college principal to name but a few who all work exceptionally hard to make Ayrshire the place to be.

COVER STORY – INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Meet Linda Scott Linda Scott CEO of West Lothian Chamber and CEO of Axcess Training Ltd

Meet Vicki Unite Vicki Unite, CEO of Perthshire Chamber, one of the youngest appointed CEO’s of the Scottish Chamber Network.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your career and why?

I would say building on and developing a robust and sustainable Chamber through challenging times. It’s quite a responsibility being a custodian of a Chamber. Perthshire Chamber is 144 years old, and I don’t want to be the one to ruin all the hard work of those before me! Membership numbers rode out the recession and we manage our mid-sized Chamber on a salaried staff of only two which is quite an achievement. This works because we realise building strong and trusted working relationships and forming partnerships is the only way to survive.

What advice would you give to a woman starting in business?

Female or male, my advice would be to have self confidence.

What is one characteristic that you believe every leader should possess?

Courage – all leaders need courage to take the lead, make decisions, at times stand alone when making decisions, not succumb to pressure and the courage to see it through when the going gets really tough.

What current activities are you involved in outside of work?

At the moment I am training for Total Warrior, a 10k race with 29 obstacles including a fire pit and an ice pool.

I am doing it for my own personal fitness goals and for a local charity called No Limits.

What was the best piece of advice you ever received?

Take Risks and if you fail move on.

Nothing great came from playing it safe.

What female leader do you admire and why?

Margaret Thatcher love or hate her, or believe in her political views she took risks and had great courage.

I nearly didn’t apply for this position because I didn’t think I was good enough. Luckily my Mum talked me into it and gave me the nudge I needed. Not everyone has “that person” to encourage them so we need to believe in ourselves, aim high - but be realistic.

how national and even world-wide events and issues affect our business environment and the impact this has on your How do you maintain a work/ members’ businesses (e.g. life balance?

EU dictates, the exchange Juggling! I absolutely rate and the cost of fuel Understanding love my job. This etc.). Understanding what is happening is means that my family what is happening is life and time off crucial in enabling you to crucial in enabling isn’t marred by you to steer your steer your Chamber. Also, that “Sunday night Chamber. Also, surrounding yourself with feeling” I’ve had surrounding a network of experts and in the past. Being yourself with a willing and able network of experts recognising that there is so to work outwith and recognising much good-will and passion 9-5 helps and can that there is so to help others should never be done so easily much good-will nowadays. be underestimated. and passion to help others should never be What is the best thing underestimated. about working in business?

The fact that you are involved directly in current affairs. Being aware of

“Be a Part of the Pioneering Journey – Join Your Local Chamber Today!” www.scottishchambers.org.uk

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COVER STORY – INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

First Minister promotes links with Scotland & USA First Minister Nicola Sturgeon promotes trade links in the USA and writes an exclusive piece for the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Business Scotland magazine

By First Minister Nicola Sturgeon “I had the fantastic opportunity in June to visit the US to promote Scotland as an attractive place to live, visit, do business, study and invest. The key purpose of my trip was to boost Scotland’s business and trade links with the USA. Last year was the best on record for US investment into Scotland and I want to see that connection strengthen further in the years ahead. As part of the trip I had the opportunity to promote Scottish exports into the USA and was delighted to announce, major investments into Scotland by US companies such as Jabil, the electronics manufacturer and Spire Global, who make satellites.

“In New York, I was able to host a business event with Ernst & Young and SDI to discuss what Scotland can offer to an audience of potential investors. The turnout to this event was fantastic, highlighting that Scotland remains a highly attractive place for businesses from around the world.

“I had the pleasure to share with audiences in both New York City and Washington DC Scotland’s commitment to equality, sustainability and social justice. We all know that a thriving business sector is essential for a thriving society. Business helps to generate the jobs and prosperity we all depend on. In Scotland, we’re already hugely fortunate to have internationally recognised strengths in sectors such as the creative industries, life sciences, energy, tourism and food and drink.

I want the Scottish Government to encourage that. We support good infrastructure, skills and innovation and we promote Scottish exports around the world.

“In Washington, I took part in a session at the World Bank on equality and the economy. The

First Minister of Scotland meets US Deputy Secretary of State, Tony Blinken

reason for that session was the large amount of international evidence which shows that inequality isn’t just bad for individuals, and for wider society, it’s also bad for the economy. For example IMF research has shown that more unequal countries tend to have lower and less durable growth.

“Central to building a fairer society is bringing more women into the workforce and enabling them to succeed. The Scottish Government is leading by example with a 50:50 gender split Cabinet and I’m pleased that the Scottish Chamber of Commerce is also setting an example with a Board that is 60% female. However, there is still work to do. That’s why we are encouraging companies, third sector organisations and public sector bodies across the country to make a commitment that by 2020, 50 per cent of their board members will be women.

First Minister meets with Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

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“Whether it is promoting innovation and internationalization, or promoting gender equality, we know that there is a huge amount we can learn from the experiences of other individuals, companies and countries from around the world. I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss these issues with a fantastic group of 12 female executives based in New York, working in finance, human resources, advertising, media and energy. They share my passion for better gender diversity in the workplace and we discuss ideas about what business and government can do to get more women into senior positions “So a strong economy and a fairer society aren’t competing aims, they are complementary ones. It stands to reason that all of us, whether Government, business, trade unions, all of us have an interest in creating wealthier, fairer, stronger society.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon meets with female business executives

Inspiring Female Talent It’s a Leadership Thing t: +44 (0)131 603 6199 www.parityprofessionals.co.uk/gds

PARITY PROFESSIONALS

Inspiring Female Talent: It’s a Leadership Thing “Organisations are shadows of their leaders” Industry is innovating faster than ever to meet the increased demands of clients and customers. Organisations are constantly being challenged to continuously adapt to ensure that they are capable of achieving sustainable business results.

Given that female talent is underrepresented in senior positions across many Scottish businesses, there is a significant opportunity for inspired Scottish leaders to unleash the full

Vivien Weldon Head of Client Solutions You can’t look too far these days without coming across something in the news about “Gender Diversity” or “Women in Leadership”. There is pressure in the market, and expectation from the government, that British Business – specifically the FTSE 100 – will lead the way in creating “Balanced Boardrooms” with at least 25% female representation by the end of 2015.

Since his initial report “Women on Boards”, published in 2011, Lord Davies has recently reported that the FTSE 100 is making significant progress towards that goal with women now occupying 23.5% of all FTSE 100 board seats. However, he is not resting on his laurels. The pressure is intensifying and he is “naming and shaming” those companies who are failing to make progress, claiming that those companies that “do not get the mood of society on this issue, actually deserve to go out of business.”

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capability and capacity of their female talent pipeline to optimise collaboration, innovation and productivity. With more and more businesses in Scotland signing up to the Scottish Business Pledge and the Partnership for Change, Scotland’s business leaders have a unique opportunity to make a real step-change in the way in which their organisations, and indeed our country, is known for inspiring female talent.

So, whilst there has been an 11% increase of women occupying FTSE 100 board seats over the last 36 months, what are these statistics not telling us? Of the FTSE 100, there are still 59 companies that have yet to achieve 25% female representation at board level. Of the FTSE 250, there are 23 companies with all male boards. So what is really going on here? What is the root-cause of the Gender Diversity issue and why is it taking some companies such a long time to shift the balance of their workforce? Let’s take a closer look by examining the business case that sits behind Gender Diversity.

Diversity and Inclusion is a hot topic in the world of business, particularly Gender Diversity. What is all the fuss about? Why can’t we just get on with running our companies and wait for this whole thing to “run its course?”

Newsflash – This “thing” is not going away – it is here for the long run, with targets looming round the corner, you need to be thinking tactically and strategically about it now!

First thing is first; let’s get the debate out of the way. Balanced workforces outperform those that are not – yielding a 42% increase in return on sales, a 66% increase in return on invested capital and a 53% increase in return on equity. Gender Diversity is no longer considered an ethical issue; it is

a strategic imperative for any company looking to improve performance.

So why are so many (59% of the FTSE 100) organisations struggling to hit the 25% goal? In order to answer that question we need to understand what is happening to the Female Talent Pipeline within many organisations.

On average, 60% of graduates in the UK are female and many of the FTSE 100 organisations ensure that at least 50% of their graduate in-take is female. Following a significant investment in Attraction, Recruitment and On-boarding, many of these graduates embark upon a 12-24 month graduate programme which delivers on the “Employer Brand Promise,” laying a foundation for their career path within the organisation.

The critical break in the Female Talent Pipeline occurs during the transition from the graduate programme to the start of their “live” career in the workplace. This is where the rubber meets the road and the gap (the Cultural Delta) between the “aspirational culture” and the “actual culture” is experienced. The graduate programme simulates a desired or “aspirational culture,” and to a certain extent, insulates the graduate from the realities of the real or “actual culture.”

The moment of truth is when the graduate

PARITY PROFESSIONALS

experiences how far removed the “actual culture” is from the “aspirational culture” by experiencing values and behaviours that are not consistent with the “Employer Brand Promise.” Trust is broken.

The size of the “Cultural Delta” will directly affect the employees’ relationship with the company, their level of engagement, level of performance and ownership of their career development - as well as the likelihood of them staying with the company. In fact, in many of the FTSE100 organisations, the “Cultural Delta” is so significant that rapid disengagement, sub performance and attrition are realised almost immediately following transition into the “live” work environment.

Why is this such an important issue for female talent? Because women make the decision to work with companies that espouse similar values and behaviours. When that “emotional contract” is breached, trust is broken and the disengagement begins.

Without a clearly articulated vision for the future, one where diversity and inclusion is understood and valued, there is little left to hold their attention and the attrition begins.

Without addressing the “Cultural Delta”, this critical link in the Female Talent Pipeline will be permanently broken. With highly valued and invested-in female talent haemorrhaging from the organisation, the organisation continues to plough more money in recruiting more female graduates, to go through more graduate programmes, only to lose them due to the “Cultural Delta.” This “continuous loop” systematically drains time, money and effort from the organisation but more importantly, breaks the career pathway for high performing females who would be considered executive and boardroom pipeline material. Add to that the females, who have “quit but not left”, what you end up with is high attrition of female talent, disengaged existing female talent and lack of female talent to feed the leadership talent pipeline.

Is there a shortcut to Gender Diversity? If you mean, is there a shortcut to building a

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.

high performing organisation with a diverse and inclusive workforce, the answer is no.

Are there investments that can be made to attract the right female talent, repair the existing Female Talent Pipeline, retain and develop latent female talent, accelerate your fast-track females into the boardroom and ignite a cultural change? The answer is yes.

Cultural change takes real leadership: Inspiration, Courage and Commitment - to stay the course. It is not an easy journey, but one that will return financial, cultural and legacy benefits that will create a sustainable trajectory of higher performance to those of your competitors.

Don’t just “tick the boxes”, run some initiatives and hope this “thing” goes away.

Lead the transformational change that is required to unlock the true performance of your organisation with inspiring, focussed and committed leadership. Make the right investment now to return to your employees, customers, shareholders and society the results that you know are possible with your company.

Whether you are looking to support “Gender Diversity Change Programmes” by: 1 Accelerating your top Female Talent into the Boardroom 2 Repairing your Female Talent Pipeline 3 Kick-starting your organisational Gender Diversity Journey 4 Identifying, sourcing and selecting exceptional D&I, OD and HR Professionals 5 Or, communicating the Gender Diversity Business Case to the Leadership Team Call us now to arrange a complimentary Discovery Session – and let’s get the conversation started.

Contact Details t: +44 (0)131 603 6199 e: vivien.weldon@parity.net www.parityprofessionals.co.uk/gds @ParityProf

Parity Professionals is the company that can help. We have been working with Public and Private Businesses in Scotland for 30 years.

Our team in Edinburgh is passionate about making a real difference to the success of people’s careers and organisations’ sustainable performance. We will leave no stone unturned to source and develop the very best talent to unlock the full potential of your female talent pipeline.

Niccoló Machiavelli

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COVER STORY – INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

UWS inspiring colleagues to achieve success University of the West of Scotland (UWS) hosted an ‘Inspiring Women’ celebratory event on Wednesday 10 June to mark the first year of its ‘Inspiring Women’ programme.

Keynote speakers at the event included Liz Cameron OBE, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chamber of Commerce; Gillian Berrie, producer and co-founder of Sigma Films; and Coreen McCubbin, Manager of Composite Technology at Spirit Aerosystems, Europe Ltd. This event saw these three inspiring women share their stories of what and who inspired them and how they overcame barriers to achieve their goals and ambitions.

At UWS the ethos of Dreaming, Believing, Achieving shapes its culture. Director of People & Organisational Development, Carolyn Murray explains: “The purpose of the Inspiring Women programme is to foster a culture at UWS where staff are inspired to

SKYTRAX 18.5x12cm ING.indd 1

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be the very best that they can be, regardless of their gender, situation or background.

Inspired staff create an inspiring learning environment for our students which in turn leads to a better student experience.”

The University ran a number of ‘Inspiring Women’ events throughout 2014/15, with seven highly successful women participating in these events, including Lia Ditton, adventurer/writer; Elaine C Smith, comedienne, actress, writer and singer; and Liz Bingham OBE, Partner at Ernst & Young.

Commenting on these inspiring role models Carolynn added: “Their experiences have been thought-provoking, emotional, sometimes terrifying and sometimes funny but always inspirational.”

Students are also encouraged to attend the ‘Inspiring Women’ events and feedback has been terrific. A few examples of the impact of the programme on colleagues has been that many have been motivated to start degrees and undertake further learning; to apply for more senior positions; overcome limiting beliefs; and, now have the confidence to take calculated risks to be successful.

As a result of this feedback and the success of these events, UWS plans to continue the programme. More information is available by emailing clare.ennis@uws.ac.uk

7/31/15 9:59 AM

INSPIRING WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Inspiring women in business

Lynsey McLean is General Manager at The Experience, a themed entertainment and events venue located in Hillington Park, operating as a social enterprise.

Jen Munro is Founder and Managing Director of ISSOS International Summer Schools. At age 20, the decision to work at summer camp in the USA was one that would change her life forever.

Lynsey has worked in social enterprise for over a decade. In January 2014 she made the ambitious move to head up KibbleWorks’ newest social enterprise, The Experience. Lynsey has spent the last 19 months developing the concept, opening and operating the venue, and drawing on the expertise within Kibble.

“I went to camp thinking I would have a ‘one of kind’ summer experience. Instead, my life and my motivations changed. I fell in love with 100 camp counselors and 300 kids and saw an industry at work that created a safe place for people to be who they wanted to be.”

Jen returned to camp for 4 years, in her fourth summer she had her ‘a-ha moment’.

“I was at camp and I felt this little hand take mine, I looked down and there was a girl from my drama class who handed me a wooden plaque she’d made. On the plaque was written a quote that changed everything.

“100 years from now, it will not matter the kind of car I drove, the size of house I lived in, nor the amount of money in my bank. My life will be better because I was important in the life of a child.”

I realised then, I wanted to create something that made a real difference in the life of young people. How? I had no idea, I was 24, all I knew was that I’d found a purpose and I had a responsibility to do something with it.”

One year later, Jen launched ISSOS, offering a values led education to 13 -18 years olds.

Now in it’s tenth summer, she welcomes 460 students from over 60 nationalities who choose one academic subject in the morning and one elective class in the afternoon at St Andrews and Cambridge Universities and is preparing to launch at Yale University in 2016.

The role has gone full circle for Lynsey, who had her first “real job” with Kibble. At that time she was hired for attitude and trained for skill, Lynsey has carried this through to her ethos surrounding employee engagement at The Experience. Following Disney principles as her mantra, Lynsey believes it is as simple as ensuring that your staff are happy at work and this will be reflected in excellent customer service (ok that and a lot of ground work and preparation in between)! So much so, The Experience was recently awarded the prestigious 5-star Quality Assurance Grading by VisitScotland as an activity centre, and is one of Lynsey’s proudest career achievements to date!

For more information on The Experience visit www.theexperience.org.uk

www.issos.som info@issos.com tel: 03300 777 247

Mandy is enjoying her recent promotion to Head of Public Sector at commercial property consultants Ryden after just four years with the firm.

Although best known for selling and letting office and industrial property, Ryden has long involvement with public sector institutions, helping them to manage their portfolios and find new property and sites, as well as profitably disposing of old ones.

The diversity of work first attracted Mandy to surveying and she started her property career as a graduate surveyor, undertaking commercial agency in Aberdeen. Mandy moved to Glasgow in 2006 and worked in both the private and public sector before joining Ryden.

She particularly enjoys helping her clients, who face difficult budgetary situations, to get the best value out of their property portfolio, releasing funds that can be put back into their front-line services, crucial for many.

Ryden has a large base of clients in the public sector and works for nine of the 14 local authorities in Scotland.

Mandy’s role is diverse, from disposing of a 190,000 sq ft police headquarters building in Glasgow City Centre, to managing large investment portfolios.

Her expertise lies in public sector asset management and consultancy.

Examples include providing assistance to local authorities in outsourcing their property management functions and helping them to deliver a coordinated asset management service. e: mandy.watson@ryden.co.uk dd: 0141 270 3159

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MSS GLOBAL

Are you ready for changes to ISO 9001?

ISO 9001, an international ‘quality management system’ standard has been around for a good number of years and is often used as a minimum benchmark for any tendering process – particularly as you grow or support larger clients or public services. It aims to give client’s assurance that a supplier knows what they are doing, can identify what the client wants, and has the checks and balances in place to ensure credible delivery. In sum, it’s about ‘quality’ – and demonstrating you do what you say you do.

individual business. There is far more freedom, but with that comes greater need for intellectual rigour and thought; it encourages greater ownership; it seeks to help top management lead their company.

Late 2015 will see the version. It takes the old 2008 ‘process’ approach and makes it far more relevant to enterprises – big or small by encouraging you to recognise the risks and opportunities presented to and within your company. It forces the top management team to take, something that shouldn’t just be abrogated to a Management Representative. It is about helping you ensure quality resonates throughout your organisation and is truly relevant to your

Ok, so what do you need to do to ensure your company is prepared?

Simple – invest knowledge in your team – and have a plan. The final draft version of 9001 has now been released. MSS Global can assist you in education and helping you move forward to the transition of the 2015 version.

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If you’re already certified to 2008 version of ISO 9001, then you have until 2018 to transition. Those organisations on the front foot will be seeking to use early transition as a marketing advantage.

Ok, so what do you need to do to ensure your company is prepared? Simple – invest knowledge in your team – and have a plan.

The final draft version of 9001 has now been released. MSS Global can assist you in education and helping you move forward to the transition of the 2015 version.

By Scott Dumper, Scottish Account Manager MSS Global Ltd www.mssglobal.com

Promoting Diversity in the Workplace Diversity, or variety, is the spice of life but it also is an excellent platform for a strong and successful business. Having advised on leadership appointments for over 28 years, Saxton Bampfylde is committed to doing all we can to promote equal opportunities in senior appointments and boards across the UK. In our experience, companies with a more diverse culture are more creative, benefit from increased productivity and are better at attracting and retaining talent. Promoting diversity on boards and throughout businesses helps companies become more effective in achieving long-term success. We actively believe that one size does not fit all and our approach is to search widely and creatively, and to think beyond the most obvious candidates.

We have carried out extensive research on women in business, producing ‘Glass Ceilings or Mirrors?’ – a report which explores the opportunities and obstacles faced by aspiring businesswomen. Interestingly, our research has found that of those surveyed, respondents did not acknowledge the

glass ceiling phenomenon as a barrier. Instead, factors such as family backgrounds, education, and their chosen sector of employment, have a bigger influence on their careers and long-term success. We are proud that the percentage of women, individuals from a black, minority ethnic (BME) background, and people with disabilities that we have put forward for roles has continued to increase. In recent years, 40 per cent of our non-executive appointment successes have been in placing women, BME or disabled candidates.

Through our work, we advise some of the world’s most influential organisations, from FTSE 100 companies and multinationals to NFP, government and academia, through to arts institutions and healthcare. We have recently signed up to the National Equality Standard which was developed with the Confederation of British Industry, and Equalities and Human Rights Commission.

Having operated in Scotland for over 20 years and with the opening of our new office in Edinburgh taking place last year, we are proud to be promoting diversity in the workplace.

It’s how you fill the spaces that’s important

Virtuosi in Executive Search Saxton Bampfylde, 46 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7HF | +44(0)131 603 5700 | www.saxbam.com

Conferences & Events at QMU Looking for the perfect venue for your next meeting or event?

Look no further than QMU’s meeting and conference facilities.

Whether you’re organising a professional conference, seminar or workshop or are holding a social group gathering or a celebratory event, we can offer a comfortable, attractive space with a package to suit your needs.

n in-house technical support; n bespoke catering packages for up to 300 clients; n dedicated events team and n an impressive collection of green credentials and awards.

QMU can offer: n lecture theatres that can accommodate up to 250 people;

To discuss your requirements in full detail or to arrange a site visit, please call 0131 474 0000 and ask for events or email events@qmu.ac.uk

n smaller meeting and event spaces;

Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh EH21 6UU

n high-tech facilities – AV, plasmas screens, interactive smartboards, electronic voting system;

www.qmu.ac.uk

PAGE HEADER

Business Gateway Something is Changing‌ Business Gateway services in Ayrshire are going to be bigger and better from this October.

Business Gateway will have offices in South, North and East Ayrshire and will join together with the local Councils to increase the available resources and expertise to help your business achieve its aims and ambitions.

This new approach means a team of Growth and Start Up Advisers will come together to form solid working relationships with businesses that have high growth potential and entrepreneurs taking their first step towards starting a new business.

This new enhanced approach to business support in Ayrshire will provide a comprehensive package of mentoring, advice and financial support, ensuring that businesses and entrepreneurs get the best support possible and the changes to Business Gateway will take that support to the next level.

Once your business is off the ground, we will also help with employment, ensuring that people gain the skills, knowledge and experience required to take full advantage of any job opportunities.

This new approach means your business or start-up will be able to access a wider range of practical information and assistance and you can also attend workshops, events and engage with other businesses across Ayrshire.

We’re serious about business success in Ayrshire and we want to maximise your opportunities to grow and prosper. We already have an outstanding reputation for innovation, especially in the areas of aerospace and engineering. Ayrshire is a prime business location, with excellent transport links and the skills, knowledge and expertise to help your business achieve its full potential.

Let us be the gateway to your dreams.

0845 609 6611 www.bgateway.com

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Why Scotland is more popular than ever Neil Francis, Director of International Trade and Investment Operations at Scottish Development International, welcomes the news that 2014/2015 was a record year for inward investment in Scotland, and reflects on the reasons why Scotland is more popular than ever.

We’re ready for you So here’s the heart of the matter, as a small country our future economic prosperity is inextricably linked to our international competitiveness. Attracting new multinational enterprises to Scotland and supporting those already here to grow is a critical component of this because amongst other things they strengthen our industrial clusters, deliver higher productivity and export much of their products and services.

And in Scotland we are good at it – in 2014 Scotland generated a record number of foreign investments.

Who invested here?

n Ceridian: This payroll software and

services company already set up a flagship office in Scotland in 2011. After experiencing sharp growth, the company decided to create a new Technology Centre of Excellence here in April of last year.

n Capita: This London-based business

services was already one of Scotland’s largest private sector employers, employing around 5,000 Scots across 18 different Scottish locations. In July 2014 the company decided to invest an additional £11 million into its customer management centre and its IT services division.

n Concentrix: Hailing from the USA,

Concentrix is a business services company that in September 2014 chose Glasgow as a base to set up a 22,000 square foot global delivery centre. The company received a £2.1 million grant to help them set up in Scotland.

Between April 2014 and March 2015, the teams of experienced staff here at Scottish Development International helped 91 international companies to invest in Scotland –a sizable increase of nearly 17% on the previous year.

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These figures demonstrate that Scotland isn’t just renowned for its stunning landscapes and generations of heritage; we’re increasingly recognised for having one of the most vibrant and supportive business environments in the world.

Over 2,000 international companies already call Scotland home – and these figures are a sign this number will keep increasing.

What a year 2014 was an exceptional year for Scotland – and not just because of our record inward investments.

As thousands of visitors from across the world descended on Scotland for the Commonwealth Games in July, followed by the Ryder Cup in September, we proved that we can put on successful, large-scale, international events – and win a few trophies while we’re at it.

And it seems that these events may have paid off in business terms –when you include the rest of the UK, last year over a third of investments came from Commonwealth nations, and our golf-club toting buddies in the USA remained our second largest inward investor, contributing nearly 30% of investment.

In 2014 Scotland was also named as the most attractive place in the UK to invest outside of London by the EY Attractiveness Survey.

Why Scotland?

We know what companies look for when investing overseas. Above all they need an environment that supports the drivers of growth – innovation, talent and skills, and investment. In Scotland through specific sector approaches we connect these in a way no other country can.

“Our association with Scotland has been a long and successful one” – Doug Sawers, Managing Director, Ceridian UK and Ireland

Of the 91 companies that invested here last year, 20 of them created R&D jobs.

Scotland is the perfect home for R&D: our 19 higher education institutions have all been recognised as producing world-leading research. In fact, more research is conducted in Scotland than any other country, relative to wealth per head of population.

The Forth Bridge has been named Scotland’s sixth world heritage site. The bridge joins global icons such as the Egyptian pyramids and the Great Wall of China. Scotland offers great connections.

And did you know that Scotland has the highest educational attainment of any part of the UK? Companies here have access to a highly educated, skilled workforce with a strong work ethic. In fact, the impressive ratio of graduates per capita outshines most countries of comparable size in Europe.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Christopher Combe Photography

Easy access to key markets Companies that invest here don’t just benefit from one of the lowest tax rates in Europe and a range of public and private sector support – they also benefit from Scotland’s great connections.

Scotland is located on the doorstep of Europe, is well-connected to London, and the USA is just a short flight away. It’s this easy access to important markets that makes Scotland the ideal location to do business.

And that’s just the start. Throw in excellent, stable infrastructure and an enviable quality of life, and you begin to understand why so many foreign companies made the decision to invest in Scotland last year.

Neil Francis, international trade and investment operations director, Scottish Development International Neil has had a long career spanning various senior positions within the public sector in Scotland. His role as Scotland’s director of international trade and investment sees him building on Scotland’s strong track record in attracting foreign direct investment.

Neil believes that Scotland’s talent, research excellence, natural and built assets, and cost effectiveness, are all qualities that help to attract investment to Scotland.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - CHOOSE LANARKSHIRE

Lanarkshire is open for business A new joint inward investment and business regeneration strategy has been launched by North and South Lanarkshire Councils.

Chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s Enterprise Services Committee, Councillor Chris Thompson said, “Our new strategy will focus on encouraging more companies to set up business in Lanarkshire.

“We are targeting sectors which are clear growth hubs as a result of our excellent location, transport infrastructure and pool of skilled labour. To assist the strategy, we have launched www.chooselanarkshire.com.”

A growing hub for industry Lanarkshire’s central location has already led to the region becoming a hub for a wide range of distinct sectors. Major construction businesses, including Morgan Sindall and Laing O’Rourke, have already chosen Lanarkshire as their business hub.

Life science companies have also recognised the unique benefits Lanarkshire can bring their enterprises from first-class transport links to high speed broadband access allowing for world wide data exchange.

Lanarkshire is also part of the second largest life sciences cluster in the UK, boasting bespoke facilities such as BioCity with MediCity soon to come onstream. The area is a focus for the commercialisation and innovation of healthcare and wellness in Scotland.

Other sector hubs established in Lanarkshire include logistics and food and drink manufacturing. Mark Jephcott, PR manager of AG Barr, the UK’s leading independent manufacturer of branded

Councillors Chris Thompson and David Fagan at the launch of Choose Lanarkshire at the Lanarkshire Business Conference

soft drinks, including IRN-BRU said, “One of the reasons we came to Lanarkshire was the availability of competitively priced plots of land of a sufficient size for our existing operations but with the capacity to accommodate the new buildings and infrastructure that we have added over the years as our business has grown.”

A supportive business environment Building on Lanarkshire’s strategic location, North and South Lanarkshire Councils work closely with businesses to provide a supportive environment for growth.

Astrid McKirdy, Financial Controller of Dalkeith Transport, one of the UK’s leading providers of palletised freight and based in Lanarkshire said, “We have a great relationship with North Lanarkshire Council.

They helped us to find suitable apprentices for our business expansion”.

Equally enthusiastic of the business support received was Scott McInnes, Regional Director of Intertek, leading provider of technical inspection services for the global energy market. He said, “South Lanarkshire Council have continuously provided us with support over the last 8 years. Their professional guidance and energetic approach and enthusiasm to assist with our growth have been excellent.”

Working in partnership The councils’ enthusiastic approach towards new inward investment and business regeneration relies heavily on forging successful partnerships with both private and public sector bodies.

Astrid McKirdy, Dalkeith Transport

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North and South Lanarkshire Councils have also launched the new edition of the Lanarkshire Business Guide, which showcases what Lanarkshire has to offer businesses as a place to invest, work and live. It is available to view online or download at www.chooselanarkshire.com.

Key stakeholders such as Scottish Enterprise, Job Centre Plus, Skills

Development Scotland along with educational institutions like New College Lanarkshire are working with the councils to ensure the area has the necessary skills to meet changing industry requirements.

North Lanarkshire Council’s Convenor for Regeneration, Councillor David Fagan cited the film studio that had been set up in Cumbernauld to film the TV series Outlanders, which has attracted a £20million investment from Sony. “That’s a huge opportunity and we would like to encourage them and the local colleges to work together to develop more skills around say film production, acting, design and other similar qualifications”, he said.

With so many new and exciting developments taking place in Lanarkshire, it is hoped www.chooselanarkshire.com will be the one-stop shop to help businesses decide to locate or expand in Lanarkshire.

Highlights of the website include a monthly calendar of local business events, business news, tailored property search advice, key facts about Lanarkshire and testimonials from successful companies located here.

For more information on what Lanarkshire has to offer, go to www.chooselanarkshire.com

Why Lanarkshire?

Situated in the heart of Scotland, Lanarkshire has plenty to offer as a place for business.

In Lanarkshire, you’ve got the perfect combination of strategically-minded council partners, a highly motivated and qualified workforce and flexible commercial property space in the most logistically advantageous location in the country.

Come see why businesses are spreading their wings in Lanarkshire.

Visit chooselanarkshire.com

@BizLanarkshire Choose Lanarkshire is a joint inward investment initiative between North Lanarkshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council

www.chooselanarkshire.com

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - MIDLOTHIAN COUNCIL

Inward Investment in Midlothian and Scottish Borders along the Borders Railway

The new Borders Railway line, which will run from Edinburgh Waverley to Tweedbank in the Scottish Borders, opens on September 6th and will be the longest new domestic railway line to be opened in the United Kingdom for over 100 years.

Within Midlothian and the Scottish Borders, seven new stations have been built at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels, and Tweedbank.

The route will greatly improve connectivity between the heart of the Scottish Borders, Midlothian, and Scotland’s capital city as well as destinations on the rest of the national rail network, presenting businesses with a great opportunity to re-locate to the area.

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Moreover, the railway corridor has been included in the European Commission’s “Assisted Area Map 2014 – 2020”. This status means that businesses can be offered Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) under the EU state aid rules for Tier 2 business development and growth. Support for eligible business development projects is available at the following grant aid levels:

Large enterprises Up to 10%

Medium sized enterprises Up to 20%

Small enterprises Up to 30%

For further information on RSA eligibility please see: http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/ services/attract-investment/regionalselective-assistance/whats-involved Councillor Jim Bryant, Communities and Economy Portfolio Holder for Midlothian Council, said: “Midlothian is an excellent place to base your business. It has taken advantage of our proud industrial past to move into a high technology present and future through the creation of a number of high-quality, affordable business locations in green, semi-rural surroundings which are good for businesses and their employees.

Midlothian is an affordable and attractive place to live, with good schools, leisure and community infrastructure.”

Councillor Stuart Bell, Executive Member for Economic Development, Scottish Borders Council, said: “The Scottish Borders is an inspiring place to invest, live, work, learn

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL

and visit. The Scottish Borders offers a cost competitive location and an excellent quality of life. From traditional industries to progressive, modern businesses, the spirit of enterprise, creativity and innovation is strong across the area. From bustling towns to picturesque villages, excellent schools, outdoor activities and sports, all set amidst breath-taking countryside, it is hard to find a better place to live and work.�

International to attract new investment along the route of the railway. There are two strands of work involved in this effort:

Response will assist businesses and public sector agencies re-locating to the area to make the most of their move.

For further information on Borders Rail opportunities please contact:

Midlothian and Scottish Borders Councils are working in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council as well as Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development

An inward investment prospectus will be published in August. It will promote sitespecific development opportunities for the housing, commercial and leisure sectors, and describe the incentives available to inward investors. The prospectus will have its own website.

A Borders Railway Investment Fund that will assist businesses with growth potential in developing and implementing projects.

A Borders Railway Inward Investment

Scottish Borders:

Midlothian:

Email: econ-dev@midlothian.gov.uk Tel: 0131 271 3435 www.midlothian.gov.uk/invest-in-midlothian Email: business@scotborders.gov.uk Tel: 01835 825600 www.scotborders.gov.uk

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - MAXIM PARK

Digital Health & Care Institute moves to Maxim

Maxim Office Park has welcomed the Digital Health and Care Institute (DHI) as a new tenant. DHI has taken 5,000 sq ft within Maxim 3, moving its operations to the Park from its previous base in Edinburgh.

Established by NHS24, the University of Edinburgh and the Glasgow School of Art, the DHI encourages innovation and collaboration in digital health to better prepare Scotland’s health services for the challenges of an ageing population. With the support of major funding from the Scottish Government, it explores new technological opportunities to promote better health and deliver a higher level of care.

With a focus on Scotland as a whole, the DHI was attracted by Maxim’s strategic location between Glasgow and Edinburgh, in the heart of the country and on the edge of the M8, with easy access to international airports. The close proximity to the motorway also provides excellent links to hospitals and academic institutions across the country.

Justene Ewing, CEO of the DHI, said: “In order to expand the DHI and promote the convergence of the technological and digital

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arena with healthcare in Scotland, we were seeking a flexible and modern property that boasted a great location as well as high quality office space and the opportunity for future growth. Maxim Office Park ticks all of these boxes for us and I am confident we have made a great choice in where to base our key activity hub.”

Craig Ritchie from Maxim Office Park said: “We have a wide variety of businesses based at the Park, from insurance brokers and boiler manufacturers to a biotechnology firm and a large scale public sector operation.

It is testament to our excellent location and exceptionally flexible buildings that such a huge range of different companies choose to base themselves at Maxim.

“The space that we offer ranges from 2,000 sq ft small suites right up to an entire 187,200 sq ft building, so there really is an option to suit all needs.”

BECOME A DHI MEMBER Membership is open to anyone who would like to initiate or collaborate with us on a project. There are no costs associated with becoming a member. The members’ only community area of our website includes operational details about how we deliver projects, our funding models and information and sign-up for our events and seminars, where you can network with other likeminded members and contribute to discussions which will shape the future of Scotland’s digital health landscape. There is also a knowledge portal where you can gain insight from our online hub of information, including videos, articles and webinars featuring presentations from past events.

Visit www.dhi-scotland.com to join.

East Renfrewshire is Take a closer look at all the opportunities for investment in East Renfrewshire...

Situated 20 minutes south of Glasgow city centre, East Renfrewshire is one of Scotland’s most desirable places to live, work and visit. Connected to the M77 and home to both rural and urban locations, East Renfrewshire is a great place to do business.

Through the Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal, East Renfrewshire Council is investing more than £44m in new business and leisure infrastructure, new homes and improved transportation links with Glasgow and beyond.

Our plans will make East Renfrewshire the perfect location for every size of business, from start-ups to existing businesses wishing to grow and relocate.

We are building on our reputation for outdoor sports with our new destination water sports park and visitor centre at Dams to Darnley Country Park, complimenting the great days out already on offer at Whitelee Windfarm and Rouken Glen Park.

And our work to create a business hub in Newton Mearns and commercial units in Barrhead will support small businesses to grow and get enterprising new ideas off the ground.

With a booming housing market, access to Scotland’s top performing schools and a wide variety of flexible business locations, East Renfrewshire is a perfect location for investment and growing your business.

To find out more about the opportunities to invest in East Renfrewshire please get in touch at business@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk or 0141 577 3773.

Look out for our new website coming soon: www.investeastrenfrewshire.com

Inverness Aberdeen

Dundee Glasgow

Stirling Edinburgh

East Renfrewshire

20 minutes from Glasgow city centre

Access to the most highly qualified local labour market in Scotland

Connected to Scotland’s motorway network and close to two international airports

Home to three out of fi

is open for business Great transport links The M77 links East Renfrewshire with Glasgow and Ayrshire, two international airports and beyond. Through a multi-million pound investment in our transport infrastructure, we are improving links to Junction 5 on the M77, improving travel time into Barrhead and opening up a variety of new business locations.

A new rail station and road improvements in Barrhead will link new residential developments with communities across East Renfrewshire and provide first-class commuter links to Glasgow City Centre.

Retail and office space - Barrhead town centre Asda and the Barrhead Foundry are well established in the centre of Barrhead with a variety of retail, cultural and leisure facilities attracting increased footfall to a reinvigorated town centre.

Our Cross Arthurlie Street site lies in the heart of the town and can be used for a variety of mixed-use options such as ground floor retail and residential flats.

Travel time from Glasgow: 20 minutes Suitable for: Residential, retail, office space and small businesses Ready for business: Now

New homes - Barrhead South With Dams to Darnley Country Park on its doorstep and a new railway station and improved road access coming soon, Barrhead South is one of East Ren’s prime residential sites available for development. Our masterplan sets out our vision for Barrhead South and has provision for more than 1,000 houses and green space, directly linking new homes to the country park by path and cycle way.

Travel time from Glasgow: 15–20 minutes Suitable for: Housing developers Ready for business: 2015

Major development opportunity and business units – Glasgow Road The transformation along Barrhead’s Glasgow Road has brought vacant land back into use to create first-class flexible business locations, greenspace and cycle paths. At Levern Works we are creating modern and flexible business units, within minutes of Barrhead town centre and easily accessible from the M77. The neighbouring 17-acre former Nestlé site has been fully remediated and is ready now for private development.

Travel time to Glasgow/Glasgow Airport: 20 minutes Suitable for: Neighbourhood retail, café/restaurant, hotel & leisure, light industry, business or commerce Former Nestlé site ready for business: Now Available space: 17.3 acres Business units ready for business: 2016 Available units: 10

Tourism and leisure - Dams to Darnley Country Park A new visitors centre, boardwalk and water sports park are set to transform Dams to Darnley into a must-visit leisure and recreation destination for the 1.8 million day visitors within an hour’s drive time of the park. A new Wake Park Centre is scheduled to open in 2017, offering wake boarding – the fastest growing extreme sports in the world – making East Renfrewshire one of only a few wake board destinations in the country.

There are commercial opportunities available to develop a farm shop, café/restaurant, overnight accommodation within the country park, and the potential to develop additional leisure offers such as open water swimming, triathlon events and canoeing.

Travel time to Glasgow: 15 minutes Suitable for: Retail, hospitality & leisure, and outdoor Ready for business: 2017

Start-up and micro businesses – Newton Mearns A new business incubation hub will be developed at Greenlaw, Newton Mearns, and will offer supported, modern business space for start-up and micro businesses. The state-of-the-art hub will offer hot desks, permanent or temporary space in a desirable location, with great transport links close to M77 Junction 4.

The fully-flexible incubation units will provide access to specialist business support and reasonably priced accommodation options for businesses currently run from home.

Travel time from Glasgow: 15 minutes Suitable for: Start-up and micro businesses Ready for business: 2017

An accessible workforce of 61,000

The highest weekly average earnings in Scotland

ive of Scotland’s top performing schools

One of Scotland’s strongest housing markets

CONNECT TELECOM

Bringing it all together in a fast-moving world Do you have one company providing your business landline, another looking after your mobile phones and a third running your IT? To improve business efficiency, combined communications are essential. Award winning Connect Telecom provides combined communications through Vodafone’s One Net Business solution to companies across the UK and Ireland. Experts in solution delivery, Connect is a Vodafone Platinum Parter and 2015 One Net Business solution Partner of the Year, awarded from over 450 partners.

Connect Telecom was founded in 2007 when the directors identified an opportunity within the telecoms market, based around a personal, face-to-face approach to managing customer accounts. Now delivering total unified communications through Vodafone’s One Net Business solution.

Connect was founded by Director Robin Brown after working in banking and telecoms, and Director Matthew Brown joined soon after with experience in banking, telecoms and marketing.

The company, with offices in Belshill and East Kilbride, has grown rapidly since 2007 and now operates across Scotland, North England, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

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Director Matthew Brown said: “We offer a complete range of telecoms solutions across mobiles and landlines as well as tracking and data services.

“Connect Telecom is also one of only three Vodafone UK Solutions Pioneers and the thing that appeals to many companies is the way we bring all their communications together.

That is proving itself particularly attractive to Scottish companies as we grow across the country, especially after being accredited One Net Business Solutions Partner of the Year.

“There are many businesses who have one company providing their landline, another looking after mobile phones and a third running their IT, which is confusing.

“That used to be the way it was done but things are changing and it makes more sense to unify everything, which is the field in which we have become leaders.

“Communications are such a fast-moving field and companies need to employ businesses like ours who know what they are doing and are experienced in delivery for hundreds of customers. Our team can take away all the worry by unifying their systems for them through Vodafone’s solutions.”

Connect’s progression through the Vodafone Partner Channel has been one of the quickest, starting as a Gold Partner in 2012, winning Gold Partner of the Year 2014 and moving onto the highest partner status of Platinum Partner in 2015.

Vodafone UK head of partner services Rob Mukherjee said; “Both we and our partners are focused on supporting UK businesses to make best use of technology; technology which enables UK plc to work more efficiently, deliver great customer service to their own customers and compete in today’s fast-paced market.”

Connect Telecom is fully trained to deliver the full portfolio of Vodafone solutions, offering personalised and localised services and support in your area. Our customers rely on our local knowledge and communications expertise to help grow their businesses.

Help your business grow by contacting Connect Telecom on 01416 117364 or visit www.connect-tele.co.uk to find out more.

Fire Risk Assessment Fire Safety Training Fire Safety Management

ACT Fire Consultancy ACT Fire Consultancy manage and advise on all aspects of Fire Safety in the workplace to ensure all obligations are met and your business, clients and staff are safe. This incorporates all services and support with one point of contact, harmonising the complete Fire Safety approach to compliment the operation and success of your business.

ACT NOW PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS Tel: 0141 3742179 enquiries@actfireconsultancy.com

www.actfireconsultancy.com

The Importance of Fire Safety to your business of cannot be underestimated.

There are statutory obligations in place that mean as a business you are required to ensure a Fire Risk Assessment is carried out and staff are adequately trained. When professionally and constructively delivered at your place of work by ACT Fire Consultancy, the benefits go far beyond compliance with the Law. The Importance of Fire Safety not only to the Integrity of your business and place of work but to the lives of staff, visitors and members of the public is clear. Investing in a professional Fire Risk Assessment and combining with training and Fire Safety Management provided by ACT means you can harmonise your approach to Fire Safety for a value Fire Safety Management solution helping your business to flourish in a safe environment.

Contact us for a FREE Fire Safety Consultation on 0141 3742179 or enquiries@atcfireconsultancy.com

Yorkhill Ball 2015 13th November 2015 | Hilton Hotel Glasgow Be a part of this glamorous evening and help us to ensure that the 160,000 babies, children and young people treated at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow receive the best care and experience possible.

Guests will enjoy a sparkling welcome drinks reception, 4 course meal, star auction and first class entertainment.

A table of 10 is £1,100 with smaller group and individual tickets available.

To book your table please contact William McGowan on 0141 212 8750 or email william.mcgowan@yorkhill.org

www.yorkhill.org

Yorkhill Children’s Charity

@YorkhillCharity

Registered in Scotland as a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee.

Company No 222439. Scottish Charity Number SC007856.

Registered Office – Yorkhill Children’s Charity, 2nd Floor, PSP House, 50 High Craighall Road, Glasgow G4 9UD

Business Scotland

71

BUSINESS MENTORING

How mentoring can work for you Scottish Chambers of Commerce in partnership with the British Bankers’ Association (BBA), provide a mentoring service to growing businesses in Scotland, where business leaders are mentored by experienced and skilled professionals from the banking industry.

There was an initial check-up from the mentoring team which was good since in some circumstances people might not match, but then they let us get on with it.”

Did you have any concerns before going into mentoring?

“My main concern was, “Is the person I’m matched with going to understand my sector?”. I also wondered if I would really get value from it, as it was a time commitment not just from the mentor but also from me.

I`m glad to say my experience with John was the complete opposite.”

So what did you and John discuss?

Callum Murray

In January 2015, Callum Murray - director at Murray and Duncan mediators, began being mentored by John Muncey – Head of Mentor Services at RBS. Murray and Duncan provide a commercial mediation service and although the business’ roots are in resolving disputes within the construction sector, they are currently building an online dispute resolution platform to handle civil and commercial, workplace and employment settlements, across all industry sectors.

Callum explains how mentoring worked for him and John, and the benefit to his business of gaining access to a skilled and experienced mentor:

John Muncey

Why did you decide to become mentored?

Has mentoring impacted upon your business?

“It was through word of mouth really, my Business Gateway growth advisor recommended I get in touch with the Scottish Chamber mentoring service so I gave them a call.”

“John helped me work on our pitch to the Scottish Edge Fund - what they might be looking for, what I should elaborate on. We ended up winning a £10,000 grant through the Young Edge to help develop the business.”

How did the mentoring process work for you?

What was the single most valuable aspect of mentoring?

“Mentoring was really straightforward.

John and I met every five or six weeks and it was a structured process where we knew in advance what was going to be discussed.

I thought the programme was run well, it wasn’t as if I was just matched with anyone.

“The key to the whole experience was the range of contacts John put me in touch with. If he knew of someone else who was more experienced in a certain field, he opened those doors. I met with senior decision makers with 30 years of experience who gave me their insight on topics like pricing structure, revenue generation and feedback on prototype design. I couldn’t have got that quality of advice without John’s recommendation.”

The key to the whole experience was the range of contacts John put me in touch with. If he knew of someone else who was more experienced in a certain field, he opened those doors.

Business Scotland

72

“We focused on long term strategic plans and a lot of work was on decision making.

John also shared great examples of best practice from his time in the banking industry, giving us ideas on how to develop sales channels and scale up. He also worked with us on pitches to secure investment.”

Would you recommend mentoring to other businesses?

“I already have! I can’t actually believe the service costs you nothing. No amount of consultancy fees could get you the same quality of advice.”

BUSINESS MENTORING

Ben Jones heads up the Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders franchise of Furniture Medic – specialists in re-upholstering furniture for commercial clients. Ben started the business ten years ago after deciding to retrain as a furniture maker and restorer, following a successful career in marketing with one of the UK’s leading breweries.

In the Autumn of 2014 Ben joined the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and British Bankers’ Association (BBA) Business Mentoring Programme. After assessing what Ben wanted to achieve for himself and the business through being mentored, and the skills, abilities, experience and personalities

of the available mentors, Jill Connell of the Scottish Chambers’ mentoring team matched Ben with Andrew Clark Hutchison (above right).

Andrew’s current role is as a Relationship Director with Lloyds, and over the past 25 years he has worked throughout the UK in

leverage finance, corporate banking and business development. Andrew is also an experienced mentor, having recently volunteered to mentor a range of firms across the country from start-up firms to social enterprises and SMEs.

Ben and Andrew were asked to explain how mentoring has worked for them and what they have achieved so far during the process....

What were your objectives going into mentoring?

Ben: “To get access to the bar & restaurant owners in Edinburgh was my immediate priority – that was our target market and my focus, and I found that difficult by myself. I`m always looking for ways to get more contacts and customers in Edinburgh and I felt a mentor could assist with this. I also wanted the business to be less reliant on me personally – more sustainable.”

Andrew: “I was keen to meet new people and interact with new businesses. I deal with large corporations in my work with the bank, normally those with turnover in excess of £100m. I was looking forward to meeting with smaller firms with different challenges. I was also hoping to give something back to the East coast business community.”

What business issues have you worked on during mentoring?

Ben: “Andrew’s day to day role has a lot to do with sales & interacting with clients so we’ve worked on sales techniques. My thinking has also become more focused on who I should be targeting.”

Andrew: “We worked on four distinct topics: Ben’s relationship management of fellow franchise owners, the development of the business in specific sectors, management of staff – particularly managing work-loads and staff during quieter periods, and setting milestones and longer term ambitions for Ben and the business to work back from.”

Ben Jones

Andrew Clark Hutchison

Have you achieved your goals through mentoring?

Would you recommend mentoring to other mentors/mentees?

Ben: “Absolutely, Andrew has put me in touch with some excellent contacts in the Edinburgh hospitality industry and he has given me some insight into how to continue to break into markets. I think the support I have had from Andrew has benefited me in quite subtle ways, it has started to open doors and get things going.”

Ben: “Oh I would definitely. It is important to know what you want out of it before you go in though. You have to have objectives that you want to achieve. It’s great to have that independent person working with you, when you’re running a business on your own you need that sounding board.”

Andrew: “I now have a much better understanding and more sympathy for the complex and difficult challenges that SMEs face. Ben is a CE, HR director and business development manager all rolled into one. When I have to deal with a personnel issue I just call our HR dept. but Ben needs to deal with all of that himself.”

Andrew: “I would because I’ve found mentoring challenging and it’s broadened my horizons. In your work you are trying to influence people and this can involve instructing your team to do something.

Mentoring is different. Mentoring is about offering assistance and guiding people towards the right direction.”

continued page 74

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BUSINESS MENTORING from page 73

Diamond Event Services has been trading since 2003, and has evolved into arguably Scotland’s leading event services supplier, regularly winning Best Event Services Supplier at the Scottish Event Awards and Best Crewing Company, most recently in 2014. Over recent years Diamond has supplied events staff to some of the most prestigious worldwide events, including the Commonwealth Games – Glasgow 2014, T in the Park, the Six Nations Championship and the Edinburgh Fringe.

In April 2013, owner and founder John Diamond approached Scottish Chambers of Commerce to join Business Mentoring Scotland – a publically funded programme that matches Scotland’s growing businesses with the nation’s most talented and experienced business leaders.

John felt he needed support to manage

the growth of his business, and Nick Davis voluntarily provided guidance to John over a 12 month period, sharing the knowledge, expertise, experience and contacts he has accrued over his impressive 30 year long career in international hospitality. Nick has managed luxury resorts and hotels in London, the Caribbean and South East

Asia, held positions in local government contributing to tourism development strategies, and more recently participated in merger and acquisition activities.

John and Nick detail their experience of mentoring below: Why did you decide to be mentored, John?

“Mentoring was of interest to me because I started my career as a lighting technician and I began our business when the industry was basically non-existent.

My business and the industry had grown around me and I felt I needed some help & guidance to manage its growth.”

Did you have any pre-conceptions about mentoring?

“My reservations were, “no-one understands my business, no-one else runs an event crew business like mine” but I soon learned that it was my personal development that a mentor could support, not just the business.”

How did mentoring work between you and Nick?

“Sometimes our meetings went on forever! But seriously, Nick would bring loads of ideas to the table and make me think outside of my comfort zone. He threw so much at me and so quickly I had to work hard to keep up, but that’s exactly what I was looking for in a mentor.”

What business issues did you discuss?

“For me, the challenge was that I was an excellent crew chief but I had to become a better manager and business leader.

We had a great brand as a business but I felt like I’d built the business up as far as I could with my experience and skills.

Nick re-assured me that my decisions surrounding the business were the right ones. He encouraged me to look at other markets and gave me ideas on international expansion.”

Has mentoring benefited the business?

“Nick’s background is from a very

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74

John Diamond

similar industry to mine - catering and hospitality, and he has massive amounts of international experience and connections everywhere. Leading up to the Ryder Cup we met with a major catering corporation and Nick came along with us. Having Nick there was like a personal recommendation and someone of his stature added credibility to us as a business. We secured that contract and we’ve also recently done work in Sochi for the Winter Olympics and Baku for the European Games.”

Would you recommend mentoring to other businesses?

“Definitely, I would recommend mentoring to other businesses. Even now Nick and I discuss different ideas and he still puts me in touch with his contacts. Mentoring can help business leaders that have more to offer but don’t know how to do it. For business owners to maximise their potential it’s essential they have

Nick Davis

confidence in themselves and a mentor can help them with that.”

And how did you find the experience of mentoring John, Nick?

“I enjoyed working with John and his team in a fast and changing business environment. His strength and ability to provide all his clients with a professionally trained workforce was a direct result of his strong desire for high standards, having helped to set up the Scottish Events and Festivals Association four years ago.

“John was always prepared to listen to any proposals, evaluate the opportunity and where necessary provide solutions for his clients. His business model will probably change in the future as the events sector widens its appeal and the need for bespoke training becomes a legal requirement. However, I will be delighted to continue to assist John on an informal basis as and when requested.”

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NEWS

A different look at employing people with sight loss Civil engineer, university lecturer, school teacher, administrator... these are just some of the jobs that people who are blind and partially sighted are currently doing in Scotland.

In a report published in July, sight loss charity RNIB Scotland has given voice to nine workers who have varying degrees of visual impairment yet are sustaining challenging careers. As Chris Turton, one of those profiled in ‘This Is Working 3’, remarks: “It’s a problem with my sight, not my ability or capability.”

Allan Milne

distracted by what’s going on elsewhere.

And I find my colleagues can be grateful when you ask for something to be clarified. I have an excuse to ask for more information, or have some item explained further, when sometimes others might not want to speak out.”

There are an estimated 8,500 people of working-age in Scotland who are blind or partially sighted. RNIB Scotland’s employment team can advise both employers and employees about the adjustments and assistance available to help people with sight loss retain their jobs or find new work.

People with a visual impairment aren’t necessarily completely blind and most don’t have guide dogs. In many cases, points out the report, an employer might only need to make relatively minor adjustments to the workplace environment. And where an employee might need additional aids or equipment - such as speech-reading software or a desktop magnifier - the financial costs can often be subsidised by government schemes such as Access to Work.

Dundee, has rod dystrophy, argues that employees with sight loss can bring a whole new perspective to how people and organisations work.

Allan Milne, who lectures in software engineering at Abertay University in

“If anything, I probably pay more attention than most people,” he says. “I’m not

So take a look at ‘This Is Working 3’ online - it may make you think again about employing people with sight loss. www.rnib.org.uk/scotland

You really should consider the IT industry Maggie Morrison

Director of Business Development, Public Sector at CGI Scotland Maggie Morrison is the Director of Business Development, Public Sector at CGI Scotland and a Director on the Board of Scottish Chambers of Commerce. Prior to joining CGI, she was Account General Manager for Hewlett Packard in Scotland and previously held senior leadership positions at home and abroad for Cisco, 3Com and Cabletron. At Cisco, Maggie founded four Cisco Networking Academies with not for profit organisations in Glasgow. Maggie is passionate about the digital divide, skills, and gender in the workplace. In this article, she reflects on her career.

Reflecting back on 32 years in the IT industry, I have had an amazing journey!

When I graduated in the eighties there was a severe recession and jobs were tough to find, even for graduates. My priority after university was to find a job, any job, just to get on the career ladder. My first job was in

telephone sales, a role which didn’t require a degree level qualification. Telephone sales is tough, you learn rejection early, but it is an excellent way to learn about any company and the sales process.

I left Glasgow, believing that I would find more opportunities in the South East of England, to work for a company called Macro Marketing, a distributor of electronic components based in Slough. My annual salary was £5,000 - not much money even back then! I may have ended up in the IT industry by accident but I could see that this was an industry with a future - an industry which would literally change the way we live, communicate, work, play and learn. That is equally true now – there are thousands of highly paid, unfilled vacancies across the industry and in Europe we are not producing people with the skill sets to fill them. Nor are we seeing enough girls entering the industry.

Governments, education and employers need to work together to address this.

Computing is never boring because the industry moves so fast. Failing to keep up means disaster for an IT company. Thirty percent of UK tech start ups come from Scotland so that is a great starting point.

But why does it not appeal to more young people and especially girls? IT roles often offer flexibility around location, working from home, working hours which can be fitted around other commitments important for a generation that seeks work life balance and that is likely to have multiple jobs throughout a career.

My career in IT has enabled me to fulfil multiple roles in sales, leadership and corporate staff roles. I have lived and worked in France, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and, most recently, California and North Carolina in the US. I have visited 47 countries in total and the majority of those have been related to various job roles although I do also love to travel for holidays!

I have been back in Scotland since 2008, bringing home all the skills I learned whilst living abroad and experiencing different cultures.

A well paid job enables you to do the things you love, to achieve your personal ambitions and to feel fulfilled. If you are looking for a career that provides variety, is well paid and one in which you will never be bored, you really should consider the IT industry.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Spaceport heralds new era in aerospace sector growth in Ayrshire The team behind the Prestwick Spaceport bid has set out its reasons why it should be the chosen location as the hub for the UK space programme at a special briefing session with Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce.

The UK Government confirmed in March 2015 that it was proceeding with the critical project to establish a strategic facility for space payload and satellite launch in the UK. This aims to remove the final bottleneck restricting the growth and evolution of the burgeoning UK space industry.

The possible sites announced in July 2014 were narrowed down to just six following a decision by the Ministry of Defence not to offer RAF Lossiemouth or Kinloss Barracks on the Moray coast. They cited pre-eminent ongoing national defence requirements. They also made it clear that RAF Leuchars would only be available on a temporary basis. Following this Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) who own and operate the key community airport at Stornoway on the Island of Lewis confirmed that they would not offer Stornoway into the programme. This leaves four sites in contention namely Newquay Airport, formerly RAF Mawgan in South West Cornwall, Llanbedr airfield on the Welsh Snowdonia coast, Machrihanish at Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula and Glasgow Prestwick Airport here in Ayrshire.

The spaceport project aims to fill a key capability gap in the UK space industry namely the ability to launch the new generation of small commercial satellites and run space research experiments. It also creates a location for the much vaunted Space Tourism sector that is emerging through companies such as Virgin Galactic and XCOR. In the longer term, a new era of hypersonic passenger and freight operations will develop, substantially cutting intercontinental journey times.

The Spaceport is expected to deliver benefits far beyond Prestwick with many of Ayrshire’s historic engineering capabilities potentially being involved. These include port infrastructure and MoD facilities as well as the multitude of second and third tier engineering capabilities in the region.

Stuart McIntyre, who leads the Prestwick bid, explained: “Beyond the obvious engineering and aerospace elements it

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is intended that the Prestwick Spaceport incudes a substantial Aviation and Space Visitor Attraction, building on Prestwick’s accessibility to Scotland’s four million central belt population and its easy road and rail links.

“The attraction will add a significant visitor draw to the area and will provide a national focus for STEM education and Space R&D and promoting science and aerospace through access to a full service attraction spanning aviation heritage to the future of space travel. Space tourism will be possible through sophisticated flight simulators even if you can’t afford the price for a real flight.

“It will give Scotland an entirely new export product as, in conjunction with the rest of the Scottish space industry, we will be able to

offer an integrated service to anyone wanting new data from a satellite platform and needing it designed, manufactured, launched and managed.”

Val Russell, Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, said: “There is massive potential for Ayrshire’s economy should Prestwick be chosen as the location for the UK Spaceport site.

“This event was about exploring the opportunities available to local businesses and Stuart provided the latest on how the bid is progressing.”

Val continued: “The benefits of winning this bid would be on scale never before seen in Ayrshire. This area has a strong history in aviation and the Spaceport would be the next chapter in its future.”

It will give Scotland an entirely new export product as, in conjunction with the rest of the Scottish space industry, we will be able to offer an integrated service to anyone wanting new data from a satellite platform and needing it designed, manufactured, launched and managed.

CHAMBER NEWS

Dundee Economic Summit: a Connected City A recent event in Dundee saw business leaders come together for a series of presentations to update them on the developments within the City, and to hear about connectivity and how that plays a huge role in a region’s economic prosperity.

Edinburgh Chambers inspiring Women in Business “What do you need in business right now”, we asked delegates of the first Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce ‘Inspiring Women in Business’ series lunch. “A supported and nurturing environment, free from the fear of judgement.”

Back in February 2014, we launched “Inspiring Women in Business” with an optimistic target of 20 attendees with Dale MacPhee, General Manager of the U.K.’s only Waldorf Astoria Hotel as our guest speaker. However, within two weeks we had sold the venue out of over 60 curious delegates and had not only caught the eye of our members but found a gap in the market.

What made this achievement even more astounding was that this was also the same month as our Annual Business Awards, the Chambers biggest event.

Attracting some of the U.K’s top businesswomen not only as speakers but as attendees has led to all of the 8 events selling out. The reason the events have been so successful can be credited to two factors.

The commitment of our members who look to support and nurture each other and the bravery and honesty of our speakers who have opened up about their own personal experiences. Often the speakers work in highly male dominated environments such as Lynne Embleton Director of Strategy and Managing Director Gatwick from British Airways and Ann Budge, CEO of Hearts Football Club.

At the end of last year, after Petra Wend

Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen Margaret University addressed “Imposter Syndrome”, where she identified that often women in power feel they will be found out for not being as good as someone else. It was evident that we needed to add in a more practical element. And so, “Inspiring Women in Business” workshops were born.

Bringing together a smaller number of women would allow delegates to still be inspired by the speaker but to really put forward their own personal challenges and seek advice from the combined experience in the room. When launched in April, it was the inaugural ‘Inspiring Women in Business’ workshop with Liz McAreavey, Commercial and Marketing Director of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and previous “Scottish Businesswoman of the Year” was regarded as one of the most inspiring, useful, uplifting and relevant events that have ever been hosted by Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce is proud to support women in business and for summer 2015 are planning their next event with Eileen Russell, Head of Engineering at ScotRail and Amanda Boyle, CEO of BloomVC.

The audience heard how works on the ground-breaking Waterfront Development and the showpiece V&A at Dundee project are progressing well, with very visible signs of building work now happening to bring the museum into life. The Waterfront infrastructure is now complete, and the new railway station and hotel is on course to bring a much needed modern experience to all travellers using the recently appointed Abellio Scotrail service.

Abellio took to the stage to discuss their plans for the 10 year contract, including working with communities to ensure services meet their demands, investment in rolling stock and their continued intention to work with local suppliers to connect with Scottish companies and use their products throughout the Scottish network. They intend to bring in smart ticketing, added bicycle services and a hire facility in Dundee, to give travellers the option to hire a bike to get to their destination from the station, and return it on their way home. They understand how important their role is to the business community and are keen to play their part locally.

Presenters discussed the importance of business connections: globally, nationally and locally – and having the right tools and mindset to grow a business means having good digital connectivity, and building strong business relationships. Alison Henderson, CEO of Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the role that the Chamber plays in delivering the right support to connect and create connections with businesses locally, to ensure business opportunities flourish. The Chamber is ambitious, energetic and working hard to provide the best environment for economic growth in the region.

And finally, the audience enjoyed a presentation from Marketing Liverpool, which underlined the similarities between the two regions, how a City can turn around its fortunes via key developments, events and creating a consistent marketing strategy that brings a place to life and encourages a collective ambition. Liverpool used Capital City of Culture to springboard its plans and develop a strong roadmap to success, and Dundee, with its UNESCO City of Design status is very well placed to do the same.

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NEWS

Economic benefit for Scotland with Heathrow airport expansion?

The Airports Commission has reported and its unanimous recommendation is that a third runway should be built at Heathrow Airport to expand aviation capacity in the South East of England. This is the outcome of a long and painstaking inquiry but there are now two further questions to be considered: why does this matter to Scottish business and will it happen?

The first question is the more straightforward one to answer. Scotland’s economic future lies as a trading nation – hardwired into the global economy and with more of our businesses, particularly small and medium sized ones, exporting goods and services to every corner of the world. In order to achieve this, Scotland will need better transport connectivity, enhancing our links to key international markets. In terms of air travel, there are two ways of doing this: through our excellent Scottish airports continuing to grow direct international air services and by accessing wider international markets through a hub airport. This broad spectrum of international connectivity matters to sectors such as oil and gas and financial services. It is important to consider these links not just in terms of how Scottish businesses can access the world but about how the world can access Scotland. For example, China is the world’s most valuable tourist market but the UK is lagging behind France both in terms

of air routes and visitor numbers. Providing more opportunity for Chinese visitors to travel directly to the UK, either into Scotland or to a UK hub, provides the best opportunity to develop this key market.

The Airports Commission has estimated that the economic benefit to the UK of building the third runway at Heathrow will be £147 billion, creating 70,000 jobs by 2050, with benefits to Scotland over the same timescale of around £14 billion and 16,100 jobs. We need action from Heathrow too to deliver for Scotland and that is why we have called for a guaranteed expansion in air services between Scotland and Heathrow, coupled with a commitment to improve customer experience standards at the airport. Given the compelling economic case, it is now imperative that the UK Government acts quickly to allow the third runway to be built.

But will it? The Prime Minister, in 2009 when in opposition, said “The third runway

at Heathrow is not going ahead, no ifs, no buts”. Of course that was then and this is now. The third runway option today looks very different to that which was supported by the last Labour Government. Heathrow’s plans are also opposed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnston, and by a number of Cabinet Ministers whose constituencies lie on the airport’s flightpath. The Prime Minister has promised a response to the Commission by the end of 2015. However, the economic imperative of getting the UK firmly on a path of growth means that the recommendation of the Airports Commission to expand Heathrow is extremely compelling and we are urging the Government to ensure that this happens as soon as possible.

Garry Clark, Economic Development Intelligence Unit Scottish Chambers of Commerce gclark@scottishchambers.org.uk

CEO goes digital Liz Cameron on using the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Sometimes we are forced to embrace technology. Following tendon operations on my foot, I found myself “immobile” – strict orders foot up, stay at home followed by “partial mobility” for the next 2 months. For those of you who know me well – this was obviously an easy “ask”!

With renewed empathy I quickly discovered the challenges many people face on a daily basis travelling to and from work, manoeuvring and planning in advance what many of us regard as simple journeys.

I had to seriously rethink how I was going to continue to lead the business with minimum disruption. We operate the chamber with flexible hours, with I and many of our staff already working from home as appropriately.

This was quite different. Step in, my new Microsoft Surface Pro 3, having recently been trained by Microsoft on its full

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capabilities, surfing the “cloud” – I was up and running (well not literally)…….

I have always been an advocate that employees do not always need to be at their desk, however this was a completely new dimension which required real change. I decided (or was forced), to stay connected electronically if I was going to survive! The Surface Pro 3 was doing its job. It became my best companion. I was able to take part in meetings from my kitchen table; uploading, sharing and editing important documents quickly and professionally. The connection was fast and my productivity increased. However, as you can all probably relate – it is good to see people, read their body language, be part of a team. Enter my new best friend – “Miss Skype” – with a few clicks on my Surface Pro 3, I was in the office,

chairing staff meetings and supporting where and when appropriate.

This experience forced me to explore and use this technology. It was great to use my Microsoft Surface Pro 3, easy, flexible and efficient. I am now off for “advanced training”…

Follow Liz’s journey on Twitter @lizcameronSCC

NEWS

How progressive Scottish businesses are embracing the attraction of tourism

A job is more than the salary and the hours you spend at your work station. It is about the extras, an environment that’s safe and where there is plenty to do after work with family and friends. This is where Scotland scores.

Malcolm Roughead OBE Chief Executive of VisitScotland

At VisitScotland we believe we aren’t just promoting Scotland as a place to have a holiday. We are providing an international shop window for the country – stimulating investment and jobs. The warmth of the welcome, as portrayed in how Scotland is marketed, is encouraging companies to choose Scotland as a place to put down economic roots.

Leading companies across Scotland are all advocating the positive outcomes of reaching out internationally. These companies include travel comparison site Skyscanner and the fantasy sports league outfit FanDuel, who are doing well in the United States.

Furthermore, Aberdeen Asset Management with its global reach, Wood Group PSN with major undertaking in the Gulf of Mexico and Activpayroll- the global professional services company who have offices in both Aberdeen and Singapore, all also confirm that this extra-curricular life around the globe is one of the best ways to attract and keep the best people.

What I hear from managing directors and chief executives is that our status as a global

tourism destination regularly plays a strong part in winning business and attracting key staff.

And global companies are choosing to hold their conventions and meetings in Scotland, much to the delight of many of their golf-playing, whisky-drinking, cultural and history loving employees, conference delegates and customers.

We have also talked a great deal in recent years about Scotland’s diaspora: the tens of millions with Caledonian connections in the Americas, Australia and South Africa.

While we hope to welcome them for many years to come, the new order is the younger more-mobile global travellers who have learned about Scotland through hit television series, such as Outlander, or films, such as Skyfall, or Harry Potter, and are considering

studying or working in Scotland.

Scotland’s universities and colleges are benefiting from overseas students who want to mix learning with fulfilling cultural and social lives. The recent Fulbright Commission summer institute programme, with its theme Scotland: Identity, Culture and innovation which has attracted a group of young Americans scholars to Scotland, taking them to Dundee, and Glasgow, is building a well of goodwill. Most have no connection with Scotland but have come over on programmes and developed a lasting passion for Scotland.

While the landscape and scenery are often the magnet, it is the friendly welcome and the experiences generated by Scots, many employed in our tourism industry, who add that extra special gloss.

Global companies are choosing to hold their conventions and meetings in Scotland, much to the delight of many of their golf-playing, whiskydrinking, cultural and history loving employees, conference delegates and customers.

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NEWS

Bite-sized briefing on Windows 10

Microsoft Women in Technology Towards a better, fairer industry Microsoft Scotland promotes women in technology One of the key challenges faced by Microsoft’s award-winning Get On programme is to inspire more women to pursue STEM subjects at college and beyond. This made for a fascinating and timely ‘Women in Technology’ event in Edinburgh on 11th June, attended by students and MSPs, including, Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills & Training, Roseanna Cunningham, MSP.

Technology is a constant companion in our working lives today.

Mobile devices and social networks are amusing and addictive distractions, but have also become indispensable business tools which support the longer hours and quick responses expected by todays customers, suppliers and markets.

The worker of a decade ago might expect to spend part of their day in front of a screen and keyboard, but these days we interact continually with smartphones, tablet computers, interactive TVs, wearable technology, and occasionally even a desktop PC. It’s into this world that industry leading devices and cloud services company Microsoft will release an update to Windows.

Its challenge: to accommodate the multitude of mobile devices whilst preserving the familiarity of its Windows customers.

Windows 10 has been previewed to large and small businesses to favourable reviews. Its design brief to be the best device platform for modern business practices has resulted in a unified platform for phones, tablets, and laptop computers. As well as mouse and keyboard, its designed to accommodate voice (with the extension of Microsoft’s personal digital assistant Cortana beyond the phone), touch and gesture. Where some found the tablet-oriented interface of Windows 8 confusing on a full desktop, Windows 10 tablet mode promises to simplify this for tablet, laptop and convertible device categories.

Microsoft has previewed new device categories with Windows 10, including the Surface Hub – a room based large screen conferencing system with advanced collaboration capabilities, and the HoloLens goggles which place holographic additions to the real world, creating new experiences

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in diverse applications such as education, engineering and even 3D Minecraft.

This seamless experience from PCs to tablets to phones should help with personal productivity, and many familiar with Windows 7 should find the transition to Windows 10 relatively familiar and painless.

Likewise, for many grappling with storing personal and business data in the cloud, Windows 10 integrates and synchs with cloud storage, cloud communications tools, as well as the familiar world of Windows apps. This seamless experience is extended to upgrading existing equipment from Windows 7 or Windows 8 to Windows 10, and staying current with later Windows updates is promised to be a “light touch”.

Simplification of the multitude of device choices with a common look and feel, and common applications should be a boon for small and mid sized business, and help to reduce their ICT costs. It also better addresses the issue of protecting personal and company data and devices with a flexible approach suited to avoiding any “downtime” when the unexpected happens, and adding many large-enterprise class security features to address privacy and security concerns of smaller organisations.

Finally Windows 10 comes with an allnew browser, Microsoft Edge, that’s built to give you a better and more nimble web experience. Windows 10 will be released on July 29th and it’s free to upgrade from Windows 7 & Windows 8.

In partnership, Microsoft Scotland and the Centre for Scottish Public Policy (CSPP), brought together key stakeholders and influencers to discuss what more can be done in Scotland to support and attract young women into Technology careers.

At the event, Ms Cunningham mixed with teachers and students from Lochfield Primary School and Gryffe High School, Renfrewshire, as well as Microsoft Modern Apprentices currently working with our customers and partners. There was also a ‘youth panel’, chaired by Richard Kerley, Chairman of CSPP, where the students discussed their future plan and why they were interested in technology.

Speaking at the event, Julie-Ann Muir, Director, Partner Sales, said: “The event has been about how we can attract more women into the technology industry, how we can get women interested and get women to understand the area of technology, and hopefully see a career for themselves within this industry. This is an area which is really growing in Scotland, and in the UK as well, so it’s really important for us to get that skills balance.”

Ms Cunningham welcomed the opportunity to hear from students already thinking about a career in technology, and highlighted the challenge: “In the digital industries across Scotland we need 11,000 new recruits every year. Where do they come from? …. if you confine your recruitment strategies explicitly, or more dangerously, implicitly, to half the population; your chances of filling that skills gap are basically reduced by half. That’s where we need to move thinking”.

NEWS

Over 100,000 modern apprentices hired in four years Target to create 25,000 apprentices every year has been achieved More than 100,000 people started a Modern Apprenticeship over the past four years according to new figures published by Skills Development Scotland (SDS).

The target of delivering at least 25,000 Modern Apprenticeship (MA) opportunities has been surpassed for the fourth consecutive year with, 25,247 apprenticeships delivered during 2014/15.

The figures also show: n 80 per cent of starts were aged 16-24 and

a further 20 per cent were aged 25+

n 64 per cent of starts were at level 3 or

above.

n The achievement rate was 74 per cent. n There were 17,339 starts on the

Employability Fund during 2014/15, exceeding the annual target

Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the organisation that leads on the delivery of MAs, is working with partners to increase the number of apprenticeship opportunities to at least 30,000 MAs each year by 2020.

Damien Yeates, Chief Executive of SDS, said: “The delivery of more than 100,000 Modern Apprenticeships over four years demonstrates that more and more people are recognising the value of earning while you learn.

“It’s a great testament to employers in Scotland that they have sustained their investment in Modern Apprenticeship opportunities right through the economic downturn. It’s also a great credit to the Modern Apprentices that so many have successfully completed or are on their way to completing their apprenticeship.

“The enduring appeal of Modern Apprenticeships is that they are driven by employer demand and for the individual they allow the apprentices to get a job and learn while they earn.”

Apprentice engineers learning their trade at Angus Training Group in Arbroath joined with SDS to celebrate reaching the 100,000 milestone.

works for GE in Montrose (pictured fourth from left), one of a number of young women embarking on an engineering career.

She said: “When I first thought about engineering as a career, I didn’t really know there were so many aspects of engineering until I looked into it.

“The manufacturing side is the one that I am most interested in, because it is always different and that suits me.”

Minister for Youth and Women’s Employment Annabelle Ewing also welcomed the figures.

She said: “Apprenticeships not only offer our young people better job prospects – they also have a positive impact on businesses and industry, bringing value to employers and our economy.

“Youth unemployment has reached its lowest level in seven years and we compare very well to other EU countries, but I would urge more businesses to consider how an MA could help them grow and prosper.”

Among them was 18-year-old Jo Milne who

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NEWS

IT support for rural businesses SOME OF OUR EXPERTS

Interested in improving your use of IT? Businesses across Scotland are benefitting from a fully funded service which undertakes an IT review of the business, provides recommendations for improvement and supports the company with expert advice at implementation stage should they require it.

The programme has signed up almost 100 businesses for this support, with the feedback telling us that face to face support from a local IT expert is exceptionally valuable.

Fully funded business-to-business advice, in the comfort of your own office, at the timing of your choice – we put your needs first.

Philippa Nicholson, Director, Nicholson Solutions “Nicholson Solutions offers computer skills training in core business applications. Having grown the business from the start, Philippa manages the day to day operations, whilst also contributing her analysis and training experience to understanding clients’ requirements and developing solutions.”

Jim McCurrach, Director, JM ICT Jim works closely with clients to really understand the business using his experience, independence and knowledge of the marketplace to identify high quality ICT solutions and providers for his clients.

2. The development of a tailored action plan explaining how IT improvements could best support your business.

3. Access to training materials.

CREATE offers businesses the following funded services:

4. Further dedicated support from the IT expert should you wish to go ahead and implement improvements.

1. An independent review session with an IT expert.

There are limited spaces on this programme, delivered by a Scottish Enterprise / Scottish

Stephen Franklyn, Director, Lithium Systems Stephen has been providing services in IT support to the business sector throughout the UK for over 25 years resulting in his current role as Director of Lithium Systems Limited, one of central Scotland’s leading IT support companies.

Jez Draper, Director, 8020 IT Ltd Co-founder of 8020 IT, Microsoft Silver Partner, Jez Draper is one of the regions leading IT experts. As a Microsoft Certified Professional he’s spent the past 14 years supporting local companies, helping them improve their business performance through the better use of Information Technology

Chambers of Commerce partnership, which is running until August 2015. If you wish to register interest, or would like further information, please email Fiona McCann fmccann@scottishchambers.org.uk

MacKellar Sub-Sea acquired by Ferguson Marine Ferguson Marine Engineering acquired MacKellar Sub-Sea and Tritech Nairn in early May. The Port Glasgow shipyard owned by Jim McColl’s Clyde Blowers added the Grantown-on-Spey and Kinloss based businesses to boost its fabrication capability and access the attractive global subsea market.

Bought out of administration, the transaction secures 74 highly skilled jobs and the future of the two well-known engineering companies.

Jim McColl OBE, chairman and CEO of Clyde Blowers Capital said: “We have a strategic vision to transform Ferguson into a leading marine engineering business and key pillars of this strategy are to enhance our service offering and increase our presence in attractive end markets.

“Ferguson’s acquisition of MacKellar Sub-Sea, which has a strong track record

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in the niche subsea oil and gas market, will help to achieve these objectives. We look forward to working with the existing management team to integrate and grow the business and are also delighted to welcome MacKellar’s loyal workforce to the group after a period of uncertainty.”

MacKellar Sub-Sea is one of Scotland’s leading specialist sub-sea oil and gas engineering and fabrication businesses.

The company has expertise in a number of areas, including sub-sea wellhead protection systems, tree frames, guide bases, offshore transportation systems

and hydro-electric turbines. Tritech Nairn complements MacKellars, providing high quality grit-blasting and painting services and currently operates from the former RAF base in Kinloss.

Early investment plans for MacKellars include building a new fabrication shed to extend the current facilities at Grantownon-Spey and purchasing new machine tools to increase capacity and improve capability. Longer term, the business is looking to develop new facilities in key markets including The Middle East and West Africa.

SCOTTISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

ANNUAL DINNER TWENTY FIFTEEN

BOOK YOUR TABLE TODAY Scottish Chambers of Commerce Annual Dinner

Wednesday 2nd December 2015 7pm Hilton Hotel, 1 William Street, Glasgow, G3 8HT Host: Kaye Adams

Hear from our Keynote Speaker, Robert Brozin, Founder of Nando’s & Social Entrepreneur From humble beginnings in Johannesburg, Nando’s has grown to 1100 restaurants in 23 countries with stores stretching from Rosettenville to Cape Town, Canada to Australia and the UK to Malaysia. Join us for a truly inspiring and entrepreneurial evening.

Book your table now!

T: 0141 887 6181 E: events@scottishchambers.org.uk W: scottishchambers.org.uk

CHAMBER CONTACTS

CHAMBERCONTACTS Scottish Chambers of Commerce 30 George Square, Glasgow, G2 1EQ T: 0141 204 8316 F: 0141 204 8371 E: admin@scottishchambers.org.uk Chair - Nora Senior Chief Executive - Liz Cameron OBE Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce The Hub, Exploration Drive Aberdeen Energy Park, Bridge of Don Aberdeen, AB23 8GX T: 01224 343900 E: info@agcc.co.uk www.agcc.co.uk Chief Executive - Robert Collier President - Alec Carstairs Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry The Mezzanine, Glasgow Prestwick International Airport, Prestwick, KA9 2PL T: 01292 678 666 F: 01292 678 667 E: enquiries@ayrshire-chamber.org www.ayrshire-chamber.org Chief Executive - Val Russell President - Waiyin Hatton Caithness Chamber of Commerce Naver Business Centre Naver House, Naver Road Thurso, KW14 7QA T: 01847 890076 E: info@caithnesschamber.com www.caithnesschamber.com Chief Executive - Trudy Morris Chairman - Stephen Sutherland Cairngorms Business Partnership Ltd Inverdruie House, Inverdruie Aviemore, PH22 1QH T: 01479 780539 E: office@visitcairngorms.com www.visitcairngorms.com Chairman - Kevin Roach Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce Hillhead House, The Crichton, Bankend Road Dumfries, DG1 4UQ T: 01387 270866 E: admin@dgchamber.co.uk www.dgchamber.co.uk Chief Executive – Brian Richardson President- Brian Rennie Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce Whitecrook Business Centre 78 Whitecrook Street, Clydebank, G81 1QF T: 0141 280 0272 E: admin@dunbartonshirechamber.co.uk www.dunbartonshirechamber.com President - Stewart Rennie Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce Unit 27, City Quay, Camperdown Street Dundee, DD1 3JA T: 01382 228545 F: 01382 228441 E: info@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Alison Henderson President - Tim Allan

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East Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce Barrhead Foundry Main Street, Barrhead, East Renfrewshire.

G78 1SW T: 0141 887 6181 E: info@eastrenchamber.org.uk www.eastrenchamber.org.uk President: John F Hamilton Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce 40 George Street, 2nd floor Edinburgh, EH2 2LE T: 0131 221 2999 F: 0131 261 5056 E: membershipadmin@edinburghchamber.co.uk www.edinburghchamber.co.uk Chief Executive - David Birrell President - Alex MacLeod Fife Chamber of Commerce Evans Business Centre, 1 Begg Road John Smith Business Park Kirkcaldy, KY2 6HD T: 01592 647740 E: info@fifechamber.co.uk www.fifechamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Eric Byiers President - John Silcock Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce Group (incorporating Stirling Chamber of Commerce) Suite 2, Scion House Stirling University Innovation Park Stirling, FK9 4NF T: 01324 665 500 E: info@forthvalleychamber.co.uk www.forthvalleychamber.com www.stirlingchamber.co.uk Chief Executive – Laurence Barrett Chairman – George Stevenson Glasgow Chamber of Commerce 30 George Square, Glasgow, G2 1EQ T: 0141 204 2121 E: chamber@glasgowchamberofcommerce.com www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com Chief Executive - Stuart Patrick President - Vic Emery Greenock Chamber of Commerce Greenock Ocean Terminal Patrick Street, Greenock, PA16 8UU T: 01475 888622 M: 07939 272787 E: enquiries@greenockchamber.co.uk www.greenockchamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Helen McCormick President - Steven Watson Inverness Chamber of Commerce Metropolitan House 31-33 High Street, Inverness, IV1 1HT T: 01463 718 131 E: info@inverness-chamber.co.uk www.inverness-chamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Stewart Nicol President - Eleanor Neilson

Lochaber Chamber of Commerce Station Square, Fort William Inverness-shire, PH33 6EN T: 01397 705 765 E: membership@lochaberchamber.co.uk www.lochaberchamber.co.uk Chairman - Don Hind Chief Executive - Lesley Benfield Midlothian & East Lothian Chamber of Commerce Moulsdale House, Edinburgh College 24d Milton Road East, Edinburgh, EH15 2PP T: 0131 603 5043 E: dita@thebusinesspartnership.org.uk www.melcc.org.uk Executive Director - George Archibald President - George Walker Moray Chamber of Commerce Suite 7, Elgin Business Centre Maisondieu Road, Elgin, IV30 1QP T: 01343 543344 E: info@moraychamber.co.uk www.moraychamber.co.uk Executive Director - Margery A McLennan President - Alistair Simpson Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Saltire House, 3 Whitefriars Crescent Perth, PH2 0PA T: 01738 450 401 F: 01738 450 402 E: info@perthshirechamber.co.uk www.perthshirechamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Vicki Unite President - Mike McDairmid Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce Bute Court, St Andrews Drive Glasgow Airport Paisley, PA3 2SW T: 0141 847 5450 F: 0141 847 5499 E: info@renfrewshirechamber.com www.renfrewshirechamber.com Chief Executive - Bob Davidson President – Audrey Cumberford Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce Academy House, Shedden Park Road Kelso, TD5 7AL T: 07771 865 758 E: communications@borderschamber.com www.borderschamber.com Convenor - Jack Clark Vice Convenor - Bruce Simpson West Lothian Chamber of Commerce Alba Centre, Alba Business Park Rosebank, Livingston, EH54 7EG T: 01506 414808 E: chamber@wlchamber.com www.wlchamber.com Chief Executive - Linda Scott President - James Wallace

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