Martin Cid's Blog: Martin Cid Magazine, page 1041

Accountants and Lawyers Go Back to School

Callum Morrison with students

A New Way of Business Engaging with Education

In an unprecedented partnership between the UK200Group – the UK’s leading membership organisation of independent quality-assured accountancy and law firms – and Coventry University London Campus, accountants and lawyers have supported MBA students to produce their final business plans.

The pilot of the YESS Initiative, which ran from June to September 2016, saw six students paired up with a partner-level business adviser, or ‘Business Buddy’, in the latest programme from the UK200Group to support entrepreneurs in the early stages of their careers.

The students and their business buddies met fortnightly throughout this period to discuss their business plan, a 10,000-word document that plays a similar role to the traditional thesis.

Declan Swan, CEO of the UK200Group, said, “Entrepreneurship is vital to the UK economy, and something which is firmly embedded in the DNA of our business community. We at the UK200Group recognise the contribution of owner-managed businesses, and set up the YESS Initiative in partnership with Coventry University London Campus to support the next generation of entrepreneurs.

“Our members have described a remarkable transformation in the students they mentored and the businesses that they planned to launch. The process of taking a student with an ambitious idea and giving them the practical, real-world advice that they need to succeed was one that they found extremely rewarding.”

The six business advisers, from Cardiff-based Watts Gregory, Leeds and London-based Virtuoso Legal and Cheltenham-based Randall & Payne, each have a wealth of experience in advising SME business owners and brought that practical experience to the students.

Callum Morrison, leader of the Entrepreneurship module at Coventry University London, praised the input of the UK200Group members. “We at Coventry University London Campus, and especially the students who were fortunate enough to learn from the UK200Group’s expert advisers, are very thankful for the input of the UK200Group and its members.

“The YESS Initiative has had an incredibly positive effect on the student participants. They are now much more confident and authoritative than they were before their meetings with their Business Buddies.”

The students represented a broad range of backgrounds from around the world: two from India and one each from China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Nigeria. Their testimonials echo the sentiments of their mentors – that the programme was useful, transformative and offered insight which they would not otherwise have had access to.

Adeola Remi-John of Nigeria said, “My Business Buddy, Will Abbott of Randall & Payne, challenged my thinking and provided professional insight specific to my choice of business. Will is a professional with a key eye for detail and who takes a genuine interest in whatever project is in his hands. His comments and suggestions certainly improved my project, and would add value to any client.”

Vishnu Vinay, a student from India, had a similarly positive testimonial for David Challenger of Watts Gregory. “I can confidently say that working alongside David has changed the direction of my business plan for the better, and that it’s become much more presentable to a prospective investor.

“David went into great detail on each part of the business plan, and as a result the financial forecasts became more accurate and the business became more feasible. YESS has been a revelation to me.”

The graduation of the students who took part in the YESS Initiative pilot will take place on 18 November 2016.

Useful links:

The UK200Group: http://www.uk200group.co.uk/

Coventry University London Campus: http://www.coventry.ac.uk/Coventry University London/

Watts Gregory: http://www.watts-gregory.co.uk/

Virtuoso Legal: http://virtuosolegal.com/

Randall & Payne: http://www.randall-payne.co.uk/

Documentary Underfire: The Untold Story of Pfc. Tony Vaccaro debuts Nov. 14

Documentary To Have A Sneak Preview On Veterans Day, Nov. 11

In World War II, Tony Vaccaro played two risky roles, serving as a combat infantryman on the front lines, as well as a photographer who shot 8,000 photographs. Though he began as a young GI eager to record the war, he vowed never to take another war photo on the day the conflict ended, horrified by what he had seen.

Directed by Max Lewkowicz (the New York Emmy®-winning “Morgenthau”), UNDERFIRE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PFC. TONY VACCARO chronicles the life and vision of this remarkable man, exploring how photography defines the way the public perceives armed conflict, and revealing the sheer difficulty of survival while taking photos in a war zone. The poignant documentary debuts MONDAY, NOV. 14 (8:00-9:15 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates: Nov. 17 (4:15 p.m., 11:15 p.m.), 19 (1:20 p.m.), 22 (10:45 a.m.), 27 (3:05 p.m.) and 30 (noon), and Dec. 13 (4:45 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Nov. 20 (11:40 a.m.), 22 (8:00 p.m.) and 30 (1:10 a.m.)

UNDERFIRE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PFC. TONY VACCARO will have a sneak preview on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, and will subsequently be available on those digital platforms.

Through interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers and Vaccaro himself, this intimate film examines issues raised by witnessing and recording conflict, following him as he retraces his journey across Europe as a soldier, sharing the stories behind some of his most powerful pictures along the way.

In 1943, a newly drafted Tony Vaccaro hoped to join the U.S. Army Signal Corps in Europe as a photographer, but was told he was too young. Undeterred, he found that his $47 personal camera, which was much more compact than the bulky, standard-grade military one, allowed him “the ability to run with the camera, to move it [and] to react quickly.”

As an infantryman, Vaccaro was also uniquely positioned to gain the trust of his fellow soldiers, and was able to capture up-close-and-personal photographs that brought the war into focus in a way no one else could. Vaccaro spent the next 272 days in the 83rd Infantry Division as an unofficial combat photographer.

Revisiting Omaha Beach, Vaccaro recalls tearing a hole in his raincoat for his camera after being told photography was not allowed. The resulting serene photo of the beach (“My First View of La Belle France”) belies a horrific scene he later discovered.

“There is a war smell that is ugly,” he says. “And I smelled that the minute I arrived in Normandy.” After his first taste of combat in Sainteny, Vaccaro found an abandoned camera store in the city’s ruins and mixed chemicals to develop “ten rolls in four army helmets,” hanging them on tree branches overnight.

Having taken portraits of all the men in his battalion, Vaccaro also captured by chance a fellow soldier’s final breath (“The Last Step of Jack Rose”), a “live battle moment of death” that curator Anne Wilkes Tucker calls “incredibly rare.” Until WWII, most combat photography was staged because of unwieldy equipment.

In Ottre, Belgium, Vaccaro narrowly escaped death when he was ordered to remain at headquarters and stand guard on the night his entire platoon was killed. Walking the battlefield the next morning, he photographed a snow-covered body at peace (“White Death”), which he only later recognized as a dear friend. The photo later helped connect the fallen soldier with his son.

On the 70th anniversary of D-Day, with Secretary of State John Kerry in attendance, Vaccaro delivered a speech at Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, Normandy, recalling “Kiss of Liberation,” a photo he took of a soldier kissing a young girl on the cheek. Afterwards, he received hugs and kisses from two women who were dancing in the background of that photo.

Though he traveled through Europe working with Stars and Stripes newspaper following the war, Vaccaro struggled to cope with the horrors he had witnessed. He went on to become a world-renowned fashion and magazine photographer (capturing everyone from Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren to Pablo Picasso and John F. Kennedy) and start a family, but never took another image of armed conflict.

In addition to Tony Vaccaro, interviewees include Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalists Lynsey Addario and Tyler Hicks;New York Times senior photographer James Estrin; bestselling author and historian Alex Kershaw; Anne Wilkes Tucker, a curator of the photography exhibition WAR/PHOTOGRAPHY; and John G. Morris, photo editor of LIFE magazine during World War II.

UNDERFIRE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF PFC. TONY VACCARO was written, produced and directed by Max Lewkowicz; written and produced by Valerie Thomas; executive producers, Tim Van Patten, Gianna Cerbone-Teoli and Ann Oster; co-executive producer, James Estrin. For HBO: senior producer, Jacqueline Glover; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

Elite Matchmaker Explains How to be a Socialite

Global Director Mairead Molloy

One of the world’s most elite matchmaking experts, Mairead Molloy, appears in a new Channel 4 series called ‘How to be a Socialite’. The new light-hearted comedy series features Fletcher Cowan who speaks to people about tips and advice on how to be a socialite.

Mairead Molloy from Berkeley International is interviewed on the subject of love in the second programme of the series.

While the programme is cheerful it makes a serious point that in the days of apps and dating websites being readily available, there’s more demand than ever for bespokeintroduction agencies.

The presenter Fletcher Cowan said, “Finding love can be as easy as logging on and swiping right.

“When you are part of the in-crowd you can’t be seen just dating anyone and that is when Mairead Molloy comes in. She is a professional matchmaker who helps rich and famous people find love with other rich and famous people.”

Mairead responded, “Berkeley International is one of the world’s leading introduction agencies working for the rich and famous all over the world, right up to A-list celebrities. If someone is looking for a specific type of person we do have a private headhunting service.

Berkeley International’s website is purely an online brochure promoting a discreet and bespokematchmaking service. The agency is completely confidential with its approach and does not use any photographs of clients when introducing them to new potential partners.

The level of discretion shown by Mairead and her team attracts wealthy and high-profile clients from all over the world. These clients are looking for a partner with the same authentic values as themselves.

The elite introduction agency first launched in London in 1998, with 300 members. Now, with offices around the world, the leading matchmaking business has over 5,000 members and is growing exponentially. Fees start at £12,000 for a UK-wide service. A bespoke global service starts at £25,000.

Useful Links:

Berkeley International website: http://www.berkeley-international.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BerkeleyIntl

Channel 4’s How to be a Socialite: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/how-to-be-a-socialite/on-…

Space Medicine Set to Land in Edinburgh

John Cherry at the European Space Agency

From astrophysics graduate at the University of Manchester to science teacher to helicopter pilot to working for the European Space Agency, Dr John Cherry has had a remarkably varied career.

Now based in Orange, a town 250km west of Sydney in rural Australia, John Cherry is a doctor working at the local hospital. Caring for a rural population whose health is often worse than their urban counterparts and who are spread over a vast area of the country’s rugged interior poses a unique set of challenges, but John is no stranger to working in isolated conditions.

In 2015, John started working with the European Space Agency (ESA), and within a few months had created the blueprint for the practical medical training for all European astronauts going to space. He will be presenting his research for the first time at the World Extreme Medicine Conference, which takes place at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh from 18-21 November 2016.

He explains, “I originally went to the European Space Agency to be part of a medical team, supporting an astronaut who was doing a re-supply mission to the International Space Station. It quickly became obvious that the astronaut was very medically stable and didn’t need very much medical input, so I began to look at all the medical procedures and practices of the Space Medicine Office, which co-ordinates medical care for all European astronauts.

“Space is an incredibly remote location – yes, there is telemedicine support, but astronauts are up to 24 hours away from definitive medical care, and none of the current ESA astronauts are doctors. You’re putting people in an environment in which they may require acute medical skills, and I was really interested in how that training was conducted.

“Over my time at the European Space Agency I developed a research basis for the Field Medical Training curriculum, which is compulsory training that all astronauts receive before they go to space. It teaches astronauts, in a very practical, hands-on way, special skills and techniques that they may need in space. We looked at best practice drawing on space analogue environments around the world, places with similar requirements to space. These are areas in the world where there is a dependency on technology, there is isolation and small groups of people, and where there may be limited medical care, the most obvious example being Antarctica.

“We looked at what incidents may happen in space, and what training astronauts need to deal with those incidents. We try to take into account the mission impact of medical incidents and other variables, and combined all that to create a scalable of curriculum so that we can now map out key areas of training and define key amounts of time to those areas.

“Astronauts have a very limited period for medical training. They are some of the smartest, busiest people in the world and everything is mapped out 12-18 months in advance. We are trying to teach them all the medicine that they may need in only three or four days, so we have to be very succinct, and teach very high-yield information. We created a framework around how it would work with an evidence base, and we made sure that it could be scaled up and down so that it was applicable to a range of mission types. Obviously, at the moment the astronauts travel to the International Space Station, but in the future there are plans to send them to the Moon or to Mars, so this training can then be scaled up to those mission types and increased in duration.

“In other words we have improved the medical training European astronauts receive so that we now train them in areas that they have not, perhaps, been trained in before. We prepare them for common situations that they are more likely to see and we provide them with skills training that they are more likely to use.”

The theme of practising medicine in an isolated environment is one that continues in John Cherry’s work in Orange, New South Wales. Although the degree of isolation is a fraction of that of the International Space Station, it still affects the way John and his colleagues operate.

As John explains, “There are very good resources here but we obviously do not have a lot of the resources of a major metropolitan hospital, so we have to learn to do what we can with what we have. Whether it in a rural hospital, a space analogue environment or space itself, you are never going to have all of the equipment that you want, to do all of the things that you want.

“Obviously, the challenges will be different depending on where you are, but bridging those gaps and meeting those challenges head on, with the aim of ultimately serving your patients in the best way that you can, is what it’s all about.

“In Australia, the majority of people live on the coast by the beaches that the country is famous for, but we have rural populations who generally have worse health outcomes and generally have a higher medical need than their metropolitan counterparts. I really wanted to try and serve those most in need in our country and those people really are our rural populations, a significant proportion of whom are Indigenous Australians.

“I still get excited to get up and go into work. To help those the most in need within our society at the time when they most need us, offer them reassurance and try and set them on a path, to get them better, and to improve their outcomes. Doing that for me is tremendously rewarding and I really treasure the opportunity to do that. I think I am in a very lucky position.”

Mark Hannaford, founder of conference organisers World Extreme Medicine, said, “John Cherry has had an amazingly varied career, and that ‘portfolio career’ is something we want to promote in the medical world. In the present day, medical professionals don’t need to spend their entire career working in a traditional hospital environment.

“World Extreme Medicine was founded around a campfire in Namibia, and we coined the phrase ‘World Extreme Medicine’ as an umbrella term for all practices of medicine outside of a clinical environment, whether it is prehospital, disaster and humanitarian, endurance, sport, expedition or wilderness medicine.

“Our message is that there is a great diversity of careers in medicine, and that traditional hospital environments are not the only option for a fulfilling career. To put it into a layperson’s terms, there’s never been a more exciting time to work in medicine.”

For further information about the World Extreme Medicine Conference and Expo, which takes place 18 – 21 November 2016, please visit: http://www.extrememedicineexpo.com/events/event/extreme-medi… . Alternatively, see a message transmitted from the International Space Station by astronaut Kate Rubins to the event organisers here, or a message from astronaut Tim Peake here.

About the World Extreme Medicine Conference & Expo

Location: Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, EH8 8AS

Dates: Friday November 18 to Monday November 21

Ticket information: http://www.extrememedicineexpo.com/events/event/extreme-medi… Prices from £124.17 (for one day) to £825.00 (for all four days) excluding VAT

Website: http://www.extrememedicineexpo.com/

Videos: Being a Doctor Just Became the Most Exciting Career https://vimeo.com/170846844

Extreme and Wilderness Medicine – Our Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhPrFGFIFXI

Eldon Watches creates world’s first fully interchangeable watch

Eldon Watches Interchangable Watch

British Watch Designers, Create New Interchangeable Watch Design.

New British watch design company Eldon Watches has created a brand new series of beautiful watches, which allows the user to customise every aspect of their watches appearance. This new start-up based in Birmingham is hoping to raise £10,000 via a new Kickstarter campaign to help launch the start-ups new watch range and has its eyes set firmly on the high street.

When a person usually purchases a watch, as beautiful as the watch may be, they are stuck with the way it looks. You can sometimes change the straps, but even this can be a tricky task which can often cause damage to the watch if done incorrectly.

Eldon Watches hopes to change this for the first time by selling a new type of watch with the ability to change the straps, bezel, the stainless steel casing and even the watch face.

The idea is that people often think long and hard about their watch purchases. If you choose a watch with a black strap, it means you can’t really wear it with Brown shoes for example. By enabling customers, the ability to customise their own watches, they’ll have one great watch which fits every occasion.

The initial launch will include four signature watches, which all work with the Eldon Watch customisable parts. This means one watch has a possible 36 combinations it can change into, whether It’s simply a new strap or a completely different watch face to change your look, it can be achieved with the Eldon Watch. The company plans to sell its accessories through it’s own website and exclusive high street stores.

Elliott Haydon, founder of Eldon Watches says “The feedback so far has been amazing. We’ve worked tirelessly to make the perfect design which fits a young, aspirational audience. Customers are really going to love their new Eldon Watch.” ” This is the world’s first truly interchangeable watch. ”

The company is urging people to sign up to it’s website if they wish to take part in the Kickstarter campaign to get the watch at a much reduced price, in return for helping the company with a successful launch. The Kickstarter campaign is being aimed to start before the end of October.

National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards 2016, in association with Qatar Tourism Authority Shortlist Announced

Reader Awards 2016

The shortlist has been announced for the second annual National Geographic Traveller (UK) Reader Awards 2016, in association with Qatar Tourism Authority. The 2016 awards has seen an additional five categories added, and a record 7,957 responses — up nearly 2,000 from last year.

Readers of one of the UK’s best-loved travel magazines voted for their favourite destination, airline, tour operator and more, with the winners announced during a ceremony in London on 29 November and in the Jan/Feb 2017 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Pat Riddell, editor of National Geographic Traveller, said: “We’re very excited to reveal the shortlist for our second Reader Awards. Our readers are a knowledgeable, sophisticated, well-travelled bunch and it’s really important for us to tap into their views as well as reward the destinations and companies that matter.

“The winners will be announced in just over a month but in the meantime I’d like to congratulate all the finalists for being so highly rated and coveted by thousands of our readers.”

Voters were automatically entered into a prize draw. Holiday prizes included a seven-night cruise of northern Iceland on board a brand new, boutique 17-cabin yacht with Variety Cruises; and a seven-night ski trip to Austria, courtesy of VIP SKI. An Apple iPad mini 2, two Amazon Kindles and 20 National Geographic Traveller (UK) subscriptions were also up for grabs.

natgeotraveller.co.uk/readerawards

2016 READER AWARDS SHORTLIST:

SHORT-HAUL COUNTRY

France

Italy

Spain

LONG-HAUL COUNTRY

Australia

New Zealand

USA

SHORT-HAUL CITY

Amsterdam

Barcelona

Rome

LONG-HAUL CITY

New York

San Francisco

Sydney

SHORT-HAUL AIRLINE

British Airways

EasyJet

Ryanair

LONG-HAUL AIRLINE

British Airways

Emirates

Virgin Atlantic

OVERSEAS HOTEL GROUP

Four Seasons

Hilton Hotels & Resorts

Marriott

UK HOTEL GROUP

Hilton Hotels & Resorts

Premier Inn

Radisson Blu

OVERSEAS ATTRACTION

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Grand Canyon, USA

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

UK ATTRACTION

British Museum

Eden Project

Edinburgh Castle

TOUR OPERATOR

Exodus

Kuoni

Virgin Holidays

TRAVEL TV PROGRAMME

Great Barrier Reef, David Attenborough (BBC)

Greece, Simon Reeves (BBC)

Walking the Himalayas, Levison Wood (Channel 4)

TRAVEL BOOK

Heat, by Ranulph Fiennes

London Overground, by Iain Sinclair

The Road to Little Dribbling, by Bill Bryson

TRAVEL BLOG

A Lady in London

Budget Traveller

Everything Everywhere

NEW GREEN INITIATIVE

ABTA – Make Holidays Greener campaign

TripAdvisor GreenLeaders

Wilderness Safaris – Rhino Conservation Project

RAIL JOURNEY

Glacier Express, Switzerland

Rocky Mountaineer, Canada

West Highland Line, Scotland

NEW CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Lincoln Castle (renovation), UK

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

The Musée de l’Homme, Paris

CRUISE LINE

P&O Cruises

National Geographic Cruises

Royal Caribbean

FAMILY TRAVEL COMPANY

Thomas Cook

Thomson

Virgin Holidays

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO TRAVEL

To be announced

Sponsors of the National Geographic Traveller Reader Awards 2016 are:

HEADLINE SPONSOR

Qatar Tourism Authority

Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) works with stakeholders to promote the development of a sustainable and mature tourism sector, positioning the country as a leading tourism destination.

qatartourism.gov.qa

CATEGORY SPONSORS

Crystal Cruises

Crystal Cruises is the World’s Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line™, having earned more “World’s Best” accolades than any other cruise line, hotel, or resort in history. crystalcruises.co.uk

Barrhead Travel

Established in 1975, Barrhead Travel specialises in all types of travel, from far-flung worldwide adventures and cruises to city escapes and summer-sun getaways. barrheadtravel.co.uk

CEWE PHOTOBOOK

Bring your best holiday photographs and happiest travel moments to life in a beautiful CEWE PHOTOBOOK and create a personalised keepsake you’ll always treasure. cewe-photoworld.com/photo-books

Swhype

Swhype is the creative motion agency — experts in social video and film content for global brands and businesses. swhype.com

LIVE 365

We treasure our members, ensuring they get their choice of the exclusive, quality products they desire at the very best price possible, guaranteed. Our exclusive member-only offers are industry leading and we allow members to earn ‘savings credits’ that they can use to save even more — all with the friendly, personalised service our esteemed members should expect. live-365.global/en

For more information, please visit natgeotraveller.co.uk/readerawards

Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/natgeotraveller

Twitter: twitter.com/natgeotraveller

Google+: google.com/+natgeotraveller

Pinterest: pinterest.com/natgeotraveller

Instagram: instagram.com/natgeotraveller

New Website Goes Live for Excel

Excel Networking Solutions, the copper and optical cabling infrastructure provider, has launched a new, much improved mobile friendly website. The new site is far easier for visitors to use and locate the products and downloads that they are looking for.

The website has been created by a team of developers based in-house, who have worked closely with key members of the business to create a site that will provide an enhanced experience for its users.

Tracey Calcutt, Marketing Manager said, ‘The Excel website incorporates a new product search and online catalogue which lists an image, features and benefits as well as listing a spec sheet, delta certificate, video and case study where they are available for each individual product. As with the original version of the Excel website, all product information and downloads are available in multiple languages. These now include Spanish, French, German, Polish and Turkish, with Dutch being added in November. As the Excel brand expands across Europe and beyond we will no doubt see further languages introduced.’

Tracey continued ‘We also have the Excel Partner area of the website which gives our accredited cabling partners the facility to brand documents including spec sheets and is also the place for them to apply for a 25 year warranty. The online process takes the partner through a series of simple steps for them to provide the relevant information and test data, which is reviewed by our technical team before a certificate is issued.”

Other useful documents such as the Excel Encyclopaedia, whitepapers, technical notes and newsletters can also be located on the site.

The Excel site will continue to develop over time with further features for its users being added. View the new Excel website by visiting www.excel-networking.com

National Minimum Wage: How Does the Increase Affect You?

Jonathan Russell

As the National Minimum Wage for young people in the UK has been increased by the government, the UK200Groupwarns SME business owners about the changes, what they mean for employers, and some of the most common mistakes made by business owners.

The UK200Group is the UK’s leading membership association of independent quality-assured accountancy and law firms, and its member firms act as key business advisers to around 150,000 SMEs across the UK. Because of this, the UK200Group is warning business owners to ensure they don’t get in trouble as a result of the new regulations.

Firstly, what is the difference between the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage?

Very little – just that the National Living Wage applies to working people over the age of 25, whereas the National Minimum Wage concerns the earnings of those who are 24 and younger.

The new minimum wage rates are as follows:

• £6.95 per hour for workers aged 21 – 24

• £5.55 per hour for workers aged 18 – 20

• £4.00 per hour for workers under the age of 18 who have finished compulsory education

• £3.40 per hour for apprentices under 19 years old, or in the first year of their apprenticeship

Jonathan Russell, Managing member of UK200Group member firm ReesRussell, said, “Increases in minimum wages are inevitable and, short of breaking the law, there is no way around them. There is no excuse for underpaying staff.

“My advice would be that, of course, you must pay your staff the minimum wage. Many business owners complain that this makes their businesses unprofitable, and I would encourage them to look at streamlining other parts of their business. Perhaps processes could be made more efficient by removing bureaucracy, or by grouping them together to increase economies of scale.

“By investing in the productivity of your workforce, you may be able to increase your turnover without having to employ more staff.”

One issue that can be easily avoided is a lack of information about wages for apprentices.

Small, owner-managed businesses have sometimes seen an apprenticeship scheme as a great way of giving a young person a start to their career, taking on young talent and paying a relatively low wage for the trouble.

When taking on an apprentice, many don’t realise that the minimum wage for an apprentice can rise significantly after one year, depending on age. If the apprentice is aged 16 when taken on, they can be paid the apprenticeship minimum wage until they turn 19. However, if the apprentice is 19 when taken on, after a year of employment they would be entitled to £5.55 per hour, the minimum wage for workers aged 18 to 20.

Another fact which is often overlooked by business owners who take on an apprentice is that the apprentice must be paid for time spend training or studying for a relevant qualification, whether while at work or at a training organisation.

There are risks associated with underpayment of employees: there are knock-on effects such as a potential loss of motivation and productivity, and difficulty in hiring new workers and retaining existing ones. Furthermore, there is potential for the firm’s reputation to be damaged, especially by the government, which has the right to ‘name and shame’ those who underpay their staff.

Lack of Network is the Leading Problem for Migrant Entrepreneurs

Global Woman Editor in Chief Mirela Sula

A new report by the Institute of Directors and Brazilian-born entrepreneur Rafael dos Santos has revealed the challenges faced by migrant entrepreneurs and the extraordinary benefit they bring to the UK’s economy.

Albanian-born entrepreneur, successful event organiser and Global Woman Editor in Chief Mirela Sula features as a key figure in the Migrant Entrepreneurship Report.

Mirela Sula was born in a small village in the northern part of Albania, she later moved to the UK to study counselling and psychology at Sheffield Univeristy.

Mirela returned to her home country and became one of the first women in Albania to open a publishing company. After a significant offer for her business, she moved to London to work on a PhD at Regent’s University London.

Since then Mirela has organised the Migrant of the Year Awards and the Global Woman Summit. The events empower both migrants and women to achieve their goals and become financially independent. As well as working as a magazine editor, Mirela has authored a number of books and works as a trainer at Solace Women’s Aid, a charity working with those affected by domestic and sexual violence.

She was selected as one of 10 ‘Women Entrepreneur Leaders’ for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day by the International Council for Small Business and received an ‘Inspiration Award for Women’ in 2015.

At the report launch Mirela said, “Many migrant entrepreneurs go to group networking events all the time to get contacts, however we are always very busy with other commitments especially when trying to start a business. It is difficult to keep track of people you meet.

“What I have learned is that entrepreneurs need help in meeting the right people to build their networks, we should be helping business people grow in their local environment.”

Author of the Migrant Entrepreneurship Report Rafael dos Santos said, “The report identifies a lack of local knowledge as the largest problem area for migrant entrepreneurs. Over 40 percent of entrepreneurs asked said that their biggest challenge is building a network and finding suitable contacts.

“Migrant entrepreneurs have created 1.16 million jobs in the UK, we have brought far more to the country than people expect and it is still difficult for entrepreneurs to grow their networks and find new contacts. There are almost half a million migrant entrepreneurs in the UK and it would be crazy not to help them to create new jobs and expand the economy.”

The report is launched to coincide with the opening of London’s first co-working space dedicated to supporting migrant entrepreneurs. Located in Aldgate East, Whitechapel, the hub provides affordable serviced office space to help people grow and nurture their businesses.

mi-HUB’s competitively priced serviced office also offers training through the Migrant Business Accelerator programme. The six-month course led by Rafael dos Santos focuses on helping participants to structure their business to access finance, one of the biggest barriers for migrant entrepreneurs.

The full report is available to view and download from the mi-HUB website and IOD website.

Links

Institute of Directors: https://www.iod.com/

Rafael dos Santos: http://www.rafaeldossantos.com/

mi-HUB: http://www.mi-hub.com/

Migrant Entrepreneurship Report: http://www.mi-hub.com/migrant-entrepreneurship-report-2016/

Migrant Entrepreneurship Report by the Institute of Directors:https://www.iod.com/Portals/0/PDFs/Campaigns%20and%20Reports…

North West Hampshire Business Set to Make Personal Injury Claims Scientific

Kit Malthouse MP with Phillip Kizun

CEO of Aldermaston-based Beacon Independent Medical Examiners Phillip Kizun met today with Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, to discuss how personal injury claims are reported in the UK and the need to tackle rising insurance premiums.

Beacon Independent Medical Examiners (Beacon IME) is determined to drive down the cost of expensive insurance premiums and bring savings to people across Britain. The business is using the latest in medical science to provide an innovative and modern service giving insurers the ability to ensure genuine injuries are correctly compensated while cutting out fraud and exaggeration.

Phillip Kizun explains, “Motor and medical insurance policy premiums continue to spiral. Insurers tell the public they need to pass on the costs of exaggeration and fraud. Whiplash and other hard-to-diagnose injuries are the supposed culprits. Insurance companies promised during the last government that the reforms they pressed for would pay dividends and bring them savings to pass on to consumers. The reforms happened but the savings never materialised.

“Now insurers are pressing for further reforms, suggesting that legislation that does away with cash compensation for soft tissue injuries will bring savings. Is compensation the real issue? No. The solution is objective, science-based medical evidence.

“The time taken in gathering information and coming to a concluding opinion is costing insurers and their clients valuable time and money. This causes insurance premiums to raise for the insurance buying public. The best practise would be for claims to be evaluated and settled on scientific facts. This way claims could be more accurately settled and fraud and exaggeration weeded out, even in cases where things appear complicated.

“It’s time someone finally came clean with the public and our elected officials. If we want to get the cost of insurance lowered and made more affordable we need to get medical reporting fixed.”

Mr Malthouse, who is also a qualified chartered account, commented, “Phillip Kizun and the team atBeacon IME should be congratulated on their insightful and ethical business proposition.

“The methodology used by Beacon IME has proved successful in places such as Australia, Canada and the United States. I would recommend taking a close look at their approach which may provide a fairer deal to everyone.”