UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN IS A POSITIVE TREND
6 | Aycliffe Today Business
Pictured( left to right): Aycliffe Business Park Community chair Kerina Clark with David Osborne( Roman), Lee Harris( Mitchell Gordon), James Ritchie( Tekmar Energy), Chris Hyde( JDP Contracting), Julia Potts( Hitachi Rail), Stuart Liddle( Gestamp Tallent), Matthew Stiller( Stiller Warehousing and Distribution), Peter Slark( Palram), John Parnell( Business Durham), John Elliott( Ebac), Sarah Slaven( Business Durham) and Pamela Petty( ABPC).
UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN IS A POSITIVE TREND
The latest labour market statistics show a slight improvement and a positive long-term trend with unemployment down over the past year.
Figures show employment in the North East stands at 1,217,000 or 72.2 % – a fall of 8,000 over the last quarter but an increase of 10,000 over the year. This compares to a rate of 75.1 % nationally.
North East unemployment stands at 75,000 or 5.8 % – a fall of 3,000 over the last quarter and 13,000 over the year. This compares to a rate of 4.3 % nationally.
Our Quarterly Economic Survey for Q3 2017 showed a slight decline in business confidence on the measures of future workforce growth and training investment, particularly in the manufacturing sector.
With other figures released recently also showing a decline in apprenticeship starts in the North East over the past year, Government must listen to businesses in our region and address their concerns about the apprenticeship reforms and barriers to staff recruitment and training.
We need a working North East where everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the economy.
We’ ve called on the Chancellor to ensure that schools and colleges have sufficient resources to deliver a comprehensive careers information, advice, and guidance programme, which is vital to raising aspirations and making sure that young people leave education with the skills required by business.
Paul Carbert
Policy adviser North East England Chamber of Commerce
AYCLIFFE TODAY BUSINESS
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3,600 workers represented at highlevel business leaders dinner
Thousands of workers were represented during a high-level meeting of business leaders from Aycliffe Business Park.
Bosses from 11 Newton Aycliffe companies – including Gestamp Tallent, Hitachi Rail, Roman, Ebac, Stiller Warehousing and Distribution, Palram and Tekmar Energy – gathered for the event at Redworth Hall Hotel.
The informal dinner, organised by Aycliffe Business Park Community with help from Business Durham, was arranged to increase engagement among some of the park’ s larger firms.
Combined, company bosses around the table represented a total of 3,600 people who work on Aycliffe Business Park, from an estimated 10,000.
Gestamp, which makes car chassis for a number of automotive manufacturers, employs 1,400 at its Aycliffe site.
Plant director Stuart Liddle said:“ It was useful to understand more about the work of Aycliffe Business Park Community, what they’ re doing for the business community and to see what they can potentially do for us.
“ People are coming to the area and seeing it as a prosperous place to do business, which helps all of us, so I think the work of this group is very important.”
Tekmar, a leading supplier of subsea cable protection systems, employs 150 people from two Aycliffe sites.
Chief executive James Ritchie said:“ It’ s important that we find ways to engage more locally with the supply chain.
“ It has never felt like that park has had a leader, so from a strategy point of view it’ s good to see someone driving the bus.”
Shower manufacturer Roman employs 235 people on Aycliffe Business Park, and managing director David Osborne added:“ It’ s useful to get out and meet other businesses on the park.
“ When you put everyone together like this, then a handful of people representing 3,600 workers around one table does give a lot of clout and a much bigger voice.”
Other guests included Hitachi HR manager Julia Potts, Ebac chairman John Elliott, Stiller Warehousing and Distribution managing director Matthew Stiller and Palram’ s Peter Slark.
They were hosted by ABPC board members Kerina Clark, Sarah Slaven, Lee Harris, Chris Hyde, John Parnell, Pamela Petty and Martin Walker.
Spread across 400 hectares, and with future expansion plans, Aycliffe Business Park is already home to an estimated 500 companies and 10,000 employees.
Businesses can find out more about what’ s happening on Aycliffe Business Park, register their details and submit news by going to www. aycliffebusinesspark. co. uk
Under-13s ready to go after donations
Newton Aycliffe Youth FC’ s Under-13s team started the new 2017-18 season in style – thanks to the generosity of a Newton Aycliffe company.
The U-13s‘ Eagles’ were just three weeks away from the campaign kick-off with a brand new squad preparing for 11-a-side football – but without any kit.
Until Aycliffe Business Park firm Optimum Recruit agreed to sponsor the Under-13s side with a full new kit.
The firm’ s owner Craig White said:“ As a business based, and with our roots firmly in Newton Aycliffe, we feel it’ s very important to give back to our local community.
“ As well as the football team, we also sponsor Aycliffe Dance Academy’ s annual show, and we hope to be able to continue to support local organisations in achieving their goals for many years to come.”