BHP training programmes recruit record numbers
Award-winning accountancy firm BHP has recruited a record number of trainees over the course of the summer.
The firm has welcomed 46 new starters across a number of teams including Audit and Accounts, Tax and Corporate Finance. They will be based in BHP’s offices in Sheffield, Chesterfield, Leeds, York and Cleckheaton.
BHP’s training programmes take on recruits from a range of backgrounds, including university graduates, school leavers and those who are completing a year-in-industry placement. Trainees are encouraged to work hands-on within their departments and, once their training has been completed, many choose to remain with the firm on a permanent basis.
This year’s intake of trainees is higher than BHP’s previous highest intake of 35, who joined the firm in 2020. It follows the firm’s Top 20 ranking in Accountancy Daily’s Top Training Firms of 2021.
Lisa Leighton, Joint Managing Partner at BHP, said: “We’re exceptionally proud of our graduate and apprenticeship schemes, which have enabled us to develop and nurture countless trainees over the years, with some of them remaining with BHP ever since.
“Investment in the growth and development of our people is crucial, not just for each individual but for the firm as a whole. With each intake of graduates, trainees and placement students, we’re widening the blend of skills, expertise and personality we can call upon – something that will only benefit our clients. I always enjoy watching our new starters grow and develop in their roles and I’m excited to see what our newest recruits can bring to BHP.”
Louise Allen, Head of HR at BHP, said: “I’d like to offer a warm welcome to our new trainees and wish them well in their new roles. We’re passionate about providing opportunities to anyone seeking a career in accountancy and, at BHP, we’re very proud of the fact that we take on people from all backgrounds, from undergraduates and graduates to school leavers and career changers.”
Further growth for Nottingham marketing and PR agency
East Midlands marketing and PR agency, V Formation, has boosted its team with the appointment of Andy King as strategic marketing director and Joanne Clark as digital marketing executive.
A veteran marketer with over twenty years’ experience across a range of sectors, Andy will spearhead strategic direction across several of V Formation’s key accounts and will use his wide-ranging business development expertise to help drive growth for the agency in the next phase of its ongoing expansion.
Having worked with several big-name brands early on in his career, including Raleigh, Boots and Cow & Gate/Milupa, Andy spent the formative part of his professional development at Capital One, where, as marketing and brand specialist, he was responsible for running successful direct marketing campaigns and looking after the company’s internal brand activity.
Andy then spent several years in senior marketing and communications roles for Remploy, a leading provider of specialist employment and skills support for disabled people, before taking on the role of commercial director at online florist and gifting company Bunches. He then moved into freelance contracting work, where he advised marketing departments for multiple charities and businesses, including Vision Express.
Most recently, Andy has worked as head of marketing and fulfilment at Cambridge Sleep Sciences, a role he will continue alongside his work at V Formation.
“V Formation is not your typical marketing agency that provides off-the-shelf services then leaves clients to it,” Andy explains. “The team is incredibly passionate about the work that V Formation does and brings heavyweight strategic insight and advice that adds real value to clients.
“Being part of a team where everyone can make a real difference and see where they are adding value is something that excites me. I look forward to working with a range of clients on a variety of initiatives and supporting the agency as it begins its next phase of growth.”
Joanne Clark also joins V Formation as digital marketing executive. Highly skilled in creating and implementing digital strategies, Joanne joins the company from Rock Fall Safety Boots, where she was responsible for content creation. Prior to this, she developed her digital marketing and e-commerce management capabilities at True North Sailing, CoMech Metrology and Sewing Online.
As digital marketing executive at V Formation, Joanne will assist with the planning, execution and optimisation of digital marketing campaigns for the company and its clients and provide the team with regular insights into current and upcoming digital trends.
Commenting on the new appointments, Sue Carr, director at V Formation, said: “With values that are completely in alignment with our own, Andy is a perfect fit for V Formation, and I am confident that his unbeatable skills and experience in the sector will bring enormous benefit to the business.
“We’re also really pleased to welcome Joanne to the team. In the short time she has been with us, her creativity and flare for client communications is already shining through, and she has quickly become an integral part of V Formation’s digital team.”
“We have made these appointments at a hugely exciting time for V Formation,” Sue explains, “2022 has been a landmark year for us – we celebrated V Formation’s fifteenth anniversary in business, expanded the team, and increased turnover by 27 percent – marking a record year to date. We are looking forward to working with more businesses to provide strategic marketing and PR support as our team continues to grow.”
£200m regeneration scheme takes another step forward as commercial units come to the market
Commercial property consultancy Rigby & Co has been instructed by Grainger Plc to find occupiers for the two units at The Condor, the £37 million build-to-rent apartment scheme being constructed in Victoria Street.
The scheme forms part of the £200 million Becketwell regeneration scheme, which is being delivered by St James Securities.
Two ground floor units are available, sized 2,366 sq ft and 4,158 sq ft respectively. Both units are suitable for a variety of uses including retail, leisure, office and food and beverage services.
Russell Rigby, managing director of Rigby & Co, said: “We are thrilled that the UK’s largest listed residential landlord has chosen Rigby & Co to find two commercial tenants for The Condor, which is already rapidly transforming the skyline of Derby city centre.
“Having helped put the original deal together on behalf of St James Securities with Grainger, we have in-depth knowledge of the workings of the site and its enormous benefits and are already in discussions with a number of restaurants, cafés and other retailers who are keen to secure representation in the heart of the city centre.”
The two commercial units sit on the ground floor of the residential tower with frontage to Victoria Street, which links with the intersection of St Peter’s Street and the Cornmarket and will become a key destination within the heart of Derby city centre.
Unit 1 benefits from full width frontage to the proposed new public square, which is scheduled for completion in March, with some external seating available.
Both units will be ready for occupation at the end of Q1, 2023 when The Condor will reach practical completion.
The Becketwell regeneration scheme is the most significant urban regeneration scheme in the city for more than three decades.
It aims to create a vibrant, exciting, new quarter of residential, commercial leisure activity in the heart of Derby city centre.
Phase one involves the delivery of The Condor, the city’s first ever purpose-built, build to rent scheme, which will be owned and operated by Grainger, along with the creation of the new multi-purpose public square.
Phase two of the scheme includes a major £45.8 million 3,500-capacity performance venue, which will be operated by ASM Global.
Future planned phases of the scheme include the potential for a range of other complementary uses of the site, including new grade A offices and commercial space, a hotel and multi-storey car park and purpose-built student residential.
Mr Rigby said: “With Derby’s new 3,500 seat performance venue under construction alongside The Condor, the vibrancy and footfall around this site, at the heart of the historic core of the city centre, will radically change and improve over the next couple of years.”
Sustainability top of the agenda for Lincolnshire business
A Lincolnshire business created to improve the life experience of people with Parkinson’s has announced a raft of commitments to ensure its operations are environmentally sustainable.
Since the inception of Eye Guide MC, a business based in Long Sutton, Spalding, husband and wife duo, Chris and Sandra McDonough have made it their mission to ensure the company didn’t add to the ever-increasing carbon footprint on the planet by sourcing locally, using recycled materials and going digital where possible.
Sandra McDonough, inventor of the Eye Guide MC – a small, non-intrusive device which can control the symptoms of Parkinson’s – has Parkinson’s herself. Before she had the breakthrough for her invention, her illness stopped Sandra from enjoying the outdoors and exploring – which is why she is dedicated to preserving the planet and ensuring her business boosts its eco-credentials.
Sandra said: “From the outset of making the Eye Guide MC, I was adamant we would do all we could as a company to ensure we didn’t increase our carbon footprint on the planet.
“For those that know me, they know how important the environment is to me. I am passionate about reducing plastic waste, so this was one of the first things Chris and I considered at the start of our journey to becoming business owners.”
The Eye Guide MC device arms are specifically made from recycled plastic, and the device itself is made with no wires to plug in or batteries to recharge, therefore not adding to energy consumption – there is also no need for surgery either, which means the Eye Guide MC is as non-invasive to you and to the environment as it possibly can be.
The husband-and-wife duo were also keen to find a local manufacturer to create the device, as it would prevent any unnecessary travel and greenhouse gases from being released into the atmosphere. It also meant that the small Lincolnshire business was giving back to its community and supporting other local businesses.
Sandra added: “There was no doubt in our minds that we wanted the product to be made as near to our HQ and clinic in Long Sutton as possible, so we opted for a family-run manufacturer in Kings Lynn, just 17 miles away.”
Once the company had sourced a local manufacturer and knew the product arms were being made from recycled plastic, they turned to the next mission of ensuring the presentation boxes followed suit.
Their navy-blue presentation boxes are also fully recyclable, and any leaflets and brochures that are supplied to customers are printed using recycled paper.
Sandra commented: “Even small businesses like ours can have a positive impact and make small changes and actions that will make a big impact on our planet. Whether you cut down on paper, or just swap to recycled materials it’s all part of the bigger picture.”
Ibstock and Earth Friendly Concrete form partnership to support ESG ambitions
Ibstock, a UK leading manufacturer of clay and concrete building products, and Earth Friendly Concrete (EFC) have entered into a new partnership to create ultra-low carbon concrete products.
This exciting partnership supports Ibstock’s ambitious ESG targets. Having recently launched its ESG Strategy to 2030, Ibstock is committed to ‘Manufacture Materials for Life’ and improving the environmental performance of its products. Its milestone 2030 target is to achieve 20% of sales turnover revenue from new and sustainable products.
With the built environment accounting for 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions, Ibstock is proactively seeking to develop new solutions with improved environmental performance. EFC is more sustainable than traditional concrete, with around 70% less embodied CO₂ saving 250kg of CO₂ per cubic metre poured. It is made from a binder consisting of industrial waste products, ground granulated blast furnace slag and pulverised fly ash with no Portland Cement.
The partnership will see EFC’s ultra-low carbon, zero cement technology integrated into Ibstock’s diverse portfolio of high-performance building products for the construction industry, including its range of products for the rail, infrastructure and UK housing markets. The technology has performance advantages over Ordinary Portland Cement-based products including improved durability, lower shrinkage, higher flexural tensile strength and increased fire resistance and is the only zero-cement concrete technology that has been proven at scale on real life commercial projects across the world.
Darren Waters, Chief Operating Officer at Ibstock, said: “As a business at the heart of building, our ambition is to be the most sustainable manufacturer of concrete products in the UK. Collaborating with EFC marks a significant step in achieving this goal as we collaborate and innovate to manufacture materials for life.
“More than ever, customers are looking for products which offer great functionality but also have robust sustainability credentials. In 2020, the Ibstock concrete division invested in a new concrete laboratory at its site in Anstone, Sheffield, to facilitate the development of sustainable concrete that features reduced embodied carbon and therefore has a lower environmental impact. At this advanced facility, we are already developing and testing innovative new concrete mixhat incorporate EFC to ensure we achieve our own sustainability goals, as well as contribute to those of the wider sector, without compromising on quality or performance.”
EFC UK Regional Manager Andy Izod said: “We are delighted to strengthen our presence in the UK through this partnership with Ibstock. We will not only focus on introducing Earth Friendly Concrete into the wider construction market across a range of projects, regions, applications and supply chains but will also share our ground-breaking technology with partners like Ibstock, which will help them to achieve ultra-low carbon outcomes for their business.”
Since it was launched in 2020, EFC has saved around 2,000 tonnes of CO₂ across construction projects. It has been used in several high-profile projects including High Speed 2 (HS2) and Silvertown Tunnel.
Armsons Barlow expand team of quantity surveyors and project managers
Derby-based project managers, construction cost consultants and building surveyors Armsons Barlow have strengthened their team with the appointments of Ryan Thompson and Gavin Hirst.
Ryan joins Armsons Barlow as senior quantity surveyor and project manager from Geo Hodges & Son in Burton-on-Trent, where he spent ten years as a quantity surveyor. During his time with the building and civil engineering contractor, Ryan delivered a variety of schemes ranging in value from £10,000 to £3.7m across various sectors, including retail, industrial and manufacturing.
Coming from a main contractor’s background, Ryan has a strong grounding in managing costs, from estimating through to final account stages, including tracking and appropriately valuing variations.
Gavin joins the firm as a quantity surveyor and project manager from Loughborough-based Edward Cooper Young Chartered Surveyors, where he spent three years as a monitoring surveyor. He gained a broad range of experience, working on schemes across England and Wales – from small residential developments to large developments consisting of 400 plus dwellings.
In their new roles, Ryan and Gavin will work alongside the Armsons Barlow team to deliver a diverse range of project management, employer’s agent, quantity surveying and cost management services to both private and public sector clients.
Commenting on his new role, Ryan said: “It is an exciting time to be joining the business following the merger of Armsons and Barlow Associates. I hope my ten years’ experience working for a main contractor will stand me in good stead as I look to continue my professional development and integrate myself within the team.
“In the short term I aim to achieve RICS membership and develop my portfolio of project deliveries from client side, continue to develop my professional aptitude and knowledge across a broad array of developments.”
Gavin added: “I am thrilled to have joined Armsons Barlow, which has a fantastic reputation in the industry. I look forward to contributing my skills and experience to add value to the firm’s service offering.
“I also have plans to gain my chartership in the near future, which will boost my skill set still further.”
Sally Walters, director of Armsons Barlow, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Ryan and Gavin to the team. They have gained a tremendous amount of experience in their previous roles, working on high budget projects across the country.
“In their new roles at Armsons Barlow, Ryan and Gavin will take on additional responsibilities and will work across a diverse portfolio of projects across a variety of sectors.
“Our team all have significant experience in their respective areas, which enables us to provide clients with a consistently first-class service and achieve the most cost-effective delivery of their project objectives.”
New Company Director for Stepnell
Construction company Stepnell has announced the promotion of long-standing employee Tom Sewell as the company’s newest director.
This senior appointment will see Tom join Stepnell’s board of directors, following close to a decade of service at the company – joining as operations and commercial manager, before progressing to regional director for the East Midlands.
As a regional director, Tom successfully supported the growth of Stepnell’s East Midlands office from 2014, leading the business unit from strength to strength over the years – from developing a strong team culture to securing a plethora of business development opportunities.
Tom has supported many regional successes for Stepnell, including this year’s completion of a sports centre for Martin High School in the village of Anstey – which adds to the 32 Leicester schemes for Stepnell achieved over the course of the past 8 years. Most recently, Tom has been overseeing the fifth and sixth phases of improvement and expansion works to global HR, payroll and finance software company MHR’s Nottingham headquarters.
In his new role, Tom will be assuming wider business responsibilities while continuing to lead the business in the region. Tom will also oversee the relocation of the Stepnell East Midlands office to a bigger and enhanced office space in the coming month.
Tom said: “It has been incredibly fulfilling to grow Stepnell’s presence and project successes in the East Midlands. The growth witnessed has delivered great projects for our customers which we continue to measure through our Net Promotor Score, which is now 51 and continues to flourish. I thank the whole of the East Midlands team and every member of the region who has played their part.
“As a newly appointed director, I now look forward to joining the board to contribute to the leadership of the business as Stepnell anticipates further growth, and to develop our teams, our culture and the service we provide to our clients accordingly.”
Tom Wakeford, managing director at Stepnell said: “For close to a decade, Tom has made an incredible contribution that has really helped both the region and the business embed the right culture and values, through a strong focus on developing teams and team behaviour. Not only this, Tom was a big part of our recent success in securing a place on the SCAPE Regional Construction Framework.
“Thanks to Tom’s many achievements and team-focused ethos, the board sees this promotion as a continuation of the business’ focus on the right culture, and we’re delighted to be working with Tom in this new director role.”
Leicestershire property developer expands into West Midlands
William Davis Homes is opening a West Midlands office, as part of its ambitious business expansion plans.
The award-winning Leicestershire company has appointed a new West Midlands Land Director and two senior land and planning professionals to strengthen its growth strategy in the region.
The specialist team will be based in Warwickshire, giving William Davis a permanent presence in the West Midlands for the first time.
The 5-star housebuilder already has successful housing developments in Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire – and has secured a further 16 parcels of land across the West Midlands, with the potential to deliver thousands of new homes as well as creating new jobs and training opportunities.
Guy Higgins, Managing Director of William Davis Homes, said: “Our aim is to build a pipeline of developments in the West Midlands to support our growth as a business, and we are actively seeking opportunities to acquire more land in the West Midlands. Having a dedicated team of land professionals based in the region will help with this.”
The team is headed by Matt Colloby, who has been appointed as the company’s West Midlands Land Director. Matt has been with William Davis for more than 30 years and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this new role.
He said: “This is an exciting challenge which brings a real opportunity to grow, build upon our existing operations and further strengthen relationships in the region. I am very much looking forward to growing the team over the next twelve months.”
Also in the new West Midlands team are James Chatterton, Senior Planner and Andrew Morgan, who has recently joined the company as Senior Land Manager.
They will be based at Waterloo Place in Leamington Spa from 1 October 2022.
In the current financial year, William Davis is planning to build and complete the sale of more than 400 new homes at more than a dozen sites across the East and West Midlands.
Travis Perkins completes relocation to new Worksop site
Travis Perkins has sold their former site in Worksop and let a new purpose built 14,000ft² site.
FHP acted on behalf of clients CEG, Lawrence Escott in the letting of their new purpose built 14,000ft Builders Merchants on their 2 acre site area and subsequently sold Travis Perkins former site in Worksop too.
The enhanced location surrounded by Asda, Greggs, Burger King and 16 trade counter units supported the move for Travis Perkins to this new location.
FHP were subsequently instructed by Travis Perkins to sell Travis Perkins former site on Carlton Road, Worksop of 1 acre with over 8,000ft of warehousing on the site. After competitive bids, the successful party was Euro Property Investments with Sam Sutton of Phillips Sutton acting for the purchaser.
FHP worked with Stuart Rowse and Will Moss of Travis Perkins throughout the new letting and sale process.
Chris Proctor of FHP Property Consultants commented:- “I am delighted to see the conclusion of Travis Perkins relocation in Worksop, which has provided an enhanced trading position on a more efficient site as well as a successful disposal of their former site. Great to work with all parties involved throughout these transactions.”
Phillips Sutton and FHP have been retained by the purchaser of the Former Travis Perkins on Carlton Road, Worksop with all enquiries for the re-letting of the site.
Rolls-Royce Submarines opens Nuclear Skills Academy in Derby
Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd has opened the doors of its new Nuclear Skills Academy in Derby. 200 new apprentices from all walks of life streamed into the Academy on 26 September for what marks the start of their nuclear careers.
The Nuclear Skills Academy is the first of its kind and aims to sustain nuclear capability within the UK’s submarines programme by creating a dedicated pipeline of talent at the start of their careers.
Based in Derby, the Nuclear Skills Academy is supported by industry and education experts, including the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the National College for Nuclear, the University of Derby and Derby City Council. This ensures new apprentices have access to the best courses and mentors throughout their apprenticeship.
Rolls-Royce announced its plans for the Nuclear Skills Academy in May 2022 to huge interest from across the UK. With more than 1,200 applicants for only 200 places in its 2022-23 academic year it’s been a tough job to narrow down the successful candidates.
Steve Carlier, president, Rolls-Royce Submarines, said: “We are thrilled by the levels of interest in these apprenticeships, and it highlights how attractive a career in the nuclear sector really is. With the growing demand for clean, carbon-free energy and with our submarines contracts with the MoD likely to sustain us into the next century, this could be a job for life for our new apprentices.
“Having started with Rolls-Royce as an apprentice myself and being born and bred in Derby, the launch of the Nuclear Skills Academy is especially exciting for me. I’m delighted that we are leading the way in developing nuclear talent for the submarines enterprise and proud that it will all be done in Derby.”
The Nuclear Skills Academy has the funding to provide 200 apprentices each year with nuclear education across four different courses for at least the next 10 years. The support of key industry organisations in driving the project forward has been invaluable for Rolls-Royce.
Andrew Storer from the Nuclear AMRC spoke of the importance of collaboration when it comes to this programme: “We need to work together to tackle skills shortages which affect the whole nuclear sector. The organisations backing the Nuclear Skills Academy will ensure that apprentices have the best training and support and develop the skills to deliver the UK’s commitments for low-carbon power and national security. As a former Derby apprentice, I am very proud that we are helping set a new standard for training which could be rolled out across the sector.”
Helen Higgs from National College for Nuclear said: “The Nuclear Skills Academy is a significant development for the sector and the National College for Nuclear is delighted to be able to play a vital role in its creation and future development.
“Collaboration between ourselves, industry and education partners is at the heart of NCfN’s delivery model and our vision, and this is a fantastic example of how that partnership can bring about world-class opportunities for many apprentices.”
The apprenticeships are spread across all functions of the business including: Engineering, Manufacturing and Business. They provide fully funded, further and higher education qualifications, while the apprentices receive hands-on practical work experience within the business.
Each of the courses is accredited through the University of Derby and National College for Nuclear.
Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, vice-chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Derby, said: “Equipping the future workforce with the skills and knowledge required to assure a pipeline of talent into the nuclear industry is crucial; the University is delighted to be playing a key role in this.
“Derby is a city at the cutting edge of engineering and manufacturing, with an internationally renowned reputation as a centre for industrial innovation. The Academy will further strengthen this and is set to be a game-changer in how we respond, at pace, to the evolving skills needs of the country.”
The home of the Nuclear Skills Academy is an iconic building in Derby, formerly known as the iHub. The hope is to position the East Midlands as the centre of nuclear excellence in the UK, an aspiration Derby City Council is equally excited by.
Leader of Derby City Council, Councillor Chris Poulter said: “This is an exciting opportunity for the people of Derby which will help to further build our reputation as a city of innovation. It is vital that we bring forward the next generation into the nuclear industry and apprenticeships are a fantastic way for those of all ages to earn while they learn.
“Additional funding worth £1.3m has been secured from Innovate UK to help fund bespoke training equipment and IT facilities for apprentices at the new training centre. The skills academy will also support key employers in the city and help to secure future talent in years to come.”
Applications for 2023-24 academic intake will be opening from October 2022.
For 60 years, Rolls-Royce has provided the power for all of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines from its base in Raynesway, Derby. Their work ensures submariners have the power to protect the UK’s interests at home and further afield.
