Tony Blair’s obsession with “going to uni” is to blame for the UK’s apprentice problem – but we can’t afford to be sniffy July 23, 2015 Let’s face it, the UK has an apprentice problem. Whether we’re dissecting Lord Sugar’s latest line-up of hopefuls or wringing hands at the thought of our kids becoming one, as a nation we look down on apprentices. How far the government’s commitment to creating three million new apprenticeships by 2020 will change things, is [...]
Cost of London office space set to soar amid supply shortages July 22, 2015 Office space is in short supply, putting upward pressure on prices, a new survey of property surveyors reveals today. In central London, 60 per cent more surveyors are seeing a rise rather than fall in demand across all areas, the research undertaken by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) said. As a [...]
Stricter visa rules to give firms headache amid skills shortage July 21, 2015 Proposed changes to rules governing who can work in the UK threaten to exacerbate the skills shortage facing employers, the head of a major recruiting body has warned. “Our data show that almost all businesses are operating at capacity and want to take on more staff to meet demand, but the reality is that chronic [...]
Boeing says world needs 558,000 commercial airline pilots over the next 20 years July 21, 2015 There's good news for anyone who secretly harbours dreams of being an airline pilot – Boeing reckons that the world will need 558,000 new pilots over the next 20 years, four per cent more than forecast a year ago. The "pilot and technician outlook" said that airliners will spend more than $5.6 trillion to buy [...]
UK house prices to outstrip wages this year due to “chronic lack of properties being put up for sale” July 20, 2015 A shortage of homes is set to ensure house prices rise faster than incomes this year, a think tank has warned today. The Centre for Economics and Business Research has revised its estimate for price growth in 2015 more than three times to 4.7 per cent, up from its initial forecast of 1.5 per cent [...]
City leads UK to top spot among financial services exporters July 20, 2015 The City has helped the UK to become the biggest net exporter of financial services in the world, a new report reveals today. The UK exported $95bn (£62bn) of financial services more than it imported in 2014, according to the report from TheCityUK, a lobby group for the City. It is 4.3 [...]
City firms splash out on red tape officers as demand for compliance skills boosts wages July 19, 2015 (Source: Emolument) City workers who help companies cope with red tape are seeing their pay rocket, as a wave of regulations boosts demand for their skills. Figures out this morning reveal that some firms are offering pay rises of 30 per cent in order to attract the staff they need “The more [...]
Redundancy payouts decline as pressure to cut costs eases July 19, 2015 Redundancy payments have fallen to their lowest level since the recession, according to new figures published today. Redundancy payouts to workers totalled £3.5bn in the 12 months ending April 2015, down 10 per cent on the year before, commercial law firm EMW said. The number of payments has also dropped 10 per cent from 284,000 [...]
Ikea promises to adopt the living wage for its 9,000 UK employees July 19, 2015 Home furnishing giant Ikea yesterday pledged to adopt the living wage from 1 April next year – a move that will affect more than half its 9,000 UK staff. Describing the pay increase as “part of a holistic transformation of basic co-worker conditions”, Ikea said UK employees will receive a minimum of £7.85 per hour [...]
James Dyson warns business secretary Sajid Javid on foreign students immigration policy July 19, 2015 Sir James Dyson is not happy with business secretary Sajid Javid. Javid last week insisted foreign students should leave after their studies, indicating a fresh push by the government to introduce new legislation cracking down on their right to work after graduating. Now the hugely respected entrepreneur has attacked the business secretary's stance saying that the [...]