This National Apprenticeship Week (10^th – 16^th February 2025), Nationwide Platforms is championing the value of lifelong learning through employees like Yetunde Adefila, a 40-year-old HR Business Partner who’s using an apprenticeship to sharpen her leadership skills and shape company HR strategy.

With an engineering background and a degree in computer science, she began her career in the technical sector. However, she soon realised she missed the human interaction element in her work, leading her to transition into HR in her late 20s. Since joining Nationwide Platforms as an HR Advisor three years ago, she has progressed rapidly, being promoted to HR Business Partner within a year.

Charlie Stanley, HR Director at Nationwide Platforms, said, “Nationwide Platforms champions internal career development through apprenticeships. By providing employees with the tools, flexibility, and support to advance their careers, the company is fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth. As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, Yetunde’s experience is a testament to the power of lifelong learning and the impact of investing in people. Nationwide Platforms is proud to play a part in helping employees reach their full potential, proving that career growth is always within reach.”

The UK government will implement the Procurement Act 2023 on February 24, 2025, introducing changes to increase small business participation in public contracts. The government spends £400 billion annually on public procurement and has set a target to direct over £120 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Only around 10% of contracts are awarded directly to SMEs, rising to 24% when subcontracting is included.

A key change under the new Act is the introduction of a Central Digital Platform to replace and enhance the Find a Tender service. The platform will centralise supplier registration, store core business details for multiple bids, and improve visibility into public procurement opportunities. Suppliers can manage profiles, track procurement notices, and set up tender alerts. The platform will also capture procurement data for future analysis.

All suppliers seeking public sector contracts must register on the new platform, regardless of previous registration on Find a Tender or Contracts Finder.

Nicholas Associates Group (NA Group), a talent management firm with an annual turnover exceeding £86 million, has acquired Hull-based recruitment agency Smart Temporary Solutions Limited. The move expands NA Group’s presence in the industrial and manual labour staffing sector and strengthens its nationwide service offering.

Smart Temporary Solutions specialises in temporary and temp-to-perm staffing for blue-collar industries. The acquisition aligns with NA Group’s strategy to enhance its workforce solutions across the UK.

David Kitney, founder of Smart Temporary Solutions, is stepping away from the business following the acquisition. He expressed confidence that NA Group’s leadership will continue to support the agency’s clients, candidates, and employees.

NA Group, headquartered in Rotherham, operates several brands, including Stafforce, The Apprentice Employment Agency, and Graduate Career Solutions.

An investment package of £125k is supporting ambitious growth plans for Whitby and Guisborough-based Heritage Stoves, a family-run firm supplying wood burning and multi-fuel stoves.

This funding supports Heritage Stoves following the acquisition of Heritage Hearthstone Fires & Stones, which has been operating since 1997. Following the acquisition, Heritage Stoves will supply and install premium wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves from leading brands to domestic and business customers.

Founded in May 2024 by husband-and-wife duo Daniel and Stephanie Bird, Heritage Stoves brings together the couple’s skills. Daniel’s a qualified heating engineer, and Stephanie, with four years of experience managing the Guisborough office of Heritage Hearthstone Fires & Stones, was approached by its retiring owners to take over the business due to her deep familiarity with its operations.

Daniel said: “This investment marks an exciting new chapter for Heritage Stoves. Acquiring Heritage Hearthstone allows us to build on a trusted legacy while driving local economic growth. We’re committed to offering exceptional products and services to both consumers and businesses.”

The investment, provided by NPIF II – BEF Smaller Loans which is managed by the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), includes additional support from BEF’s Community Investment Enterprise Fund 2 (CIEF2), backed by Lloyds Bank and Big Society Capital, as well as the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme.

Antony Nicholson, investment manager at BEF, said: “Daniel and Stephanie’s vision, combined with their industry expertise, demonstrates the transformative potential of strategic investment in local businesses. This is precisely the kind of venture NPIF II is designed to support.”

Lizzy Upton, senior investment manager at British Business Bank, added: “Securing finance to accelerate growth is a key part of a business’ journey, and this funding from NPIF II will play a transformational role in helping Heritage Stoves expand its operations following the acquisition. While allowing the company to purchase new stock, it will also be used to create and protect jobs, adding further impact to the local economy.”

The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIFII) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.

BEF specialises in delivering smaller loans between £25,000 and £100,000 to businesses in Yorkshire and Humberside. Committed to breaking down barriers to finance, BEF ensures SMEs across diverse industries receive the support they need to thrive.