< Previousimmediately forgets. Also, do some research, ifyou have the chance, a straw poll on theactivities available among staff will make sureyou don’t end up booking a bowling alleywhen what people wanted was a classy nightfull of cocktails, dancing and culture!Remember, it’s not your partyThis is a Christmas party for everyone, not a bespoke birthdayparty to massage your ego. Not everyone will share your tastein expensive wines, a la carte food and obscure music. Cateringto the masses is what you need to do. Think simple for food,overcomplicated menus will put people off and most venuesavailable will run a set menu at Christmas. However it pays notto forget the dietary requirements of your workforce. Vegetarianor vegan options are a must as well as taking into account anyallergies people might have. Also, not everyone is keen on spicyor unusual food. Even if the whole office is coveting a curry,there may be the odd one or two that can’t stand anything butthe so-called ‘turkey and tinsel’ options, so pick carefully!Location, location, you know the rest…It might seem obvious, but don’t book a small office party ina venue the size of an aircraft hangar. Conversations will eithersound booming or inaudible, it will most likely lackatmosphere and you’ll look slightly silly if there’s just thirtypeople dancing on a floor used to several hundred. Equally,don’t try and fit far too many people into an area the size of apostage stamp. You might be captivated by that bijou Italianrestaurant, but it might well lose its charm if you are crammedinto a small space with work colleagues. The main thing toremember is book the location based on just too much roomfor the amount of people going. For example, if spouses areallowed to attend or the odd gatecrasher turns up, such asformer colleagues wanting to celebrate with their oldworkmates, there will be a spare seat for them. 20www.blmforum.netCONFERENCINGAlthough the last rays of sunshine are still inevidence, reflecting off the ochre and autumnalshades outside, it will soon be present-wrapping,tree-decorating and too-much-food time onceagain. It may be a wrench to get yourself into the festivemood at the moment, but put it off or forget and you couldhave an office full of angry co-workers who, on crossing theirarms, demand that you sort their party out at short notice.Remember, you might be a scrooge, but the rest of youroffice might be counting down the days until they can let theirhair down and socialise. For some offices, Christmas is theonly time of year where everyone comes together, forgetstheir work duties and socialises and there can be noargument it can be a boost for morale. If organising a staff party has fallen to you, then take onthese tips to ensure everything runs smoothly…Don’t wade in feet first!Many fall into the trap of booking the first place they thinkof. If your staff end up at the same haunts every time you goout, then it is unlikely that unless you receive specificinstructions they want to see the same four walls again. Thesame goes for a party in the office. Most staff are in thatbuilding day in, day out. A change of scenery will not onlyrelax people, but excite them as well. Make the venuememorable and you’ll be remembered for organising a greatcelebration, rather than a dull few drinks everyoneIt really is that time of year once again. Ifyou haven’t booked your officeChristmas party yet, now is the time, buthere’s some tips to help make things runsmoothly.Christmas is comingChristmas is coming20-21:Layout 1 24/9/12 10:24 Page 1CONFERENCINGwww.blmforum.net21Action inLeeds like abat out of hell!Leeds is the place to be for NewYear’s Eve and the Bat Out Of HellBall at Saviles Hall is the mostexciting place in the cityOn the waterfront opposite the Royal Armouries Museum,Saviles is a super-sized room seating up to a thousand guestsfor dinner and dancing with a floor to ceiling wrap around starcloth to boot. When Saviles is full of revellers, the atmosphereis just electric!New Year’s Eve is all about having a fantastic party. For youraction packed night, an awesome light rig and resident DJaccompany a ninety minute after-dinner show involving thebest lookalike and soundalike artistes in the country. It’s anight of unforgettable top class entertainment - Elvis, FreddieMercury and Meatloaf, along with a team of female dancersand a live band, will be there. The famous, larger than lifechocolate fountains, a five-course dinner and deliciouscocktails will be available to round off the most spectacularparty in Leeds.For your safety, the 24 hour car park is secure, thesecurity staff are helpful and respectful, and there’s anadjacent hotel in case you’re feeling so festive you shouldn’tdrive home.Cavort your way through to midnight and on to the weesmall hours in black tie and ballgowns. Thrilling entertainmentand an electric atmosphere make Saviles’ Bat Out Of Hell Ballthe visit venue this New Year’s Eve - book now atchristmaspartiesinleeds.co.uk or phone 0113 220 1906.Northern CollegeWentworth Castle, Stainborough, BarnsleyTel: 01226 776000 Email: business@northern.ac.ukwww.northern.ac.ukNorthern College is aperfect venue for yourorganisation, which offersexcellent facilities forconferences, seminars andexhibitions. They also offerample free parking, highquality catering and newpurpose built residentialaccommodation.Day Delegate Rates startfrom £18.50. Don’t delay...book your event today!Millfields HotelBargate, Grimsby Tel: 01472 356068Email: info@millfieldshotel.co.uk www.millfieldshotel.co.ukMillfields Hotel is an exclusive yet competitively priced 27bedroom hotel. The dedicated conference rooms can cater formeetings of up to fifty delegates, with large screen and wirelessinternet access available. Millfields also offers fabulous leisure facilities including an air-conditioned gym, sauna and steam room, hair salon and aromatherapist.Relax after your event with Millfields Fine Dining option of evening or daytime menusand ask about their discount card.Picture your venue& event specialistsAston HallWorksop Road, Aston, Sheffield Tel: 0114 287 2309Email: christmas@astonhallhotel.co.uk www.astonhallhotel.co.ukWhy not indulge yourself thisChristmas and join the team at AstonHall for a perfect yuletide celebration?Christmas is upon you as soon as youarrive at Aston Hall, from the aroma ofpine needles and spiced mulled wine tothe twinkling Christmas trees that graceeach room.Aston Hall’s festive party nights are agreat way to celebrate the season. Theyinclude a delicious four-course dinner, allthe festive trimmings and disco dancing.Disco party nights also make you feel like you’ve just stepped in time.Tender turkey, fluffy roast potatoes, rich flambéed Christmas pudding and the freshestwinter vegetables sit together on Aston Hall’s exquisite menus with more contemporaryalternatives to satisfy the tastes and appetites of all their discerning guests.The Golden FleeceMarket Place, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 1LL Tel: 01845 523108Email: reservations@goldenfleecehotel.com www.goldenfleecehotel.comOne of England’s oldest coaching inns with 25 comfortableensuite rooms. Thirsk is halfway between the business centresof Yorkshire and the North East, on the main London toEdinburgh and Sunderland lines, just two miles from the hotel.Conference facilities for up to 75 delegates theatre style andthirty delegates U-shaped or boardroom style. Also on offer isfree WiFi and free Parking, plus daily delegate rates.The Poachers Country HotelSwineshead Road, Kirton Holme, BostonTel: 01205 290310The Poachers Country Hotel offers superbconference facilities for groups of all sizes, fromsmall meetings and training sessions to largeconferences and functions. Only a 45 minute drive from Lincoln, thePoachers Hotel is a popular venue choice forconferences in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands.The frequent train service from London toGrantham takes seventy minutes. Offering a flexible approach and exceptionalservice, the Poachers team ensures the smoothrunning of your event, leaving you to focus on thefunction content. Tailored conference packages areavailable, alongside free WiFi access and audiovisual equipment. The venue has a maximumcapacity of 150 delegates, with fourteenindividually designed bedrooms.20-21:Layout 1 24/9/12 10:24 Page 222www.blmforum.netINFORMATION TECHNOLOGYDigital technology has certainly become a moremainstream proposition in the past few years –and in our region the potential for growth ishuge. In fact, the World Trade Centre Hull andHumber has cited digital businesses – alongside renewableenergy and international trade – as the major drivers forgrowth in our region over the next few years. As digitalindustries generate around £130 billion of value for the UKeconomy and employ 1.7 million people – around 6% ofthe UK’s workforce – it is clearly a sector whose time hascome.Our region has a long and impressive heritage when itcomes to new technology – the advanced manufacturingthat takes place in South Yorkshire and York’s celebratedscience sector are excellent examples. Now Hull and theHumber are hoping to become a digital hub, making thema world leader in the fields of digital content creation andgaming businesses. Indeed, the LEP’s plan for the Humberis being updated to include a strategy to develop the digitaland technology sector in the region.Our region is aiming tobecome a worldwide hub fortechnology – and majorplayers in the industry arearriving in the areaNewdimensions22-25:Layout 1 24/9/12 09:57 Page 1INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYwww.blmforum.net23At the Summit, Alan Johnson MP said, “We already havesome of the infrastructure in place to support the growth ofthis sector, and many more developments are alreadyplanned or underway. Now the challenge is to work togetherto fulfil our aspirations to attract a disproportionate slice ofthe wealth that digital industries create. This is a sector that’scontinuing to grow through the downturn. We’re in a greatposition to join together and capitalise on the work that’salready being done within local organisations to exploit thisopportunity.”The benefit of this new approach to digital technologywon’t just be limited to games, however. Almost everycompany will be able to make use of a host of new softwaresolutions and apps that can have a major impact on the waybusinesses work.One great example is the REaCTOR project that is currentlybeing pioneered by the FusedWorks team at DoncasterCollege. They are intending to create an open teaching andlearning resource for those specialising in the builtenvironment. Beta testing began in August and the teamhave been promoting the project in recent months, includingattending a recent event at Barnsley College aimed atpromoting the Green Deal legislation, which enabled theteam to show the current testing apps to various businesses.With businesses monitoring their environmental impact atgreater depth than ever before, initiatives such as this are ofhuge value – especially using open source technology whichcan be particularly flexible.The increased burden on companies to ensure securityand traceability is also a major driver of developments ininformation technology. Enterprise resource planning andwarehouse management software is certainly making adifference. Companies such as Pinnula of Rotherhamcontinue to upgrade their Uniplan ERP software, which canbring together all the disparate aspects of a company in oneseamless software programme.Certainly, most businesses face the challenge ofunderstanding what their capacity is, is future work going tobe completed on time and at what cost. Uniplan provides themechanism for capturing what is happening throughout thebusiness and when, with the end result being a host ofinformation about progress and costs which allows thecompany to see how effective – and, therefore, howprofitable – they are.In Scunthorpe, meanwhile, Via Coldstores have made useof an Empirica WMS system from Chess LogisticsTechnology to provide operational efficiency across all itsservices – from handling differing types of pallet racking, andvariations in customer service offering including chilledtranshipment and cross docking. The system operates withwireless real time movement control, and offers interfacefacilities for electronic data exchange with their customers’systems. Customers also have immediate online access tostock data via a dedicated system portal.All of this investment could, however, cost companiesmore in terms of IT support. With the option of hostingwebsites and data storage from their own newly improvedbusinesses, there is clearly a need for more in-depth ITsupport and server hardware for data storage. Without the25 The recent Platform Digital Summit brought together majornames from the digital sector, alongside VIPs such as AlanJohnson MP, at the World Trade Centre to debate how theregion can make a global impact. Organiser Lindsay West,joint managing director of Garthwest, says, “The global digitalgaming industry is worth $74 billion. In the UK it accounts for8% of our economy and is growing at 4% a year even duringa recession. It tunes in with young people’s abilities thesedays. While we could do with more manufacturing, they arenot generally trained for it and are more connected to thecreative industries, which we need to stimulate.”The Digital Summit followed on from the annual PlatformExpos event which, for the past three years, have broughttogether world-class speakers and a growing audience ofdevelopers, funders and retailers. Next year’s event will bethe UK’s largest gathering of independent gamers and digitalcontent creators, and will be held in Hull’s former FruitMarket in April. Local regeneration bodies are citing the eventas the chance to revitalise a currently under-utilised urbanarea and help make it a physical hub for digital businesses.22-25:Layout 1 24/9/12 09:57 Page 222-25:Layout 1 24/9/12 09:57 Page 3INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYwww.blmforum.net25COMPLETE IT BUSINESS SOLUTIONSWhatever your industry we have the expert knowledge tohelp you integrate, manage, grow, secure, develop, analyseand fulfil your companies potenal.Pinnula deliver the value added benefits of integraon alleviang the heartache of dispersed systems and businesslogic conflicts.For more informaon about Pinnula visit www.pinnula.co.ukor call us on 01709 839933proper support structures in place thiscould end up costing inexperiencedcompanies, and putting them in dangerof being overtaken by their moreprepared competitors. Moves toimprove broadband capabilities in theregion – which we feature elsewhere inthis issue – will doubtless be of greatvalue.It’s perhaps not surprising that moreand more companies are planning toinvest in cloud technology – with newresearch from Microsoft suggestingthat nearly a fifth of businesses arelooking to introduce it to their businessin the next twelve months. As PaulSweeney of cloud specialists ANSGroup points out, “Computer networkshave evolved over the years fromseparate dedicated components to aunified intelligent infrastructure. Theseadvances in technology mean that wecan build stateless, fluid ITinfrastructures that can deliver fargreater computing power for a reducedspend. All businesses seek to reducecosts and maximise productivity andthe cloud can deliver for them.”New technology is changing the waymillions of firms conduct their business– and providing the flexibility thatSMEs require as they grow quickly andprovide the new jobs the economicrecovery depends upon. Our region iswell-placed to provide this technologyand lead the world in innovation.Lord Haskins and AlanJohnson MP pledge theirsupport to KC’s Humber bidto become a digital hub22-25:Layout 1 24/9/12 09:57 Page 426www.blmforum.netBUSINESS TRAVELMore than ever businesses aremaking decisions on transportbased on its cost. Thediscussions over the price of petrolhave been raging for many years, withmotorists continually claimingopportunities are not being taken todrive down prices. While thesewrangles continue, it’s not surprisingthat many businesses are taking theopportunity to take a closer look atwhat they’re spending on travel andhow they’re spending it.As our motoring pages suggest,many are looking at moreenvironmentally-friendly cars that cancut down on fuel prices, while otherfirms are now downsizing theirvehicles. Yet this has to be offset withthe fact that comfort remains a priority,particularly for workers who regularlytravel long distances. It’s perhaps notsurprising, therefore, that those whooperate public transport, be it trains,planes, boats or other vehicles, aretherefore emphasising theconvenience, efficiency and, above all,the comfort that they can offer as aviable alternative to hitting the road.Our region is at the forefront ofmajor developments in business travel– in all its forms. The HS2 rail projecthas hogged most of the headlines,unsurprisingly given the controversialnature of its development. The projectcertainly has the potential to cut downtravelling times massively betweenLondon and our part of the world andcould eventually lead to a dailycommute to the capital from London –or vice versa – becoming a realisticoption, with the journey from Leeds toLondon able to be completed in lessthan an hour and a half. The key wordhere is “eventually”, though, as if allgoes to plan we’ll have to wait until2033 until the whole project iscompleted.In the meantime other transportoptions are hoping to make adifference. After fierce lobbying bylocal businesses, Leeds BradfordAirport will, by the end of the year,offer flights to Heathrow after a gap ofthree years. The return of this service,which will run four times a day fromDecember, has come about due toBritish Airways’ purchase of BMI whichhas brought with it a number ofadditional landing slots at Heathrow.The intention of BA is to match therailways on price and offer a genuinealternative, with flights starting at £42.This new service isn’t just offeringadditional convenience for people inYorkshire, however – a furtheradvantage is that it opens up theregion to the wider world again,allowing businesses to take advantageof better connections and ensuringYorkshire and Lincolnshire venues canfind it easier to attract majorinternational events. Even seeing thenames of Leeds and Bradford on thedeparture boards at Britain’s biggestairport will doubtless be of value topromote the cities as viabledestinations. Elsewhere in our regionnew routes are available – EastMidlands Airport, for example, will atthe end of the month be offering newMaking the connectionCombining efficiency with convenience, numerous business travel options arebenefiting passengers and businesses alike26-27:Layout 1 24/9/12 10:13 Page 1Air TravelFerry Travel Car HireRail Tickets Hotel ArrangementsForeign ExchangeCar Parking Passport and VisasOut of Hours Servicevisit our website www.sheffieldexpress.com or call us today 0114 270 0022Air TravelFerry Travel Car HireRail Tickets Hotel ArrangementsForeign ExchangeCar ParkingPassport and VisasOut of Hours Servicevisit our website www.sheffieldexpress.com or call us today 0114 270 0022Sheffield Express Business Travel Ltd4th Floor,11 Leopold Street, Sheffield S1 2GYT: 00 44 (0)114 270 0022E: reservations@sheffieldexpress.co.ukBusiness travel service experts since 1999Providing flights, hotels, rail, car hire and more for your businessBUSINESS TRAVELwww.blmforum.net27FlyBe services to Paris, Amsterdamand Jersey.Many companies are assisting ourregion’s businesses in finding the mosteffective and inexpensive travel optionsfor their companies. Sheffield ExpressBusiness Travel, for example, can offera complete package – obtaining thebest fares plus also changing currency,locating and booking hotel rooms andensuring all the legal documentationrequired is in order. Much has beensaid about the confusing ticketingsystems that can lead to passengerspaying unnecessarily high fares and theuse of business travel specialists canhelp avoid this.As more and more businesses looktowards new frontiers in mainlandEurope and the wider world, our regionis certainly well placed to offernumerous advantages. The Humberports have long been a major driver ofbusiness and prosperity to the region,and with the increased interest in windturbines this is likely to prove evenmore valuable. Yet one thing that’soften forgotten is that the ports canalso have huge advantages forpassenger journeys as well.In 2013, Cruise & Maritime Voyagesare offering, for the first time, cruisesfrom Hull to St Petersburg, and thecompany are intending to continueoffering a range of excursions from theport. Nearly eight thousand passengersboarded from Hull last year and aroundtwelve thousand are hoped for over thenext two years – the cruises arediminishing in numbers but will belonger to take up the same number ofnights. The company is among thoserecommending the introduction of afully-fledged cruise terminal in Hull, anda recent feasibility study was certainlypositive in its suggestion that the citywould certainly benefit from this.Business travel now is something ofa combination – efficiency andenvironmental impact plays a part, butcustomers still want comfort andconvenience. Happily, Yorkshire andLincolnshire is well placed to deliver onall aspects.Although HS2’s impact is someyears off, the introduction ofdirect trains to new locationssuch as Harrogate are making abig impact on local businessPHOTO COURTESY HARROGATE CHAMBER26-27:Layout 1 3/10/12 16:15 Page 2Employment figures in some parts ofour region are suffering, so toaddress this shortfall, skilling up ayoung and innovative workforce toenter the engineering sector is key.28www.blmforum.netENGINEERINGEngineeringthe futureEmployment figures in some parts ofour region are suffering, so toaddress this shortfall, skilling up ayoung and innovative workforce toenter the engineering sector is key.Apprentices are trainingup to form the next,much-needed generationof engineersPHOTO: HETAEngineeringthe future28-30:Layout 1 24/9/12 10:15 Page 1ENGINEERINGwww.blmforum.net29Constant calls for Britain’sengineering sector to againbecome somewhat of anengine room for the wider businessworld are now being addressed inYorkshire and Lincolnshire. With theformation of the Greater LincolnshireLEP, which aims to provide aframework for feeding success and theprivate firms pulling their weight too,we should see young people becomingmore interested in an engineeringcareer. We spoke to James McIntoshof the Humberside EngineeringTraining Association to see what thecompany does to engage youngpeople and what sort of job prospectssuccessful trainees and apprenticescan look forward to.“There are a number of optionsavailable to young people who want tobecome engineers,” says James. “Youcould go to College and study A-levelswith a view to starting an EngineeringDegree at University or the much morepopular option of starting an AdvancedApprenticeship in Engineering whichcan then lead onto a FoundationDegree or HNC. “Our apprenticeships engage withover 160 local employers and theopportunity to earn while you learn atrade is fantastic for the learners.”Certainly the opportunity to earnwages while working is appealing,given the rise of university tuition feesin recent years. Students could nowleave university with an estimated debtof at least £30,000, which could putmany off this route entirely.James explains that qualificationsneeded to start an apprenticeship aresometimes only a minimum criteria offour GCSEs grades A-C includingMaths, English and Science. Applicantswill then be expected to perform avariety of trade tests and interviewsbefore they are shortlisted to acompany. Although those that think it is aneasy option, James warns, “Althoughengineering is a very hands-onindustry, a lot of people don’tappreciate the level of maths andscience that is involved on a dailybasis.”Interest is certainly increasing, HETAthemselves have just enjoyed a verybusy recruitment period, with a recordnumber of starts at its Hull site. James says, “This year we had over750 applicants for 110 places. There isa real increase in the quality ofapplicants. With the rise in fees and theperks of earning money whilst learninga trade as well as the progression toHigher Education at zero cost to thestudent, an engineering apprenticeshiphas become a popular choice. “The wind energy industry alsoattracts a lot of students who want tobe working in that field, plus the factwe already have eleven wind energyapprentices in companies across thearea makes it even more attractive!”HETA seems to be feeding anindustry hungry for new talent. There issaid to be an aging workforce atpresent, so the scheme providingcandidates for companies such as BP,Centrica, Reckitt Benckiser, Smith &Nephew, Philips 66, Total LOR andmany more speaks volumes.Plugging the gap?An event was held recently in Hull toaddress the need to develop a greenenergy-focused workforce in the cityand the wider region. It was aimed atcreating a workforce fit and ready forthe area’s growing green industry –including addressing a potentialgeneration gap.Sam Pick, director of the RenewablesNetwork, one of the organisers, saysthe event focused on opportunities andtraining needs surrounding an offshorewind turbine factory hub proposed forthe city, known as Green Port Hull.He says, “This offshore wind turbinefactory has the potential to createhundreds of jobs directly and manymore in its supply chain. Butrenewables is a globally-competitivemarket and just being located in theHumber area is not enough toguarantee winning business.“Local business must genuinely becompetitive and having the bestworkforce possible, with industry-required skills, is essential to fullybenefit.”A Green Way To Work featuredDynexSeminconductor’snew research centrein Lincoln shows thecity is on the mapfor an engineering-led future. 30 TRAINEDENGINEERINGAPPRENTICES AVAILABLEFOR MORE DETAILS ON ON THE HETA APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME CALL JAMES MCINTOSH 07889 723462 OR EMAIL james.mcIntosh@heta.co.uk OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.heta.co.ukEngineering The FutureHumberside Engineering Training Association28-30:Layout 1 24/9/12 10:15 Page 2Next >