Holyrood backs apprenticeships
In recognition of the severe impact of Covid-19 on the economy and the knock-on consequences on employment opportunities, the Scottish government has increased support for apprenticeships.
And NFU Scotland this week urged any farmers thinking about bringing new blood into their workforce to consider the benefits of the Apprenticeship Employer Grant (AEG).
Commenting on the fund which remains open until 25 March and is worth up to £5000 to an employer the union’s Skills Development Policy Manager George Jamieson said: “Taking on an apprentice is a sound investment in our industry’s future. If you are considering creating an employment opportunity on your farm or croft, then this grant could be the stimulus you need to go down that route. The funding covers all sectors in Scotland and the deadline for applications is just three weeks away.”
He said many might have swithered about taking on an apprentice or upskilling a member of staff, but the AEG could be an incentive to get them to take that first step to helping an apprentice join the sector.
“The farming sector has been slow to warm to the apprenticeship model, but NFUS is working closely with providers and schools to raise the ambition and profile of the Modern Apprenticeship model and we encourage farmers to learn more and consider the potential to existing staff of new staff.”
Information on apprenticeships is available from NFUS, Lantra, local college or training providers or any farmer who has supported a Modern Apprentice.
Energy-focused mechanical engineering specialist Enermech has inked a string of new contracts in the first few months of this year.
The Aberdeen-headquartered company said it has a strong pipeline of work for the year ahead and is bringing forward a “robust” growth strategy for its UK operations after netting eight projects in the last three months. The campaigns are a combination of new and extended contracts and will be split across its bases in Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth in England.
The new awards include a first campaign for the onshore utilities market. The five-year, multi-million-pound deal will see the company deliver crane-lifting services to a major onshore petrochemical facility based in Southern Wales.
Enermech has also been awarded a two-year extension with floating production storage offloading operator BW Offshore.
The automotive industry has downgraded its expectations for the year following the worst February for car sales since 1959.
Just 1.83 million new cars will be registered in the UK in 2021, according to the latest prediction from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (Smmt).injanuaryithadforecast a figure of 1.89 million.
The change comes after demand for new cars fell by 36 per cent last month compared with February 2020. Only 51,000newcarswereregistered as showrooms remained shut.
Demand for diesel cars was down 61 per cent last month, with petrol models declining by 45 per cent.
Sales of battery electric and plug-in hybrid cars continued to buck the overall trend, with rises of 40 per cent and 52 per cent respectively. They took a combined market share of 13 percent,upfrom6percentduring February 2020.
In Scotland, there was a 20.6 per cent year-on-year drop in total registration figures to 4,184, according to the Scottish
Motor Trade Association.
February is generally a slow monthforcarsalesduetomany motorists waiting for new number plates to be released in March. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the decline is “deeply disappointing but expected”. He added: "More concerning, however, is that these closures have stifled dealers' preparations for March with the expectationthatthiswillnowbeathird successive dismal 'new plate month'.
"Although we have a pathway out of restrictions with rapid vaccine rollout, and proven experience in operating click and collect, it is essential that showrooms reopen as soon as possible so the industry can start to build back better, and recoverthe£23billionlossfrom the past year."
Karen Johnson, head of retail and wholesale at Barclays Corporatebanking,saiditis"notall doom and gloom" for car dealerships.
"The end of lockdown is in sight and the planned reopening of non-essential retail will be a huge relief to many in the motor industry," she said. "The new registration plate launching in March will also further spur consumer purchases in the coming months, and, as consumer confidence grows, many will hope to see new car sales grow accordingly."
Build back infrastructure" is not as snappy or alliterate as the build-backbetter mantra favoured by politicians who believe that post-covid-19 there is an opportunity to do things differently.
But it does have a serious point when it comes to kick-starting housebuilding projects and going some way to addressing the country’s chronic housing crisis.
The global pandemic continues to impact on both consumer and corporate spending and confidence, and in the housebuilding sector this has led to stalled developments and investor nervousness in committing to schemes, particularly in marginal areas which perhaps are most in need of new housing and investment.
Traditionally it has been the developers who shoulder the initial cost and, therefore, risk of installing the necessary roads, sewerage, communications and water supply infrastructure that any housing development requires before a brick has been laid. This upfront investment, which can total millions in larger projects, is factored into the unit sale price and is gradually recouped as the development reaches completion.
But what if governments were to put aside convention and forward fund infrastructure specifically for housebuilding projects? By building-back-infrastructure to enable development, Holyrood and Westminster would send a strong signal to developers and funders to revisit projects which are at risk of not proceeding due to heavy up front costs and questionable viability.
A simplified framework to facilitate future developments would have a significant impact on so-called marginal viability areas where the housing market is not as strong as the Central Belt hotspots, and where housebuilders may take the view that the risk of investing potentially millions upfront in infrastructure is too great.
Separate and distinct from the ongoing
work of the Scottish Futures Trust, the current economic situation calls for role reversal and a willingness by big government to take a proactive lead in delivering infrastructure to prime development sites.
The tax payer would not lose as developers would be committed to repaying government expenditure retrospectively as the units are rolled out and missives exchanged, much in the way that planning gain is collected at present via Section 75 Agreements.
Jobs would be created in the initial stages of putting the infrastructure in place and through to the construction phase of delivering the new homes. The creation of additional educational hubs would not only support new communities but may reduce the strain on existing school rolls, generate planning gain investment and ultimately Council Tax receipts.
Improved road networks or other transportation links, for example new rail stations for large scale projects, are attractive to a mobile workforce who will commute to work, while appealing to employers who need access to skilled workers. And of course these new communities contribute to local economies, supporting the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors
As vaccines continue to be rolled out at pace, schools reopen, and business and commerce look forward to shrugging off the Covid-19 cloud which has hung overhead for more than a year, let’s hope the Government call to build-backbetter is not simply another disposable slogan, but something which can be gainfully deployed. Rodney Whyte, Partner and commercial property specialist at Pinsent Masons