SMF Gordon Wylie, a director at Free Green Energy, has announced the completion of the largest, roof-mounted solar PV array to be installed in Southern England.

The PV system is fully commissioned and has a generating capacity over 3 MW comprising 11,650 solar panels which are supported on the unused flat roof areas of the new bodyshop at BMW Group’s MINI manufacturing plant in Cowley, Oxford.
These solar arrays have been installed without the need for any roof-penetrating attachments on an innovative, lightweight, aerodynamic support framework and cover an area equivalent to approximately five football pitches (over 20,000 square metres). The installation will generate approximately 2,800,000 kWh per year of electricity. The solar PV electricity will enable BMW Group UK to reduce its carbon footprint by approximately 1,500 tonnes of CO2 per year.
The PV system is financed, owned, installed and maintained by Free Green Energy Corporation Limited (FGEC) and the green electricity generated is being supplied to BMW (UK) Manufacturing Limited under a 20 year Power Purchase Agreement.

Read the BMW press release.

The UK’s leading carbon wheel company, Dymag, hosted the cream of the South West’s aspiring young engineers on Tuesday 20 May 2014

Students aged 14 and 15 from the Future Brunels programme visited Dymag in Chippenham where they met Dymag’s managing director, entrepreneur Chris Shelley and had a personal tour of the facility where carbon fibre wheels are designed for the world’s top motor cycle race teams and a global consumer market.

The five boys and five girls are amongst pupils handpicked from schools in and around Bristol after a gruelling selection process. They gained first hand experience of turning carbon cloth and liquid resin into a solid material that is five times stronger than steel and they were able to take their finished products home.

Chris Shelley said: “Dymag is a world leader in designing and manufacturing carbon and aluminium wheels. We set the benchmark in the 1970s when we were the first company to manufacture carbon fibre wheels for both motorcycle and high performance cars. So I’m delighted and proud to have hosted the next generation of British engineers who I hope we inspired and at the same time provided them with an insight into what goes into making a top performance racing wheel.”

Dymag has supplied wheels to many Formula 1, Rally, GP Moto, Superbike and Isle of Man TT champions for over 40 years. The company then went into liquidation and was rescued by Chris Shelley who, with the help of the original Dymag team of engineers, brought the company back to life and is now supplying top flight race teams once again. He has also just launched a range of carbon fibre cycle wheels and is working on a new car wheel prototype.

Sainsbury Management Fellow, Chris Shelley is an international businessman and entrepreneur. He employs a team of expert engineers at his factory in Chippenham, Wiltshire and also works closely with the National Composites Centre in Bristol on developing new projects. Chris also mentors engineering students at Bristol University.

He said: “It’s really important that we nurture British engineering talent from an early age. This country is famous for so many great engineering inventions and we hope that Dymag is playing a small but significant part in flying the British flag worldwide.”

The ss Great Britain Trust’s Education Manager Dr Rachel Roberts commented: “The ‘Future Brunels programme is designed to encourage more children to pursue a career in science and engineering. We aim to inspire the next generation of Brunels by introducing them to these types of new technologies and experiences.”

Future Brunels Programme
The Future Brunels Programme aims to capitalise on the enthusiasm for science that children experience in primary schools, and maintain that interest throughout their time at secondary school. Currently the ss Great Britain education team are working with children from four Bristol secondary schools: Bedminster Down School, Cotham School, Merchants’ Academy and Redland Green School, and provides them with exciting and inspiring experiences of science and engineering outside a classroom setting.

Twelve students from Year 7 are selected annually and they each spend six days every academic year on the programme until the end of secondary school. The Future Brunels are selected on the basis of their enthusiasm and aptitude for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM subjects), but are not necessarily already committed to studying those subjects at GCSE or beyond.

As part of the programme the Future Brunels visit inspirational sites related to science, technology and engineering. They take part in hands-on projects at the Brunel Institute and annual activities and trips are based around themes which take their inspiration from Brunel’s skills and abilities.

For further information on the Future Brunels contact Jess Hellens at ss Great Britain Trust’s on 01179 260680 extension 309, email jessh@ssgreatbritain.org or visit the website at http://www.ssgreatbritain.org

Serge Taborin is the latest Sainsbury Management Fellow to use his combined business and technology skills to co-found and develop an innovative business – Q App – alongside an impressive group of experienced digital entrepreneurs and senior hospitality industry professionals.

Q App is a revolutionary mobile ordering and payments platform. The London-based mobile start-up offers a solution to a problem that has existed since the first bar was opened – having to stand in a long queue to make an order. A fundamentally inefficient process, it is a nuisance for customers and places a limit on the number of orders that can be processed by venues.

Serge Taborin, Q App’s CEO said: “This unique app enables hospitality and entertainment venues to keep up with the speed and efficiency of modern times. It’s a win-win situation for customers and venues: customers can spend more time socialising and venues can increase staff efficiency and offer a better service whilst generating more revenue and gaining valuable insight into customers’ purchasing behaviour. We’re aiming to enhance the customer/venue ordering experience within the food, drink and entertainment industries.”

How Q App Works
Focusing on market segments where long queues are most common, including busy pubs/bars, fast-food outlets, coffee shops, sports grounds, theatres/cinemas and major entertainment establishments, Q App uses its proprietary platform to enable users to browse the menu, select products and pay for their order using a pre-registered credit card at any participating venue, all from their smartphone avoiding queuing, carry cashing or the need for a paper bill.

When the order is ready, the user receives an alert with a unique code and collects their products from a dedicated ‘fast lane’ at the counter – or even has them delivered to their table/seat. Amongst other benefits, the app also allows users to specify their collection time-slot, ideal for takeaway outlets, coffee shops and theatre intervals.
The accelerated process has not only seen an average 10% rise in orders across participating venues, but also reduces operating costs and increases average order values.

Customer Roll Out
Q App, which aims o have 250,000 downloads by summer 2014, has been growing exponentially since its launch and is now live at a number of major venues across London, including Southbank Centre, ETM Group’s The Botanist, The Cadogan and Angel and Crown, Glendola’s Waxy O’Connor’s, Palace Theatre (part of the Nimax Theatre Group) and Konditor & Cook, with plans underway for a nationwide expansion. The company has also recently added a Premier League club to its rapidly expanding portfolio of clients.

Ed Martin, co-founder of ETM Group commented: “The addition of the Q App platform to some of our flagship venues has improved our operational efficiencies. Using the app means we are able to process significantly more orders during busy periods, while the average order value is also noticeably higher as a result of our ability to promote and up-sell additional products. Just as importantly, the customer feedback has been excellent – the convenience provided means our customers don’t have to queue so are able to benefit from this virtual VIP treatment at a press of a button.”

Technology
Q App is available on both iPhone and Android platforms, while its unique format gives venues premium product placement slots to assist with up-selling higher margin products. In addition, the app gathers rich customer data which can be used for highly targeted special offers and seasonal promotions.

Founders and Investors
Q App was co-founded by Serge Taborin, formerly of Perform Group and Archant Media, and Tim Bichara, former Managing Partner of leading mobile development agency Nimble Mobile.

Investors include Paul Ettinger, business development director and co-founder of Caffè Nero; Tom and Ed Martin of the ETM Group; Alex Carlton, founder and MD of funkin; and Alex Chesterman, founder and chief executive of Zoopla and a serial entrepreneur. It has been developed in response to a wave of innovations in apps which have used smartphone platforms to revolutionise other market sectors. Click here for more on Q App.

SMF calls for a ban on hard hats and clichéd images from advertising and promotion to improve the image of engineers and attract job applicants

Sainsbury Management Fellowship (SMF), the charity that furthers the development of engineers through educational bursaries and mentoring, has launched the Hard Hat Index which measures how frequently hard hats appear in selected media. The Hard Hat Index is complemented by a YouGov poll on public perceptions about engineers, and focus group research with engineering graduates.

The hard hat has become symbolic of engineers and SMF believes that this association is an example of how images detrimental to the perception of the role of engineers have far-reaching effects. This includes the ability to inspire, recruit and retain engineering graduates within the profession. SMF believes that the prevalent use of hard hats in the media, advertising, marketing literature, company and research reports defines engineers inaccurately, undermining their role as creative problem-solvers who improve our lives and shape tomorrow’s world.

The SMF Hard Hat Index is based on 12 months monitoring of the appearance of hard hats in carefully selected engineering media and 18 months monitoring of the national broadsheets. During those periods, 185 depictions of engineers wearing hard hats featured in 16 engineering titles (118 adverts and 67 editorials); where more appropriate or aspirational images could have been used to better engage with readers. Nine national newspapers featured 940 hard hat images (258 adverts and 682 editorials).

SMF created the Hard Hat Index to encourage the industry to examine the image it portrays of engineering through its depictions of engineers in hard hats and other uninspiring images that obscure the excitement, diversity and rewards of the engineering profession.

SMF President, David Falzani explained, “Whilst intentionally whimsical, the index highlights a serious issue. A recent EngineeringUK study revealed that engineering companies will have 1.86 million jobs requiring engineering skills by 2020, but the UK produces only 46,000 engineering graduates each year. At this rate we will not meet the economy’s demand for qualified engineers. The institutions and educational establishment are doing good work to encourage more young people into engineering, but the industry is neglecting the impact of the visual identifiers they use for engineers. Whether this neglect is due to a lack of awareness of the importance of this issue or sheer laziness, ‘brand engineering’ needs a radical overhaul. We must better understand the importance of image to Generation Y and replace outmoded images with more accurate, dynamic and appealing ones.”

YouGov Poll
When YouGov asked over 2,000 people online throughout the UK what items (up to four) they thought engineers primarily wear on an average working day, the hard hat came top with 63% of the votes, whereas a business suit received 25% of votes. The voting for ‘locations where engineers predominantly work’ showed stereotypical views with building and construction sites coming top (69% of votes), followed by industrial sites (66% of votes), with offices coming fifth (40% of the votes). Most people picture engineers working on building, industrial or manufacturing sites, yet the reality is that thousands of engineers work in office settings.

David Falzani continued;”HR directors ask us why engineers are always portrayed by pictures of people wearing hard hats. Images of hard hats appear in annual reports, job adverts and other publications perpetuating the myth that all engineers work hands on.”
More positively, engineers came sixth (49% of votes) in a league table of 11 professions that are particularly well respected in society.

When asked to choose between a selection of attributes and skills associated with engineers, professional came top (66% of votes), followed by seeing them as well qualified (64%), and being practical came third (61% of votes). However, ‘having exciting jobs’ pulled in just 19% of votes putting it in 9th place out of 10. This suggests the industry is not managing nor selling the attractiveness of engineering careers to the public.

Focus Group
The focus group research, conducted with winners of the Engineering Leadership Awards (ELAs) scheme, supports SMF’s assertion that the visual representations of engineering careers ‘turn-off’ young graduates. The ELAs viewed a range of editorial and advertising images from the industry’s own engineering magazines and were asked to give their opinions on the images. The majority of the images were deemed to be:
• Too traditional, old-fashioned or clichéd
• Contained negative stereotypes
• Too male orientated
• Bland, dull, boring and uninspiring

The few creative adverts without hard hats or other stereotypical props such as visibility jackets, were seen as eye-catching and a positive representation of engineers; demonstrating teamwork, problem-solving skills, expertise, dynamism, progress, influence and success. These companies appealed to young people as prospective employers, yet these ads were in the minority.
Falzani continued; “Our research and Hard Hat Index highlights the need for engineers to take greater responsibility for the image of our profession. We cannot complain that insufficient numbers of young people are drawn to engineering while paying scant attention to the image we are giving them. Employers complain that they can’t get the right calibre of people with the right skills and training. But they can’t hope to attract and retain the brightest engineering graduates – people with high expectations of working in a prestigious job where they can make a difference in the world, gain job satisfaction, travel globally and earn a good salary – when they do not support the creation and maintenance of an accurate and suitable image.”

The focus group showed that corporate image is very important. Who we work for reflects our own self-image and most young engineers don’t want to work in a business that projects itself with hard hats and overalls.

“The industry is being ineffective in how it portrays itself. It is our responsibility to communicate the opportunities better – we need to excite people about the diversity of engineering careers, so they can see the scope of responsibility, the opportunity to improve mankind’s condition, grow the economy and earn a good salary. Building a better brand identity for engineers, alongside the work being done to promote engineering to young people, will draw more high calibre graduates towards the profession and ensure that a diversity of people stay within engineering.

“We hope the Hard Hat Index will start a dialogue about the image of engineering and encourage companies and the professional societies to review how they portray the profession through their marketing, recruitment, publishing and reporting,” concluded Falzani.
Sainsbury Management Fellows will continue to monitor the trade and national media to track how the industry is progressing with re-packaging and representing itself to the engineering community, as well as to the wider public. The Hard Hat Index will be published annually.

Note : Figures are from the quantitative research, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,064 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12-15 April 2013. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

To coincide with Cranfield’s report The Female FTSE Board Report 2013 business leaders of prominent UK organisations took part in a debate on women on boards.  The panellists included James Raby, Trustee, Sainsbury Management Fellows; Anne Richards, Chief Investment Officer at Aberdeen Asset Management; Nicola Winn, COO Finance Infrastructure, Deutsche Bank; Jenny Young, Manager of Diversity, Royal Academy of Engineering and Caroline Cake, Director of 2020 Delivery and Sally Davis, holder of several Non-Executive Directorships including at the BBC.

Hosted by Helen Pitcher, Chairman at IDDAS and David Falzani, President of Sainsbury Management Fellows, the panellists explored the bottlenecks preventing female board appointments and practical steps to increase the number of women on FTSE boards.

Cranfield’s latest report shows that whilst there was a hive of activity after Lord Davies’ women on boards report published in March 2012 – 44% of new FTSE100 appointments and 36% of FTSE250 posts went to women – over the last six months the level of appointments has fallen significantly to 26% and 29% respectively.

Three main themes dominated the debate:

Mentoring and Sponsorship: Role models play a vital role in helping women to envisage their own success.  The debaters said that prominent business women allow other women to imagine what they too can achieve.  Being mentored by a successful business woman enables an aspiring director to think through career goals and weigh up different options.  A mentor can also explore assumptions and perceptions that lead women to opt-out of new opportunities.

Helen said: “It is vital for successful business women to set aside fears about mentoring and share their knowledge and experience with other women.  Mentors can help by challenging self-limiting beliefs – which are often based on inaccurate stereotyping of senior roles, and how the job might be done by them, rather than a predecessor.

The panel also highlighted the need for women to seek a sponsor; someone who sees the talent and potential of an individual and goes further than a mentor.  A sponsor actively supports the individual in their endeavour to secure new senior roles, for example, through referral, endorsement or recommendation.

Having a positive attitude and confidence are key to success – women can build their confidence through mentorship, as well as skills and personal impact training. 

Confidence: Most women who aspire to boardroom positions have a hunger to achieve at this level and will strive to create and seize opportunities, but the panel felt that some are held back due to lack of confidence linked to cultural grooming.  Subliminal messages that start from childhood work to boost boys’ self-confidence and moderate that of girls and this can follow into adulthood and the work pool.  This results in women not putting themselves forward for promotion, or worse, selecting-out of opportunities.

Research into the differences in promotion between men and women shows that huge subliminal bias still exists amongst both genders when promoting staff – men are promoted on potential (32% of men get onto a FTSE board without ever having been on a FTSE board), while women are promoted on past performance. They panel argued that those responsible for promoting staff must kick-against bias and promote men and women on equal criteria.

Helen Pitcher said: “In my experience women apply for senior roles only when they have almost 100% of the job specification nailed, whereas men have the confidence to apply even when they do not tick all the boxes.  The panel felt that to get more women on boards in a sustainable way, employers and women must eliminate limiting beliefs about women’s capability to do the top jobs.

Panellists who had worked in the USA commented on the marked difference between the aspirations for women in America compared to the UK.  They felt America has much higher expectations for women reaching senior posts, which we should emulate.  Women should be encouraged to shake-off concerns about applying for jobs only when they are 100% qualified because skills can be learned.

Networks: The panel concluded that there is a stark difference between the way men and women network, to the extent that women restrict their chances of being put forward for senior posts.  Men have much larger networks than women and regard networking as an integral part of their job – it’s where they build contacts, share knowledge and acquire new information.

Anne Richards, CIO at Aberdeen Asset Management said: “Women network far less than men.  Many see it as extra-curricular, something that encroaches on personal time so other priorities trump networking.  Consequently, women are known by fewer influential people and are less likely to be recommended for unadvertised posts and excluded from head-hunters’ interview lists.  Women must treat both traditional and social media networking as legitimate business activities, where they learn, broaden their perspective, build relationships and promote themselves.

“LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool where women can promote themselves to the search community, which is using it increasingly to find senior candidates.”

 

 

 

Matthew Tipper, Shell Vice President of Alternative Energies presents the award to Libertine CEO Sam Cockerill and Chairman Derek Shepherd.

Competing for a share of this year’s Shell Springboard funding alongside seven other regional finalists selected from a field of over 120, Libertine CEO Sam Cockerill and Chairman Derek Shepherd successfully pitched Libertine’s low carbon technology and business concept to an expert judging panel to secure a runner up award of £30,000.

Speaking at the regional finals in Newcastle on 30th April, Sainsbury Management Fellow Sam Cockerill said “This is fantastic news for Libertine.   Shell Springboard funding and recognition will accelerate our waste heat recovery demonstration programme and help raise Libertine’s profile, supporting our fundraising and partnering plans.

“This has also been a great event to showcase some of the most innovative low carbon businesses in the UK, and shows that the big challenges we face are creating some really exciting business opportunities.”

Run by Shell, the high profile competition aims to find the next big idea in low carbon enterprise and innovation by small and medium enterprises. Now in its eighth year, Shell Springboard has awarded £2.6 million of funding

for innovative low carbon businesses in the UK that have developed new ways of cutting CO2.

For more information on the Shell Springboard scheme click here.

SMF has awarded its latest round of scholarships to 10 young engineers who are aiming to  become business leaders in UK companies:

• Rafael Cepeda Lopez, CEng FIET – Rotterdam School of Management
• Oritsedere Ogbe, CEng MIMechE – London Business School
• Ozan Yalniz, CEng MICE – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Avijit Singh, CEng MIED – London Business School
• Julia Nammuni, CEng MICE – London Business School
• Edward Sclater, CEng MIMechE – Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
• Mahipal Ganeshmal, CEng MIMechE –IMD Switzerland
• Penny Cox –  INSEAD
• Robin Northcott, CEng MIMechE – London Business School
• Ross Gordon, CEng MIChemE – Rotterdam School of Management

Six of the successful awardees tell us what inspired them to do an MBA programme and their ambitions after graduation.

Ross Gordon, CEng MIChemE – Rotterdam School of Management

Prior to commencing his MBA studies at Rotterdam School of Management, 30 year old Ross Gordon worked in the process industries, primarily in oil & gas and pharmaceuticals, with an emphasis on sales and project management.  His most recent assignment with Jacobs Engineering was based in Switzerland at Novartis, working on the design of a new pharmaceutical facility to be built in Singapore.

Ross commented, “I first learned about the SMF bursary several years ago, while still a junior engineer, from an article about Lord Sainsbury and his charity work.  Six years later, I’m delighted to have been awarded a scholarship to do an MBA.  My desire to study for an MBA stems from working in the process industries for the last six years.  I want to have greater understanding of the business dynamics and complex interactions of global companies and the MBA will give me this and build my management skills.

“This award is life changing for me. The ability to focus on whatever industry I choose without the burden of debt, combined with being an SMF member and interacting with such an esteemed cohort is truly exhilarating.”

On graduation, Ross‘ ambition is to work within a diversified chemicals or industrial  biotechnology company and help an industrial  biotechnology company in the UK to grow significantly.

Ed Sclater, CEng MIMechE – Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

Prior to attending business school, Ed spent five years as a senior design engineer for Magna Parva, an international provider of engineering R&D services and scientific instruments for inter-planetary satellites. In 2011 Engineer magazine named Magna Parva ‘one of the UK’s most exciting young engineering companies.’

“I was fortunate to learn about the SMF bursary through online research, as studying for an MBA in the US is extremely expensive. The bursary has made an enormous contribution towards making my studies possible; helping me towards my long-term goal of setting up an enterprise that makes a positive impact on the world’s great engineering challenges.”

Oritsedere Ogbe, CEng MIMechE – London Business School
Prior to starting his MBA course, Dere worked as an operations engineer with BP in Europe, Middle East and North Africa for seven years.  He was responsible for implementing operational best practices and continuous improvement.  He enjoyed his career in engineering but wants to broaden this into commercial/managerial roles.  The MBA, which he is studying at LBS, provides a springboard into these roles, giving him both the management tools and the opportunity to challenge himself in new directions.

Dere is enthusiastic about his award, “I learned about the SMF bursary while working towards my engineering chartership and I was amazed by the forward thinking behind the scheme. Combining technical and commercial skills brings practical insights and leadership to any top management team.  The bursary was a key factor in my decision to pursue the MBA – it would have been difficult to take the financial risk without support.  I am not overwhelmed with debt and have the space to pursue opportunities that are in line with my long term goals.”

After completing his MBA, Dere is aiming for a position as a commercial manager at an international energy firm, and the opportunity to manage a major energy development which brings leadership, commercial and technical challenges simultaneously. 

Robin Northcott, CEng MIMechE – London Business School

 Robin Northcott has left behind the racy world of F1 cars.  He previously worked for Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team as a senior structural analyst, responsible for the structural performance of carbon fibre F1 car parts.

Robin takes up the story: “I had three great years building F1 cars and wanted to explore new opportunities.  I was seeking a career where I could use my strengths to make a positive impact on the world and decided it was time to take my wife’s advice and ‘become part of the solution.’  By acquiring additional knowledge and skill, I can help to solve some of society’s challenges.

“I was inspired by the very idea of an MBA and found out about the SMF bursary while researching into MBAs and business schools.  The interview day at the Royal Academy of Engineering was life changing in two ways – first, I received the bursary to do my MBA at LBS and second, I learned that that my wife is expecting our second child.  A very happy day.”

“I am not 100% sure yet what career I will pursue post-MBA, but that’s the joy of the SMF scheme.  You do not have to commit to a career option upfront to secure a bursary; you have breathing space to consider your options during the MBA programme.  I think asset management looks very attractive.  For me, the essence of good capitalism is using people’s savings to invest in good businesses, generating wealth and pensions for investors and economic growth that benefits everyone.”

Rafael Cepeda Lopez, CEng FIET – Rotterdam School of Management 

Rafael has worked in telecommunications for over 10 years.  He leaves his most recent role in the research and innovation group at BSkyB, where he was the leading expert in wireless communications, to do his MBA/MFM dual degree at RSM.  Prior to BSkyB, Rafael was a principal research engineer for Telecommunications Research Laboratory of Toshiba Research Europe (TRL-TREL), where he was responsible for blue-sky research in wireless communication and was sponsored to do a part-time PhD at the University of Bristol.

With such a strong telecommunications background it’s not surprising that his inspiration for doing an MBA is linked to communications. “I was inspired by a desire to learn about the reasons behind the insufficient level of communication and understanding between the research and business arms within hi-tech companies; and how this can be bridged to achieve better strategy and outcomes,” said Rafael.

“I am delighted to be awarded a Sainsbury Management Fellowship bursary and am pleased that the Institute of Engineering & Technology promotes the scheme.  It’s very interesting that a professional body in my field is highlighting the need to combine engineering and business knowledge. I believe this is key for the UK to hold its position as a top technology innovator,” said Rafael.

Mahipal Ganeshmal, CEng MIMechE – IMD Switzerland

Mahipal has worked in the aerospace industry for 10 years, developing advanced materials and manufacturing practices. He has worked for leading brands including GE Aviation and the University of Ulster. Before embarking on his MBA, 33 year old Mahipal was working with Rolls-Royce as project team leader, developing the next generation carbon fibre composite material. His inspiration for going down the MBA route is about professional and personal development.  “I want to learn about my leadership style and how to become a great team leader and team player.  That’s why I chose IMD – it has a specialised MBA programme for leadership development.

“I discovered the SMF scheme when I was researching the MBA. The whole experience of getting the scholarship has taught me a great deal – it is much more challenging and competitive to get an award than I realised.  It took me 12 months to get through the process!  It’s good to know that being ‘good enough’ will not get you the Fellowship, you have to be exceptional.  If you’re not, the panel is in no rush to award the Fellowship, they will interview more candidates.

“My post-MBA goal is to move towards leadership roles in business and strategy development in hi-tech or engineering firms.  This will enable me to use both my engineering experience and my learning from the MBA,” explained Mahipal.

British software engineering grads work in Silicon Valley for a year and bring their experience back to the UK.

Silicon Valley Internship Program (SVIP), a new consortium of start-ups and industry organizations led by Michael Hughes, co-CEO of LoopUp, today announces its initiative to inspire entrepreneurialism in the UK.  Its program will offer select, recent computer science and software engineering graduates a year’s experience in Silicon Valley, the quintessential hub for entrepreneurship and start-ups.

SVIP will match each program participant with a sponsoring start-up in Silicon Valley, where they’ll work full-time for one year, earning a $60,000 salary. Each participant will learn the ins and outs of building a company in the tech space by eating, sleeping and living the life as an early employee of a start-up.  To further enrich their experience and development, each participant will also receive a mentor from outside their start-up, plus formal training on subjects such as business strategy, fundraising and team building.

To remove the barriers of their one-year move abroad, travel costs to and from the US are paid and SVIP is working with the British Consulate and British American Business Council in San Francisco to arrange working visas, a key barrier to preventing UK graduates from finding internships in the United States. “We welcome this opportunity to further exchange knowledge between the US and UK. This internship gives our students the chance to study with some of the brightest entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and put these new skills to work upon returning to the UK” said Priya Guha, the British Consulate General in San Francisco.

“There is something intrinsically different in the way Brits and Americans approach innovation and entrepreneurship. In Britain, we see too many barriers, and any stumble or fall is seen as a potentially career-ending failure. But in the U.S., wrong turns are more likely to be seen as lessons to eventual success.  We envision the SVIP engendering willingness to take the first step and determination to succeed in the UK’s most capable engineering talent at the very beginning of their professional careers.” says Michael Hughes, who created SVIP and is the co-founder of LoopUp, a leading provider of better, everyday conference calls.  He made his way from the UK to Silicon Valley and entrepreneurial life after he was awarded a Sainsbury Management Fellowship to pursue an MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

“The Sainsbury Management Fellowship develops engineers to become leaders in UK industry. Michael Hughes is one of 300 Fellows who have benefited from the generosity of our patron, Lord Sainsbury of Turville.  I can’t think of a better way to reciprocate than the SVIP program.  A fantastic and creative way to encourage entrepreneurialism in the UK” said David Falzani, President of SMF.

Successful candidates will head to the Silicon Valley this coming summer. To learn more and apply, visit us at facebook.com/svipuk and at www.siliconvalleyinternship.com.

 

About Silicon Valley Internship Program

The SVIP aims to give new UK-Software Engineering grads the unique experience of working at a hot Silicon Valley start-up through a one-year internship, in the hopes that this experience will bring a little of the Silicon Valley attitude back to the entrepreneurial community in the UK. SVIP is the brainchild of Michael Hughes, who developed this consortium of start-ups and industry organizations in 2013.  Participants are matched with a sponsoring start-up, a mentor, and receive formal training on how to launch their own tech company during their one-year stint, which starts in the late summer. Internships are salaried, round trip flights are paid, and by working with the British Consulate and the British American Business Council in San Francisco, J-1 visas are issued. Learn more at facebook.com/svipuk and www.siliconvalleyinternship.com

Norcros plc, the market leading supplier of innovative branded showers, tiles and adhesives, today announces the appointment of Jo Hallas to the Board as Non Executive Director with effect from 27th September 2012. This follows the resignation of Les Tench from the Board which was announced on 26 July 2012. Jo will also be appointed Chairman of the Remuneration Committee.

Jo is currently General Manager of Invensys Heating Controls. Her twenty-year career has been focused on international general management in the consumer products sector, including four years with Bosch in Germany and the UK, latterly co-leading the Bosch Lawn & Garden business. Jo also spent ten years with Procter & Gamble, leading business improvement initiatives, working variously in Germany, the US, Thailand and the Netherlands.

Commenting on her appointment, John Brown, Chairman, said “I am delighted that Jo is joining the Board. We were keen to attract someone with significant international experience in the consumer products sector to complement the existing range of skills and experience of the Board. Jo was the ideal candidate and we look forward to working with her as we continue to develop the business.”
There are no disclosures to be made under Listing rule 9.6.13.

Norcros is headquartered in Wilmslow, Cheshire and employs around 1600 people. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For further information please visit the Company website.