Business News Round Up (10/12/19)

Hiring confidence among employers at seven year low

Political turmoil in Britain and worries about the global economy have hit hiring confidence of British employers, as demand for new workers has fallen to its lowest level in seven years, a survey has found. A quarterly study by Manpower Group, a US based recruitment company, showed that hiring intentions for the first quarter of next year had fallen from +5 per cent in the final three months of 2019 to +2 per cent. This is the weakest reading since 2012, when Britain was still recovering from the 2008 financial crisis.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hiring-confidence-among-employers-at-seven-year-low-p26w9zqpk

BT launches digital skills course with Google for Scottish SMEs

Businesses in Glasgow are being given the change to learn vital digital skills for free as part of BT’s Skills for Tomorrow initiative – a new programme designed to give 10 million people the chance to learn skills they need for a digital future. BT is working with Google Digital Garage to deliver courses and information.

https://www.thenational.scot/news/18089769.bt-launches-digital-skills-course-google-scottish-smes/

Allied London opens programme for Manchester tech start-ups

Exchange, a revolutionary new digital and technology programme, has opened applications for its first cohort, as it looks to foster the UK’s next best start-ups. The programme will offer early stage tech companies and entrepreneurs access to tool and infrastructure they need to learn and succeed. The Exchange programme will be a pivotal part of Enterprise City’s vision, to create a place for scale-up and global tech businesses to grow and root their headquarters, as it creates a community of like-minded businesses.

https://www.businesscloud.co.uk/news/allied-london-opens-programme-for-manchester-tech-start-ups

Tech workers face ageism in their 20s and told they’re past it in 30s, says survey

Specialist tech recruiter CWJobs has revealed tech sector workers start to experience age discrimination at the age of 29. 41% of IT and tech sector workers said they have observed age discrimination in the workplace, compared with 27% average across other UK industries. On average, it reports, workers are considered ‘too old’ for the tech industry by 38.

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/tech-workers-face-ageism-20s-21039293