Business News Round Up (16/01/2020)
Scottish SMEs ‘lack awareness of new tech benefits’
The results of BT’s largest ever study into small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 100 employees across the UK has revealed that business confidence is mixed in Scotland leading into 2020. A survey of more than 80 Scottish SMEs shows 52% are confident in the economic outlook for their business over the next 12 months, while 40% are more confident about their businesses’ growth prospects compared with last year, however 61% have voiced concerns that a lack of digital skills and resources is threatening to hold them back from future technological investments.
https://digit.fyi/scottish-smes-lack-awareness-of-new-tech-benefits/
Greater Manchester vital to rebalancing of UK economy, says KPMG report
Greater Manchester and surrounding Northern cities have been identified as key to boosting regional growth and re-balancing the UK economy, according to a new KPMG report addressing regional economic growth. The ‘UK Regions: A Framework for Growth’ report outlines a new regional model to close the North/South divide, calling for significant investment in regional transport and broadband connectivity to support the creation of larger economic areas around ‘core city regions’.
Fund launched to help SMEs get into low carbon economy
A fund has been launched by Scottish Enterprise to help SMEs grasp opportunities around climate change and lower their carbon emissions. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), charities and academic institutions can apply for grants from the new £6 million Low Carbon Challenge Fund to support projects aimed at tackling the climate crisis and cutting emissions. This fund will back projects that help small and medium size companies across Scotland expand their expertise, develop products and build partnerships to enable them to exploit these new emerging markets
https://www.insider.co.uk/news/fund-launched-help-smes-low-21285576
Liverpool Universities plan to create 30,000 ‘knowledge intensive’ jobs
Three universities in Liverpool are collaborating with Liverpool City Council on a strategy to create 30,000 new high-skilled jobs over the next decade. Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Liverpool and Liverpool Hope University are undergoing an estates development programme to aid in their contribution to the job market by directly tackling skills shortages.