Business News Round Up (22/02/2024)
Scotland’s skills gap impacted by over a fifth of UK’s top universities not providing Degree Apprenticeships
The barriers to unlocking highly skilled workforces and economic growth across Scotland have been uncovered by new research today, which reveals over a fifth (22%) of the UK’s top 100 universities still don’t deliver degree apprenticeships. The study was conducted by the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) which has over 90 university members and examined the range of job roles students can train for when completing a degree apprenticeship. Analysis across the 100 universities found that more work is needed if the UK’s higher education (HE) system is going to be in a position to offer every available degree apprenticeship to ensure Scottish employers and students’ ambition is met. Of those universities reviewed, the greatest provision of degree apprenticeships is in business and administration subject areas, with 48% of universities offering a programme for those progressing their career in HR, as a business analyst or even as a senior leader.
UK February flash services PMI 54.3 vs 54.1 expected
This should allay any recession fears about the UK economy to start the new year at least. Demand conditions continue to show an improvement, but inflationary pressures remain elevated on the month. The rate of input price inflation in particular was the highest since August last year. S&P Global notes that: UK economic growth has accelerated in February, with the early PMI survey data pointing to the largest rise in business activity for nine months. This is by no means a one-off improvement, as faster growth has now been recorded for four straight months after a brief spell of decline late last year. The survey data point to the economy growing at a quarterly rate of 0.2-3% in the first quarter of 2024, allaying fears that last year’s downturn will have spilled over into 2024 and suggesting that the UK’s ‘recession’ is already over.
Scottish Enterprise is boosting neurodiversity in Cybersecurity
Scottish Enterprise, Scotland’s national economic development agency, has entered a partnership with the Edinburgh-based company Adarma to unveil a neurodiversity strategy to make the cybersecurity industry more accessible. Data from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) revealed that 19% of respondents in the UK cybersecurity industry identified as neurodivergent, significantly higher than the estimated 10% prevalence in the broader population. Despite this, another study shows that employment rates among neurodiverse individuals remain disproportionately low, with only 16% of autistic adults in the UK engaged in full-time employment. Through the collaboration with Scottish Enterprise, Adarma intends to embark on a neuro-inclusion journey aimed at effecting lasting organisational change, starting from the early stages of the employee lifecycle, including recruitment, hiring, and onboarding.
https://www.digit.fyi/scottish-enterprise-is-boosting-neurodiversity-in-cybersecurity/
UK gov unveils SME council members before inaugural meet
The membership of the new Small Business Council has been unveiled ahead of its first meeting later today, as the Government reaffirms its commitment to the UK’s 5.6 million SMEs. Chaired by Small Business Minister, Kevin Hollinrake, the Council will work alongside the PM’s Business Council to tackle the key issues facing small firms who will be given new levels of access direct to government. Almost every business in the country is a small business (99.9%) who in turn support 27 million jobs across the UK, accounting for £4.5 trillion of annual turnover. Almost every billion-pound company, tech giant or multinational corporation started off as small business, which is why this Council has been formed, to help support and nurture the next generation of small firms to thrive and grow.
https://www.miragenews.com/uk-gov-unveils-sme-council-members-before-1179335/