Made in Chesterfield

‘Step Up’ Programme Comes to Vicar Lane

9th July 2019

Vicar Lane Shopping Centre, Chesterfield is working with Derbyshire Adult Community Education (DACES), who work on behalf of Derbyshire County Council, to run an education programme for young adults in Chesterfield.

‘Step Up’ is a programme aimed at young people who have completed year 11, being run in the Hunloke Adult Education Centre for 4 weeks this July. The programme is aimed at 16 year olds with no fixed destination for further education, such as college place or apprenticeship.

Vicar Lane is working with organisers on an ‘employer challenge’ within the programme, whereby the young people are set a task within a real-life employment environment. Participants are required to visit the centre to familiarise themselves with the task at hand, meet the team and gather as much information as possible, before going away to work on their ideas. They then have to present their proposed solution back to the employer at the end of the programme.

Vicar Lane has set this year’s participants the task of developing creative solutions for the utilisation of vacant units within the centre. An initial briefing was held at the centre on 4^th July, when the young people visited the centre, explored the empty units, began work on their initial ideas and met with existing retailers to gain insight into life at the centre.

Proposals will be reviewed and winning plans selected on 24^th July. Their plans will be compared to the centre’s own thoughts to see how they align.

Shaun Brown, Centre Manager, Vicar Lane said, “We’re thrilled to be working with Derbyshire Adult Community Education on this valuable initiative, supporting young people who are unsure of their next steps in education or employment. We can’t wait to see what solutions they come up with for our challenge.”

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager added, “It was great for the team at Destination Chesterfield to be able to support DACES to find a partner to deliver this project in Chesterfield. We thank Chesterfield Champion Vicar Lane for their support of this initiative.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Chesterfield Retail Awards, Development, Made in Chesterfield

Local Enterprise Partnership decision

5th July 2019

Chesterfield Borough Council has resolved to remain as a member of Derby Derbyshire Nottingham Nottinghamshire (D2N2) Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and to relinquish its membership of Sheffield City Region (SCR) LEP. The Council will, however, remain a non-constituent member of the Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority.

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said: “This is a decision that I neither take lightly nor is it a decision that I believe is necessary. But there is no option if we are to comply with the Government’s requirement for Chesterfield’s businesses and communities to in future be represented by a single LEP.”

“Chesterfield’s businesses and communities have benefitted greatly from the Council being a member of both D2N2 LEP and SCR LEP since 2013 with £60 million plus of external funds having been secured for investment in infrastructure, business growth, skills and employment support.”

“We would like this position to continue, however, Whitehall appears determined not to allow the geographies of two LEPs to overlap.”

At a meeting of full Council on 27 February this year, councillors received and considered a detailed report on the Government’s July 2018 review of LEPs.

Councillors noted in particular that councils were to be represented by one LEP from April 2020 contrasting with the position that has existed across many parts of England since 2013 where the businesses and communities of particular local authority areas have been represented by two or more LEPs. This has been the case in Chesterfield borough, where our businesses and communities have been represented by both D2N2 LEP and SCR LEP.

Councillors also noted the Secretary of State’s statement that there would be consequences for non-compliant LEPs. This would include withholding payment of additional capacity funds to support LEPs to develop their respective Local Industrial Strategies and reducing the value of post-Brexit funding allocations (UK Shared Prosperity Fund).

Councillor Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, continued: “I have a responsibility to act in the best interests of Chesterfield borough’s businesses and communities and indeed of all businesses and communities located within the D2N2 and SCR geographies in not limiting the ability of the two LEPs to realise the full value of their respective post-Brexit funding entitlements.”

“By taking this decision today, D2N2 LEP and SCR LEP will be able to finalise their respective proposals to the Government for geographies which best reflect real functional economic areas and remove overlaps.”

“Whilst our LEP membership will remain with D2N2, Chesterfield Borough Council will continue to maintain an active interest in SCR through its non-constituent membership of the Mayoral Combined Authority. This is viewed as essential to ensure the future alignment of D2N2’s and SCR’s key strategies on critical cross-boundary matters such as HS2 and strategic road networks.”

Elizabeth Fagan, Chair of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We’re pleased that Chesterfield Borough Council has confirmed its decision to remain a member of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership area. The UK Government had requested that all local authorities, located where two Local Enterprise Partnerships’ areas overlap, must decide which LEP they wished to be a member of.”

“We very much recognise that the borough’s location means its communities look towards both Yorkshire and Derbyshire.”

“We will continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Sheffield City Region LEP, to provide the Chesterfield area with the best support for its economy.”

The Leader of the Council will provide a full account of the reasons behind the decisions now made at the next meeting of full Council, which takes place on 17 July.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Made in Chesterfield

Pronto Industrial Paints announces major investment in new factory

2nd July 2019

Pronto Industrial Paints Ltd have announced the acquisition of a new site that will open in the Holmewood community in the near future.

Named PP2, the main investment is an additional factory for Pronto Industrial Paints Ltd located within close proximity to their HQ. The premises will more than treble their existing footprint to 80000 sq. ft.

Further investment in their production site will increase potential output to over 36,000 litres of paint a day.

David Beckford, Managing Director at Pronto, commented “the new purchase comes at a time when other manufacturing businesses are pausing investment, I believe this is a time to be brave and believe in our team and what we can offer. A program of work at Pronto Paints HQ is also underway to make the most of PP2. It is yet to be confirmed how the company will utilise all of the new space. As the building is in need of some restoration we have plenty of time to decide on the most suitable use moving forwards.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Made in Chesterfield

Made in Chesterfield announced as finalist in Derbyshire Business Awards

2nd July 2019

An initiative, which is raising the profile of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) sector careers, has been announced as a finalist in the Business and Education Partnership category at the East Midlands Chamber Derbyshire Business Awards 2019.

The Made in Chesterfield campaign brings together businesses and employers with schools and education providers to deliver hands on experience of the workplace for young people. Since its launch in 2014, the campaign, which is organised by Destination Chesterfield and Derbyshire Education Business Partnership and sponsored by the University of Derby, has resulted in over 3,000 young people from schools spending time in the area’s manufacturing and engineering businesses.

Dom Stevens, Destination Chesterfield Manager said: “The selection as a finalist at the Derbyshire Business Awards allows us to celebrate and reflect on what this partnership between the business and education sector has achieved so far. We look forward to working with our partners to drive forward Made in Chesterfield to support more businesses and inspire more young people about career opportunities in STEM areas across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.”

Chesterfield College has credited the initiative with helping to make a difference to the awareness of careers linked to STEM subjects. The number of students studying STEM subjects at the College increased from 265 in 2017 to 440 in 2018.

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the borough, added: “It’s a time of huge growth and opportunity for Chesterfield and we need to make the most of opportunities such as HS2, Chesterfield Waterside and Peak Resort; it’s important that the town has the people with the right skills and experience to deliver these projects – and manufacturing and engineering feature heavily in the mix.”

“Getting more businesses from the sector on board and opening more lines of communication between businesses, education providers and schools couldn’t be more important.”

Clare Talati, Director of Derbyshire Education Business Partnership said: “We have seen this initiative grow each year and we actively encourage all schools to get involved; bringing the world of work to life for learners is at the core of what we aim to deliver and the commitment made by local businesses is fantastic.”

The winner of the East Midlands Chamber Derbyshire Business Awards 2019 will be announced on Friday 6 September at Derby County FC.

In addition to the University of Derby, Made in Chesterfield is also run in partnership with MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd, NatWest and Placing Futures.

To find out more about Made in Chesterfield and how you can get involved, please visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Made in Chesterfield

Leading manufacturer joins Made in Chesterfield campaign

1st July 2019

Another Chesterfield manufacturer, Blachford Acoustics Group, has pledged its support to the town’s campaign to get more young people interested in careers involving Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).

A leading manufacturer of acoustic sound solutions, the company is part of the global Blachford group and employs more than 100 staff at its Holmewood facility.

Blachford is one of a number of businesses from the town’s manufacturing and engineering sector who have thrown their weight behind the Made in Chesterfield campaign which is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield and Derbyshire Education Business Partnership.

The campaign, which was established in 2014, is designed to bring together employers in the manufacturing and engineering sector with schools and education providers. It is run in partnership with University of Derby, MSE Hiller, United Cast Bar Ltd, Natwest, and Placing Futures and has already been credited with helping increase the number of students studying STEM subjects at Chesterfield College from 265 in 2017 to 440 in 2018.

As part of their involvement in the campaign, Blachford will be welcoming school groups to its Holmewood site and hosting behind-the-scenes tours. A number of Blachford staff are also STEM ambassadors and will be visiting North Derbyshire’s schools to deliver careers talks.

Commenting on the company’s decision to support the Made in Chesterfield campaign, Stephen Hutt, Operations Director of Blachford UK said: “The manufacturing sector offers golden opportunities for careers, unfortunately many young people are unaware of the breadth of job roles available. By supporting the Made in Chesterfield campaign we hope to reach out to young people in North Derbyshire and ignite their interest in manufacturing and in a career at Blachford and the sector as a whole.”

Blachford now joins an exciting line-up of companies and organisations, including United Cast Bar, MSE Hiller, Kingfield Electronics, Aztec Oils, Penny Hydraulics, Chesterfield Police and Trans-Tronic who have all opened their doors to teachers and pupils to help them discover more about careers and jobs on offer in the sector.

Ivan Fomin, Managing Director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the Borough, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Blachford onboard with the Made in Chesterfield campaign. It’s a time of huge growth and opportunity for Chesterfield and to make the most of opportunities, like HS2, Chesterfield Waterside and Peak Resort, it’s important that the town has the people with the right skills and experience – and manufacturing and engineering feature heavily in this mix.

“Getting more businesses from the sector on board and opening more lines of communication between businesses, education providers and schools couldn’t be more important.”

Blachford’s commitment to recruiting new talent to the sector doesn’t stop at Made in Chesterfield. The company is offering three degree level apprenticeships to young people leaving school this year.

To find out more about Made in Chesterfield and how you or your school can get involved, please visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/made/.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Made in Chesterfield

Derbyshire businesses invited to world manufacturing convention in China

1st July 2019

Derbyshire County Council are looking for companies to join them at this year’s World Manufacturing Convention in China.

The event – which is being held in Hefei in Anhui Province from the 20 to 23 September 2019 – offers local firms a great chance to develop business contacts and open up export opportunities in China.

Businesses involved in the manufacturing and innovation sectors, their supply chains and related services such as financial, industrial and technology-based are welcome to attend as part of the visit supported by the Midlands Engine.

Manufacturing links between the UK and China will be at the top of the agenda at the event along with showcasing new products, technologies and innovation between the two countries and worldwide.

This year the spotlight will be shining on the UK as the country of honour – making it a key opportunity for businesses from Derbyshire to showcase what they have to offer and meet like-minded Chinese businesses on a one-to-one basis.

The council has a close relationship with Anhui Province and there will be an opportunity for businesses from Derbyshire to meet Chinese businesses. They will be introduced by the councils’ Chinese representative in Anhui who works closely with the China Britain Business Council (CBBC) and the UK Consulate in Shanghai to encourage international trade.

China is currently the UK’s 6th biggest export market and is growing rapidly. UK exports to China rose from £12.6bn in 2016 to £16.4bn in 2018.

Derbyshire County Council, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, said:

“Our Enterprising Council approach is about having a bold, innovative and commercial mind-set and developing international links to help local businesses to grow and be more productive is one of our key priorities.

“That’s why we want to put local businesses from the manufacturing and innovation sectors on the global stage at the World Manufacturing Convention, to make great connections and build relationships that could lead to export opportunities in the future.”

Businesses interested in attending the World Manufacturing Convention should contact:

kerry.bailey@derbyshire.gov.uk or call her on tel: 01629 539325.

Posted in Business, Made in Chesterfield

Derbyshire Young Artists of the Year celebrated at Chesterfield College

24th June 2019

The winners of Chesterfield College’s Derbyshire Young Artist of the Year competition were announced last week at an event which launched an exhibition of the stunning entries received from young artists across the county. This was the first event in Chesterfield College’s Arts Festival, which runs until 28 June.

The competition was open to school children in Year 4 to Year 13, who were asked to produce an illustration, a painting or collage, photography or a 3D sculpture on the theme of “The environment and me.” Now in its third year, a record number of entries were received this year with judges commenting on the high standard of work when carrying out the tricky task of shortlisting the finalists.

Competition entrants, their families and their teachers gathered to see the work on display in West Studios before certificates were awarded to the finalists.

Isobel Greene, winner of the Visual Arts Year 7-9 category created a striking acrylic painting on canvas of planets in outer space with a single red balloon floating in the sky. She explained what inspired her:

“To follow the theme I wanted to create something about how I feel about the fact we’re ruining the environment. When you let go of a balloon it escapes all that, but we’re still trapped down here. I wish I could be that balloon escaping. I worked on my piece at home but I have chosen to do Art GCSE at school next year. If I could be an artist one day I would. It is really nice to win this competition.”

Evie Burgon, winner of the 3D category explained the thought process behind her entry and how she created the piece. She said:

“I created the earth using a balloon and papier-mâché. I asked my cousins to put hand prints on the earth to represent the younger generation protecting the earth. For the back panel I used my mum’s footprints to represent the older generation’s carbon footprint. I wanted the contrast between the negative impact and the positive and that it isn’t too late to do something about it. I started by collecting newspaper cuttings of headlines about the environment and I’ve used them on the sculpture. It took me about 2 weeks to create it. It feels good to have won.”

Harry Bell, Winner of the Visual Arts Year 4-6 category, chose to create a painting using acrylics inspired by a view of a beach out to sea with a stormy sky from the Tate Gallery in St Ives. He said:

“St Ives is one of my favourite places to go. We went to the Tate when we were there in the Easter holidays and when I saw the view out to sea from there I decided I wanted to paint it for the competition. My mum took a photo and when I got home I started using acrylics on canvas. I wanted to create texture so I mixed sand from the beach in the paint and mixed colours to show the stormy sky and sea. Winning this competition gives me a lot of confidence to paint a lot more.”

Finalists of each category are:

3D category

Winner: Evie Burgon

Finalist: Martha Bramwell

Photography category

Winner: Christian Spence

Finalist: Neve McMahon

Finalist: Ellie Mae Cooper

Finalist: Daniel Azoulay

Visual Art category, Years 4-6

Winner: Harry Bell

Finalist: Charlotte Faulkner

Finalist: Kyle D

Finalist: Stephanie Wells

Visual Art category, Years 7-9

Winner: Isobel Greene

Finalist: Tansy Hoyland

Finalist: Mason Chapman

Visual Art category, Years 10-13

Winner: Courtney Lewis

Finalist: Mia Dickerson

Finalist: Kira Cooper

The exhibition of the Young Artists’ work is open to the public until 28 June and forms part of the college’s Arts Festival which celebrates the work of art, design and fashion students. The annual fashion show is on the 26^th June at 7pm, tickets can be reserved online ( https://www.chesterfield.ac.uk/event/fashion-show-2019/2019-06-26/2/ ).

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Made in Chesterfield

Gadget Show Presenter Inspires Local Students to Develop a Career in Technology

19th June 2019

Georgie Barrat, leading technology journalist, Gadget Show presenter and broadcaster, encouraged local school and college students to get the knowledge they need to get into an industry where there are more jobs than people with the right digital skills yesterday. She shared her inside knowledge of the industry as part of the Sparks Series of lectures at Chesterfield College.

With the technology industry growing faster than the UK economy, Georgie gave a fascinating insight into the wide range of exciting developments she has tested from artificial intelligence to augmented reality, and much more besides. She explained what opportunities these new technologies open up for young people about to enter the job market.

Georgie demonstrated how she carved a career in tech journalism and what it is like to work for some of the key tech employers. She also gave the audience some top tips about how to develop a bright future in the industry.

There were interesting questions from the audience about how new technological inventions would affect us as consumers and as a human race, as well as questions about what it is really like to work in technology and media.

Georgie’s final words of inspiration for the audience were:

“Digital literacy is what everyone is after. If you can code; if you are a software developer, the world is your oyster. If you go into any company, they want these skills.”

“Go out there. Dream big and go and shape the world. The world needs people like you to shape it.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Made in Chesterfield

Exhibitors Encouraged to Sign Up for Derbyshire’s Largest Careers Event

17th June 2019

Employers, colleges, training providers and voluntary organisations are being invited to book their place at this year’s Derbyshire Skills Festival.

The event is organised by Derbyshire County Council and supported by Derby City Council. It is aimed at students aged 13 to 19, particularly those in Year 11 who are considering their options after school.

Derbyshire Skills Festival is the largest careers event for young people in Derbyshire and this year it is being held at:

Proact Stadium, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield, S41 8NZ on Wednesday 18 September 2019
Derby Arena, Royal Way, Derby, DE24 8JB on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 September 2019

All three events will run from 1.30pm to 7.30pm (last admission 6.45pm).

There will also be sessions for young people with special educational needs and disabilities and young people who are not in education, employment or training are welcome to attend.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Young People Councillor Alex Dale said:

“Choosing a career is one of the biggest decisions that our young people will make and we’re pleased the Derbyshire Skills Festival can support them in this process.

“Last year more than 10,000 young people attended the festival making it a great event for organisations to showcase what opportunities they have to a huge audience.

“Thank you to the organisations that have already signed up to secure their place and we look forward to welcoming more.”The festival is an opportunity for young people leaving school or college or looking for a job with training to get all the information and guidance they need under one roof.

Visitors to the event will also be able to take part in have-a-go sessions to test their skills and give them an idea of what different careers might be like.

Organisations interested in having a stand at one or both of the venues can email: skillsfestival@derbyshire.gov.uk or tel: 01629 536545 (office hours only).

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Made in Chesterfield

New scheme to boost digital skills of autistic individuals and women

13th June 2019

A pioneering project to equip autistic individuals and women who want to get back into work with digital skills they need to find a job has been launched, funded by the Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s Digital Innovation Fund.

The D2N2 Skills Academy offers a series of free, four-day training programmes to participants across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, running during June, July, September and October 2019.

A similar digital project – targeted at different audiences – will also shortly be available to individuals across the Sheffield City Region (SCR).

Led by Nottingham City Council, a range of local organisations are joining forces to deliver the programmes, including Autism East Midlands, the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), the University of Derby, Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham.

Its aim is to encourage under-represented groups across the D2N2 area to get the skills they need for a career in the digital sector.

It has been set up exclusively to help autistic individuals and women (aged 18 and over), particularly those returning to work after a period of absence, out of work or looking for another job.

Those taking part can choose from one of five different training themes, each aimed at helping them to become more digitally savvy to boost their career prospects.

Each subject area comprises four free training sessions, spread over a four-week period, designed to teach the skills required to become work-ready for a job in the digital sector. Each course set is delivered by experienced, industry-leading experts. Digital Graduate buddies, provided by the universities, will provide practical support, guidance and mentoring at each of the training sessions.

The subjects available are web development, digital marketing, data visualisation and cyber security, along with digital essentials, which covers basic digital skills including getting the most out of a range of devices, applications and the cloud.

At the end of each course, those attending will receive a certificate of attainment, along with a comprehensive workbook that can be used as a reference guide for the future.

The programme of support will continue for some attendees, with a selection chosen to complete work placements in local businesses where they can use their newly learned skills. And it is hoped that through the programme support and the engagement with the business community that a handful of attendees will secure long term work as a result.

Rachel Quinn, Skills lead at D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership said: “Digital Skills are becoming an essential part of our workforce with over 80% of advertised vacancies having a digital element.

“By working collaboratively with our partners and supporting people with barriers to work, to digitally upskill, we are benefiting both our economy and a more inclusive local economy.”

Mathew Orford, Director of Adult Services at Autism East Midlands, said: “It is fantastic that this project recognises that autistic individuals are underrepresented in the workforce and often possess the ability and potential to thrive in this sector.

“Many autistic individuals struggle in mainstream education settings and may, therefore, not achieve the qualifications required in order to secure employment in the digital sector, despite having the aptitude and desire to do so. Through this project we hope to play a part in helping these individuals build their confidence to fulfil their dreams and make an ongoing impact on society.”

Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief Executive at the Chamber, said: “The Chamber’s stated aim is to enhance East Midlands businesses and communities, so we are delighted to be involved with this cutting-edge project.

“The digital agenda is evolving all the time, so equipping autistic individuals and women who have been out of employment for a long time with the skills they need to forge a new career in this fast-growing sector is key.”

Further details about the D2N2 Digital Skills Academy can be found at www.emc-dnl.co.uk/digitalacademy.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Made in Chesterfield

Businesses encouraged to invest in Derbyshire

28th May 2019

Derbyshire County Council have launched a new service to raise the profile of the county among the business community and encourage more companies to invest in the area.

It will:

raise the profile of Derbyshire globally to secure investment and create new jobs, acting as a shop window for why Derbyshire should be a destination of choice for investors
make it easy for investors to choose Derbyshire by providing a one-stop shop offering quality business support tailored to individual businesses’ needs ranging from help and support to choose the right site in Derbyshire to provide information on workforce skills and assisting with recruitment as well as offering guidance on financial incentives
use market intelligence to target businesses in growth sectors to attract them to Derbyshire

The service was launched on behalf of the Derbyshire Economic Partnership (DEP) at an event today on Friday 24 May 2019, attended by around 150 guests including investors, commercial property agents and local businesses.

Guest speakers at the event held at Holiday Inn, South Normanton, included Leader of Derbyshire County Council Councillor Barry Lewis – speaking about the commitment to unlocking growth and promoting investment – and Managing Director of Toyota Europe Tony Walker, talking about why Toyota invested in Derbyshire and continues to grow its business in the county.

Also in the spotlight was Sally Ambrose from Chatsworth, talking about the estate’s impact on the local economy and how, as a key Derbyshire landowner, it will drive future opportunities to promote development in Derbyshire. And delegates also heard from Peter Storey, Head of Markham Vale, explaining what lies ahead for the council’s premier enterprise zone and why it has been so successful at attracting inward investment to date.

Councillor Lewis said: “Driving economic growth and creating more job opportunities for local people is a vital part of our ambitious plans for the future.”

“Derbyshire has so much to offer investors at both a national and global level. Its unique position at the heart of the UK together with excellent transport links and quality of life make our county an attractive place for businesses to locate invest, live, work and stay.”

Chairman of the Derbyshire Enterprise Partnership Richard Horsley added: “With its rich heritage of innovation and a broad range of development opportunities, Derbyshire has one of the strongest economic performances in the country and I am proud to launch the new service today.”

“With a diverse economy ranging from advanced manufacturing through to creative and digital industries, minerals and aggregates and tourism there are many opportunities for businesses and investors alike to thrive.”

The Invest in Derbyshire service is being delivered on behalf of both DEP and Derbyshire County Council, by award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby – a public-private partnership created to raise the profile of Derby and Derbyshire and attract investment.

Click here to find out more about Invest in Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Made in Chesterfield