Business leaders are encouraged to think about exports

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is encouraging UK firms to use the quieter summer months to think strategically about how exports can be used to help their business activities in the Autumn and in the longer term.

Four out of five exporters say that chance played a role in their choosing the destinations that they export to.

UKTI assisted 30% more companies, and generated £3.6b in additional profit for its customers in 2008/09.  Over 2600 of companies helped, were from the South East.

Advisors around the country and abroad can help UK buisnesses to decide if they are ready for export, investigate markets for them find potential buisness partners, provide grants for firms to go overseas and support businesses once they are there.

If you would like our local UKTI rep to contact you then please call Kim Yeomans on 01252 375 600.

How to succeed through difficult trading conditions

If you can survive the recession, your business could be stronger than ever.  Read more here.

Government Site to assist SME's in these times of Economic Recission.

Please click here to visit site.

New system matches employers with skilled workers facing redundancy

Are you at risk of redundancy and looking for new employment? Are you an employer looking for skilled workers to fill your vacancy?

If so, Marine South East and the Farnborough Aerospace Consortium are helping employees facing redundancy get back on their feet more quickly and help employers make the most of these potentially wasted skills.

They have set up a database of job opportunities. Employers can post vacancies and employees at risk of redundancy can register their details. This results in a "shop window" where employers seeking to recruit can see those seeking jobs and vice-versa. The system is completely free of charge.

The initial need for the programme came about following the 9/11 attacks in the USA, when the aerospace industry imploded virtually overnight with job losses into the 10's of thousands globally. There was no dedicated mechanism in place to capture the talent pool of people leaving companies and redeploy them into similar or compatible jobs. In other words, highly skilled talent in most cases was lost to the sector for ever.

The aim is not to duplicate what is already in place, but to engage with employers who for whatever reason have kept clear of the whole "messy and complex" skills and funding arena. The project will help companies that have shied away from the benefits of public sector investment.

To find out more contact Richard Smith on 07791 722242 or 01962 771149, alternatively email richard.smith@wincon.co.uk