Construction firm investsin new graduate recruits

Carphone profits soar

The clampdown on business travellaunched amid the recession isstarting to ease as executives flymore and trade up from the economyclass cabin, corporate travel groupHogg Robinson said yesterday.

The group said companies wererekindling overseas face-to-facemeetings, particularly in growthareas such as the Far East.

But Basingstoke-based HoggRobinson cautioned this may not bethe start of a sustained recovery asthe economic outlook remaineduncertain.

More executivestake to the skies

AND IN SHORT...

Eastern Daily Press, Saturday, November 28, 2009 www.EDP24.co.uk/business FARM & BUSINESS 69

The appointment of two new recruitshas made it a record year forgraduate recruitment at constr-uction firm Morgan Ashurst, despitethe recession.

The company, which has 28 localoffices, including those in Norwich,Cambridge and Ipswich, has hired 24graduates this year, the most in thecompany’s history and double lastyear’s figure.

The addition of the latest recruits,Kevin Granger, 22, from Beccles, andAshley Holmes, 23, from Caister-on-Sea, comes despite cutbacks inrecruitment and training budgets byother construction companies as thesector is hit by falling demand fornew homes.

The graduates met at East NorfolkSixth Form six years ago beforestudying degrees in quantitysurveying and constructionmanagement at Nottingham TrentUniversity, which included year-long placements at Morgan Ashurst.

Mr Granger is now working as anassistant site manager on a £1.3mproject to construct a pavilion atSewell Park College in Norwich,while Mr Holmes has started work asan assistant quantity surveyor on a£4.8m scheme to create a flagshipcentre for dance organisationDanceEast in Ipswich.

As part of their training, the duowill be studying for professional

qualifications from the CharteredInstitute of Building (CIOB) and theRoyal Institution of CharteredSurveyors (RICS).

Gavin Napper, Morgan AshurstNorwich area director, said despitethe economic challenges, continuingrecruitment and training schemeswere key to future success.

He said: “Kevin and Ashley have allthe attributes of successfulconstruction professionals. They aredetermined, enthusiastic and have acan-do attitude.

“It would have been quite easy forMorgan Ashurst to follow in thefootsteps of other firms and cut ourgraduate training programme, butwe believe this would have been afalse economy.

“Our graduate trainees representthe future of our business, so makingsure that they have everything theyneed to gain the best possible start totheir construction careers is vital.”

He added: “We have recently wontwo contracts worth over £7m in thelocal area. With a steady stream ofwork coming in, we are all lookingforward to a strong 2010.”

Morgan Ashurst employs 1,800nationally, working with private andpublic sector clients on projectsranging from £50,000 to £300m.

By SAM WILLIAMSSenior business writer

TalkTalk firm Carphone Warehouseyesterday flagged up improvedprospects for the financial year afterbetter than expected customergrowth in the first half.

Excluding its Tiscali acquisition –which takes the firm’s overallbroadband base to 4.1 million – thecompany added a net 124,000 newcustomers in the six months toSeptember 30.

The firm expects the strongshowing to continue into the secondhalf, prompting it to raise guidancefor the full year.

Carphone’s pre-tax profits came inat £75m for the period, 88pc ahead ofthe previous year.

Revenues at TalkTalk were up 15pcoverall to £631m, as the broadbandgrowth came despite a difficultconsumer climate.

Calls for closer relationshipsbetween the business communityand the next generation of workersemerged at the inaugural meeting ofa new group of business leaders,entrepreneurs and young people inNorwich yesterday.

The event was held at the NationalSkills Academy for FinancialServices in St Andrews Street andwas organised by City CollegeNorwich and law firm HowesPercival. It was backed by businessesincluding Norwich Airport and Start-rite Shoes. Students from a widerange of backgrounds took part in the“What the next generation needs :business, skills and futuregovernment policy” seminar.

The debate covered the skills andqualifications businesses require,the perception of young people in theworkplace, the need for more careers

advice and the requirement for morestructured work experience.

Norwich North MP Chloe Smith,who chaired the meeting, said: “It isvital for Westminster to understandwhat Norwich and Norfolk wants inthe next generation, both in businessand education and I will be takingmany strong points to Parliamentfrom the seminar.”

Caroline Williams, chief executiveof the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce

called for better opportunities foryoung people to be “more visible inthe business community”.

Andrew Barnes, managing partnerof Howes Percival, added: “Everyonein business accepts that young peopleare our future and we have to investin them, but most employers wouldadmit that they could do it in a morestructured and rewarding way. It isclear from this forum that bothparties want to improve under-

standing and communication to helpensure young people get the beststart in employment possible.”

Dick Palmer, principal of CityCollege Norwich, said, “Ourcollective future is in the hands ofour young people and today webrought together City CollegeNorwich students and localbusinesses to explore new ways ofgetting young minds engaged withwise old heads.”

LOOKING TOTHE FUTURE:MP ChloeSmith,second right,at the Whatthe NextGenerationNeedsseminar withCity Collegestudents andCarolineWilliams ofthe Chamberof Commerce,left.

Businessesstart talkswith nextgeneration

Picture:JAMES BASS

� Broadcaster ITV said its newchairman Archie Norman would start inthe role on January 1. Mr Norman hasalso spent more than £197,000buying 380,000 shares in thebusiness.

� Harrogate-based equipment rentalspecialist Vp said pre-tax profits hadfallen 28pc to £10m in the six monthsto September 30. The firm said theresults were “very satisfactory” inchallenging conditions.

� Cambridgeshire-based meatpackingfirm Hilton Food Group has signed along term agreement with Co-opDanmark, Denmark’s leading foodretailer, to supply retail packaged freshmeat into its 1,200 stores across thecountry from 2011.

� Accident Exchange, which makesclaims and rents out cars to motoristsafter a crash, said it would make a lossin the six months to October 31 afterhaving to cut settlement levels onclaims by more than it expected.