e-bulletin December 2006
Have you completed your membership renewal for 2007? Birmingham Future members will have receieved their membership renewal forms from us recently. If you have not already responded please do at your earliest convenience to facilitate a smooth renewal transistion into 2007. If you require copies or further information please email parmi.gill@birminghamforward.co.uk.
News & Events
Message from the Chairman
If, like me, your last contact with university was, well, more than a decade ago, hearing about Future’s work in universities might seem somewhat distant. However, despite this city being the youngest in Europe, we still have a problem with graduate retention and Future is working actively to address this.
Employers say that what is most lacking are the ‘soft skills’ such as networking, communication and team-working, so Future’s efforts are being concentrated on these areas. See below for more information on how your firm might get involved.
As we approach the year end, it’s a great time to look back at the range of events we’ve run and campaigns we’ve tackled. I’d like to extend special thanks to all those who have helped make these happen, particularly everyone who sits on one of our teams, our sponsors and the Forward Board members who are enormously supportive of our organisation and, of course, the team in the Forward office and those at Urban Communications, who ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Not content with standing still, next year we’re looking at ways of extending the reach of our campaigns, including offering trial pod-casts of some of our events.
Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it comes!
Sarah Gee, Chairman
Future-pro goes to Stoke
The first of the series of three graduate and employer events future-pro, created by Birmingham Future, took place on November 9th at Staffordshire University.
Future-pro brings together employers from the professional and financial services sector together with finalists from the region’s universities in a programme of networking sessions and skills workshops. The first event was targeted at students from Staffordshire and Keele Universities and was organised in association with our sponsors AWM and colleagues at North Staffordshire Finest.
The event proved to be a resounding success with employers and students all claiming the event bought a unique opportunity for both parties to meet each other and explore career options.
The second Future-pro event takes place at the Aston Business School Conference Centre on February 7th and will bring students with an interest in working in our sector from Birmingham’s three universities together with our member firms. If your company would like to take part and meet the talent of tomorrow call Joanne Lowe on 0121 237 6016 or email Joanne@urbancomms.com
Have a Greek Christmas!
Time to celebrate the Festive season and this year’s Christmas Party has gone Greek!
As an alternative to traditional Christmas fayre, this year we will be treated to a three course treat of Greek and Italian specialities as Future hits the Athens Greek Restaurant this Thursday, 7th December. It all starts from 6.00pm and, as you would expect from a Future party, will go late into the night.
There will be live Greek music after the meal and, of course, plate smashing- what a way to relieve the tension of a busy year! Reserve your ticket online here or call Halina Bromberg on 0121 632 2201.
Graduate Apprentice goes public!
Birmingham Future’s Graduate Apprentice has completed his first placement. After four months based at Deloitte in Birmingham, Darvinder Kang has joined the team at NHS Finance for the second stage of his Apprentice year.
Working with the Heart of England Foundation Trust, Darvinder will experience life in the public sector working out of the Heartlands Hospital. Darvinder is continuing to enjoy his unique experience as the Apprentice; “I had the most fantastic time at Deloitte and have learnt so much. The experience so far with the NHS is different to that at Deloitte but that is great. I can see similarities between working in the private and public sector although the outcomes are different. That is the most fantastic thing about the Graduate Apprentice programme the experiences are so diverse.”
Take part in the latest Future E poll.
We are urging all members to take part in our latest e poll on how we travel to work. With issues around congestion charging and the state of the region’s public transport infrastructure gaining increasing prominence we want to know how our members travel to work.
When we have established our membership’s usage of public transport we will be asking you to give us information on how you perceive the public transport network and where you feel it needs to improve. It is vital that when Future promotes its views to the press and elsewhere we know where our members stand on key issues so take a moment to take part in our transport e poll by clicking here.
The Annual Ball will celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Following on from this year’s successful Mardi Gras theme at our Annual Ball, 2007 will be looking to the far east for inspiration as we celebrate the Chinese New Year. Our thanks this year goes to our main sponsor Lloyds TSB. Pictured left, David Richardson, Lloyds TSB and Alex Bishop, Birmingham Future Deputy Chair.
The Ball will be taking place at the Botanical Gardens on 23rd February, and the Chinese theme will run throughout the evening including the food and the entertainment. In addition to a Chinese Banquet we will have a range of live performers and entertainers as well as a Chinese band playing live. You can now book your places on-line by clicking here.
Are you looking for a mentor?
Remember how you felt when you were at university and the reality of the real world was beginning to loom? Would you have liked the chance to have your own mentor from the business community?
Now you can help someone in that position with the UCE Mentoring Scheme. Birmingham Future has linked up with UCE’s award winning mentoring scheme for ethnic minority students to run in second half of the 06/07 academic year.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the scheme, what’s involved and how you can volunteer, please contact Kate Onions, mentoring committee, 0121 234 0185.
Farewell Halina...
Halina Bromberg (your Events Administrator) is off to pastures new and will be leaving Birmingham Future at the end of this month. Halina came to us through the Graduate Advantage programme and although we will all miss her, we are very pleased that we have been able to contribute to her work experience and a good start to her career.
She has been an excellent member of the team and has helped to contribute to improving the processes for event management, and Im sure you will all join me in wishing her good luck.
We have now started the process of recruiting for the role of a new Events Admistrator, if you or someone you know are interested in applying for this exciting and interesting role please contact Joanne Sollom on 0121 632 2202 or by e-mail.
New members
Birmingham Future's Membership Team would like to welcome all 30 new members who have joined during the month of November. We are available to answer any questions you may have about your membership. Please email the committee chair Amanda Shearer: amanda.shearer@mills-reeve.com.
BYPY 2007
We are pleased to announce Gas Street Works have been appointed to re-design and develop the new BYPY website and look forward to delivering an exciting and shiny new website early in 2007.
The Corporate Arts Club invites you to...
...the value of art. An evening of networking surrounded by the finer things in life. Enjoy a talk from leading experts at the Barber Institute of Fine Art on Wednesday 6th December before an exclusive look around the collection and sample intensely-flavoured delicacies by artisan chocolatiers, Chouchoute. This FREE high profile event is highly recommended and places can be booked by e-mailing sarah.allen@birmingham.gov.uk
Birmingham Future, One Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BD
Telephone: +44 (0)121 632 2200 Fax: +44 (0)121 632 2201
