Oil and Gas Scotland's Economy

Scottish Business Buzz (09.03.16)

Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 09.40.05Investment in skills needed to drive growth

The Scottish economy and entrepreneurial community would stand to benefit from an increase in skilled workers.

The results from a recent survey conducted by EY found that 65% of Scottish respondents are having difficulties attracting the talent needed for their business to grow, with 38% citing this is due to a lack of skills needed.

EY Director of Entrepreneur of the Year Scotland, David Mitchell, highlighted the appeal of working for inspirational entrepreneurs and suggest industry may benefit from changes in education.

“Building Scotland’s entrepreneurial clout will help develop our country’s attractiveness as a place to grow businesses. The key to real and sustained growth in the Scottish economy is for business owners to be supported locally and have access to the resources needed to build businesses of scale right here in Scotland.”

More on this story.


Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 09.45.37Oil and Gas Technology Centre major opportunity for Aberdeen 

At the Technology Showcase in Aberdeen today (Wed 9th March) the benefits of the proposed Oil and Gas Technology Centre will be revealed to delegates with an address by Maggie McGinlay, Senior Director of Energy at Scottish Enterprise.

McGinlay will speak on the scale of the opportunity that creating  a technology centre of excellence in Aberdeen will deliver in terms of maximising economic recovery from the UK Continental Shelf and retaining high value jobs.

The OGTC has been developed with and is supported by industry stakeholders including the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA), Oil & Gas UK (OGUK), the Technology Leadership Board (TLB), Opportunity North East (ONE), Scottish Enterprise, the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University. The Industry Technology Facilitator (ITF) and Oil and Gas Innovation Centre (OGIC) will also have a role to play in supporting OGTC activities.

Aberdeen Business News coverage.


 

Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 09.32.38Crerar Hotels £5,000 donation to RNIB 

Crerar Hotels Trust has donated £5,000 to the Royal Institute of the Blind (RNIB) Scotland. The support was celebrated during a special cheque presentation from team members at GoGlasgow Urban Hotel on 25th February.

The funding from Crerar Hotels Trust will help to deliver 16 peer support and information sharing programmes to newly diagnosed and partially sighted people.

Ross Mcfadyen, Director of RNIB Scotland said,

“We are extremely grateful to the Crerar Hotel Trust for this very generous support towards our work. Our Looking Forward programme gives people the reassurance they need to come to terms with sight loss and the confidence to find their lives again, knowing they are not alone. But we couldn’t do any of this without the support of donations and legacies from bodies and individuals that share our aims.”


Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 09.55.08Scottish remanufacturing fund awarded in move to circular economy 

Nine pioneering projects have been awarded total funding of £238,360 to help Scottish remanufacturing businesses explore how to make the more efficient use of materials.

Last month the Scottish Government unveiled its first ever circular economy strategy entitled ‘Making Things Last’. The strategy identifies four priority areas, including remanufacturing, where Scotland is in a position to make rapid progress and where there is scope to deliver the most significant environmental and economic benefits.

Funding included awards to Cummins Diesel ReCon, ACS Marine, Campers Scotland Ltd and WEEE Scotland. Projects involve areas such as logistics in recovering products for remanufacture, material wear, cleaning technologies and end-of- life assessment.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland comments.


Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 10.04.58Scottish microfinance fund launched to support women-led firms 

Women’s Enterprise Scotland marked International Women’s Day yesterday (Tues 8th March) by launching a microfinance fund to support small start up enterprises.

The pilot scheme, which will allow women to access small test trading grants of up of £250, was officially launched at the ‘Empowering Women through Education, Employment and Enterprise’ event at Glasgow’s City Chambers.

“Our research consistently shows that the lack of access to finance is a persistent barrier which limits women’s ability to start or expand their businesses and to fully participate in economic, social, and political life,” said Margaret Gibson, chief executive of Women’s Enterprise Scotland.

Just over 20% of Scottish SMEs are majority owned by women led businesses, contributing more than £5bn to the economy. If rates equalled that of men, Women’s Enterprise Scotland has said the contribution to Scotland’s output would increase to £13n.

Full story in The Herald.


Chief Executive of Business for Scotland Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp appeared on Scotland Tonight on Monday (7th March) making the Scottish business case for the EU.

Catch up with the interview below.

 

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About the author

Rhona Middler

Rhona was Business for Scotland's Engagement Executive and Events Manager.

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