Sector: Environmental technologies

1210

‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ Awards entries open in November

Posted on by Kate Christie

The Department for Business and Trade’s 2024 ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ Awards will open for entries on Friday 10 November. 

The Made in the UK, Sold to the World Awards recognise and celebrate the global trading success of SMEs from across the UK.

The opening entry date for the awards is Friday 10 November, during this year’s International Trade Week (6 to 13 November 2023).

Award categories

There are ten award categories and this year’s categories are: 

  • Agriculture, food and drink 
  • Consultancy and professional services 
  • Creative industries
  • Education and edtech 
  • Financial services and fintech
  • Healthcare 
  • Infrastructure and engineering 
  • Low carbon energy 
  • Manufacturing, advanced manufacturing and construction 
  • Retail and consumer goods.

There will be one winner from each category and up to three highly commended businesses.

To find out more about the awards and read about 2023’s winners visit the Made in The UK, Sold to the World website.

Entries for the 2024 awards close on Sunday 14 January 2024.

See our international trade resources
See our international trade resources

‘Cutting costs and improving productivity through customs’ workshop

We’re holding a series of international trade workshops for Sandwell businesses. Join us for the third one in the series on Thursday 23 November at our Sandwell Start-Up Hub.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth Team) are holding a series of international trade workshops covering:

  • How to improve your import, export and customs procedures
  • Ambition to export: mapping and accessing new markets
  • Cutting costs and improving productivity through customs
  • Reviewing Brexit: customs compliance and audit for UK importers.

The third workshop in the series takes place on Thursday 23 November at Jack Judge House in Oldbury. It’s called ‘Cutting costs and improving productivity through customs’.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth team) are hosting the international trade workshop and experts from Falsum Consulting Ltd will deliver the session. It’s a whole-day event from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

It will provide an understanding of international regulatory laws (handling tariff classifications, valuation issues, country of origin, customs audits, duty minimization programs, AEO status and so on).

The workshop will look at how to develop, implement and manage various branches through the EU and worldwide and how to establish performance metrics (KPIs), administer internal audits and maintain compliant record keeping. 

The session will provide information and guidance fully updated after the implementation of UCC and the EU referendum vote, such as:

  • International trade compliance techniques – MSS, EORI, VIES, MRN, ECS, ICS, EAD, CFSP, NES, AEO, TFA, UCC 
  • Brexit – review current international trade activities and the impact on your business of the UK no longer being in the EU
  • Rules and regulators – where can I find the rules/ who are the regulators I need to work with? 
  • Tariff classification – the importance of tariff classification of goods (commodity code numbers)
  • Valuation of goods rules – what is included in the value for duty and VAT payments and what can be excluded?
  • Duty reliefs – how to save money on imports by using legal and HMRC approved regimes
  • Origin and preference – what are the rules and when are these declared?
  • Audits – customs, DIT-ECJU and internal perspectives – what is expected? How should you react? Setting up internal audit programmes, logging results and setting up improvement plans
  • Authorised Economic Operator – what is it? Are there benefits/ negatives? Should we become an AEO? Will AEO be relevant when the UK has left the EU?
  • Intercompany transactions – do we have sister/ parent companies in the UK, EU or worldwide? Should these differ from normal import/ export activities? How to work between internal departments (HR/ finance/ purchasing/ sales/ production/ logistics)
  • Record keeping – what information and documentation you should keep, performance metrics, documented procedures, computer system support
  • Working with HM Revenue & Customs, suppliers, customers, freight agents – documented processes/ service level agreements
  • Compliance culture – how to set up an internal/ external compliance culture
  • Export controls – how are you affected by export controls compliance? 

This workshop will be ideal for compliance managers, finance leaders, business heads and logistics management.

Sign up at Eventbrite

Birmingham Tech Week 2023 is nearly here

Posted on by Alex Taylor

Birmingham Tech Week is the UK’s largest regional tech festival and conference. This year, it takes place from Monday 16 to Friday 20 October, with online, in-person and on-demand sessions.

The event will feature over 100 speakers across five days, including Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, Paul Scully MP, and leaders representing dozens of high-profile tech companies. Sessions include dinners, social events, discussions, networking and presentations on a wide range of tech-related topics, including:

  • Sustainability
  • Training and education
  • Championing start-ups
  • Data in real estate
  • New developments
  • Pitching
  • Investment
  • Global growth
  • Health care
  • Women in technology.

The programme culminates in an awards dinner on Friday 20 October.

Prestigious venues for Birmingham Tech Week

The in-person sessions will be held in a variety of Birmingham locations including HSBC headquarters, Birmingham Rep, BT, University College Birmingham, Albert Schloss restaurant, iCentrum, The Exchange, the Ivy, X+Why, The Bond, Shakespeare Martineau, STEAMhouse, BGF, Enterprise Wharf, the ICC, NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator Hub and Edgbaston Cricket Ground.

For more information, and to sign up, visit the registration page. Fill in your contact details then click ‘next’ to access the full list of sessions.

Resources to help you grow your business
Resources to help you grow your business

Reviewing Brexit: customs compliance and audit for UK importers workshop – new date

We’re holding a series of international trade workshops for Sandwell businesses. Join us for the fifth one at our Sandwell Start-Up Hub. Please note that the date has changed from Thursday 22 February to Friday 22 March.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth Team) are holding a series of international trade workshops covering:

  • How to improve your import, export and customs procedures
  • Ambition to export: mapping and accessing new markets
  • Cutting costs and improving productivity through customs
  • Reviewing Brexit: customs compliance and audit for UK importers.

The fifth workshop in the series takes place on Friday 22 March (new date!) at Jack Judge House in Oldbury. It’s called ‘Reviewing Brexit: Customs compliance and audit for UK importers’.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth team) are hosting the workshop and experts from Falsum Consulting Ltd will deliver the session. It’s a whole-day event – from 9.30am to 4.30pm – that will review Brexit for UK importers.

As HMRC is putting more responsibility on traders and expects greater awareness and compliance within companies, this workshop uncovers how companies can self-audit to remain compliant.

It provides a practical guide to understand origin and preference, classification, valuation and how to read customs entries. 

Knowing what information HMRC will want to look at during an audit is critical to a successful audit. Attendees will learn what HMRC considers the essential areas of a customs audit and how to react when you are under the spotlight.

It will also cover customs special procedures and provide detailed information on what each of the procedures is and what HMRC looks for. Within this section, you will look at authorised economic operator (AEO), the benefits and pitfalls of using AEO, and how a customs audit on an AEO trader could have serious consequences when being audited, such as:

  • Customs audits – what are they? 
  • Meeting AEO conditions
  • Understanding your responsibilities
  • Record keeping requirements: Imports, exports and EU trade
  • Writing procedures, internal guidelines and self-auditing 

The workshop will also cover topics such as:

  • Planning for an audit – providing company information to the auditor 
  • Who should lead the audit? 
  • Management support and awareness
  • Responsibilities of freight companies
  •  VAT evidence of export
  • Classification of goods
  • Valuation issues
  • Preference at export and import
  • Intra-community Trade Statistics (INTRASTAT) linking physical movement of goods within the EU to VAT returns
  • Special customs procedures IP, OP, CW, EnU, TA and AEO conditions. 

This workshop will be ideal for compliance managers, finance leaders, business heads and logistics management.

Sign up at Eventbrite

Ambition to export: mapping and accessing new markets workshop

We’re holding a series of international trade workshops for Sandwell businesses. The fourth one takes place on Thursday 22 February (new date!) at our Sandwell Start-Up Hub.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth Team) are holding a series of international trade workshops covering:

  • How to improve your import, export and customs procedures
  • Ambition to export: mapping and accessing new markets
  • Cutting costs and improving productivity through customs
  • Reviewing Brexit: customs compliance and audit for UK importers.

The first three workshops covered a beginners’ guide to importing and exporting, how to improve your import, export and customs procedures, and cutting costs by improving productivity.

The fourth workshop in the series takes place on Thursday 22 February* at Jack Judge House in Oldbury. It’s called ‘Ambition to export: mapping and accessing new markets’. It is an introduction to exporting and fully revised to reflect Brexit issues and current practices.

*Postponed from Friday 12 January.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth team) are hosting the workshop and experts from Falsum Consulting Ltd will deliver the session, which is designed to offer basic grounding in export procedures. It’s a whole-day event, from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

The workshop will cover the key points of exporting, including export documentation and working with freight forwarders. It is ideal for any businesses new to export or for anyone whose job has an export connection. 

Whether you work in sales, contracts, finance, customer services, shipping, logistics or you would like a managerial overview of the whole export procedure, attendance will increase your confidence and awareness.

The workshop aims to provide a greater understanding of overseas requirements and export document procedures, such as:

  • Rules and regulators
  • Trading inside the EU
  • Goods on the move – a look inside the freight world
  • Export procedures –  the steps along the supply chain road and what happens to goods when they arrive overseas 
  • The export control system (ECS) and the export accompanying documents (EAD)
  • INCOTERMS® 2020 RULES –  a review of the importance of using shipping terms correctly 
  • Documents – finding out what documents are needed and key documents examined and explained
  • Origin rules – certificates of origin and preference certificates, ATR and EUR forms, invoice statements, approved exporter status
  • Customs control – an introduction to customs procedures, how to handle temporary movements and record-keeping requirements
  • The language of exports – jargon explained, including shipping terms (incoterms), payment terms, customs codes and common abbreviations
  •  Working with a freight forwarder – getting it right
  • Where to go for advice.
Sign up at Eventbrite

This workshop will be ideal for compliance managers, finance leaders, business heads and logistics management.

More international trade support
More international trade support

How smaller businesses in the West Midlands can thrive with diversity: British Business Bank event

On Tuesday 7 November, the British Business Bank will bring together an expert panel to share advice about debt and equity options for smaller businesses. This event is particularly relevant to entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds.

The event will be a great opportunity to hear from guest speakers, network with the presenters and ask your own questions. The speakers will include:

  • Tracy Sherratt – senior manager at British Business Bank
  • Harinder Kunor – regional ecosystem manager at NatWest
  • Jim Shirley – founder of Funding Hero
  • Steve Parry – director at Q Commercial Finance
  • Surlender Pendress – co-founder of Love Writing Co.

British Business Bank is hosting it, in partnership with NatWest, Funding Hero and Q Commercial Finance. The event is free, and includes a networking lunch and refreshments.

For more information, and to register your place, visit the Eventbrite page.

Visit our Finance for start-ups page
Visit our Finance for start-ups page

Birmingham Black Business Conference: an event from Legacy Centre of Excellence

The Black Business Conference provides knowledge, services and networks to businesses of all kinds. It takes place on Saturday 14 October at the Legacy Centre of Excellence in Birmingham.

This year, NatWest is the headline sponsor. Actor and presenter Richard Blackwood will host the event, alongside journalist Merisha Stevenson. The day includes a business networking expo, industry-focused workshops and panel discussions featuring renowned black business leaders such as:

  • Paulette Simpson
  • Beverly Johnson
  • Corey Weekes
  • Craig Pinkney
  • Karl George MBE
  • Kenneth Gray
  • Deirdre LaBassiere LL.B (Hons) FTLS
  • Sophie Marie Bennett
  • Yetunde Dania
  • Natalie Scarlett
  • Zoe Bennett, BEM.

There will be plenty of advice, links and resources for both start-up and established companies.

For more information, and to book your free place, visit the Eventbrite page.

We’re looking for your stories for Black History Month 2023
We’re looking for your stories for Black History Month 2023

Sandwell Start-Up Hub: your business co-working environment is now open

Posted on by Marie

Our new co-working environment in Oldbury is open. The Sandwell Start-Up Hub is a spacious, welcoming place for local entrepreneurs and businesses to network, plan, collaborate and learn.

The Sandwell Start-Up Hub is on the top floor of Jack Judge House in Oldbury, opposite Sandwell Council House. Our aim is to help small local businesses on their journey to success by providing an open-plan office with 60 workstations, collaborative spaces, meeting rooms, event space and free WiFi.

The Sandwell Start-Up Hub is a co-working environment where entrepreneurs and business owners can collaborate, network, and receive advice and support from the Sandwell Business Growth Team and partner organisations. More on that support soon!  

Within the Sandwell Start-Up Hub are three areas:

  • Collaboration Zone: for networking and collaborating
  • Quiet Zone: for focused work
  • Event Zone: hosting informative sessions by business support organisations on various topics.

“Get inspiration and share knowledge”

Carlene Taylor and Nasteha Isak are the founders of We Are Able CIC, helping parents and carers of children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities with impartial guidance and advocacy services. Carlene and Nasteha attended the launch event at the Sandwell Start-Up Hub on Tuesday 26 September. They had accessed support from Sandwell Council’s Business Growth Team earlier in the year.

Nasteha said: “We are really looking forward to taking advantage of the resources and support on offer here. It’s incredible that we get the chance to have somewhere where we can work from, rather than having to use our homes, and we can get inspiration and share knowledge with other people while we’re here.”

Sandwell, the home of start-ups

Councillor Peter Hughes is Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and West Midlands Combined Authority. He said: “The Sandwell Start-Up Hub will be more than just a workspace. It is the Business Growth Team’s plan to create a community of businesspeople who can collaborate, network and learn from one another – as well as from guest organisations delivering useful business workshops and talks.

“One of Sandwell Council’s priorities is to promote inclusive growth that raises people and communities up alongside thriving businesses. The Sandwell Start-Up Hub offers a physical space in which that success can be incubated. With this innovative new Hub, Sandwell will truly become the ‘Home of Start-ups’ for the West Midlands, where entrepreneurs from all sectors are welcome.”

The Sandwell Start-Up Hub will be free for local businesses and entrepreneurs to access until September 2024.

Learn more Book your desk


Pictured left to right: Nasteha Isak of We Are Able CIC, Helen Peach from Sandwell Council’s Business Growth Team, and Carlene Taylor of We Are Able CIC.


‘Celebrating Black History Month’: a free event from NatWest

On Monday 9 October, NatWest is marking Black History Month with a free event to celebrate the year-round success of the black business community in the region. It takes place at the NatWest Accelerator Hub in Birmingham city centre, and the keynote speaker is inspirational hair care entrepreneur Kamesse Davis from Sandwell.

Kamesse founded Nylahs Naturals in 2013, without any business capital, whilst working as a careers adviser and raising two young children. Other black business people will also be there to share their stories and advice, incuding:

  • Denise Morris, founder of TAG Network Midlands
  • Oyinkansola Adebayo, who runs the Niyo group of companies
  • Drew Currie, who runs ‘Show Me The Money’ funding events across the country
  • Keith Shayaam-Smith, CEO of 7E Youth Academy and Chairman of The Legacy Centre of Excellence.

As well as the expert panelists, there will also be time for questions and networking.

This event is for anyone at any stage of their business journey, from initial idea to experienced business owner. If you’d like to be inspired, offer your time for others, or be an ally of the black business community, this event is for you.

For more information, and to register your free place, visit the Eventbrite listing.

We’re looking for your stories for Black History Month 2023
We're looking for your stories for Black History Month 2023

“Start Small; Dream Big”: help children in our primary schools to achieve their potential

Posted on by Marie

The Careers and Enterprise Company has selected Sandwell-based SIPS Education to deliver its ‘Start Small; Dream Big’ programme for primary schools in the Black Country. Now SIPS Education is looking for local businesspeople to inspire the next generation. Will you take part in employer encounter experiences for our young people?

Studies show* that, by the age of six, children have already started to adopt limiting stereotypes based on gender, ethnicity and social background. By age nine, some have already started to abandon their biggest ambitions.

Start Small; Dream Big is a £2.6m pilot project, funded by the Department for Education, set up to address these findings. It aims to raise awareness among primary school-aged children of the world of work, raising aspirations and combatting stereotypes. Delivered overall by the Careers and Enterprise Company and Teach First, its aim is to reach 600,000 children in 2,250 primary schools across the country, between now and 2025.

The Careers and Enterprise Company has selected SIPS Education as its delivery partner for schools across Sandwell and the rest of the Black Country. The West Bromwich-based not-for-profit organisation will play an important part in encouraging children from disadvantaged backgrounds to dream big about their future careers. SIPS’ work will include supporting senior leaders, teachers, parents and children with information and resources. It will build children’s understanding of the links between the things they learn in school and the world of work.

Serving schools across the region: about SIPS Education

SIPS Education (www.sips.co.uk) started in 2013. It provides professional services for secondary schools, primary schools, nurseries and special schools across the region. These include HR, financial services, software support, IT technical support and project work, catering delivery and consultancy, health and safety consultancy, data protection consultancy and support, school improvement solutions, managed work experience, and music and arts services.

SIPS Education is a co-operative and therefore governed by its members, not shareholders. CEO Brian Cape previously told us: “Our people feel it’s important to be able to put schools (members) first and we’re proud to be part of an organisation that doesn’t make profits from children”.

Brian, who is also a Sandwell Business Ambassador, explained how Start Small; Dream Big will work.

“Start Small; Dream Big will integrate with children’s learning by linking lessons to careers. It will also give them an opportunity to explore different jobs and meet inspiring employers.

“We want children in our region to reach their full potential by finding something they love, and pursuing it with confidence and ambition. So I would love to see local employers and entrepreneurs get involved and help to dispel those limiting beliefs and stereotypes that hold children back.”

How you can support the programme

SIPS is asking employers to pledge a number of days/hours for their teams to support Start Small; Dream Big. You could support multiple schools at both school-based and regional events, or one school within your local area. SIPS is keen to stress that any time you can give is valuable to our amazing young people.

So can you pledge a day or so to help SIPS and our local primary schools with Start Small; Dream Big? Please email wrl@sips.co.uk for more information. Tell them the Sandwell Business Growth Team sent you!

Or you can sign up for the information sessions in late January and February 2024.

SIPS is also looking for suitable people to become Enterprise Advisers. As well as local organisations that can offer work experience placements. Again, email wrl@sips.co.uk with your details.

* PDF opens in a new tab: ‘What works? Career-related learning in primary schools’ – Dr Elnaz Kashefpakdel, Jordan Rehill and Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE.

We amended this article in January 2023 to include the information sessions and remove a mention of SIPS’ provision covering Coventry.

More ways to give back
More ways to give back

‘How to improve your import, export and customs procedures’: workshop

We’re holding a series of international trade workshops for Sandwell businesses. Join us at the second one on Thursday 19 October at our new Sandwell Start-Up Hub!

We (the Sandwell Business Growth Team) are holding a series of international trade workshops just for you. Over the coming year, we’ll cover:

Our first workshop was in September – a beginners’ guide to importing and exporting.

The next one takes place on Thursday 19 October at our new Sandwell Start-Up Hub (on the top floor of Jack Judge House in Oldbury). It’s called ‘How to improve your import, export and customs procedures’. It will guide you through advanced customs compliance standards and legislation surrounding compliance in international trade.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth team) are hosting it and Sam Ballard-Robinson of Falsum Consulting Ltd will deliver the session. It’s a whole-day event, from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

During the day, we’ll explore the ‘Three Pillars of Customs Compliance’ and how these impact your business. You will gain knowledge about what to check and how to implement changes within these three pillars.

This practical guide will look at ‘Classification, Valuation, and Origin & Preference’, ensuring you have the knowledge to capture and record the required details.

Focusing on Customs Special Procedures, Sam will give you detailed information on Inward and Outward Processing, Customs Warehouses (and how they operate) and more. We will also cover Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) and the benefits and pitfalls of using AEO.

During the day, we will:

  • Focus on how the Three Pillars of Customs Compliance affect day-to-day activities within a business trading internationally
  • Be guided through the Transit System and GVMS (Goods Vehicle Movement Service)
  • Understand the need for import and export licensing
  • Clarify the differences between the data elements and box numbers in CHIEF and CDS
  • Get an overview of the different valuation methods and how to build up the customs value of goods for duty and import VAT purposes
  • Understand the importance of tariff classification and origin and preference rules within international trade
  • Highlight the different customs’ special procedures and when they can be used
  • Review record-keeping and reporting requirements and explain the benefits of obtaining MSS reports.

This workshop will be ideal for you if you have an established understanding of customs procedures, or you’ve already attended sessions that introduced these topics. We also recommend it for supervisors and managers, who will benefit from a deeper awareness of their required tasks, responsibilities and controls.

Sign up at Eventbrite

“Saluting our Sisters”: your stories wanted for Black History Month 2023

Posted on by Marie

Every October, Black History Month is a great time to celebrate the invaluable contributions of black people to British society.

In 2023, the theme is ‘Saluting our Sisters’ – honouring in particular black women and their crucial role in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities. At Sandwell Business Growth, we want to hear and share your stories.

As the official Black History Month website states: “Black people have always been at the forefront of social justice movements, fighting against oppression and paving the way for change. However, despite their countless contributions to society, the achievements of black women, in particular, have too often been overlooked or forgotten. That is why, this year, we will be celebrating the exceptional achievements of black women”.

The ‘Saluting our Sisters’ celebrations in October will showcase black women who have made huge contributions to the world: literature, music, fashion, sport, business, politics, academia, social and health care, and more.

So we want to do the same here at Sandwell Business Growth. We are keen to celebrate in particular the achievements of black women business owners and entrepreneurs in our borough.

Celebrating Black History Month in Sandwell

Calling black businesswomen in Sandwell: do tell us if you’d like us to share your stories and successes. We are always looking to celebrate your business and tell people about the brilliant things you do. Drop us a line with your latest updates. Or complete our ‘Made in Sandwell’ form to have your own business profile here on the Sandwell Business Growth website. You can do this any time of year, of course – not just for Black History Month.

Take a look at Black History Month events happening in the West Midlands.

Engaging with black history all year round

The Black Curriculum empowers young people and educators to engage with Black British history 365 days a year. Have a look at the Black Curriculum website and join the movement.

Resources for women in business
Resources for women in business

Trading Standards Business News

The quarterly digital magazine from Central England Trading Standards Authorities (CEnTSA).

Bonfire Night, rugby and e-scooters: the latest in Trading Standards Business News

Posted on by Marie

The autumn 2023 edition of Trading Standards Business News (TSBN) is available online.

Central England Trading Standards Authorities (CEnTSA) has published this digital magazine.

CEnTSA is a collaboration between fourteen trading standards services within local authorities across the West Midlands – including Sandwell. Together they aim to maximise the impact that individual services have, supporting businesses in our region to trade legally and fairly while promoting economic growth.

TSBN is full of advice to help you and your business thrive while staying on the right side of the law. Each edition covers a wide range of business sectors and signposts you to further information.

The magazine includes articles for retailers, SMEs, food businesses, international traders and entertainment venues. It also has information on seasonal safety and avoiding fraud.

So what’s inside the autumn 2023 edition of TSBN?

You can read the latest TSBN in a browser on your computer or download the TSBN app for Apple and Android devices. The digital magazine content is interactive – so clicking on the web links will take you to the relevant page or website.

The autumn 2023 edition of TSBN contains tips and guidance on Halloween and Bonfire Night safety, general business fire safety advice, plus a focus on health and safety in pubs and bars during the men’s Rugby World Cup.

There is information on cyber security, and the sale of age-restricted items such as knives, fireworks and alcohol. For anyone involved in the food industry, you’ll find guidance on use-by dates and pest control – plus the latest on avian influenza.

Editor Frances Darling said: “Autumn brings with it Halloween and Bonfire Night, both of which have significant safety implications for many businesses, so we have provided relevant product safety guidance to help you stay legal and protect your customers.

“The safety theme continues with articles covering fire safety and regulatory requirements relating to e-bikes and e-scooters; the fire risk associated with lithium-ion batteries in these products is currently a very urgent topic.”

This edition also looks at the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and gives an update on the work being done to improve compliance levels amongst letting agents.

Where you can read Trading Standards Business News

Read the autumn 2023 edition of TSBN.

Read past editions of TSBN here.

Sandwell Council’s Trading Standards Team is here to help
Sandwell Council's Trading Standards Team is here to help

Skills Bootcamp in Manufacturing Efficiency: join this 16-week programme for free

Posted on by Marie

The Skills Bootcamp in Manufacturing Efficiency is a free sixteen-week programme to help you achieve profitable, sustainable growth for your business.

The Skills Bootcamp in Manufacturing Efficiency is for leaders in the West Midlands who want to upskill and optimise their organisation’s processes and output.

MTC Training is delivering the programme. Thanks to a partnership with Lloyds Bank, it will be free for the cohorts starting between now (September) and November 2023.

About the Skills Bootcamp

Through a blend of in-person classroom and online sessions, you will examine the strengths and challenges facing your manufacturing business. Experts will help you see how they impact your organisation’s ability to execute strategy and become more profitable.

You will also have personal development modules so you can enhance your leadership and management skills to further drive productivity.

About the commitment you need to make

MTC Training has made the learning programme flexible, to minimise disruption to your business. You or your employees can participate without needing to be absent from work too much.

You should expect to commit a total of 65-70 learning hours over the 16 weeks. Twenty-four hours of this will be during week five, delivered in a four-day block at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre in Coventry. You will spend a further ten hours learning at your own site, to coincide with your usual working pattern. MTC Training will direct your self-study element to the course, but you will have to manage your learning.

How to sign up

Find out more and sign up for the next round with MTC Training.

More ways to grow your Sandwell business
More ways to grow your Sandwell business

Get Connected in Sandwell: breakfast networking

Come and join the Sandwell Business Growth Team, Sandwell College and the Black Country Chamber of Commerce for a breakfast networking event in Oldbury on Thursday 21 September.

We’re hosting the event at Jack Judge House (Halesowen Street, Oldbury B69 2AJ) which is soon to become home to the Sandwell Start-Up Hub.

Learn about the Sandwell Start-Up Hub

The event is free to attend. It’s a great opportunity to network with other businesspeople and learn about funded courses and grants/business support for your Sandwell business. You can have breakfast for free too: bacon, sausage or a vegetarian option.

Find out more and sign up at Eventbrite.

Get ready for international trade: exclusive workshops for Sandwell businesses

Posted on by Marie

We’re launching a series of international trade workshops for Sandwell-based businesses, covering a range of valuable topics. Join us!

Has your Sandwell business started its international trade (importing and/or exporting) journey yet? Would you like some guidance for future success?

We’re holding a series of international trade workshops just for you. Over the coming year, we’ll cover:

  • Importing and exporting – a beginner’s guide
  • Ways to improve your import, export and customs procedures
  • Cutting costs and improving productivity through customs
  • Ambition to export: mapping and accessing new markets
  • Reviewing Brexit: customs compliance and audit for UK importers.

Free face-to-face international trade workshops

We’re aiming our free face-to-face workshops at Sandwell-based businesses to support and improve your global trade activities. We’ll cover topics that are suitable for businesses new to international trade – right up to experienced importers and exporters seeking to expand their market activities.

Our first workshop takes place on Friday 22 September at Jack Judge House in Oldbury (soon to be our Sandwell Start-Up Hub!). It’s called ‘The beginner’s guide to importing and exporting worldwide’.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth team) are hosting it and Sam Ballard-Robinson of Falsum Consulting Ltd will deliver the session. It’s a whole-day event, from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

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The workshop will introduce you to the world of exporting and importing, focusing on the terms and practices used. Sam will provide an overview of some of the most common international trading areas, such as tariff classification, customs valuation, Incoterms®, and export and import customs requirements.

The session will be ideal for trainees, new starters or individuals returning to the industry.

Further information and registration

At the later events, we’ll cover topics for more experienced import/export companies. All the workshops are for Sandwell businesses.

Register for Friday 22 September

Workshop: The beginner’s guide to importing and exporting worldwide

We’re holding a series of international trade workshops for Sandwell businesses. Join us at the first one on Friday 22 September!

We (the Sandwell Business Growth Team) are holding a series of international trade workshops just for you. Over the coming year, we’ll cover:

  • Importing and exporting – a beginner’s guide
  • Ways to improve your import, export and customs procedures
  • Cutting costs and improving productivity through customs
  • Ambition to export: mapping and accessing new markets
  • Reviewing Brexit: customs compliance and audit for UK importers.
Read more about our international trade workshops

Our first workshop takes place on Friday 22 September at Jack Judge House in Oldbury (soon to be our Sandwell Start-Up Hub!). It’s called ‘The beginner’s guide to importing and exporting worldwide’.

We (the Sandwell Business Growth team) are hosting it and Sam Ballard-Robinson of Falsum Consulting Ltd will deliver the session. It’s a whole-day event, from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

The workshop will introduce you to the world of exporting and importing, focusing on the terms and practices used. Sam will provide an overview of some of the most common international trading areas, such as tariff classification, customs valuation, Incoterms®, and export and import customs requirements.

The session will be ideal for trainees, new starters or individuals returning to the industry.

Register via Eventbrite today.

Sandwell Start-Up Hub launch event

Come to our Sandwell Start-Up Hub launch on Tuesday 26 September at Jack Judge House in Oldbury.

Our new hub offers desks, resources, collaborative spaces, free WiFi and networking opportunities.

Free desk space in Oldbury

The Sandwell Start-Up Hub has open-plan office space within a hot-desking environment, equipped with 60 desks and free WiFi. There, you can work alongside entrepreneurs and new businesses, and access meeting rooms.

We understand the importance of having a productive workspace so we’re excited to provide it to local businesses at no cost for the first year (until September 2024).

Interior of the Sandwell Start-Up Hub, with clean open space, round tables and a communal kitchen

Location and layout of the Sandwell Start-Up Hub

The hub is on the top floor of Jack Judge House in Oldbury (B69 2AJ). This is the former Oldbury library building, opposite Sandwell Council House (where the library is now housed).

It has three areas:

Collaboration Zone
Where entrepreneurs can engage in meaningful networking and spark collaborations.

Quiet Zone
For focused work, allowing you to immerse yourself in your tasks without distraction – for maximum productivity.

Event Zone
Where we will host business support organisations to deliver informative sessions on a variety of topics.

Grow together at the Sandwell Start-Up Hub

We’ve designed the Sandwell Start-Up Hub to be more than a physical space. Together we will build a community of like-minded individuals, supporting one another’s growth.

Whether your established business is looking to collaborate, or you’re a new entrepreneur seeking resources, we want this hub to be your gateway to success.

To find out more or register for the Sandwell Start-Up Hub, contact the Sandwell Business Growth Team at Sandwell_StartupHub@sandwell.gov.uk. We will send you a registration form to complete. Eventually, you will be able to book your desk through the MySandwell app.

You can also join the launch event on Tuesday 26 September. We’re holding this from 9.30am to 11.30am at the hub. Find out more and sign up at Eventbrite.

Sandwell Start-Up Hub: welcome to your free, inspiring co-working space in Oldbury

Posted on by Marie

Are you an aspiring entrepreneur or do you have a growing business in Sandwell? Come and work in our supportive, innovative co-working environment at Jack Judge House in Oldbury.

Sandwell Start-Up Hub is our exciting initiative, launching on Tuesday 26 September 2023.

Designed to give local businesses the tools they need to flourish, our new hub offers desks, resources, collaborative spaces, free WiFi and networking opportunities.

Free hot-desking and meeting space in Oldbury

The Sandwell Start-Up Hub has open-plan office space within a hot-desking environment, equipped with 60 desks and free WiFi. There, you can work alongside entrepreneurs and new businesses, and access meeting rooms.

We understand the importance of having a productive workspace so we’re excited to provide it to local businesses at no cost for the first year (until September 2024).

Interior of the Sandwell Start-Up Hub, with clean open space, round tables and a communal kitchen

Jack Judge House: location and layout of the Sandwell Start-Up Hub

The hub is on the top floor of Jack Judge House in Oldbury (B69 2AJ). This is the former Oldbury library building, opposite Sandwell Council House (where the library is now housed).

It has three areas:

Collaboration Zone
Where entrepreneurs can engage in meaningful networking and spark collaborations.

Quiet Zone
For focused work, allowing you to immerse yourself in your tasks without distraction – for maximum productivity.

Event Zone
Where we will host business support organisations to deliver informative sessions on a variety of topics.

Grow together at the Sandwell Start-Up Hub

We’ve designed the Sandwell Start-Up Hub to be more than a physical space. Together we will build a community of like-minded individuals, supporting one another’s growth.

Whether your small established business is looking to collaborate, or you’re a new entrepreneur seeking resources, we want this hub to be your gateway to success.

To find out more or register for the Sandwell Start-Up Hub, contact the Sandwell Business Growth Team at Sandwell_StartupHub@sandwell.gov.uk. We will send you a registration form to complete. Eventually, you will be able to book your desk through the MySandwell app.

You can also join the launch event on Tuesday 26 September. We’re holding this from 9.30am to 11.30am at the hub. Find out more and sign up at Eventbrite.