Future eBulletin - September 2010

Latest News

The fifth Graduate Apprentice, Richard Price, begins his first placement with Deloitte this month. Richard, a recent graduate from Loughborough University will be taking on three very different challenges with three employers over the next 12 months.

He will start with four months in the International Assignments Tax Team, based at Deloitte’s offices in Brindleyplace. In the new year, he will join BYPY winner James Villarreal at Glide Utilities before completing his Apprentice year with Brewin Dolphin.

Richard said: “I’m thrilled to have been appointed this year’s Graduate Apprentice and fully intend to make the most of my time working within each company. I feel that Birmingham is a city that has many opportunities to offer graduates, it has a great history but also a very exciting future.”

The scheme, which is organised by the TRaD committee, continues to offer a completely unique opportunity within Birmingham, and chair of the committee, Jason Norris, is sure that Richard will have a fantastic year. “Richard fought off the toughest competition yet to secure his year as the Apprentice. We are delighted to welcome two new employers to the scheme this year, and I am sure that with Richard’s drive and determination, he will continue to raise the bar for the Apprentice programme”.

Photo: (left to right) Paul Fielding - Brewin Dolphin, Richard Price - Graduate Apprentice 2010, Jason Norris - Deloitte & James Villarreal - Glide Utilities.

 

Is there a graduate in your midst?

The Talent Retention and Development committee is calling on all Birmingham Future members to check round their offices to see if there are any new or recent recruits lurking in the corners!

If so, the TRaD committee would love for you to send them along to their annual Welcome to Birmingham event, to be held this year on Wednesday 13th October at the Town Hall, followed by an after party at Metro with free champagne cocktails!

Tickets are a bargain £10 per person. The event is now in its fourth year and around 300 new faces are expected to gather to hear speakers including this year’s BYPY Inspiring Leader Bernard Shepherd – for anyone new to the city’s professional scene, this is a night not to be missed.

For more details and booking information – please contact Jason Norris or call 0121 696 8575.

Photo: The Talent Retention & Development Committee.

 

The masterplan is unveiled...

Having completed the ‘Visioning’ aspect of the Big City Plan, Birmingham City Council is close to completing Stage 2 ‘Producing the Masterplan’.

It will turn the concepts and objectives into reality through focusing on the delivery of several key regeneration projects of national importance including New Street Station, the Southern Gateway, the Library of Birmingham and Paradise Circus.

Following on from Michael Parkinson’s visioning study which was undertaken in 2007, work by Urban Initiatives and the City Council’s planning department has brought to life the vision for Birmingham as a city for the 21st Century and beyond.

Birmingham Future’s City Centre Committee is excited to welcome Waheed Nazir, the City Council’s Director of Regeneration, who will be presenting the Masterplan on Wednesday 13th October at 18:00 in Eleven Brindleyplace. The event will be a unique opportunity to find out first hand the Council’s plans for the future of Birmingham, you can find out more on the Birmingham Future website.

 

Do you want to get more involved with Birmingham Future?

Have you got what it takes to be a part of one of Birmingham Future's committees?

If you would like to get more involved in Birmingham Future or are looking for ways to develop your leadership skills then this could be the perfect opportunity for you.  We are currently looking to recruit between three and four Birmingham Future members to join our Membership Committee. 

Your responsibilities will include attending monthly meetings to discuss the membership and assisting with building the membership numbers and developing the committee's strategy.

In return, you will get the chance to play an active part in the the running of Birmingham Future and the opportunity to improve your professional profile in the city.

If you are interested in finding out more please email the Deputy Chair Tina Robinson.

 

Balancing parenthood & professional demands

Young professional women across the city are determined that their husband and partners will be sharing their maternity leave when changes to the law come into effect in April 2011. 

A recent survey from Birmingham Future indicated that both women and men are willing to take time off work to share childcare responsibilities, contrary to current social norms.

"The trouble with working women" event held earlier this year by Birmingham Future heard from Kate Cooper of Extelligencia and Victoria Garrard, an Employment partner at the law firm HBJ Gateley Waering. The event explored how young female professionals balance careers and family, as well as the progression made by women over the past century.

 

An exciting opportunity to be a part of Birmingham Future's mentoring committee

Have you been a member of Birmingham Future for a while and thought about getting more involved? If you would like to join a team of passionate, energetic and dynamic individuals who co-ordinate mentoring opportunities on behalf of the Birmingham Future and the city then you might be in luck...

Birmingham Future’s mentoring committee is looking for one new member to join the successful team which is chaired by James Richards of Mills & Reeve LLP. The Birmingham Future Mentoring Scheme launched in 2002 and helps match mentors and mentees from Birmingham's professional community into mutually beneficial relationships. The Committee works closely with Birmingham City University on a downward mentoring scheme with the university's undergraduates.

To find out more about the committee and how you can become involved, please get in touch with James Richards.

 

Getting involved

Get your kit on!

With just a month to go before the EDF Energy Birmingham Half Marathon (which takes place on 24 October) you’d be forgiven for thinking it was too late to get involved. Not so says Birmingham Future team captain Paul Fielding of Brewin Dolphin.

“We’ve a team of 20 runners from across Birmingham’s business and professional services community who will be running in aid of the ‘12 for 12’ fund,” says Paul. “This unique fund has been set up by local athletics club, the Birchfield Harriers, to fund the training of 12 local athletes in their bid to secure a place at the London 2012 Olympic Games.”

Paul continues: “it is not too late to get involved. The official deadline for entries to the marathon is 23 September and we’d welcome any last minute additions to the team. But, if running is not your thing, then please do get in touch to find out more about individual or corporate sponsorship of the team. We’re hoping to completely smash last year’s fundraising efforts and raise in the region of £3,000.”

To find out about sponsorship, please contact Paul. To find out more about the 12 for 12 fund, please visit the 12 for 12 website which includes biographies of the athletes and information about the Birchfield Harriers.

 

Volunteer spotlight

This month’s volunteer spotlight features Aimee Postle of Kinetic Communications.

To find out what prompted Aimee to get involved in volunteering and who has been her biggest inspiration to date please visit the Birmingham Future website.

 

Events

Upcoming events

For all the details of our forthcoming events please visit our new events page.

Showcase of Birmingham Start-up Businesses- Monday, 4 October - 17:00 - 19:00 Faraday Wharf, Birmingham Science Park Aston, Holt Street

The Masterplan is Unveiled – Wednesday, 13 October - 18:00 - 20:00
Eleven Brindleyplace

Birmingham Graduate Welcome Event- Wednesday, 13 October - 18:00 - 21:00 Birmingham Town Hall, Victoria Square.

 

Damien Hughes speaks to Future on the 'Psychology of Change'

On 25 August, international speaker, best-selling author and sports psychology consultant Damian Hughes spoke with Birmingham Future members about “the psychology of change” during a breakfast seminar.

During the event, Damian shared his insights into the secrets of success. Using Richard Branson as an example, he said: “Richard Branson is a firm believer that he’s never failed at anything in his life. Obviously that’s not true. Yet Richard believes that as long as he sits down and analyses what he did right, what he did wrong and what he could improve on, he’s a winner.”

Damian continued with advice on how to help others make the most of themselves and said: “your job as a leader is to challenge people’s frame of reference. Doing this helps people understand their options. As humans we learn helplessness and how to give up within minutes. It’s your job to change this.

“It’s important to know” he concluded, “that it’s impossible to change the world. However it’s not impossible to change your own world. Focus on making the most of bad situations, retaining a positive frame of mind and being passionate about what you stand for. Do this and you’ve already won.”

 

Culture club

Don’t forget that there are lots of exciting discounts that can be redeemed across the city and beyond by using your Culture Club Card.

For more information about Culture Club or to find out how to join please contact the Birmingham Future office on 0121 632 2200.