Author Archives: albertswright

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About albertswright

I have retired from commercial activity. My email address is albertswright@hotmail.com

Government Not Doing Enough for Young People

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What’s Wrong

 

Young people are the future of this country and we are failing them by giving them poor education and not enough jobs.

 

This Government is too political and doing too much for Pensioners (who are highly likely to vote) and not doing enough for Young People, who are less likely to vote.

 

Successive Governments for at least the last 15 years have been failing young people at all levels of education from Primary School to University by not preparing them adequately for the world of work and have wasted millions in the process.

 

Many young people at the age of 16, 18 and even 21, do not seem ready for work.

 

Many employers don’t want them; one report said 10% of parents, if they had a business, would not even employ their own children.

 

Government statistics indicate that around 1 million young people aged 16 to 24 are NEETS – Not in Education, Employment or Training. Where they and what are are they doing?

 

More importantly, what has the education system being doing, what have their parents being doing?

 

Job vacancies are rising again but employers are rejecting young applicants as not being fit for purpose.

 

Those aged 16 to 18 living at home are not entitled to state benefits. What do they live on? Are they just being given enough money by their parents to vegetate at home watching TV, DVDs and browsing the Internet?

 

State funding for 19 to 24 year olds is also hard to get. They are encouraged to undertake training but many Colleges are now rejecting them for Apprenticeship courses as they need to be in a job to do an apprenticeship and the Colleges will not be paid if the College cannot find an employer to host them.

 

The Government flagship Traineeship programme is poorly funded, badly designed and hardly anyone is doing it.

 

Unemployment rates amongst graduates of several subjects are rising. Starting salaries by subject differ widely from £12k a year to £24k.

 

Student debt is rising. The Student Loan Company now expect to recover only 50% of the loans made, with the tax payer picking up the bill, rather than the student borrowers paying the interest on the loans or even the capital in many case.

 

Hopefully their parents and grandparents will be as cross as I am for failing a generation.

 

 

What Needs to be Done?

 

They must now massively cut funds to Universities and cut University undergraduate places by at least 50% in the next 3 years. The traditional University is dead; long live the Virtual University with local support.

 

We don’t need young people to go far away from home, sit in big expensive buildings, rent local accommodation when they could stay living at home and get the same quality of teaching using modern technology and blended learning for less than half the cost.

 

Grandparents, please stop your grand children going to University, even if they have good A levels and if they are already at a poor University and not doing well pull them out.

 

Don’t waste any more money on fees and don’t let them take out a loan, which could saddle them with massive interest and debt repayments if they do get a good job or cost the taxpayer if they don’t get a job at all.

 

The real beneficiaries of expanded University places are local landlords of student accommodation and the University staff and Vice Chancellors at the top, some being paid over £400,000 a year by taxpayers.

 

More reform is needed in FE Colleges to better prepare those aged 16 to 24 for the world of work.

 

However, even more change is needed in our schools and homes so that young people get the examples, support and help to become better and more useful human beings.

 

Parents need to encourage their children to get some work experience from the age of 12 onwards and new legislation is needed to allow this to happen without employers breaking the law.

 

Part time work for a few hours a week can be very valuable for those aged 16 to 20 and is widespread in other countries like USA and in Europe.

 

Parents need to talk to their children more about the world of work – many young people don’t seem to have a clue how their parents earn money.

 

Please, let’s have your comments

 

Do Less, Do Less London, Do More Local

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THE PROBLEM

Things are not getting better

Government borrowing and the National Debt remain too high. The myth that things have and are getting better is wrong and misleading. 

We are nowhere near the pre 2008 levels of GDP or productivity and I can see government borrowing continuing to grow and make the bankers rich way beyond 2017. 

Furthermore, some of this future borrowing will be at even higher interest rates making it even more difficult to run a balanced budget. 

There has been no sustained increase in either the value or the volume of manufacturing output or exports. Given the level of imports necessary to produce increased physical export of products, the fall in exchange rates which on the one hand make us more competitive in international export markets, while on the other adds costs and increases prices of goods sold in the UK. 

Financial sector lead growth and increased house prices are, in the medium and long term a bad thing not a good thing unless we sell all the houses to foreigners and live in tents!

 London too big

The apparent, yet false growth created by London simply increases the cost of living for those of us who live in the capital and a rise in anger and frustration from an increasingly congested city with inadequate infrastructure. 

THE SOLUTION

Less Public Sector Spending 

Further cuts are needed. Both Central and Local Government need to do less at all levels and stop duplication.

We must halt the massive waste and inefficiency associated with public sector and quasi public sector (like the BBC’s £100m right off for failed digital projects) and delivery of services. 

Public sector wages, pensions and number of employees needs to be cut further.

We must reduce the volume of activity carried out by and paid for by Government. A public sector of almost 50% of GDP is a continuing economic and social disaster leading to further national decline. 

We must reduce Government activity to less than 37% of GDP over the next 5 years and keep it going down to create a better and more prosperous Britain.

Where and what to cut is obvious to me, if not to others. It can be done. We just need the will to do it.

  Geographic Rebalance

There also needs to be a move away from Government activity on national matters being performed in London and moved to other parts of the UK (where costs of land and labour are far less) alongside further devolution to regional and local government of decision making and delivery.

 However, in this transfer of power and delivery to local level, costs must go down not up. 

Closer scrutiny is required on ensuring continuing cost reduction during function transfer of decision making and delivery so costs remain on a downward trend. 

New Year New Thinking January 2014

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Assistant World Policeman

The UK will continue to decline as a Nation of International Importance unless we decide to radically redefine how we see ourselves and how we want to be seen by others. 

Out must go the role of assistant world policeman to the USA, misguided ambitions to be a major, global financial centre and consumerist aspirations for an ever increasing GDP.  

We can no longer afford the current defence and Foreign Policy expenditure budget and need to stop seeing ourselves as one of the 5 leading nations of the world with a major International role and we must give way to stronger, emerging nations and live within our means.

Sector Rebalance

 The UK reliance on income from providing financial services to the world must also be scaled back. The sector is both unsustainable and corrupt and has distorted our economic activity. We should not be seen as the leader in the creation of dubious financial products and the experts in international tax avoidance that helped create the financial crisis of 2007 + nor allow a return to those practices and bank generated over lending for short term bank gain that disadvantages the majority of people in Britain.

New Economic Measurement

 We should reject any national policies to increase GDP based on the current definition that leads to insane consumerism, pollution and rising debt.

 Instead we must consider adopting the role of the world’s most well adjusted nation, embracing new ways of living in peace and harmony, valuing justice, well being and greater economic equality over greed, envy and materialism.

 Our ambition should adapt to being the leading nation in the world in terms of Citizen Contentment, multicultural harmony based on a genuine acceptance of sensible diversity and a desire for Quality of Life rather than Quantity of Life.

This would include a new focus on education and personal development that values our individuality and promotes the idea of us each becoming the best we can be based on our natural talents and choice balanced against the needs of a well functioning society.

This society would exhibit a new understanding of the purpose of life and the acceptance of death and a new relationship between man and the natural environment, a new approach to balancing the enjoyment and consumption of the current generation with that of the generations that will follow, accepting a goal of making the future a better place to be than the past or the present.

It is likely to want to see a fairer distribution of wealth and a closing of the gap between the excessively rich and excessively poor.

Change

The transition to a society less focussed on possessing and consuming things to one more focussed on enjoying the environment and the company of others will not come without change .

Change not only in what we seek to be and have but also in how we get this and sustain it.

I would hope that 2014 will see the start of this process at both a national and personal level.

Solo Newsletter 84, October 2013

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1 Regular Updates: Apprenticeships and Digital Youth Academy.

2 Wright’s Rants: Too many businesses chasing too little money from too many customers.

3 Influencer of the Month: None this month as I am off on holiday.

4 Recommended sites and newsletters:
Postponed till next month.

5 News and Offers: Books and Events FREE Lunch in November

 

1Regular Updates:

Apprenticeships and Digital Youth Academy DYA.
www.digitalyouthacademy.com
The £1,500, nationally available Apprentice Grant for Employers (AGE) continues into next year but the 1,000 offers on the £3,000 London Apprenticeship Incentive have all been taken, even before the planned closing date of the end of December 2013.

 

This is not surprising as you could have had a good worker for less than £1 an hour. Given its success, let’s hope the incentive will soon be re-instated.

 

This will give you some time to create a Vacancy Profile, detailing exactly what is on offer from your company in terms of the vocational activity the apprentice will follow and the particular apprenticeship that will be chosen.

 

With over 250 different types of apprenticeship being offered at different skills levels and in some cases multiple options within the qualification, you need good advice and time to choose the right curriculum / programme for the person who will best meet what your business needs.

An added complication is that almost no College offers every option and most specialise in a selected number of vocational sectors and you need to check where the vocational subjects you want are covered to reduce travel time and cost.

 

One of my clients ended up with choosing the more generic Customer Service apprenticeship at level 2 rather than a more specific course for a potential dispensing optician.

 

The rates are changing this month to a minimum wage of £2.68 an hour. No change in a minimum 30 hour week or the minimum of 12 months before the qualification can be awarded.

However, in some places it is still possible to recruit a currently unemployed, enthusiastic 16 to 24 year old to help support you in your business for less than £1 an hour.

Do the maths. At the minimum wage of £2.68 an hour for 30 hours a week it will only cost you £80.40. An annual cost of £4,181, less a £3,000 incentive, is only £1,181, £22.70 a week, 76p an hour – “I don’t believe it!”
Compare that to the minimum wage for a 20 year old of £6.19 an hour.

One month to go before we are providing an end to end service to help you get the best apprentice you can from your local training provider through Small Business Solutions Ltd for £1,000 – what better way to spend part of your £3,000 incentive.

DYA Colleges, Students and Employers
Most Colleges have now started new groups of students including Westminster Kingsway and The Skills People at Lewisham and Southwark College.

 

In addition we are talking to Ealing and Hammersmith.

See our videos on the web at www.digitalyouthacademy.com

 

A new licensed provider this year will be Barnados.

If you want to know more give me a call: 07973192712.

New DYA Products and Initiatives

Traineeships are now available from a few Colleges and our level 1 Digital Social Routeway programme or units from it, can be incorporated.

 

Work has started on planning for our Nominet funded project to provide Micro businesses, charities and social enterprises with new websites designed by newly trained young people using WordPress, who were formally unemployed.

Our thanks to Nominet for granting us the money and to our team in Derby for winning the money against strong competitors.

 

 See our website, www.digitalyouthacademy.com for more details and to sign up to become a supporter of our 1000 Jobs with DYA Campaign.

For advice on the process and help with your recruitment of Apprentices, email me on albert.wright@dyateam.com.

2 Wright’s Rants: Too many businesses chasing too little money from too many customers.
Many, new small businesses have the wrong strategy in today’s market for surviving in the face of increased competition.

 

Our message is differentiate your business or merge, or do both.

 

For the full facts, see my rant on my WordPress blog at  https://successfulsolo.wordpress.com/ as well as on my Wright’s Rant Group on LinkedIn.

http://tinyurl.com/psa2exp

3 Influencer of the Month: None this month owing to my step-daughter’s wedding last week and a holiday to recover next week.

Instead a reminder of last month’s winner, Robert Clay.

Robert is one of the less well known gurus and has avoided TV exposure but he has outstanding advice on marketing and excellent resources on his website.

Robert has successfully set up, grown and sold a number of his own businesses and been instrumental in the success of many more. Several of his clients have become millionaires and some multi millionaires.

4    Recommended sites and newsletters: None this month, but a reminder of last month’s Marketing Wisdom owned by   Robert Clay www.marketingwizdom.com

5 News and Offers

Once again, a two course lunch with wine in north London’s Chez Ton Ton restaurant / bistro for only £10, plus get both of my books for free.

I will reserve a table from 12 noon to 3pm for up to 4 people to join me for lunch with wine at Chez Ton Ton in East Barnet, north London to experience the benefits of “Peer Support” from a “Mastermind Boardroom” style group of fellow business owners.  The lunch will be on Wednesday November 6th.

 You must book and pay for the event in advance via Eventbrite at https://mastermindboardroom.eventbrite.co.uk

To learn more about Mastermind Groups, click here for my brief video.
In return for attending the lunch you will receive a copy of both Business Wisdom
And
Breaking The Barriers To Business Growth (BTBTBG) co-authored by 13 Right Angle Consultants, available from Amazon for £15 plus P&P but from me, Free.

Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth:

A Compilation of Expert Insights into Growing Your Business
By Sarah Williams, Paul Ovington, Albert Wright
See this book on Amazon ».
If you are a business in north London I would like to invite you to a free, monthly, open networking event in Finchley at Cafe Buzz on the first Monday of the month attracting an average of 25 people.

Michael Lassman, chairman of the North London Region, hosts the event.

The next meeting is Monday October 7th. Book your free place via Eventbrite at http://nlbn020913-eorg.eventbrite.com/

On Thursday October 17th there will be a similar event in Enfield at Baskerville’s Tea Shop.

Book your free place via Eventbrite at  https://fsbbaskervilles.eventbrite.co.uk  and learn more about Start up and Small Business Loans and free skills training

 

Myths About Micros………….Why we need a Minister for Micro Businesses Wright’s Rant for September 2013

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Myths About Micros………….Why we need a Minister for Micro Businesses

There may be around 5 million SMEs in the UK, however, the idea that if each one was to provide one job by taking on an Apprentice unemployment would disappear is laughable when you dig into the figures.

FACTS relating to private sector businesses

1 Over 3.5 million of the estimated 5 million are one man bands, operating as sole traders or limited companies, plus a few 2 people partnerships that employ no one but the business owners.

For a one person business, taking on one employee, doubles the workforce.

 

Fewer than 7% of these 3.5 million are ever going to take anyone on part time, let alone full time.

What business, overnight, can afford to double their workforce? How are they going to double sales / profits overnight to pay for the new worker / apprentice?

2 Although around 500,000 new businesses start every year, around 470,000 fail.

Many start and fail in the same year. Over 80% fail within 3 years.

The law says an Apprenticeship must be for over 30 hours a week and last for a minimum of 12 months – this is going to exclude at least 300,000 businesses that start and fail in the same year

3 Over 1.5 million businesses are run from home, many may be breaking their lease or operating in a grey area legally.

With compulsory work place visits from training providers to see apprentices are safe on site and doing the work expected, few employers will want to fail the accompanying Health and Safety expectations and so won’t bother to start the process.

4 Only 1.5 million businesses employ 1 or more employees, fewer than 7,000 employ over 250.

Over 95% of employers have fewer than 50 employees with around 90% fewer than 10.

The idea of taking on the maximum per employer of 10 new apprentices at once is laughable. Almost no business will increase its workforce by 90 or 50 or even 30% in ONE STEP.

 

5 Wage rates

While the minimum apprentice wage in October 2013 will be £2.68 an hour, my experience, after over 20 years in the micro and start up business sector, is that only those who contribute next to nothing might offer themselves at this wage.

To get someone suitable for a micro business with fewer than 5 employees in London today who will add value to the business (and then only after 3 to 6 months) the necessary wage is at least £4 an hour, around £120 a week.

6 National insurance

 

Pay over £148 a week and you are into the onerous world of deducting / paying employee and employer national insurance – a major time stealer for micro business owners who generally loathe administration. The requirement of having to deduct tax under PAYE on incomes over £182 a week is a further nightmare.

7 VAT

Millions of micro businesses see having to struggle with Vat regulations even more scary than NI or PAYE and so avoid increasing sales above the Vat threshold of £79,000 a year, £1,500 a week.

The profit made from such businesses is often insufficient for the business owner with dependents to live on, let alone think of taking on an apprentice.

Even those with good margins who may be able to draw £50,000 a year for themselves from the business, would rather stay under the £79k level than face having to charge VAT and handle VAT paperwork and returns.

 

8 Apprentice Training Agencies (ATAs)

Many positive aspects but 2 killer implications.

First, a 20% fee, based on the apprentice wage to cover the ATA’s fees.

Second, Vat at 20% on the bill – but as stated above, many businesses are not registered for Vat and will be unable to claim it back.

The unintended consequence of the good intention of an ATA is that a wage of £120 a week (£6,000 a year) becomes a cost of £8,600 to the employer because of 20% ATA fee plus 20% vat.

9 Additional administration

 

Despite what they tell you, the process is not admin free.

You have to provide job descriptions, post a vacancy on the NAS website via your training provider, study applicant profiles received, short list for interview, interview (expect 50% to fail to even attend the interview), offer the position, set up payment arrangements etc.

Don’t forget to provide policies on health and safety, employment without discrimination, Equal Opportunities, a First Aid box, a Health and Safety risk assessment, an H & S poster for the wall and a copy of your Employers Liability insurance policy.

10 Other realities

In all likelihood, £300 for compulsory Employers liability insurance, (you don’t need it just for yourself) £700 for an additional computer, £300 additional cost for phone, tea and coffee and then travel  expenses, possibly a new desk … and chair … and  Total £3,000.

On top of which you have to train the apprentice too.

If your own fee rate might bring in £50 to £200 an hour (as a painter, electrician, accountant, business consultant, solicitor) there is a real risk you will actually lose money by taking on an apprentice.

Your minimum opportunity cost of spending 1 hour with your apprentice is around £20.

Unlike larger businesses there is no one else to do the training for the one man band.

Even with 5 employees, most will be getting around £10 an hour or more.

Larger organisations, particularly large retail chains, will have someone earning below £10 an hour that will do most of the day to day training for the new employee.

For the reasons stated above, it comes as no surprise to me that businesses with over 250 employees (and more so up to the apprentice eligible maximum of 999 employees) grasp a £3,000 take on incentive, plus no fees from external training for 16 to 18 year olds, with enthusiasm.

However, it is also no surprise to me that hardly any micros (fewer than 10 employees) take on an Apprentice.

In policy terms, the current Apprenticeship arrangements are biased in favour of larger businesses and against smaller businesses and in a period of low economic growth with larger employers shedding or not replacing staff, this may be counterproductive if the main policy objective is to increase employment and work in the private sector.

Although I have gone ahead with a 3 month intern plus a 12 month apprentice, my head tells me this will make my business “Not for Profit” but my heart tells me someone needs to do something about the 1.3 million 16 to 24 year old NEETs not in Employment, Education or Training.

Six months in, I am just about to break even going forward but looking back I never realised what the true cost would be.

Managing people, simply spending time explaining what you do as a business and what you want your apprentices to do for you, takes lots, and lots of time. Induction is a long process and often needs repeating.

My rant is that the only way you will get buy in from micro business owners is to pay them at least £6,000 a year to take on an Apprentice – after all, they have the apprentice for around 30 hours a week compared with a college at 4 hours a week – and the college gets paid around £4,500 or in school, £5,600 a year for nurturing a 16 to 24 year old and Universities get even more for educating / training 18 years and over undergraduates.

Given the millions of people running Micro businesses and their importance to the economy, the time has come to take them out of the SME category (covering all businesses from 0 to 250 employees) and appoint a Minister for Micros who understands this important group of people and what they really need from Government to get the economy moving.

If I had my way, I would exempt Micro businesses from around 90% of Health and Safety and Employment legislation; raise the Vat threshold to £100k, the NI and tax PAYE threshold to £20k a year and see a new economic boom.

What do you think?

Successful Solo e-newsletter September 2013

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Summer is leaving us, back to monthly editions. 

1 Regular Updates:Apprenticeships, Digital Youth Academy, Growth Accelerator

2 Wright’s Rants: Myths About Micros … Why we need a Minister for Micro businesses.

3 Influencer of the Month: Robert Clay

4 Recommended sites and newsletters:
Marketing Wisdom

5 News and Offers: Books and Events FREE Lunch in October

1 Regular Updates:

Apprenticeships, Digital Youth Academy DYA, Growth Accelerator 
www.digitalyouthacademy.com

Latest News on £3,000 London Apprenticeship Incentive

Time is running out, you have until the end of December 2013, and the number of incentives is now limited to 1,000, regarding the combined £3,000 London LEP and Apprentice Grant for Employers (AGE).

First come, first served.

Remember, the incentive is for taking on a new apprentice for a minimum of 30 hours a week, at a minimum wage of £2.68 an hour (from October 2013), for a minimum of 12 months.

For a net cost of less than £100 a week, £20 a day, you can recruit a currently unemployed, enthusiastic 16 to 24 year old to help support you in your business.

Do the maths. 

Even at £5 an hour (to get a really good candidate) for 30 hours a week it will only cost you £150. At an annual cost of £7,800 less the £3,000 incentive, this is only £4,800: £95 a week, just over £3 an hour!

Compare that to the minimum wage for a 19 year old of £6.19 an hour its less than half price.

We will soon be providing an end to end service to help you get the best apprentice you can from your local training provider through Small Business Solutions Ltd for £1,000 – what better way to spend part of your £3,000 incentive.

More details next month.

DYA Colleges, Students and Employers

In London, both Westminster Kingsway and The Skills People at Lewisham and Southwark College, have registered their first students and employers who will start this month.

In addition to Barnet and Southgate, we are talking to Ealing and Hammersmith.

See our videos on the web at www.digitalyouthacademy.com

If you want to know more give me a call: 07973192712.

New DYA Products and Initiatives

More students have enrolled for our level 1 Digital Social Routeway programme, a 17-week diploma course for 16 to 18 year olds.

In the Manchester area we are now delivering Social Digital Media Training to employees of all ages in association with PWC and we have also won funding from Nominet to provide Micro businesses with a new website.

More details next month.

 DYA licensed colleges are now helping over 120 small businesses with their online marketing and providing a link between unemployed “digital born” young people, aged 16 to 24 and internet challenged and internet savvy micro and small business owners who get help with digital marketing and social networking.

See our website, www.digitalyouthacademy.com for more details and to sign up to become a supporter of our 1000 Jobs with DYA Campaign.

For advice on the process and help with your recruitment of Apprentices, email me on albert.wright@dyateam.com.

2 Wright’s Rants:Myths About Micros …Why we need a Minister for Micro

Businesses.

Many people have the wrong images about micro and small businesses and so it seems, do some politicians and ministerial policy advisers.

For the true facts, see my rant on my WordPress blog at  https://successfulsolo.wordpress.com/ as well as on my LinkedIn Group

http://tinyurl.com/psa2exp

3 Influencer of the Month: Robert Clay 

This month in the “book, speaker or event I have come across and wish to share slot” we have Robert Clay.

Robert may be one of the less well known gurus and has avoided TV exposure but he has outstanding advice on marketing and excellent resources on his website. 

I first met Robert through Entrepreneurs World about 5 years ago and have attended several of his workshops and presentations and devoured and implemented many of his ideas. 

Robert has successfully set up, grown and sold a number of his own businesses and been instrumental in the success of many more.

Several of his clients have become millionaires and some multi millionaires.

Listen and learn from Robert Clay. It will be time well spent.

4    Recommended sites and newsletters:Marketing Wisdom

Each month I generally comment on websites, groups or newsletters I find useful and this month I want to introduce you to that of Robert Claywww.marketingwizdom.com

Bizwiz pic solo

5 News and Offers

Once again I am offering SOLO readers a two course lunch with wine in north London’s Chez Ton Ton restaurant / bistro for only £10, plus get both of my books for free.

I will reserve a table from 12 noon to 3pm for up to 4 people to join me for lunch with wine at Chez Ton Ton in East Barnet, north London to experience the benefits of “Peer Support” from a “Mastermind Boardroom” style group of fellow business owners. 

The lunch will be on  Wednesday October 2nd.

 You must book and pay for the event in advance via Eventbrite athttps://mastermindboardroom.eventbrite.co.uk

To learn more, click here for a brief video.

In return you will take away a copy of:

BUSINESS Wisdom by Albert Wright B.A. 

And 

Breaking The Barriers To Business Growth (BTBTBG) co-authored by 13 Right Angle Consultants, available from Amazon for £15 plus P&P but from me, Free.

Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth:

A Compilation of Expert Insights into Growing Your Business
By Sarah Williams, Paul Ovington, Albert Wright
See this book on Amazon ».

BBTBTBG

Are you an FSB (Federation of Small

Business) member in north London?

We run a free, monthly, open networking event in Finchley at Cafe Buzz on the first Monday of the month attracting an average of 25 people.

Michael Lassman, chairman of the North London Region, hosts the event.

The next meeting is Monday September 2nd. Book your free place via Eventbrite at http://nlbn020913-eorg.eventbrite.com/

On Thursday September 19th there will be a similar event in Enfield at Baskerville’s Tea Shop.

Book your free place via Eventbrite at  https://fsbbaskervilles.eventbrite.co.uk  and learn more about the Growth Accelerator Programme and how you can get matched funding of £2,000 for your business.

FSB Logo

Successful Solo Newsletter July/August 2013

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July / August 2013 www.successfulsolo.com © Copyright Albert Wright

Useful News and Information for Micro and Bigger Business Owners

Banner

Holidays in the West Country, upgrading computers, sunshine, grand children, Strategic Business Alliance and Net linked Training are this month’s conspirators resulting in our second two months together newsletter with some of the usual sections missing.

1 Wright’s Rants: Decisive Action Needed – Tax bank profits at 70% and stop albertQuantitative Easing

2 Regular Updates:Apprenticeships and Digital Youth Academy

3 Influencer of the Month: No one this month

4 Recommended sites and newsletters:
None this month

5 News and Offers: Books and Events FREE Lunch in September

1 Wright’s Rants / News and Comment

This month Decisive Action Needed – Tax bank profits at 70% and stop Quantitative Easing  

The rant can now be found on my WordPress blog here (Successful Solo) as well as on my LinkedIn Group Wright’s Rants 

2 Regular Updates:

Apprenticeships and Digital Youth Academy DYAwww.digitalyouthacademy.com

Big News on Incentives

London LEP, the Local Enterprise Partnership, is now matching the central government Apprentice Grant for Employers (AGE), for a limited period, which means eligible London businesses are entitled to an incentive of £3,000 over the next 12 months for taking on a new apprentice for a minimum of 30 hours a week at a minimum wage of £2.68 an hour (from October 2013).

What this means in practice is for a net cost of less than £100 a week, £20 a day, you can recruit a currently unemployed, enthusiastic 16 to 24 year old to help support you in your business.

Do the maths. 

At £5 an hour (to get a really good candidate) for 30 hours a week it will cost you £150. Multiply by 52 for an annual cost of £7,800 and take away the £3,000 incentive to go down to £4,800, divide by 52 and its £92 a week.

Compare that to the minimum wage for a 19 year old of £6.19 an hour, £185.70 for 30 hours – almost half price.
DYA Colleges and Employers
DAY LOGO
In London we have now added The Skills People at  Westminster Kingsway College to LeSoCo, (Lewisham and Southwark College) as our second college and are in discussions with Barnet and Southgate.

See our videos / case studies on the website at www.digitalyouthacademy.com

A business Facebook page for DYA in North London will be set up this month.

If you don’t know what I am talking about but would like to know more or get an SDA, give me a call: 07973192712.

New DYA Products and Initiatives

The first students at WorkPays have now graduated from the first level 1 Digital Social Routeway, 17-week diploma course, with over 80% going on to a job or further learning.

Discussions are ongoing with BNI at a national level on how Apprenticeships and our products might be promoted to their members.

SDAs at DYA licensed colleges are now helping over 100 small businesses with their online marketing and providing a link between unemployed “digital born” young people, aged 16 to 24 and internet challenged and internet savvy micro and small business owners who get help with digital marketing and social networking.

See our website, www.digitalyouthacademy.com for more details and to sign up to become a supporter of our 1000 Jobs with DYA Campaign.

For advice on the process and help with your own recruitment of Interns or Apprentices please email me on albert.wright@dyateam.com.

3 Influencer of the Month: No one this month

4 Recommended sites and newsletters:

Each month I generally comment on websites, groups or newsletters I find useful. 

This month “No Comment”.

5 News and Offers

Once again I am offering SOLO readers a two course lunch with wine in north London’s Chez Ton Ton restaurant / bistro for only £10, plus get both of my books for free.

I will reserve a table from 12 noon to 3pm for up to 4 people to join me for lunch with wine at Chez Ton Ton in East Barnet, north London to experience the benefits of “Peer Support” from a “Mastermind Boardroom” style group of fellow business owners. 

The lunch will be on Wednesday September 4th. You must book and pay for the event in advance via Eventbrite at http://mastermindboardroom.eventbrite.co.uk/

To learn more, click here for a brief video.

In return you will take away a copy of:

BUSINESS Wisdom by Albert Wright B.A. 
And 

Breaking The Barriers To Business Growth (BTBTBG) co-

authored by 13 Right 

Angle Consultants, available from Amazon for £15 plus P&P but from me, Free.

Breaking the Barriers to Business Growth:

A Compilation of Expert Insights into Growing Your BusinessBBTBTBG By Sarah Williams, Paul Ovington, Albert Wright
See this book on Amazon ».

Are you an FSB (Federation of Small Business) member in North London?

We have been running a free, monthly, open networking event in Finchley at Cafe Buzz for Barnet members and guest on the first Monday of the month since February, attracting an average of 25 people.

Michael Lassman, chairman of the North London Region, hosts the event.

The next meeting is Monday August 5th. Book your free place via Eventbrite at 
http://nlbmn50813.eventbrite.com/

From September we will be holding a similar event in Enfield – see next month’s newsletter for details.

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