Sandwell Health’s Other Economic Summit

When: 9th & 10th July 2009
Where: The pUBLIC, West Bromwich
How much: £50
More info: Download flyer (PDF, 95kb)

In the tradition of Sandwell Health’s Other Economic Summit (SHOES), this event will be examining how local issues can impact on world health and how global issues affect us.

Survey of West Midlands’ businesses indicates deepening economic downturn

The latest survey results from the region’s Chambers of Commerce point to a further worsening of the business environment.

The Quarterly Economic Survey results for the 3 months to December 2008 highlight the difficult trading conditions faced by businesses in the West Midlands.

The situation has deteriorated for both manufacturers and service providers. Key findings for the West Midlands are:

Graduate recruitment and the ‘credit crunch’

According to a student briefing recently issued by the University of Birmingham’s Careers and Employability Centre, prospects for graduates seeking employment remain positive in the downturn.

Graduate recruiters and employers who actively recruit University of Birmingham students within a range of sectors and professions report that they intend to continue to recruit graduates at the same level as previous years.

This is due to recognition that recruiting fresh talent ensures business competitiveness now and after the recession.

Observatory attends conference on credit crunch

I was invited to join leading commentators and academics at a key conference at Cambridge University to examine the causes and possible cures of the current financial crisis.

The conference, The Big Crunch and the Big Bang was organised by the Cambridge Trust brought together delegates from universities across Europe, policy heads and businesses.