Electrical Contracting Glasgow

Youth unemployment leads Renfrewshire to be branded a “hotspot” A DEPRESSING new report has claimed that Renfrewshire is one of the UK’s “hotspots” for youth unemployment. The study identifies Renfrewshire Paisley as one of 152 local authority areas where the proportion of young people claiming Jobseekers Allowance is more than double the national average. More than 12.5 per cent of young people in Paisley are claiming unemployment benefits, and are either out of work or full-time education or training. The findings come only weeks after statistics emerged showing there are eight people chasing any one vacancy in the area. This latest report was compiled by the Commission on Youth Unemployment, part of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (Acevo). Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP Douglas Alexander said: “Worryingly, this report is further confirmation of what we already know. “Local young people in paisley and renfrewshire want to work, contribute to

The butyl methyl sulphide molecule whips round an axis defined by its single sulphur atom (blue) Single molecule's stunning image Nano-propellers sent for a spin Researchers have created the smallest electric motor ever devised. The motor, made from a single molecule just a billionth of a metre across, is reported in Nature Nanotechnology. The minuscule motor could have applications in both nanotechnology and in medicine, where tiny amounts of energy can be put to efficient use. Tiny rotors based on single molecules have been shown before, but this is the first that can be individually driven by an electric current. "People have found before that they can make motors driven by light or by chemical reactions, but the issue there is that you're driving billions of them at a time - every single motor in your beaker," said Charles Sykes, a chemist at Tufts University in Massachusetts, US. "The exciting thing about the electrica l one is that we can excite an

T Clarke counts on Olympics boost The electrical contractor 's margins are under pressure amid tough market conditions but the longer-term outlook remains good as it eyes work that will emerge in the build-up to the London Olympics. Print ArticlePermissions/ReprintsCommentHemscott Editor | 18-08-06 | E-mail Article Interim pretax rose 10% to £4m on sales up 9% to £100m. Earnings per share increased 10% to 6.76p and the interim dividend has been hiked 5% to 3.675p from 3.5p. Pat Stanborough, chief executive of T Clarke, says that despite tough market conditions and margins remaining under pressure, the group remains positive about the future. The group is especially upbeat about prospects for its core business in London, which should benefit from the build up to the Olympics in 2012, with many new major infrastructure projects planned to start in 2008. Stanborough says that this, combined with a number of large commercial office schemes in central London that are on the start

Contractors get bonanza at olympic games Britain will spend about £10 billion on the Olympics, and contractors are getting a bonanza in tenders and assignments--not just in construction, but in every field. We've just gotten some of the details from the procurement plan announced last week by the London based Olympic Development Authority (ODA), which oversees all the other agencies and private groups involved. Role for SMEs There's a lot more up for grabs than one might realise. Olympics minister Tessa Jowell has already admitted spending £60 million on consultants--that includes IT and engineering planners. There will be more, even if the Olympics Ministry tries to play down their role. Okay, so the big consulting firms have their piece of the pie. But the Olympics Development Authority's is committed to giving as much business as possible to SMEs. Specifically, the Authority's procurement policy document states: ''SMEs and social enterprises are part

Thousands of electricians march between London building sites to protest against changes to pay and conditions. Hours before students took to London's streets, electricians and construction workers were arriving from across the UK, to march over a new deal on pay and conditions. Today's demonstration comes after several months of unrest within the construction industry. In May a consortium of seven large construction companies, led by Balfour Beatty, announced it was withdrawing from a long standing pay and conditions deal known as the Joint Industry Board agreement. The replacement deal, the Building and Engineering Services National Agreement (BESNA) is the subject of much controversy with Unite - the union which represents construction workers - claiming skilled electricians will be replaced by lower grade, less skilled workers. BESNA is being developed by the Heating and Ventilating Contractors ' Association. Chief Executive Blane Judd says that workers are being f

Electrical Safety Council Board Member Honoured Roy Jones – a member of the Electrical Safety Council’s (ESC) Board and governing body - has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List, for Services to Young People in Wales. Roy has over 40 years of service within the utility market and is currently a Community Liaison Manager for ScottishPower. Following the launch of ScottishPower Learning in 1995, he oversaw the delivery of the Prince’s Trust team programme across North Wales and Merseyside and, as New Deal Manager, helped establish schemes to bring young people into employment. Originally from Bethesda, North Wales, Roy – who is married with two children - has also managed the ‘Your Champions Award’ for ScottishPower and Trinity Mirror North Wales, which gives recognition to unsung community heroes in the region. Roy, who left school at 16, holds postgraduate qualifications in Marketing and an MBA in Business Administration. He is also a school governor. In both his p

Paisley couple forced to eat microwave Christmas dinner A FED-UP couple last night accused “bungling workmen” of wrecking their Christmas ...after being left with no cooker to prepare their festive meal. George and Sandra Cowan have told how their cooker has gone on the blink at the worst possible time – and they insist electricians who were sent in by council chiefs to rewire their home are to blame for Christmas being cancelled. The Paisley couple’s cooker has been out of action since workmen installed a new circuit board . It means turkey is off the menu this festive season...with George and Sandra having to make do with a microwave meal instead. Renfrewshire Council and contractors Waites Living Space both insist the problem lies with the cooker and have told the couple to get it fixed or buy a new one. But George said the cooker is only one year old and maintains it’s the electrics that are to blame. He told the Paisley Daily Express: “The council sent people in to rewire

South Ayrshire Council News Glowing report for Southcraig campus Southcraig Campus, which provides specialist support for pupils with additional support needs in Ayr from 3 to 18, has received a glowing report from school inspectors. Southcraig Campus was evaluated on learners' experiences, improvements in performance, children's experiences and meeting learning needs. In every single category, it was rated as 'very good'. The report comments: "Children and young people are enthusiastic and happy in school. They are developing confidence and work well with others across the school. They are successfully developing the skills of cooperation and working with a wide range of adults. "The school has a clear vision for the curriculum which it is developing effectively. Staff are working well together, developing comprehensive programmes for English and literacy, and mathematics and numeracy. "They provide a balance of topics which help children and youn

2012 Construction Outlook Pervasive Uncertainty, Fear and Unemployment Leading construction experts and economists are certain about one thing in construction right now: The future is mostly uncertain because consumers are scared, and too many Americans are unemployed. Economists see 2012 as a big question mark because of the risk of a double-dip recession. The projections from previous years are out the window, as unemployment continues to hover around 9 percent and the economy has “been bouncing along the bottom in 2011,” said Keith Fox, president of McGraw-Hill Construction during his opening remarks at the Outlook 2012 Executive Conference, held in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 19, 2011. This article analyzes the construction data and economic forecasts from industry leaders to help ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR readers better understand why most construction markets are mired in a slump and what hope, if any, lies ahead. Perhaps the heavy bleeding is over, but the economy is still

The tram line between Edinburgh Airport and York Place is to be completed in 2014 Continue reading the main story Related Stories Tram work suspended for Christmas Edinburgh trams: What went wrong? Trams inquiry 'on hold for now' Commuters are being advised to add 10 minutes to their journeys through Edinburgh centre when work on the tram project enters a new phase in January. St Andrew Street will be closed to traffic on 7 January, with Shandwick Place closing on 14 January. A series of diversions will be put in place in the city centre as part of what Edinburgh City Council calls a "a co-ordinated traffic management plan". Princes Street work will resume after Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations. City council officials said the project was now "progressing well", following the end of a lengthy dispute with the companies building the line. Expressed concerns Dave Anderson, Edinburgh City Council's director of city development, said: "We

this just a quick blog, as i am currently bed ridden as i had knee surgery last wednesday at vale of leven hospital to cut away some cartiledge, but the main this is i am a small one man company the way things are these days in scotland that is how we can get by. when i was an apprentice there wer loads of bigger companies with 25 - 30 electricians on their books, but now it seems everyone works for themselfs in the trades . which is a good thing but the only problem is that im going to be out of work for around 10 weeks which is a lot of cash for a businss such as mine.im just caught in two minds wether or not to expand my business and create an office with a few electricians means i would still be working but from an office as i really dont know when i will be back to full fitness if you have any advice that would be greatly appreciated.