Birmingham City University in deal with software company

5G and Birmingham City University from left to Right: Jon Kent and Ananth Seshan - 5G Technologies Europe, David Maguire, Mark Paul, Mel Lees, and Opkar Bhatti - Birmingham City University

Birmingham City University's School of Computing, Telecommunications and Networks has signed a major deal to work with the global software development company, 5G Technologies.

The aim of the collaboration is to support the government's energy saving strategy by undertaking a wide range of research and development projects to improve efficiency and reduce energy costs.

The School will initially provide a consultancy service for 5G, which provides worldwide value-added automation intelligence solutions and products to a wide-range of clients from leading edge technology start-ups to large, global Fortune 50 enterprises in the areas of manufacturing, energy, utilities, retail and sports. In addition to the consultancy work, which will centre around the integration of Real-time Maintenance and Energy Management software into a range of global companies, it is also anticipated that a wide range of collaborative research opportunities for staff and students will develop including PhDs and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs).

BPI is one of 'Britain's Most Admired Companies'

The continuing success of British Polythene Industries (BPI) plc has been formally acknowledged in a high profile industry survey which includes assessment by a company's peers. The business, which ranks as Europe's largest manufacturer of polythene films, bags and sacks, achieved 40th place out of 236 companies, in a league table of the 'Most Admired Companies' in the UK published by Management Today. Importantly, the BPI Group attained second place in the Paper & Packaging sector of this initiative and this excellent rating boosted the Group's ranking in the overall table.
 
Currently in its 16th year, the annual 'Britain's Most Admired Companies' list includes peer review to identify winners. The ten largest PLCs in 24 different industry sectors are asked to evaluate their rivals against nine separate criteria - ranging from quality of management and financial soundness to capacity to innovate and use of corporate assets.

Analysts at leading City investment firms and City commentators are also polled for their opinion of each company and its performance, direction and continued management.

The results are then compiled by Management Today working with Birmingham City Business School before being published by the leading management journal and celebrated at a special gala dinner held in London.

2009 is actually the first year in the history of the league table that the sectors involved have included paper and packaging. Commenting on the ranking for British Polythene Industries, John Langlands, CEO, said: "Understandably everyone at BPI is delighted to have secured a place on the league table of 'Britain's Most Admired Companies'. The fact that we ranked so highly and in a poll that focuses on peer assessment is a real testament to the quality of our products, our service, our management and all our employees."

To find out more about BPI's graduate opportunities, visit the microsite.

BPI's appearance at Glastonbury

Glastonbury gets on-board with Plaswood

Aside from some of the biggest and best names in global music, this year's Glastonbury played host to an unusual example of just how effective modern plastic recycling can be.

Located in the Green Kids Field, the Cadmus, a giant 40 foot long, 40 foot tall and 20 foot wide play ship constructed not out of wood but from an innovative recycled plastic alternative to wood known as Plaswood.

Plaswood is manufactured by British Polythene Industries (BPI) plc - a business which ranks not only as Europe's largest manufacturer of polythene films, bags and sacks, but also as Europe's largest recycler of waste polythene.

Every year BPI reprocesses some 68,000 tonnes of material, using to create products like refuse sacks, building materials and landscaping products such as the Plaswood range.

Every tonne of polythene BPI recycles not only diverts waste from landfill but conserves the Earth's dwindling oil reserves. It also cuts carbon and other harmful emissions. Plus, using Plaswood for marine applications such as jetties, pontoons and decking negates the need to use tropical hardwood, preserving the world's shrinking tropical rainforests.

Employers - reach thousands of students with the Autumn Yorkshire Graduate Recruitment Fair Season

The Yorkshire Autumn Graduate Recruitment Fair, organised by The University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, has expanded. The fair was originally a one day event, and then a two day event and it now has become a 'season', with three separate fairs.

This year's Engineering, Science & IT Fair is on Wednesday 3rd November at the Octagon Centre in Sheffield and is expected to be attended by approx. 2,000 students and graduates.

After two very successful previous years exhibiting, Gradcracker has already secured its space for the fair and hope to see many of you there too!

If you would like to find out more information about exhibiting at the fair take a look at its website, and if you are already attending the fair make sure you let us know so we can add it to your Diary Dates page!

Helping disabled students

When Angela and I attended the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services' (AGCAS) Careers Information and Employer Liaison Conference we had the opportunity to meet not only University Careers Advisors but also other organisations that can help you when it comes to you looking for work.

One of these companies was EmployAbility, a not-for-profit organisation set up to help students or graduates with any form of disability during the job hunting process.

Since setting up in 2006, EmployAbility has helped over 1,000 disabled students and graduates into internship and graduate roles.

EmployAbility is dedicated to supporting dyslexic and disabled students and graduates in the transition from education to employment and offers current internship and graduate positions with top disability inclusive employers. Regular and free skills workshops are held throughout the year focusing on making applications, writing your CV and how to perform successfully at assessment centres or interviews and offering one-to-one support and advice on difficult issues such as disclosure of disability and reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process and within employment.

So, if you think EmployAbility can help you, take a look at their site to find out more!

www.employ-ability.org.uk