Training provider offers help for apprentices (From The Advertiser Series)

Focus Training and Development, in Darlington, will hold jobs fair

6:00am Saturday 9th March 2013 in Business By Steven Hugill

APPRENTICE EVENTS: A North-East training provider is holding a number of events to mark National Apprenticeship Week, which starts on Monday, March 11.

Focus Training and Development, in Darlington, will host activities for people aged between 16 and 24 and employers to get young people into work.

The events include a jobs fair in the Dolphin Centre, in Darlington, on Tuesday, March 12, from 10am until 4pm, where employers will be on hand to speak to youngsters, who will be able to have a go at various activities to see which jobs suit them.

BUDGET UPDATE: AN accountancy firm will host an lunch seminar for businesses across Teesside to review Chancellor George Osborne's Budget, which he will reveal on Wednesday, March 20.

Tait Walker Chartered Accountants, based in Stockton, is holding the event in The Wynyard Rooms, in Wynyard Park, near Billingham, on Thursday, March 21.

The seminar is free and for information contact 0191-2850321.

IT AWARD: A North-East IT firm has won a national award.

SITS Group, in Cramlington, Northumberland, picked up the small business partner of the UK title at the VMWare Partner Recognition Dinner, in London.

The company, which was also shortlisted in the rising star category beat rivals including Dell to an award.

Based in Berrymoor Court, on Northumberland Business Park ,SITS was formed in 2008 and specialises in cloud computing, from virtual desktop and server consolidation to disaster recovery solutions.

INVESTMENT DEAL: Investment company Standard Life will pay out more than £300m to shareholders after posting a higher-than-expected annual profits.

The firm's shareholders will receive a share of £302m after the company reported £286m pre-tax operating profits, a rise from £156m.

Its operating profits hit £900m, and came after the firm cut more than 100 jobs as part of a restructuring programme.

BALFOUR RESULTS: Infrastructure group Balfour Beatty says it has increased orders despite facing rising difficulties in the UK construction industry.

The firm, which works in civil, ground and rail engineering, and mechanical and electrical services, said its order book stood at £15.3bn for 2012, a one per cent rise, and was on track to save £80m savings by 2015.

STOCK FLOTATION: Online insurance provider Esure has revealed details of its planned flotation on the stock market, which value the company at £1.1bn.

The firm, which owns Shiela's Wheels and 50 per cent of website Gocompare.com, said shares in up to half of the company will be sold on the stock market in the initial public offering later this month.

The group provides about five per cent of car insurance policies across the UK.