THE NORTH. MADE OF LEADERS. INTERESTED? FIND OUT MORE ABOUT JOINING THE PARTNER PROGRAMME. Read more NORTHERN POWERHOUSE PARTNER PROGRAMME The Northern Powerhouse is now recognised across the world as a great place to invest. Investors from abroad know that the North has some of the world’s best and most talented entrepreneurs and businesses. We work with our network of over 300 partners to share business success stories and news of job creation and growth, highlighting all the North has to offer as a great place to do business. Our Partner Programme is made up of businesses from across the North, from international organisations with a Northern presence to SMEs and from a variety of sectors. We work together to showcase activity, from apprenticeship opportunities to clean growth initiatives, highlighting business success across the Northern Powerhouse. See a map of our partners CHARTERED QUANTITY SURVEYOR SUPPORTING NORTHERN CLIENTS HAS JOINED THE PARTNER PROGRAMME Chartered Quantity Surveying Practice, Solomons Europe, is pleased to announce that it has become part of the Northern Powerhouse Partner programme. The Solomons Europe team have their roots exclusively in the north of England, providing integrated project and commercial services to major process, power and engineering projects across the UK. With dedicated staff offices located in Hartlepool, Newton le Willows and Cumbria, And many of the staff born and bred in these regions the company believes they can champion a true northern soul. Managing Director, Dominic Doig stated: “We are delighted to become Northern Powerhouse partners.  We are confident of our northern business’ ability to embrace the power of collective and collaborative approaches, championing growth and innovation in our regions. We hope that being part of this initiative will offer the opportunity to bring a strong SME voice, helping to shape sustainable regional futures for the longer term.” Solomons have this year demonstrated their confidence in the future of the northern regions by investing both in new premises in West Cumbria and launching an innovative fast track career conversion programme, which aims to tackle the skills shortage head on. The company believes that the SME community in the North can work collaboratively to positively influence local futures, and are doing their bit by taking on 4 new trainees to join their existing team of 50. In doing so the business hopes to create not just new jobs, but to build future skills and career opportunities. Joint business founder, Kerry Doig commented: “Despite the current udeniable economic uncertainty, we are extremely ptimistic for the ability of our strong and resilient northern regions to rise to the challenge and to create positive disruptions. We are ready to embrace new and exciting opportunities, like those being soght out by industry cluster groups such as BECBC in Cumbria and NEPIC in the North East, wh are strong champions for the continued presence of our powerful northern regions in pioneering economic, industrial and technological advances. It is vital we can ull together to represent a collective Northern voice, helping to promote the unique skills and talents the north has cultivated over the decades and to step up to the plate to actively stimulate new opportunities for career and business growth.” As part of this commitment to growth, the business also has a strong focus on diversity and has this year been proud to see a sharp rise in female hires, representing 35% of new recruits, and which they believe is attributable to the strong focus placed on health and wellbeing and supportive cultures at the company. This is further augmented by robust representation at senior level in the business, with 50% of top management roles being undertaken by female staff members. This is an area where the company works hard to achieve continuous improvement and accessibility. “I am delighted to announce Solomons Europe as the newest member of the ever-growing Northern Powerhouse Programme, made up of over 300 partner organisations, all committed to supporting the North to reach its full potential. “Businesses like Solomons Europe, which are committed to developing their employees’ skills and creating new jobs, will play a vital role as we work together to level up and build on the Government’s £3.4 billion investment from the Local Growth Fund across the North.”