People
The key success of any business is the competitive advantage created by its workforce. The Alliance North Midlands area offers an adaptable, flexible, multi-skilled and cost effective workforce. As the local working environment has changed due to the demise of traditional industries the local workforce has adapted well. The unique skills set developed within the mining and textiles industries have been utilised in other areas such as high value engineering, energy and environmental technologies and service sectors.The Alliance North Midlands area contains a resident population of 700,000 and a further 3 million people within an hour’s drive, as we are easily accessible from the major urban centres of Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, Doncaster and Lincoln. As well as good accessibility to a potential workforce, local wage rates in some areas are 16% less than the national average; industrial relations are excellent and a range of skills training courses are offered by local agencies.
The North Midlands area is surrounded by a number of Universities; Sheffield Hallam, Nottingham Trent, and the Universities of Nottingham, Derby and Lincoln. There are also four higher education colleges in the area; Chesterfield College, West Nottinghamshire College, North Nottinghamshire College and Newark & Sherwood College. Both Chesterfield and West Nottinghamshire colleges offer Higher Education programmes including NVQ Level 4, HNDs and Foundation Degrees. Altogether these universities and colleges contribute 141,600 highly educated individuals every year, a large number of whom will be seeking employment opportunities in the North Midlands.
