Today, the ubiquity of high speed internet connections means it’s easier than ever before to become an entirely web-based worker. This is especially so if you are freelance, self-employed or work from home.

Over on the Freelance Switch blog, they’ve recently run a series of four articles looking at why becoming a web-based worker can be good for your career, and how to go about it. Although these tips have been written with freelancers in mind, they may be useful for anyone who home or tele-works, or is looking to make the most of new communication technologies.

Part 1: Why you should do it. An outline of the series and how it could benefit you.

Part 2: Finding work online. Tips on using online tools to publicise your business and win new contracts.

Part 3: The Working Day. What tools you’ll need to work at home or on the move and how to manage your time and productivity.

Part 4: Working anywhere. How to create true mobility in your working practice.

Obviously these are just an introduction, but they make an intriguing case for changing how you work and open up the posibilities of new working models.

Do you have any tips on being a web worker or mobile / home offices? Let us know in the comments.

Do you work in or travel to the centre of Liverpool and require internet / e-mail access?

A number of free 2 month trial accounts are available for access to the Liverpool wireless broadband service. The Network covers approx one square mile from Lime street station down to the Three Graces across to the Albert Dock and back up to Hope street.

The accounts are available free for 2 months simply E-mail Dave.ap.Garrett@bt.com with your:-

Name

Business Name

Business Address

Contact Number

Your only commitment is to take a short call, to assess your experience of the service and the level of benefit it brought to your business.

See the areas covered by wireless.

The Remarc Group in association with the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce is bringing its award winning training to Merseyside.

Three events will be held early this year at the Chamber of Commerce, One Old Hall Street, Liverpool.

Significant discounts are available on these courses and future courses, for both members of the Chamber and through the SkillWorks scheme.

Members of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce receive many benefits. One of these is a discounted rate on training events held in association with Remarc.

More information on membership of the Chamber.

The Skillworks

The SkillWorks is a Government funded organisation set-up to help SME businesses in the Greater Merseyside area with funding for Training & Development.

Every eligible business in Merseyside can receive up to £60,000 worth of funding towards training and development costs.

As long as your business meets the eligibility requirements the scheme is free to join and could save you a huge amount of money as well as helping secure the future of your business.

For full details of the Skillworks scheme, visit their website at: www.theskillworks.com

The Events

(All prices include VAT)

MCAS: Microsoft Excel 2007 Essentials
7/2/2008 - 8/2/2008 | 9am - 4.30pm

Non Member £352.50 | Members £317.25

With SkillWorks Funding:
Non Members £176.25 | Members £158.63

PRINCE2 Practitioner
25/2/2008 - 29/2/2008 | 9am - 4.30pm

Non Member £1,468.75 | Members £1,321.87

With SkillWorks Funding:
Non Members £734.38 | Members £660.92

ITIL Service Management Foundation
17/3/2008 - 19/3/2008 | 9am - 4pm

Non Member £881.25 | Member £793.12

With SkillWorks Funding:
Non Member £440.63 | Member £396.56

The Next Step

Contact Lisa Rhodes at Remarc to discuss any of the courses above or the Skillworks scheme on 0161 278 6777 or lrhodes@remarc.co.uk

For more information about joining the Chamber, email our membership team.

Thursday, January 31, 2008
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

One of our aims is to promote business between members. These informal functions make this contact-making easy and helps introduce new members to the chamber. They also give everyone an insight into the business of the host company.

This is not just a social occasion - it is a way for members to make new business contacts. Bring your business cards. Exchange cards with other members. Informal contacts can be the start of healthy business growth between members.

Our nest Business After Hours is taking place at The Suites Hotel, Knowsley. It is ideally situated off junction 4 on the M57 motorway and on the A580. There is ample free car parking on site.

The Suites Hotel says:

“In October 2007 we launched 20 brand new executive suites offering all the facilities you would expect plus LCD televisions, free wi-fi, fridges, bathrobes, larger bathrooms, duvets and a turn down service. The Presidential Suites is a 4 room suite with a bedroom, bathroom, lounge and dining room. This amazing suite includes all the above plus 4 plasma televisions, ipod docking station, programmable lights and music, Jacuzzi bath, walk in shower and many more.

Come and join us for a grand tour of the new bedrooms, business and training centre, leisure club and much more

5.30pm Buffet and drinks

6.00pm Showround of the hotel

6.30pm Waverley Wines will then join us with a mixologist who will be mixing some fantastic cocktails and of course you will have the chance to sample them for yourselves - it might just give you some ideas for your next party at home!!

Member cost: £9.50

Non-member cost: £14.50

Book your place at this event on the Chamber’s main website.

Suites Hotel Knowsley
Ribblers Lane, Knowsley, Prescot,
Liverpool, England L34 9HA
(Google Maps Directions)

City Talk 105.9 goes on air today. The station last week announced their impressive line-up of programming talent charged with shaping the content of the station’s all talk shows.

Chris Burton, Weekend Editor for City Talk 105.9 said: “Local radio has become a pejorative term with “talk shows” meaning “phone-ins” and conjuring up images of lost cats and whist drives. With internet and DAB broadcasting there’s no excuse for clunky parochialism. At City Talk 105.9 we’re mindful of the fact that we’ll be broadcasting to a world class city on an international platform.

“Because we launch in Liverpool’s Capital of Culture year we’re about to be the biggest local radio station in the world. City Talk 105.9 will be a barometer for what’s happening on Merseyside.

Presenters announced include Margi Clarke, Dean Sullivan, Simon O’Brien and Ian St John. Dean said: “My show will be hard hitting and will pull no punches, I’ll be asking the questions and calling people to account. Liverpool is a city on the up and we want o reflect this as well.”

Business news will be provided by the Daily Post business team who will be on air weekdays at 11am.

Business crime affects everyone; it deprives communities of much needed shops and amenities, it destroys employment opportunities and it can devastate the lives of managers and staff traumatised by violence and intimidation. Small businesses with few resources are particularly affected by crime which, in severe cases, can lead to their closure.

In order to gain an understanding of the seriousness of crime against business, both locally and nationally, the British Chambers of Commerce is carrying out a Crime Against Business Survey. I would therefore be grateful if you would kindly spare around 10 minutes completing our web survey.

Take the survey on the BCC website here.

It’s Friday. Woo yay. So here’s a little game to play on your designated break.

In White Dwarf, you control the white circle. Collect the green circles whilst avoiding the red. The more greens you collect, the greater your gravitational pull, which attracts all colours. Use the blue dots to ‘bank’ your collection of greens.

Mindless fun or a thought-provoking and educational representation of the mighty forces of nature that control our very existence? Who knows…

Play White Dwarf here.

Channel Five are looking for a boss to take part in a new reality TV programme:

There’s no such thing as the perfect boss.but there’s always room for improvement

Are you willing to accept that an overhaul of the way you run your ship is well overdue? And could your company be doing better as a result?

Then nominate yourself for a brand new TV show.

talkbackTHAMES Television, the company who make The Apprentice, are producing a brand new programme that could change your working life for the better.

We want to find a boss whose leadership skills could do with a change and, using a variety of tactics, show them where things have gone wrong, so that they can put them right. Ideally they’ll end up with happier employees and a more successful business.

If you fit the bill, or if you can think of someone who does, please call us confidentially on 0207 861 8191 or e-mail thebossproject@talkbackthames.tv

More info on the project…

Read the rest of this entry »

The Government has identified that there are hundreds of 16-18yr olds across Merseyside currently in employment without qualifications.

Do you currently have staff in this age group who would benefit from training and achieving a recognised qualification?

Are you aware that training is 100% fully funded and can be tailored to meet the needs of your organisation?

• Trident Training Ltd (the training arm of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce and Industry) offer Apprenticeships in Business Administration, Retail, Customer Service, ICT and Accountancy.
• Apprenticeships are available for your existing staff aged 16-18 with limited opportunities for those aged 19-24.
• Designed to develop job related skills whilst providing relevant key skills to those with little experience in the workplace.
• Apprenticeships are 100% fully funded and paper free (e-portfolio)
• They can increase the young persons confidence and motivation whilst building on their literacy and numeracy skills
• All Apprenticeships are tailored to meet the needs of  your organisation and those of the  individual
• As an employer by becoming involved in Apprenticeships you’re showing your commitment to quality, investment in people and by investing in training it has been shown to help reduce staff turnover.

Benefits to the Learner:

• Gain a nationally recognised qualification
• Quality training specific to job role
• Build on Literacy and Numeracy skills
• Increase confidence and motivation
• Enable learner to achieve their goals

Benefits to Employer:

• Higher skilled staff
• Quality training tailored to meet the needs of your business
• Increased staff retention
• Work-based, integrating training into the day to day activities relating to the individuals job role
• e-portfolio - on line training that allows the learner access to their portfolio 24 hours per day from work or home, reduces the amount of paper used, cuts out bulky portfolios and it’s environmentally friendly!

For further details please contact the Recruitment team on 0151 236 3222 or e-mail adele.maddox@liverpoolchamber.org.uk

The french city of Marseille is bidding for European Capital of Culture 2013. Because of the similarity between the two port cities, the Marseille Chamber of Commerce has arranged a visit to Liverpool in association with the Culture Company.

Their aim is to talk to Liverpool businesses about their experiences since winning Capital of Culture status.

Liverpool Chamber is hosting a business seminar on 1st February, at Number 1 Old Hall Street, for the Marseille delegation.

If you feel that your business has particularly benefited from 2008 European Capital of Culture and you would like to share that experience at our business seminar, please speak to Jenny Stewart, Head of Membership who will be glad to arrange for you to attend.

Call Jenny on 0151 227 1234 or send her an email.