Small and medium sized businesses across all sectors that have not employed an apprentice in the last three years may be eligible for a grant, which is called AGE 16 to 24.

The £1,500 grant is in addition to the training costs of the chosen Apprenticeship framework, which are currently met in full.

Employers will be required to commit to employing an apprentice for a minimum of 12 months, or the time it takes for the apprentice to complete their programme.

Apprenticeships are a proven way to develop your workforce.

Liverpool Chamber Training offer apprenticeships in Business Administration, Customer Service, Retail, ICT Applicant Specialist, Management and International Trade and Logistics.

For more information, please contact the Recruitment team on 0151 227 1234.

The Romanian wine producers and Exporters Association will be in London at the London International Wine Fair.

This will be held at Excel Exhibition Centre on 22-24 May 2012.

If any company is interested to meet the Romanian producers at the fair and taste the Romanian wines in order to expand their potential suppliers, please contact Cecilia Deaconescu, Economic Counsellor, by telephoning 020 7937 9668 or emailing trade1@roemb.co.uk.

North West law firm Weightmans has announced a turnover of £77.1 million for the 2011 / 2012 financial year, an increase of £19.1 million on the result of £58 million in 2010/2011.

Weightmans grew considerably 12 months ago when it took on teams from Vizards Wyeth in the South East, and merged with Mace & Jones in the North West.

Patrick Gaul, managing partner, said: “We have worked really hard this year to integrate a lot of new people, clients and systems.

“It has been a landmark year for the firm and one in which we have invested considerably so as to enhance our medium to long term prospects.

“A lot of the work we have done this year will stand us in good stead for many years to come.

“We wanted to create one firm, we are not quite there yet but we have made a huge amount of progress.

“The turnover figure shows some growth on the revenue produced by the three separate firms and we are now starting to see that working together does indeed make us stronger.

“During the course of the financial year we have enhanced existing practice areas and expanded our resources and expertise considerably.”

Weightmans has also excelled in other ways over the last twelve months.

The firm was named National / Regional Law Firm of the Year at the 2012 Legal Business Awards, and the leading legal employer at the annual Britain’s Top Employers awards.

In addition, Weightmans was ranked in a record-breaking 50 separate areas of in the latest edition of legal directory Legal 500.

Patrick Gaul added: “All in all I am very encouraged by both the respectable financial result and the response from the market and the profession.

“It has been a good year for Weightmans.”

Kenyon Fraser, Liverpool’s largest marketing agency, has teamed up with local hair salon and brand Voodou to launch a new social media and marketing programme for ambitious students and graduates looking to move into the creative sector.

The new initiative is inviting young creatives looking to move into marketing, PR, journalism and digital sectors to sharpen their skills and bolster their CV with the chance to become a Voodou ‘Super Fan’.

Voodou has a strong track record for its use of social media, recently being named the UK’s ‘most liked’ hair salon with over 14,000 Facebook fans.

Rob Webb, founder and managing director of Voodou, said: “The ‘Super Fan’ initiative will offer fantastic hands-on marketing experience working for one of the city’s leading brands.

“All participating students will receive training with Kenyon Fraser and a 50% salon discount in exchange for a few hours of writing, blogging, tweeting, or Facebooking each month about hair highlights, nail treatments or Rihanna’s latest hairdo!”

Geraldine Turner, Corporate Director for Kenyon Fraser, added: “This isn’t regular promotion work, but is a proper, structured work experience opportunity for some of the city’s brightest and most ambitious young creatives.

“The job market is tough right now for many graduates, so we’re delighted to be teaming up with Voodou Salons on this project.

“We expect a lot of interest, and see the programme as a real compliment to the existing work placements and training opportunities that both our organisations already provide for young people.”

For anyone who would like to apply, state why you deserve Super Fan status in 50 words or less, along with your contact details and Twitter address and/or Facebook page address, and email responses to joe@kenyons.co.uk.

Local charity Partnership for Learning is amongst the first organisations to benefit from the recent success announced by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which is due to the increasing demand for the car manufacturer’s awarding winning Range Rover Evoque.

Over a three month period from March to June 2012, Partnership for Learning Charity expected to welcome approximately 5000 people through its doors in Speke as part of JLR’s recruitment drive to increase their Halewood workforce by 1,000 to cater for the global demand for the Land Rover Freelander 2 and the recently launched Range Rover Evoque.

The charity offers the ideal venue for JLR to conduct this project, offering 30 different purpose built training rooms, which include a 150-seat theatre and a workshop big enough to house the body shell of an Evoque, which potential employees will be trained on.

Maureen Leatherbarrow, Chair of Partnership for Learning, said: “We are so pleased to welcome Jaguar Land Rover and their new recruits to Partnership for Learning Charity Training Conference Centre.

“We are the only facility of this kind who can accommodate such a project and we are proud to be part of JLR’s success on Merseyside.

“The income generated from this will help our charity to deliver training and employment skills to people in South Liverpool and Knowsley which will hopefully encourage further investors to the area in future.”

To find out more information about how to hold your next training conference event at Partnership for Learning Charity, please contact 0151 288 2100 or visit www.p4lcharity.co.uk.

Bosch Communication Center, formerly of Cotton House, Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9LQ, will be relocating to The Plaza, 100 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9QJ as of June 6th 2012.

A representative of Bosch said: “Our UK headquarters has been based in Liverpool since 2004 and we are vey proud to continue our established relationship with such a historic and culturally diverse city. The new location continues to offer excellent transportation links and has allowed us to retain our highly skilled existing staff.

“In order to ensure development of our business and to guarantee long-term future growth we have heavily invested in creating a great working environment, whilst showing our continued commitment to improvement and service excellence. The new facility has an improved capacity to accommodate planned future growth within the UK Business Process Outsourcing industry.”

For more information, visit www.boschcommunicationcenter.com/uk/.

International Day Against Homophobia will be marked by a major event called IDAHO 50 Merseyside.

Liverpool-based arts & social justice organisation Homotopia have developed the inaugural IDAHO 50, a high profile and visible display of action against homophobia and transphobia on Merseyside.

Fifty Merseyside companies and organisations will mark the day by flying a rainbow flag, creating free events and programmes, or creating a visual statement with an artist on the day.

Amongst those supporting the day are Liverpool John Moores University, Everton Football Club, Liverpool Cathedral, University Of Liverpool, Voodou, Liverpool Community College, Knowsley College, Merseytravel, Jackson Canter Solicitors, Unite Union, Edge Hill University, St Helens College, Liverpool Law Society, Unity Theatre, Puschka and Tabac.

Homotopia will work with Merseyside Probation Trust and artist Paul Harfleet & The Pansy Project in a unique and innovative intervention.

Artists, community representatives, offenders and Merseyside Probation Trust will engage in planting pansies at St Lukes Church raising awareness of homophobia and transphobia on Merseyside and around the world. The project forms part of the Community Payback Project & Merseyside Probation Trust’s groundbreaking ‘Promoting Human Dignity’ programme.

Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, said: “I am proud that Liverpool is the first city to participate in IDAHO 50.

“We need to create a society which does not discriminate against anybody because of their sexual orientation and one in which everybody can feel safe and secure.

“We fully support the work Homotopia is doing to achieve this.”

Gary Everett, Artistic Director of Homotopia, stated: “IDAHO 50 is very much a part of Liverpool’s DNA, and its commitment to social justice and equality.

“IDAHO 50 will raise awareness of our year long social justice programme helping to create a more cohesive and tolerant city.”

Anne Pakula, Head of Operations at Merseyside Probation Trust, said: “Merseyside Probation Trust supports Homotopia in its work to eliminate discrimination towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

“We fully support the aims of IDAHO 50, and value our continued partnership with Homotopia in this important area.”

The Diocese of Liverpool and Liverpool Cathedral added: “As a cathedral that welcomes a wide range of people from across the world and welcomes diverse congregations to worship in our building, Liverpool Cathedral supports any initiative that promotes equality and works to end discrimination of minority groups. That is why we support the work of Homotopia and IDAHO 50.”

IDAHO 50 Merseyside launches on May 17 2012.

For more information, email idaho@homotopia.net.

North West accountancy firm Cowgill Holloway will run a Research & Development Tax Relief Breakfast Seminar later this month.

It will focus on helping companies to make successful claims to HM Revenue and Customs R&D Tax Relief programme, the changes brought about by the latest budget, and explaining the many misconceptions regarding making claims for the Relief.

This event is free of charge, and is aimed at almost all sectors, particularly those active in developing new products and using information technology systems, new innovations and technology integration.

The Seminar takes place on Tuesday, May 22 from 08.00 to 09.30 at the Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel, Hale Road, Hale Barns, Manchester WA15 8XW. This includes coffee and networking.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

To register a place, you can contact Terri Green by emailing terri.green@cowgills.co.uk or telephoning 01204 414243.

For more information, visit http://www.cowgills.co.uk/news-events.html.

A Spanish student is seeking an internship in the United Kingdom.

The student is looking to work within an International department, with the intention of becoming a professional at the globalization field.

For more information, or to recommend any possible businesses, contact the Chamber’s International Team by emailing sian.williams@liverpoolchamber.org.uk, or elena.enciso@liverpoolchamber.org.uk.

A delegation of alumni from Yale University is coming to Liverpool.

This is as part of a UK tour of cities and universities, which will also include Edinburgh and Cambridge.

They will visit Liverpool on 4th July, and the University of Liverpool will hold an event in the afternoon from 14.00 until 17.00, which will be held at the Victoria Gallery and Museum on Ashton Street.

The delegation of Yale alumni, family and friends are business and community leaders in the fields of law, business, finance medicine, NGOs and academia. The Yale alumni are seeking the advancement of education through alumni engagement and leadership and the scheme has already expanded in Australia, Japan, Turkey and China.  The delegation members come from 15 states and have brought significant business experience and connections to the efforts of YaleGALE (Yale Global Alumni Leadership Exchange).

Yale will give a presentation covering the way that their alumni contribute to the university to a select group of members of the University of Liverpool Alumni team, alumni volunteers and some University staff. There will also be a talk from the University of Liverpool Alumni Office.

To attend the event or for further information, you can contact Caroline Stanley at the University of Liverpool by emailing Caroline.Stanley@liv.ac.uk.