Author: Stuart Catchpole

Guardtech shortlisted for three gongs at London Construction and SME Cambridgeshire Business Awards

Suffolk cleanroom construction specialists up for Best Enterprising Business, Family Business of the Year and Marketing Team of the Year awards

THE GUARDTECH GROUP have been shortlisted for a total of three awards at the London Construction and SME Cambridgeshire Business Awards.

The Haverhill-based cleanroom design & build experts are up for Best Enterprising Business and Family Business of the Year at the SME Cambridgeshire showpiece, as well as the Marketing Team of the Year gong at the London Construction Awards.

Both shows take place in September, with the SME Cambs Business Awards taking place at Cambridge Marina on Thursday 5 September before the Commercial Team head to Novotel London West in Hammersmith on Friday 27 September.

The Group were previous winners at the 2022 SME Cambs Awards, with portable cleanroom solution CleanCube scooping the Innovation Award, while the same business was a finalist at the London Construction Awards the same year in the Product Innovation of the Year category.

Marketing Manager Joe Shackley was delighted to hear the news of his team’s nomination, praising the tight-knit unit of Commercial Director Mark Wheeler’s Sales & Marketing Team.

“It’s great news,” said Shackley. “We’re super proud of the content we produce and the way we get our message out there – so to get some recognition for our hard work and creativity is amazing.

“We’re a really tight Commercial Team – with some brilliant people consistently coming up with fresh, new ideas on how to promote the excellent work our Design and Install Teams do. The fact that everything we construct is always so good certainly makes our lives lot easier.

“Both nominations are testament to the great work all our teams do day in, day out and we now can’t wait to attend two exciting events.”

The Guardtech Group offer a ‘holistic total cleanroom package’, with every aspect of cleanroom design & build covered through their five businesses Cleanroom Solutions (turnkey), Guardtech Cleanrooms (modular), CleanCube (portable), Isopod (rapid-assembly) and Isoblok (pre-fab portals).

They also offer a wide range of cleanroom-grade furniture & equipment solutions, Cleanroom Service Plans and Decontamination Programmes to ensure all of their clients’ cleanroom requirements are taken care of.

For more information on the Guardtech Group’s various solutions, email sales@guardtech.com, visit www.guardtech.com or call 0330 113 0303.

Article by Guardtech

Suffolk-based cleanroom installation experts undertaking complex projects both at home and overseas as the Summer season heats up

THE GUARDTECH GROUP are enjoying a red-hot summer as projects continue to move at pace both at home and abroad.

Work is under way on a variety of different builds across the Group’s brands, with the Haverhill-based cleanroom design & build experts developing some of the most exciting and ground breaking solutions in their history.

Two of the standout projects are large-scale Clean Cube Mobile Cleanrooms facilities, with a 210sqm Containment Level 2 Multi 7 already taking shape, while a 300sqm CNC Multi 10 is being prepped for deployment in Africa.

This is alongside Phase 2 of the Group’s 1,650sqm ISO8 Aerospace cleanroom build in the South of England, which is nearing completion, while work is just beginning to get under way on a 775sqm GMP Grade C & D cleanroom in Northumberland and a 1,100sqm ISO7 & CNC Aerospace facility.

Among a growing list of other concurrent projects are a 500sqm CNC Photonics air conditioning installation in Fife, a 40sqm ISO8 Diagnostics modular in Cambridgeshire, HVAC upgrade for the University of Cambridge, manufacture and installation of a series of bespoke and unique separative devices for a Biopharma firm and a bespoke 8sqm ISO8 Isopod in Northumbria.

But it’s not just here in the UK that the pace is creeping up – work has started on a 150sqm Grade B cleanroom in Linkoping, Sweden for innovative sight restoration work, a 12sqm modular cleanroom and bespoke 8sqm Isopod for Cell & Gene Therapy in Stockholm, a 20sqm Grade D Pharmaceuticals modular in Absam, Austria and a 30sqm ISO6 Pharmaceuticals controlled environment in St Gallen, Switzerland.

With a whole host of other UK-based and international opportunities about to drop, the Guardtech Group are preparing for another busy closing six months of the year – and Commercial Director Mark Wheeler wouldn’t have it any other way.

He said: “We are really beginning to see a nice spread of projects across all our brands – from large-scale Cleanroom Solutions projects in the South and North of England to a variety of more modest Guardtech Cleanrooms modular builds at home and abroad.

“The two larger-scale CleanCube construction projects are particularly exciting, as they’re the kind of ground breaking innovations that are rare in the industry. We look forward to undertaking everything ahead of us with our usual laser focus, indomitable work ethic and resolutely high standards.”

The Group recently completed a stunning 850sqm ISO5 & 7 cleanroom laundry in Cheshire and a complex 300sqm ISO5, 6 and 7 Electronics facility in Jena, Germany.

This was alongside a 1,500sqm CNC manufacturing facility in Suffolk, a 125sqm Grade D cleanroom and a 175sqm CNC laboratory in Glasgow, a 250sqm ISO6 cleanroom in Liverpool and a 100sqm ISO8 cleanroom for advanced composites work in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Installation Manager Miles Gardner, who worked on the Glasgow and Liverpool projects, is delighted at how it’s all come together.

“We’ve been involved in some fantastic cleanroom installations in the past couple of months,” he said. “I’m relatively new to Guardtech, but I’m delighted with the quality of work we’ve carried out and, despite having worked in this field for some time, feel like I’m learning something new every day. Onwards and upwards!”

For more information on the Guardtech Group’s various solutions, email sales@guardtech.com, visit www.guardtech.com or call 0330 113 0303.

Article written and distributed by Photofab Ltd

As world leaders in the development of photochemical technology to produce intricately shaped components, Photofab, based in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, has established itself as a trusted partner to the aerospace industry.

Chemical etching offers unique advantages for aerospace applications, allowing for the production of burr-free and stress-free components; this is crucial for the demanding environments of aircraft and spacecraft. The technique enables the manufacture of strong, lightweight parts with exceptional temperature and corrosion resistance – key attributes for aerospace materials.

Photofab Marketing Manager, Nikki Crook said: “In aerospace, reliability and performance are of the utmost importance. Our chemical etching process delivers components that meet the most rigorous quality standards, ensuring each part is flawless and free from stress, burrs, or distortion.”

With over five decades of experience, Photofab’s capabilities extend to a wide range of metals, including steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper alloys, and nickel alloys. This versatility allows them to produce diverse components, from actuators to terminals, all crafted with the precision demanded by the aerospace sector.

The company’s commitment to excellence is evident in its accreditations, including ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, and SC21 certifications. These standards underscore Photofab’s dedication to quality, environmental responsibility, and industry best practices.

Photofab’s ability to handle intricate and complex geometries, even at micro scales, positions it well to meet the changing needs of the sector. From single-piece prototypes to high-volume production runs, Photofab offers the flexibility and customisation that aerospace manufacturers require.

With state-of-the-art facilities, including five multi-chamber etching machines, Photofab can deliver rapid turnaround times – as fast as 24 hours in some cases. This efficiency, combined with cost-effective tooling and manufacturing processes, makes Photofab an ideal partner for aerospace companies looking to stay competitive in a fast-paced industry.

“We understand that in aerospace, every component is critical to mission success,” Nikki Crook added. “That’s why we focus on full traceability, documented process control, and consistent quality in everything we produce.

“Customer satisfaction drives every aspect of our operations. We have made strategic investments in our team, technology, and procedures to deliver world-class service that exceeds expectations.”

As the aerospace sector continues to push the boundaries of what we all thought was possible, Photofab stands ready to support these advancements. By combining precision engineering with a commitment to innovation, Photofab is helping to shape the future of aerospace manufacturing, one meticulously crafted component at a time.

For those interested in learning more about Photofab’s work in the aerospace industry, you can visit their website www.photofab.co.uk.

Article by Sam O’Hara Enable Services

Featured Main Image (image of the galaxy from space)

On 16th July 1969 , the world witnessed the beginning of the end to the Moon Race when NASA launched the Apollo 11 spacecraft.

Four days later, 650 million TV viewers watched Neil Armstrong address the world as he planted his boot in the Sea of Tranquillity. NASA had masterminded the first mission to land man on the surface of the moon ahead of the Soviets.

But like any great organisation with grand ambitions, the things that you can see only happen because of what you can’t see, and NASA united a huge number of moving parts to bring its space dream to reality.

The spacecraft’s Command & Service module was made by Los Angeles-based North American  . The lunar module, which was on its fifth iteration by the Apollo 11 mission, was designed and built by the engineers at Grumman in New York. The Saturn V rocket was a joint effort that included modern day aerospace giant Boeing. And the grand launch itself required an equally spectacular location to take flight which only the Kennedy Space Center , today employing over 13,000 staff, could facilitate.

Image: The team at NASA in the Mission Operations Control Room during the Apollo 11 landing

And yet, it took less than nine years from the moment newly-elected US President John F. Kennedy challenged congress to beat the Soviet Union to the Moon to complete the mission. That’s an immense amount of research, development, testing and launch calculations from a huge pool of people to manage in a short amount of time considering the technology available at the time. But in the end, they were successful.

To be amongst the stars

Fast forward to 2024, and the landscape has changed immeasurably. Ambition continues to grow within the community, but public interest has shifted from discovery to engagement. Research by the Pew Research Center found that 55% of adults in the US expect to be able to travel in space in the next 50 years. Considering that the first flight of this type completed its maiden voyage last year, the appetite is understandable.

There’s also more competition, chiefly from SpaceX, to make space flight a more regular, cost-effective occurrence.

But as the Apollo mission proved, working towards a common goal for technological leaps forward is a proven strategy, even if each cog works differently. But that doesn’t mean commercial interests must be siloed outside of discovery.

Image: Archive photo of engineers at NASA celebrating the success of the Apollo 11 mission

Enter CRM, the business tool designed from the ground up that combines every cog to produce a well-oiled machine for the purpose of progress.

Engineering the Engineers

CRM, short for Customer Relationship Management, is the modern day equivalent of NASA storing designs, test calculations and individual projects in facilities using a binder farm of written spreadsheets and paper calculations. But it also includes their partners’ notes too, stored in a neat, logical order to make any questions just a short search away.

However, the modern conveniences of cloud computing and complex number crunching is a key proponent for any business.

Not just a tool for storing data and managing relationships, projects of all shapes and sizes can live in one too, with the added benefit of producing data reports to help visualise it all. Alternatively if you have a bespoke solution for analysis already, CRMs can integrate with it.

They also work from anywhere in the world so your teams are not bound to one location, but CRMs also integrate with communications apps that mitigate the social impact of remote workers. Talent shouldn’t be limited to those based in certain locations, and CRMs make this a problem of the past.

And for those that do have commercial objectives, all the ingredients are there to cook up sales too. Based on public appetite, space tourism appears to be the next big goal, but without working in combination with R&D, that simply doesn’t happen. Without the public’s appetite for space travel, funding opportunities dwindle so it’s in the entire community’s interest to work together.

The Dawn of a new Space Age?

But what all of this ultimately boils down to is that in the internet age, it’s possible to take the working philosophy employed by NASA to win the Space Race, and evolve it with modern tech. Space science thrives with collective output from all stakeholders, proved by NASA in the 1960s.

CRM is the ultimate 21st century tool for sharing that single data source. Uniting with CRM facilitates the collective progress needed to continue forward, free from the confines of competition. That can come when the hard yards are done.

So when you’re looking for a solution to you and your partners’ projects, consider a CRM so that your “first step on the moon” moment is less ‘one small step for man’, and more ‘one giant leap for mankind’.

If you want to see how this might look, get in touch with us at enable. With over 20 years experience in providing CRM, including solutions for science and technology communities, you can reach out to our team at ‘sales@enable.services’.

Article by Nick South, AA Thornton

Trade marks and logos adopted by companies to promote their products and services are familiar to us all. Some of them may have strong associations or evoke memories of particular times, such as the packaging of food or drink we remember enjoying as children.

Other logos might be associated with memories of important events in history, and with the familiar images recording those events. Some of the most iconic photographs documenting the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing feature astronauts displaying NASA’s famous circular logo on the chest of their space suits.

This red, white and blue roundel design[1] was introduced in 1959, shortly after NASA’s formation, and was nicknamed the “meatball”. It includes graphical elements representative of NASA’s activities: a round blue background representing a planet; stars indicating space; a white circular spacecraft orbit; and a red V-shaped wing to represent aeronautics. The symbolism of these elements combines to produce a memorable logo having a visual association with the organisation’s mission to explore the unknown.

The “meatball” logo was phased out for a period in 1975, but was reintroduced in the early 1990s. It remains the most prominent symbol for NASA today, and is protected as a trade mark around the world.

Trade marks can consist of any distinctive sign, typically a word and/or logo, that identifies your goods or services and distinguishes your brand from competitors. In modern times, trade marks can include shapes, sounds or even smells! Although it is possible to acquire rights in a trade mark over time without it being registered, formally registering a trade mark is the most straightforward way to prevent third parties from using it without permission.

A trade mark registration can be kept in force indefinitely (subject to periodic renewal, usually every 10 years), as long as it is being used. Some trade marks in commercial use can stay protected for many decades – for example, the first trade mark registered under the UK’s Trade Mark Registration Act of 1875 was a version of the Bass Brewery’s triangle logo, which has remained continuously registered since 1 January 1876.

Each trade mark is registered in respect of a specified list of goods and services. In NASA’s case, these include scientific apparatus, aeronautical and space shuttle services, and other scientific services including the manufacture of aeronautical equipment and scientific research. For an organisation of this type, it is important to control the use of such a logo to protect against parties using it to imply NASA’s official endorsement of products, services, scientific programmes, etc, which are not in fact sanctioned by, or associated with, the organisation.

Note, however, that NASA may also choose to meet a demand for merchandise not directly related to its scientific activities, such that trade marks for well-known brands of this sort may also be extended to cover clothing and other memorabilia. Giving thought to coverage of products outside of the organisation’s core activities is also a significant part of a brand management strategy.

Trade marks and branding are important considerations for businesses across all industries including, as can be seen here, those extending out of this world.

https://www.nasa.gov/history/symbols-of-nasa/ [1]

Article by Footanstey

The UK space sector’s rapid growth is being hindered by an inability to retain talent. We look at what space companies can do to address recruitment challenges.

The current situation

The latest space sector income report shows that the growth of the UK space sector is a rapid success story – space sector income grew by almost £1billion into 2021 and the number of space organisations has grown by nearly 300. The sector growth is projected to keep climbing over the next five years.

Employment in this sector is consequentially up, with almost 1,800 more jobs. The successful growth in this sector has however outpaced the personnel available. The Space Sector Skills Survey 2023 shows a critical skills shortage with companies reporting difficulties with recruitment, and retention issues that are inhibiting company growth, productivity, and quality.

The UK Space Agency is taking steps to address this; investing £15million through its Inspiration Programme to deliver education, skills, and outreach interventions over the next two years. Whilst useful to build pipeline of personnel this will not address the immediate needs of the sector.

The Skills Survey shows that 80% of companies faced recruitment difficulties. Two thirds (72%) of roles were difficult or very difficult to recruit for. The average role took a median of 10 weeks to hire for.

The increase in roles without a commensurate increase in skilled personnel has led to poaching within the sector. Forty-five percent of companies reported difficulties retaining their space staff in the past 12 months with the two most commonly cited causes of poor retention being poaching of staff by other space companies (57%) and low salaries (48%). The main impact of poor retention has been to increase the workload for remaining staff, with knock-on effects on morale.

The overall effect is that nearly every space organisation (95%) has experienced skills-related challenges in the last 12 months.

What can be done to help retain employees?

Attracting the right staff and integrating them into your business is the subject of a future article. Successful recruitment however is just the start of the process.

The costs and difficulty of recruitment, not to mention of training new starters and the loss of institutional knowledge, make the retention of staff fundamental. Business realities mean constantly increasing wages is not a realistic option for retention planning. There are other cost-effective methods of supporting and valuing employees.

Support with accommodation costs?

Many space businesses are based in beautiful areas of the UK that come with high accommodation costs. This issue is not unique to the space sector; employers from all sectors based in expensive areas have reported that housing issues adversely affect recruitment and retention.

One option is for employers to provide accommodation for their staff or offer a relocation package. Either of these measures could involve tax, National Insurance, and reporting obligations.

Employers must fill in form P11D and, where appropriate, pay Class 1A National Insurance on the value of the accommodation benefit that they are providing.

An alternative to help employees that is effective and simple is a rental deposit loan scheme. Under this scheme employees can apply to their employer for an interest-free loan of up to one month’s pay when they are moving into a new rental property. Payments are then deducted from the employee’s wages every month for the next 12 months.

Starbucks and CBI both offered this type of loan scheme. Reports from both companies suggested that the scheme removed some of the stress from the moving process from their employees and improved their loyalty.

Employers could also consider offering more informal support, such as paid leave for moving days and flexible working. Loans for travel costs if employees will commute is another option. Employers could provide an intranet service for employees seeking accommodation or tenants/flatmates.

Providing subsidised access to mortgage advisers and even agreeing preferential lending terms for mortgages with mortgage providers are all options to take into consideration.

Introducing retention and loyalty programmes

To ensure employees know their loyalty is valued there are several ways to reward existing staff. One common method is an extra day’s leave for each year of service, up to a set maximum. Staff discounts can be negotiated at gyms, local shops, and with companies set up to provide employee reward programmes.

For longer term rewards a paid sabbatical after a set number of years can be very motivating, offering employees the chance to have a meaningful experience not possible on normal leave days. This also offers a significant bonus to long standing staff members who have already gained all the extra annual leave days possible.

Sponsorship through qualifications can be used to reward staff and ensure they stay for a set amount of time post qualification although the exact details of the tie-in need careful planning to ensure this is seen as a bonus, and not a set of handcuffs! Foot Anstey has experience of drafting these agreements in a way that builds loyalty.

Prioritising employee satisfaction

Where the space sector has an edge in satisfaction is creating a sense of clear purpose and mission. The Space Skills Alliance research showed that the two main motivations people had for joining the space sector were “interesting work” (44%) and “I like space” (42%). Virtually nobody (<1%) joined the space sector because the pay was good.

Whilst the good news is that there is a pool of motivated individuals interested in space, interest alone is not enough to keep people in the sector. As employers are constrained in their choices by responsibilities (such as parenting and mortgage payments) they may place greater value on financial rewards and job security.

Building a positive culture increases staff satisfaction and increases the likelihood employees will want to remain with an employer. Foot Ansteys People Lab specialises in training at all levels to create a positive culture and look after your workforce.

Where people are promoted due to their technical expertise, but this comes with new management responsibilities this type of training is essential to assist them with their people management skills.

Beyond the risk of tribunal claims and reputational risk the risk of low-level staff dissatisfaction translating into expensive turnover of staff is one that no business working in this sector can afford to ignore.

Investing in your leaders goes hand in hand with protecting your business. Whatever you do to maximise staff protection will also reduce your exposure to legal claims and Foot Anstey employment programmes reduce legal claims to below 50% of the national average.

How we can help

Finding, attracting, and then retaining the right staff is mission critical. Foot Anstey has experience in successfully supporting businesses in this sector and beyond to do just that.

If considering rewards such as sabbaticals and paid training ensure that you seek advice on creating formal policies covering legal issues such as holiday pay accrual, working time and rest breaks and Equality Act considerations.

With significant experience across HR and commercial issues that organisations commonly face, we can take an in-depth holistic view on your space sector business, your markets and the environments you operate in.

Let our legal insight ensure your people strategy is a key driver in your business success.

Here is just one recent case study from our cluster member, Clarus Networks Group.

The Royal Research Ship (RRS) operated by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), is working with a team of experts from Clarus Networks Group to connect their advanced research vessel to high-speed internet for the first time. The team behind the work is Clarus’ specialist Maritime & Energy Division, in Norwich.

RRS Sir David Attenborough is designed to carry out crucial scientific research in some of the most extreme environments on Earth. The vessel is currently at King Edward Point Research Station, operated by BAS, on the island of South Georgia, 860 miles south-east of the Falkland Islands.

The extreme remoteness of the region means that traditional communication infrastructure is virtually non-existent, leaving the RRS Sir David Attenborough isolated for extended periods. These remote Antarctic waters are known for their harsh environmental conditions, with extreme cold, hail, sleet, heavy rain, and gale-force winds posing constant threats to equipment and data communication.

Despite being one of the most advanced polar research vessels, in remote locations the crew aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough previously used a two-way satellite ground station with a dish, called VSAT, which was first used at sea in the 1980s. Clarus Networks Group specialises in connecting the world’s most remote places and installed state-of-the-art low Earth orbit satellite technology, Starlink Maritime, to deliver high-speed internet to the vessel.

Using Starlink Maritime, the Sir David Attenborough crew can now seamlessly transfer bandwidth-intensive data, enhancing the overall communication capabilities of the vessel by supporting real-time collaboration and data sharing among researchers. The increased bandwidth has also improved crew welfare, providing a more robust and stable connection for communication with loved ones, accessing support systems, and enhancing the overall quality of life for the crew.

Dean Evans, Head of Communications Engineering, British Antarctic Survey, said:

“Connecting people at our bases and on the ship to the rest of the world has never been easier – Starlink has transformed communication for everyone at BAS. Having a consistently fast and reliable connection has opened avenues that were not possible before with older satellite technology, and working in remote, isolated areas is now so much easier and safer for everyone.

Faster speeds now possible with Starlink enables scientists to collect and deliver data more effectively and makes it easier for those in Antarctica to reliably stay in contact with friends and family.

This technology makes managing our remote sites easier and more convenient, from at-a-glance updates to in-depth data mining and metrics.”

As the consequences of climate change become increasingly visible, and with historically low winter sea ice levels, the work of BAS has never been more critical. The organisation is climate modelling and maintaining long-term datasets, which are vital in understanding and addressing the challenges posed by the rapidly changing polar regions.

Clarus’ solution includes Starlink Flat High Performance Antennas, which are specifically designed to withstand extreme conditions and provide a constant stable connection. Starlink Maritime offers download speeds of up to 220 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 40 Mbps at sea, ensuring efficient data transfer for research purposes. With a latency of 20-99ms, researchers can conduct real-time communication and data transmission without delays.

Norwich-based Chris Schonhut, Maritime and Energy Director of The Clarus Networks Group, shared his thoughts on the collaboration with British Antarctic Survey: 

“Our partnership with BAS in equipping the RRS Sir David Attenborough demonstrates the power of low Earth orbit satellites. This impressive vessel will now be enabled by connectivity, instead of restricted, allowing real-time data transmission, communication, and collaboration, ensuring that BAS scientists can work efficiently.

Clarus is immensely proud to support BAS’s vital research in some of the world’s harshest environments.”

Using connectivity powered by Clarus, BAS is also set to test innovative technologies like the Windracers ULTRA Remotely Piloted Airborne System (RPAS) at Rothera Research Station, showcasing their commitment to pioneering solutions for polar data collection.

Clarus also offers a bandwidth management and crew welfare connectivity platform for the maritime industry. This platform leverages LEO satellite broadband and liberates operations from the limitations of traditional VSAT. The system also allows for the bonding of multiple networks, such as Starlink and OneWeb, or integrating 4G technology, enhancing IT operation performance at sea.

Article by Lewis Huxtable IJYI 

The buzzword of late 2024 and onwards, Artificial Intelligence has very much become a Zeitgeist of this time but more than that, Artificial Intelligence has become a prominent focus for businesses and the technology industry.

Generative AI has played a big role in pushing the technology to the mainstream, yet there’s so much more to AI than just asking ChatGPT for a creative pasta recipe. AI offers multiple use-cases, the technology for these use cases can be filtered into Six Subsets: Narrow AI, General AI, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, and Expert Systems.

Today we’ll focus on Computer Vision.

Here at IJYI, being a Technology Consultancy, cutting edge tech has always been an area of the industry we’ve both embraced and specialised in. Computer vision is a field of artificial intelligence and computer science that focuses on enabling computers to interpret and understand the visual world. Computer Vision can handle a variant of tasks but today we’ll be focussing on Object Recognition.

Object Recognition is using a computer for locating and identifying specific objects within an image or video stream. Object detection algorithms can detect multiple objects of interest and outline their boundaries.

Recently at IJYI, I was tasked with finding a way to utilise this technology for the safety of Bumble Bees. Last summer the invasion of Asian Hornets had apiarists around the country worried about hives being destroyed. The first challenge was outlining which “model” to use.  AI is built around mathematical frameworks known as “models”, different models serve different purposes. Through trial and error, I chose YOLO V8 (You Only Look Once Version 8).

I trained the model to recognize bees by supplying it with hundreds of images, a process that took about seven hours. Once trained, I was able to process video examples through the model, resulting in the outcomes shown below.

Computer Vision continues to be a talking point in the tech world and for most of our interactions. We’ll continue this series in future newsletters.  If you would like to discuss AI and tech, you can contact IJYI at https://www.ijyi.com/ and find me on X at @Sci_Soft_Sports.

Article by Simon Wingfield Wingfield Consultants 

Simon Wingfield, attended the ‘Space-Tech Meets Agri-Tech’ event (held in partnership with New Anglia LEP) at Easton College last year. He said, “It was fascinating to explore ‘‘the final frontier’’ for agriculture’ at the event says Simon. ‘The amount of space technology being applied to farming was staggering. From GPS steering, earth observation insights into soil and crop performance, and geo-fencing – the list of space technology applications for agriculture (and horticulture) was seemingly endless!’. This got us thinking at the consultancy. Given the link between Space-Tech to Agri-Tech to Food/Drink Tech…what about the ‘final frontier’ that we work with – the producers, manufacturers, suppliers, brand owners, and retailers in our region?

Wingfield Consultants work with many local food and drink SMEs in Norfolk and Suffolk. These businesses focus on local ingredients and products. They produce and sell with quality and taste the ‘hallmarks’ of their brands, ranges, and products.  Customers and consumers, post-COVID-19, have increasingly engaged more with their local communities, companies, and consumable goods. So, what has local got to do with space? Here are two thoughts and tips from us on how cluster members can engage with (and sell to) local food and drink companies:

• Thought/Tip 1: We have a proprietary business model we use with our clients: Determine – Define – Differentiate – Drive – Deliver (lots of Ds!). Space is exciting right? If you have technology, products, or services that these clients can use for their products they stand out from their (bigger) competitors (like Mars!). They can ‘Differentiate’. What a great story – local products that are worlds apart from the competition.
• Thought/Tip 2: ‘People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe’ (Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action’). If a cluster member believes in what they do, then can really resonate with potential local food and drink customers. Find some ‘space’ in your diaries to support local businesses.    

Article by Laxmi Limbani, Senior Manager at Fragomen

The space industry in the United Kingdom is experiencing robust growth. In 2023, the sector witnessed significant expansion, marked by augmented investments, the entry of new participants, and heightened activities. Consequently, the sector’s contribution has surged by £1 billion, further boosting its already substantial annual contribution of £17.5 billion to the UK economy.

However, this significant growth and the global race to deliver new and improved technology and services bring unique challenges, too – as job opportunities and service offerings expand, the sector must continue to innovate and bridge skills gaps to foster this continued innovation and propel the UK’s presence in the space industry.

The latest Space Sector Skills Survey (2023) shows the rapid growth of employment in the sector. There are almost an additional 1,800 available jobs, and success in the sector has outpaced the employees available.

Demand has been particularly high for mid-level roles and while the UK Space Agency sets out a plan to provide a skilled, diverse and sustainable workforce for the country’s sector now and in the future, in December 2023, the Home Secretary unveiled an ambitious five-point plan aimed at reducing net migration, which will undoubtedly impact recruitment for mid-level roles.

The recent changes that came into force in April will likely have widespread consequences across all sectors, including the space industry.

The Home Secretary’s new immigration plan

The salary changes for individuals relocating to the UK for work under the Skilled Worker route, which came into force on 4 April, will undoubtedly impact the space sector.

As a result, the sector must consider how to overcome potential challenges in acquiring top-tier and mid-level talent. The two key measures that will impact Skilled Workers are:

• The increase in the current ‘general salary threshold’ of the Skilled Worker immigration category from £26,200 to £38,700 and increasing the going rate to the median; and
• The reform of the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) by removing the 20% discount to the ‘going rate’ minimum salary for SOL roles and introducing a new condensed Immigration Salary List (ISL).

Beginning on 4 April, several of the common Standard Occupational Codes (SOC) for the space industry became subject to a substantial increase and, as a result, some applicants may not meet the new higher salary thresholds.

In addition, The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has also recommended that some of the SOC codes on the current Shortage Occupation List, which are used by the space industry, be removed from the new Immigration Salary List. The impact of this is that the 20% discount to the ‘going rate’ minimum salary will no longer be available to employers.

Space sector impact

There are skills gaps in the current workforce, with 72% of gaps being in software and data, 51% in commercial operations, 43% in electronic design and 39% in systems engineering.

It is also anticipated that these skills gaps will only increase. From 2026 onwards, it is expected that there will be an 81% gap in software and data, 58% in commercial operations, 70% in electronic design and 59% in systems engineering.

The Space Sector Skills Survey indicates that the most difficult areas for which to recruit are electronics, systems engineering and spacecraft operations. Of these, this is the most challenging area because demand is not only high, but it is also very difficult to recruit. The sector must work to bridge these skills gaps to be able to continue to grow, level up the UK’s space economy and deliver the National Space Strategy.

The Skilled Worker route is used to fill permanent or long-term roles. Sponsors wishing to hire employees in roles must match the position with one of the job codes under the Skilled Worker route, and the gross annual salaries for these roles must be able to satisfy both the general salary threshold requirement of the Skilled Worker route and the ‘going rate’ as per the job code selected.

With the Skilled Worker general salary threshold being increased from £26,200 to £38,700 per year for a 37.5-hour working week and the ‘going rate’ increasing to the median, as well as the Migration Advisory Committee recommendations to remove some of the current shortage occupation roles which are used by the space sector, such as SOCs 2122 (Mechanical engineers), 2123 (Electrical engineers), 2124 (Electronics engineers), 2135 (IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers and 2136 (Programmers and software development professionals) off the new Immigration Salary List. This means that jobs such as those in software design and development, electronics technicians and engineering technicians for space programs may not meet the new salary requirements, and prospective employers may not be able to offer overseas workers sponsorship. The salary increases will have a disproportionate impact outside of London and across the regions, so the current skills gap we see in the sector may widen further unless they can be addressed.

However, despite the potential hurdles that the sector could face in this visa route, the UK immigration system offers alternative pathways that can be considered, ensuring the sector continues to harness international talent as part of its space strategy.

Visa pathways to enable sector growth

Several alternative unsponsored routes are available to attract overseas talent into the sector. Routes such as those below could be particularly attractive for roles where the Skilled Worker salary thresholds cannot be met.

• The UK Graduate visa – permits work in the UK in any role, for any employer and without salary thresholds for two years after a UK degree course or three years after a PhD.
• High Potential Individual visa – a route open to those who have ‘graduated from a top global university’ to stay in the UK for two years and work in any role.
• Youth Mobility visa – a route that was expanded to new categories of applicants in January 2024.
• Global Talent visa – a flexible route aimed at individuals who can show that they have exceptional talent or promise and have been recognised as (or have the potential to become) a global leader in certain fields, including science, engineering, and digital technology.

Fragomen’s Attracting Talent to the Space Sector: Navigating the UK Immigration System, 2024 guide explores these routes, amongst others, in more detail.

Short-term pathways

There are also short-term alternative options available to those in the space industry where there is no salary threshold requirement. For example, under the visitor route, general business activities can be conducted such as attending meetings, consulting, troubleshooting, repairing, or advising on machinery, equipment or software. However, this is not an alternative to a work visa – individuals entering as Business Visitors are not able to undertake substantive or productive work in the UK. A Business Visitor visa will be valid for six months and during this time, if frequent visits are required, this may raise questions as to the visitors’ intentions in the UK.  To avoid any issues and risks, a work visa or alternative options mentioned above, should be considered.

The Temporary Worker Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) route allows individuals to come to the UK for a temporary period on an approved internship-style scheme. The GAE route can be used to sponsor individuals to undertake an internship or work experience within a UK company.

The role must be skilled to RQF Level 3 or above, must be supernumerary (not fill a permanent position) and is usually limited to 12 months in duration. The UK company will require a GAE sponsor to act as an ‘overarching body’ to sponsor the intern on behalf of the company, and the GAE sponsor’s specific scheme’s requirements must also be met.

Fragomen is an approved GAE sponsor under the sub-category ‘work experience’ and can sponsor supernumerary internships which last up to 12 months, on behalf of space businesses. Shortly before the 12-month visa expiry, if the worker is required for a permanent role, they can consider switching to the Skilled Worker route.

Looking ahead

The April 2024 changes will reduce net migration figures. The introduction of more stringent immigration rules for the Skilled Worker route with the higher salary thresholds, plus the changes on the Immigration Salary List means the space sector, particularly in the regions outside of London, stands to be disproportionately impacted.

Where roles are adversely impacted by the changes in the salary thresholds, employers can look to consider alternative visa routes. Careful planning will ensure that the UK space industry can attract and retain ‘top tier’ talent and help to drive forward the UK space journey and economy.

Need to know more?

For more information or questions on navigating the UK immigration system and the space sector, please contact Senior Manager Laxmi Limbani @laxmi.limbani@fragomen.com or Fragomen’s Space Industry Team.

Failure to follow processes or comply with regulations can be costly in any industry.  But in the space sector the results of process failure can be catastrophic.  Failure in quality control processes have lead to significant mission failures such as the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter mission in 1999 (failure to track and double-check all interconnected aspects of the mission) and the SpaceX CRS-7 mission failure in June 2015 (design component quality process error). Compliance failure can also be extraordinarily expensive such as the $10m fine given to Sea Launch (mobile maritime satellite launch) in 2008 for failure to comply with US technology export control regulations.

The space industry encompasses a wide range of complex processes and regulations spanning everything from spacecraft design and manufacturing, launch operations, mission planning and management, navigation and guidance, payload integration and testing, through to mission analysis and data processing.  Similarly companies wanting to conduct biomedical research, microgravity or earth observation science or advanced manufacturing in space need to follow often lengthy lab operating processes and procedures to ensure the validity of their data and outputs.

In the space industry the challenge is particularly acute where processes & regulations span collaborations across teams, organisations, geographies and time zones and encompass multiple different applications, systems and pieces of equipment.

Maly is a company that specialises in helping companies simplify, digitise, automate and control complex industrial and compliance processes using their Okuda platform.  Okuda is a no-code tool that allows you to model and capture your process as a series of simple digital steps, ensuring each actor plays their part at the right time and in the right order and integrating easily across existing applications and systems where needed.  Every step, interaction and piece of data is captured allowing for interactive and highly customisable dashboards as well as rapid, detailed and accurate audits.  It does away with the need for overly complex and constantly out of date spreadsheets or expensive and difficult to work with project management tools.

To find out more about Maly and their Okuda tool visit their website site here or contact their CEO richard@maly.co.uk.

Article by Sachin Melwani DADA Enterprises Ltd 

The challenges of dealing with COVID-19, the EU Exit, the upcoming economic recession, and the Net Zero Carbon agenda are all placing significant pressure for change and transformation on Public Sector infrastructure projects.

Learn to ask of all actions, to  “why are they doing that? Starting with your own…

“Marcus Aurelius Meditations” – Book 10

Manage, run, and track your Projects more effectively!

By increasing your Internal Audit and Project Governance capabilities to assure your Projects, Space East Cluster projects can benefit by:

• Improving visibility and control
• Streamlining services
• Maximising accountability
• Improving collaboration

To help you shape, plan, and deliver the complex change, companies can use the principles of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), to make appropriate recommendations to improve Client’s organisational governance processes for:

• Coordinating the activities of, and communicating information among, the board, external and internal auditors.
• Ensuring effective organisational performance management and accountability.
• Making strategic and operational decisions.
• Promoting appropriate ethics and values within the organisation.
• Overseeing risk management and control.
• Communicating risk and control information to appropriate areas of the organisation.

The mission of internal audit is to enhance and protect organisational value by providing risk-based and objective assurance, advice, and insight.

Improving your organisation’s Internal Audit abilities helps to maintain continuity of your programmes and gives consistency to the delivery of your Project Delivery.

The constant emphasis is on the questions…What did you find – what’s the problem?

What’s its significance – why does something need to be done? What do you want the senior manager to do about it? What’s the benefit (for them) if they do?

An internal audit assessment will evaluate the effectiveness of your Project Assurance abilities and contribute to improvements in managing, running, and tracking your Projects.

An assessment will for example determine whether risk management processes are effective by assessing whether:

• Organisational objectives support and align with the company’s mission.
• Significant risks are identified and assessed.
• Appropriate risk responses are selected that align risks with the organisation’s risk appetite.
• Relevant risk information is captured and communicated in a timely manner across the organisation to carry out their responsibilities.

Opportunities that come by improving your governance and risk management to respond to emerging risk events quickly.

Source: Institute of Internal Auditors’ (IIA) Internal Audit Competency Framework.

Copyright © 2022 by The Institute of Internal Auditors, Inc. All rights reserved.

For example, to assess an organisation’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) practices, we can review control activities to see if they have been proactively designed to address and mitigate the significant risks.

We can also review whether information critical to identifying risks and meeting business objectives, are being communicated through established channels for internal control and being monitored continuously, with problems being addressed in a timely manner. Similarly, we can also review template job descriptions covering accountability, delegated authority, roles and responsibility, minimum standards, and expectations.

Using the Three Lines Defence model to governance and risk management, we can standardise and design a comprehensive approach to identify and respond to emerging risk events quickly, and effectively.

How can this benefit SPACE EAST Members?

Let’s talk real change. How we can help.

Since September 2021, DADA Enterprises have been awarded a place on ESPO Framework 664 Consultancy Services for Internal Audit Services to UK public sector organisations.

Through the ESPO Supplier Framework, we have been able to supply P3M3 assurance reports, SOC 1 & SOC 2: ISAE 3000 & ISAE 3402 reports, ISO 31000:2018 Risk management assurance, GIAA reports, as well Internal Governance Audits as per Government Functional Standard (GovS 009).

Services we offer under the framework include: