Category: Awareness

Did you know that Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year) will be on Sunday 22^nd January this year? This huge event comes at the start of the lunar calendar – which is why the dates seem to change every year according to our Gregorian calendar- and is a long celebration for families and friends most commonly from Asian countries. However, this has grown over the years and is now often found in far more countries all across the world.

||           What is this year’s animal?

Each year is dedicated to a particular animal and 2023 is the year of the Rabbit; specifically the water Rabbit. Check out what animal sign you are based on the year you were born and see if this year is lucky for you!

For example, our colleague Alan Ng is born in the year of the Dragon, this will be a very lucky year for him. 2023 is predicted to show good fortune to Dragon with a variety of successes in their wealth and love as hard work will get them through the tougher challenges this year may cause them.

There are many ways you could experience luck and this is a huge part of the culture and meaning behind Lunar New year. Although its exact origin date is not known, many believe it began in the Shang Dynasty (1600–1046 BC), and dates back around 3,500 years. Through those years, generations of people have welcomed the new year by wishing luck, wealth, and good fortune to loved ones in a whole host of exciting ways!

||           What do people do for Lunar New year?

You may have heard of “Lai see” which are red envelopes given to children, friends, co-workers etc which contain a small amount of money to bring good luck and wealth. These gifts are commonly given to those around you and have taken a more modern twist as apps and digital ‘red envelopes’ are used to share this tradition beyond the threshold of your home. It’s been an easy and fun way for people to continue this tradition in a modern world.

Traditions vary depending on where Lunar New year is being celebrated, however, a common theme for everyone is to reconnect with family and dedicate time with them to feast and celebrate. Years ago it was more common, however, it is still practiced today, that the start of the celebrations are spent honouring your ancestors and praying to gods. It may be a little less followed these days, but it was believed to bring a lot of bad luck if you didn’t respect these traditions in the past! Importantly though, the whole celebratory period is about enjoying life and welcoming the new fortune of a new year.

Fireworks, lion dancing, eating, and more are just some of the wonderful ways in which many of south and southeast Asian countries (and now many more western cultures) celebrate Lunar New year. China is one of the largest countries to celebrate of course, and with a population of 1.4 billion people which is roughly just under 20% of the world population, it is no surprise to the incredible size and popularity of this new year event each year.

So, celebrate this weekend as the year starts on Sunday 22^nd of January! Look for your animal year and find out what fortune you will discover in 2023. Join the billions of people enjoying these long and vibrant celebrations as it typically runs across 15 days. That’s a lot of time to eat, dance, and experience the good luck of a Lunar New year!

One more thing you can say during the Lunar new year is ‘Kung Hei Fat Choy’ meaning Happy & Prosperous.

International Women’s Day has been a recognised and ongoing day of celebration and protest for more than 100 years. First celebrated in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland, IWD has grown it’s reach to a widely global celebration; creating awareness and shining a light on some of the most important gender issues around the world.

||           “protest of 15,000 women”

1909 saw the first National Women’s Day across the USA, following the protest of 15,000 women who marched through New York City demanding shorter hours, better pay, and voting rights. During a conference of Working Women in 1910, Clara Zetkin – who was the leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany – put forward the idea of an international day for women to be celebrated every year around the world; helping women to push for demands and equality.

||           “We’ve seen a lot change since 1909”

While it is important to encourage change and raise awareness of these issues that inhibit the progress of equality and women around the world, it is equally important to celebrate the achievements that have been made. We’ve seen a lot change since 1909, both with the advancement of equality and understanding the different challenges faced by our genders, and also with the changes to our attitudes. Many women are finding it easier to get into positions of power and male dominated industries that previously seemed impossible. STEM jobs have seen a growth in popularity with women, and over the years has developed into a far more welcoming environment to encourage women and girls into these great roles. We still see a majority of male workers in many sectors, however, more and more women are applying and progressing their careers in engineering and technical jobs.

||           “protest of 15,000 women”

The industry is working on reducing the skills gap, and with the help of hiring more women it continues to take great strides in improving their opportunities and removing the idea that technical engineering is solely for men. We are always looking for the ideal candidates to place into our roles, using their skills not gender to match them with their dream opportunities and clients. Highfield have a number of jobs incoming all the time, waiting for the perfect match to fill them. We aim to be the most trusted recruitment agency, which is demonstrated throughout our work as we treat you with honesty, transparency, and kindness. We understand what it’s like looking for a new job whether you’re starting new or pushing yourself further in your career, we can help you. Give us a call on 01489774010 and our friendly consultants can talk you through the process or guide you to the jobs we have. Alternatively, head to our website and go from there!

||           “many women can get back into a fulfilling career”

Highfield are proud to have many great women working with us, filling positions ranging along all levels across the office, from apprentice to mangers. We welcomed some amazing people coming off maternity leave, providing flexible working hours and remote working options to give more time to their families. The responsibility of care often falls to the women within families, making it far harder for them to return to work or have time for a healthy balance. This is why our 4-day work weeks are an important benefit. By having the chance to get an extra day off each week and not lose out on pay or work more hours in a compressed schedule, many women can get back into a fulfilling career with less worry and stress.

||           “retain these high level skills women can bring to the workforce”

It is important to support and care for each other, no matter who we are or what gender we define ourselves by. More understanding and flexibility to provide a healthy work-life balance is vital to retain these high level skills women can bring to the workforce. Further awareness of the issues faced within workplaces as well must not be ignored and this is why International Women’s Day will continue it’s long standing celebrations and protests in order to achieve a true equality and have women’s demands be heard, their safety protected, and their lives changed.

Today marks a celebration of women and girls in science as we continue to work towards equality and opportunity for everyone. It is the 7^th year of this international day with 2022’s theme being; “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us.” On the 11^th of February 2022, the 7^th assembly will take place in virtual format from UN Headquarters in New York. This will be aiming to recognize the role of women and girls in science, not only as beneficiaries, but also as agents of change, including accelerating progress towards the achievement of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

The 7th Assembly will bring together women in science and experts from around the world to discuss the water nexus in achieving the three pillars of sustainable development – economic prosperity, social justice, and environmental integrity. High-level government officials, representatives of international organizations, and the private sector will all be represented as a part of the assembly and work towards bringing change.

||           “it has become a desperate situation”

UN reports show that billions of people around the world will be unable to access safe household drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services in 2030 unless progress rates quadruple. Challenges around safe water include a rise in demand, poor management or maintenance, failure to conserve water resources, and climate change. It has always been an important issue to provide and take care of basic human needs like access to safe and clean water, however it has become a desperate situation needing further support and progress.

||           “more than 884 million people did not have safe water to drink”

The latest information regarding access to clean water was published in 2019 by WHO and UNICEF, which shows that in 2017, more than 884 million people did not have safe water to drink. Progress, however, is being made as the proportion of the global population using safely managed drinking water services has risen from 61% to 71% since 2000. As well as this, the proportion of the global population using safely managed sanitation services also increased, going from 28% to 45%. There is still major room for improvement, however, it is going in the right direction.

In households without onsite water, it is more likely for women and girls to be responsible for collecting water for their family, creating a gender inequality as they have to take time out of school or work in order to do so. In 2017, they were the ones responsible for this in 8 out of 10 household that didn’t access to water.

||           “there is a need for skilled workers within the water sector”

Maintaining and providing water is vital all over the world, including projects closer to home. With constant upkeep needed, upgrading current systems, and planning and building of new developments, there is a need for skilled workers within the water sector, creating a range of vacancies. Vacancies available to both men and women, and with women making up just 24% of the core STEM workforce in the UK, there is a long road to equality ahead. Again, improvements have been made as we’ve seen the industry increase both the amount of female scientists, engineers, etc. and also the level of the positions held by women. More managers and leading positions are being filled, and continuing this drive towards equal opportunities brings a great range of benefits to companies and the workforce itself.

||           “Let us help you find a job you can be proud of and succeed in.”

Get involved in some of our major water projects by contacting our trusted water recruitment consultants on 01489 774010 or search through our jobs on our website. Let us help you find a job you can be proud of and succeed in. Our trusted recruitment agency has placed thousands of candidates over the years and those numbers aren’t slowing down. We can support you and guide you through the process, making sure you’re kept in the know at all times with our honest transparency.

Give us a call, who knows where it may lead you.

November is a month that celebrates and supports men and creates a time to highlight the struggles they face, with the help of Movember and International Men’s day. While we continue to strive for equality, the construction and engineering industries remain male dominated for now, making it all the more important to share and support the difficulties we all see and experience. This year’s theme focuses on “better relations between men and women” as one of the six pillars of International Men’s Day is to improve gender relations and promote gender equality.

One of the top purposes for this day is to celebrate the value men bring, positive role models, and to raise awareness of men’s well-being. Role models can be anybody, and they can be important for a range of reasons. From parents to strangers, there is no limit to who can have a positive impact on someone’s life, or how they do it. Friday 19^th of November is International Men’s Day, so we spoke to a handful of the men at Highfield and asked them, “who was/is a positive role model for you and why?”

I think your role models change over time. When you are younger you obviously look up to those closest to you, family and friends mainly. Then we all have some kind of ‘hero’, which in my case was always a footballer as I was a football obsessed as a child. And now I am older I take more inspiration from various people, whether that is a family member or someone who I happen to stumble across on a podcast, anyone with an inspirational story to tell. As a parent, I take inspiration from my own parents, in work I seek inspiration from those I work with and various business leaders, and my children will always be my greatest inspiration.

Andy, Director

Sam Hughes will always be a great role model to me. He taught me to appreciate everything I have and live life with a smile on my face. He showed me how to love every challenge that I face and know that it will make me stronger.

Liam, Director

I would say my dad has been a good role model, the reason being is I believe a good role model would be someone who is generous with their time and always is open to passing on the wisdom of their experience and knowledge to the betterment of others.

Sam D, Senior Delivery Consultant

I wouldn’t say I have one role model as a lot of people inspire me.

I have some good close friends and family that I look up to. From CEOs of tech companies to songwriters. Their success inspires me to work hard and become the best version I can of myself.

Simon, Financial Controller

I don’t really have just one role model – people that value people’s happiness in high regard are role models for me.

George, Principal Recruitment Consultant

It is important to value those around you, as well as yourself, and to keep those who inspire you in your mind to help drive your success and remind you of kindness. Support the men and women in your life this International Men’s Day to raise awareness for men’s well-being as well as reinforce gender relations and equality.

A variation of skills, experience, and backgrounds fills our trusted teams and we’re always on the lookout for more honest and friendly people to join us! Chat with Annie about our open positions and find the right career choice for you, or call us on 01489774010. As one of the most trusted recruitment agencies, we ensure the well-being of everyone here to be a top priority; inspiring true leadership and positivity throughout the business.

“Reimagining Youth Skills Post-Pandemic” is this year’s theme for World Youth Skills Day as it pays tribute to the resilience and creativity of young people throughout Covid-19.

UNESCO-UNEVOC listens to peoples stories

Here’s what they’re asking young people (ages 15-24) to consider and have a conversation about:

• What skills/work do you wish to acquire for the future?
• What skills do you think will be most important in the post-pandemic era and why?
• What is your message to decision makers in your country to support youth employment, skills development and entrepreneurship?

In order to ensure the importance of young people being well equipped with skills for employment, the United Nations General Assembly stated from 2014 that the 15^th of July will be World Youth Skills Day. Its purpose was to create a conversation for young people and encourage engagement and dialogue of important topics. The youth are the future, so providing education, training, and support is vital to the growth and development of industries, particularly those needing higher skill levels like technical engineering.

Specialist training is essential for many high-level positions and roles, making it crucial to provide it to new candidates. This can be reinforced with mentoring schemes as the aging workforce transfers its knowledge and skills alongside supportive education.

This can be a major benefit in maintaining expertise not just in an industry but also contained within a company, as the youth pick up knowledge from more experienced workers.

It’s not just the younger generations that can benefit from this. As people look to change careers later in life, specific training can help to establish new talents whilst support can be provided to develop their transferable skills. Many older candidates who are new to construction industries can bring a collection of highly valuable skills.

The pandemic has affected us all in some way, however, young people aged 15-24 have been particularly exposed to the socio-economic consequences. School and workplace closures have led to a loss in learning and training, alongside many in this age group being hit hardest with unemployment rates. As with all new generations of workers, new demands are being made and expectations changed, which is particularly prevalent in a post pandemic world.

More just, equitable, and progressive opportunities and solutions are being demanded of society by youth as they face a range of challenges such as education, health, employment, and gender equality. Highfields own Co-founder is on the board of the local school, helping to inspire and raise awareness of opportunities and skills for young people.

Flexibility and acceptance from companies is desperately required in order to support the skills of the youth, which is part of the conversation that World Youth Skills Day aims to open up this year.

Challenges for the youth

• Education
• Employment
• Experience
• Gender Equality
• Health

Solutions

• Equal opportunities
• Flexibility
• Support
• Training