The confidence of workers across the West Midlands has not been shaken by uncertainty around leaving the European Union, with 45 per cent admitting that they are looking for a new job this year, according to REED.

The YouGov research commissioned by specialist recruiter REED, which asked more than 2,000 people about their careers in 2017, found that 44 per cent of employees are feeling optimistic about their career prospects despite a lack of clarity created by the Brexit vote.

Optimism and confidence are high among employers too, as 53 per cent of those surveyed in the West Midlands said they had been given a pay rise in 2016, compared to just 37 per cent who were asked the same question in a previous REED survey from 2015.

While an increase in salary is still the primary motivation for workers in the West Midlands to look for a new job (45 per cent), other reasons were also revealed.28 per cent would move for an improved work-life balance and a third (33 per cent) for a better working environment. And pensions have a major impact on attracting and retaining workers with 55 per cent of people across the UK saying a pension plan is an important part of the decision to either stay in their current role or look around.

The research, commissioned to mark the launch of the REED 2017 Salary Guide, also discovered that those in senior positions have noticed a widening skills gaps among their staff. Almost half (47 per cent) of those in management, and 54 per cent in supervisor positions, now recognise a lack of skills within their organisation. This is in comparison to 42 per cent of managers and 45 per cent of supervisors¹ who observed the same trend in previous research commissioned by REED last year.

Claire Harvey, Senior Divisional Director of REED in the North, said: “UK workers and businesses are confident that 2017 will be a great year for them and those in the Northern half of the country are no different. The jobs market always proves to be a good barometer for the economy and we believe this promising early indication is a sign of things to come. This research for 2017 shows that workers are confident to look for a new job despite the wider backdrop of leaving the EU.”

Among the next generation of workers, more than half (51 per cent) of those between the ages of 18 and 24  would move to have more opportunities to learn and develop their skills, 49 per cent for better career prospects and 45 per cent for a better company culture. More than half (61 per cent) of 18-24 year olds would still move for a better salary.

Harvey added: “Along with marketing and creative, digital has been a particular growth area in 2016 as more clients realise their online presence really needs to stand out in order to attract business. Job satisfaction is incredibly important and often when an employee outgrows their role, they will need to leave to continue to get job satisfaction. As such, a company that is unable to offer longer-term challenges may suffer with higher turnover.  If employers can offer young, talented workers the opportunity to learn and help this eager generation hone their skills, then companies will attract the right talent; continuing this trend of optimism into a post-Brexit world.”

A fluffy new arrival is melting hearts at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham after its parents crossed continents to conceive.

A rare Gentoo penguin has hatched at the centre’s ice adventure following a global breeding programme aimed at increasing the declining population. The chick is the first to be born in England in 2017 and a first ever at the National Sea Life Centre.

The chick, which has yet to be named, is being cared for by its doting parents, who have flown from opposite ends of the earth to find love in the Midlands.

Dad is Pablo, a 4 year-old Gentoo from New Zealand, whilst Mum, Arabel, is 6 and hails all the way from Calgary in Canada. The penguins arrived in 2014 and 2016 respectively, joined most recently by a group from Billund in Denmark as efforts to diversify the gene pool continue.

19 different Sea Life attractions and over 400 penguins, from 5 different species, are involved in the breeding programme, set up after Gentoo numbers declined rapidly and they became near endangered.

Factors include damage to their habitats from tourism, pollution and the illegal collection of their eggs, as well as the birds’ sensitive breeding nature.

Hayley Roberts, penguin specialist at the National Sea Life Centre, said: “We are overjoyed at the arrival of our first ever Gentoo baby – the first this year in England. Gentoos are notoriously tricky to encourage to breed because they are such sensitive birds and we have worked tirelessly from when the breeding programme was first conceived - more than three years ago now - to make sure every detail was perfect for our penguins.

“First we had to make sure we found the right genetic matches for each bird because if the gene pool isn’t diverse enough there can be big problems. We also had to make sure their environment was as close as we could make it to the most ideal conditions in the wild – we factored in temperature, lighting, colours, food, the right rocks and pebbles for use in social activities and the right amount of water for swimming.

“We then had to transport our penguins from three different continents, so our chick really is the most wanted baby we’ve ever tried to breed – we have moved mountains for its parents to conceive, so we are overwhelmed with delight at its arrival.”

The baby penguin is doing well. It weighed 91 grams at birth and will continue to eat from mum’s regurgitated food until it’s old enough to begin learning how to swim and feed. A DNA test will be carried out to determine the sex after three to four months.

It may soon be celebrating the arrival of a brother or sister too!

From July 7th until September 3rd, The Elite Series, will take place every weekend in London at the Gfinity Esports Arena, the home of UK esports. Fans will be able to catch all the action on GfinityEsports.com and can follow this intensive nine week schedule:

o      Fridays:  Street Fighter V – 6:00pm - 10:00pm

o      Saturdays:  CS:GO 10:00am – 10:00pm

o      Sundays:  Rocket League 12:00pm – 6:00pm

The Elite Series season one starts with the regular Season, during which eight teams - with a total of 160 players - will play seven crucial matches. There will be three independent leagues - one for each game: Street Fighter V, CS:GO and Rocket League. After each team has had their one-time face off against the others, the top four will progress to the league’s playoff spots.

Playoffs will feature two semi-finals, with the winners ultimately meeting head to head in a final showdown for their share of the £225,000 prize fund and the glory of being crowned the Elite Series League Champion.

In addition to the three independent leagues for each game, Gfinity will, for the first time in esports history, be running a franchise championship, for the overall winners across the entire tournament.

The UK’s major cities are experiencing a boom in house prices this summer, with new statistics showing property values in key conurbations have risen by 3.5 per cent in the last three months.

Figures from Hometrack show the significant rate of growth across 20 large cities has taken the average price to £210,200. Locations included in its study range from London to Cambridge, Oxford, Aberdeen, Portsmouth, Bristol and Sheffield.

It comes as Zoopla statistics show the UK as a whole has enjoyed a 1.01 per cent increase in house prices in the last quarter, adding more than £3,000 to the value of an average home.

Kevin Shaw, national sales director at property specialist Leaders, says: “Despite the uncertainty of Brexit and the recent general election, these figures show the property market remains incredibly strong and continues to grow at a fast pace.

“Half of the major cities included in Hometrack’s reports are seeing house prices grow at a higher rate than they were this time last year, with property values up by 3.9 per cent in Nottingham, 3.8 per cent in Birmingham, 3.5 per cent in Newcastle and Liverpool and 3.5 per cent in Manchester in the last three months alone.

“Interestingly, it is larger regional cities that are driving the market with the largest gains, whereas in London growth actually slowed. This pours cold water on the idea of the capital being responsible for the majority of growth and proves the entire country is performing well.

“Low mortgage rates continue to help buyers looking to take their next step and make moving home a more attractive proposition, although there continues to be a lack of supply of housing to fully satisfy demand.”

Hometrack added it does not expect London growth rates – currently 3.3 per cent over the last year and 1.9 per cent in the most recent quarter – to head into negative figures in 2017.

The 10 year anniversary of the Smokefree legislation introduced on 1 July 2007, which banned smoking inside bars, clubs, restaurants, and other public and work places, has been marked with a dramatic steep decline in smoking rates across the West Midlands region. The last few years have seen the steepest drop in numbers, down from 23% in 2007 in the region (21% in England) to 15.4% in 2016 (15.5% in England).

Duncan Selbie, Chief Executive of Public Health England, praised this phenomenal success and the huge benefits the legislations has brought – encouraging large numbers of smokers to quit and helping improve health among both ex-smokers and non-smokers alike.

Duncan Selbie said: "The Smokefree legislation has been extraordinary in the way we now experience and enjoy pubs, clubs, restaurants and so many other public places. Young people have not had to experience the smoke filled bars and clubs that once choked their parents and workers. They’ve grown up in a world where smoking is no longer socially acceptable.

“The law has played a key part in the huge cultural change we have seen in the past decade, especially among younger people, a change that has literally saved thousands from disabling chronic diseases and premature death.”

New figures from PHE show that the number of smokers aged 35 and over dying from heart disease in the West Midlands has fallen significantly from 39.5 per 100,000 head population in 2007-09 to 29.5 in 2013-15; while deaths from stroke have fallen from 12.7 per 100,000 head population in 2007-09 to 9.5 in 2013-15.

Commenting on the impact on societal attitudes over the past decade the Smokefree legislation has led to, Duncan Selbie said: “The Smokefree legacy has had a phenomenally positive impact on societal attitudes to smoking, and smokers have seized the opportunity by quitting in unprecedented numbers and, of those still smoking, half have chosen to smoke outside of their own homes to protect their families from second hand smoke. The Smokefree legislation was undoubtedly the single most important public health reform in generations.”

The smoking indoor ban was the first, and the most important, in a series of 10 pieces of tobacco legislation over 10 years.

Duncan Selbie said: “We’ve seen cigarettes stubbed out in public places, become far less visible in shops and had large graphic warnings put on packs starkly explaining what these things do to the human body.

City Wolverhampton Council and city partners have launched a website to offer residents, businesses, and providers improved access to skills, training and employment opportunities.

Employers and training providers today (Thursday) gathered at an event at Molineux Stadium to view and support ‘Workbox’, which will act as a one-stop hub, forming part of the wider Skills and Employment Action Plan to tackle unemployment in the city.

It will provide flexible and customised provision to prepare people better for work and employers will contribute by designing bespoke training to ensure a larger proportion of people become job ready over time - creating a more reliable local labour supply.

Employers, in the future will also be able to advertise local jobs on Workbox and it feeds into the Wolves@Work employment programme, where work coaches offer advice and support to residents.

This is the first phase of Workbox, with further development set to take place to make it more interactive and tailored to the user’s needs.

David Danger, Chair of Employment & Skills Group, and Managing Director of UTC Marston Aerospace, added: “Workbox is a priority of the city Skills and Employment Action Plan and aims to create a virtual system that makes it easier for local people to obtain information, advice and guidance.

“It is a tool to really help co-ordinate and connect people to local opportunities, and has been developed with many partners, residents and businesses, with further development to come in its offer and interactivity.”

Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for City Economy, added: ““Workbox will act as a ‘front door’ to information, advice and job opportunities.

“Organisations at today’s event were able to further input into the design as well as support the launch.

“This is the start of the journey for Workbox and it will continue to develop and change to reflect the needs of the city.”

Workbox has been co-designed with City of Wolverhampton College, University of Wolverhampton, Community Learning Platform, Department for Work and Pensions, Adult Education Wolverhampton, Connexions, schools, residents, employers and training providers.

It will provide an intensive local support system which has not existed before in Wolverhampton. Residents will be able to sign up to local information about opportunities and access support. It will also be a tool for frontline staff and a Workbox training programme will support those staff who are working with young care leavers and offenders so these young people can gain access to local training, apprenticeships and employment opportunities.