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How your Business can benefit from HTML & CSS

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What is HTML?

HTML stands for Hyper Text Mark-up Language. HTML5 is a revised version of the original HTML standard created in 1990 by the World Wide Web Consortium to define an Open Web Platform.  HTML is a language used for structuring and presenting content on the Web consistently, across web browsers. HTML5 is the evolution of that standard to meet the increasing demands presented by today’s rich media, cross device and mobile internet access requirements.  As such, it is a great candidate for cross-platform mobile application development, as many of its features have been adapted with the consideration of running on low powered devices, such as Smart Phones and Tablets and providing web developers with tools like CSS3.  Importantly whilst running within a web browser, (as HTML5 does) it is not tied to the underlying operating system, freeing applications from the significant development and support overhead of multiple native applications (e.g. iOS, Android, Blackberry etc.)

HTML5 is already supported in the latest web browsers on PCs and tablets and the number of these products being produced increases rapidly every year. This increase means that it is impossible to ignore the importance of HTML5 when considering your mobile site. Indeed, in some B2C and retail ecommerce client implementations, 40% of visitors are accessing sites on mobile devices; this is only going to rise.

 

What is CSS?

CSS stands for ‘Cascading Style Sheets’ and is the language of design for web pages, giving site designers the ability to suggest how their site documents are styled. CSS is interpreted by all graphical web browsers regardless of device or operating system. It allows a logical division between the structure of a web page, (handled by the HTML) and the way it should look. CSS can be used to tailor the appearance of a web page specific to a particular device or screen size. In short, CSS is the language used for implementing front-end web design.

 

Advantages of HTML5 and CSS

Using HTML5 and CSS3 provides advantages to businesses that develop and deploy web content and web applications, to create refined and accurate web pages and web systems that operate across devices, operating systems and web browsers. Write once, run anywhere.  The plethora of devices, operating systems and screen sizes present numerous design, functional and layout considerations and problems if standards are not adhered to.

 

Advantages of HTML 5 & CSS3
  1. Cost effective Multi-Platform Development

A single batch of code can be used across platforms, devices and different markets; this is an advantage because it results in lower development and maintenance costs over the web site or web application’s lifetime, enabling you to use your resources elsewhere. Current best practice for cross platform (e.g. IOS and Android) application development is a ‘hybrid’ approach, whereby web standards are followed within a native application ‘wrapper’ that can be placed in the iOS or Android store.  The LinkedIn ‘Application’ is one of the best examples of a mobile web site, widely considered to be a great ‘app’ that is not an ‘app’

  1. Good page ranking

If the foundation of a website is not semantically accurate (i.e. unreadable, non-standard based code) then the page itself will not attain a good rank within serahc engines. No amount of Content Marketing in conjunction with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) will make a difference to rankings if your page is not well structured HTML, easily readable by the Search Engine, in a logical document structure. HTML5’s new elements can be relied on when sites are being re-indexed on search engines, as specific mark-up features of HTML5 are of value when search engine results pages (SERPs) are being calculated.  Search Engine Land outline well the main benefits that HTML5 offers in terms of content mark-up and SEO.

  1. Offline browsing

In a similar way that ‘apps’  can be used offline, without an internet connection, HTML5 supports local storage of web application code and content, through the offline application cache. This is a tremendous advantage to businesses, like publishers, who can provide an offline web experience for readers on the move. The offline cache also produces significant performance enhancements as more of the site or system code and content is accessed quickly, locally.

  1. Consistency across multiple browsers

Not all browsers support all web pages or web applications; however, the implementation of HTML5 and CSS3 helps the designer to create a compatible site or system within all browsers.

  1. Better mobile access to Business Intelligence

Future development of HTML5 applications may lead to better access to business intelligence as all devices that are compatible with HTML5 will have the same ability to collect, collate and use data using standard (cross device) browser based analytics tools.

  1. Extension of video to a wide range of platforms

According to studies, nearly two-thirds of web video was already encoded for HTML5 in 2010, and one of the biggest benefits for marketers now is that HTML5 has native video support and can be directly built in to the supporting browsers which allow faster, high-quality video’s to be distributed. The inclusion of direct video content on a web page can also impact positively on SEO, as it is unique, engaging and therefore is included in ‘quality content’ that search engines are looking to send users to.

  1. Geolocation

HTML5 supports geolocation. Once a user opts to share their location an HTML5 application can use the user’s location. This can be of primary importance when developing location based services or apps.

  1. A better user experience

HTML5 offers a wider range of design and presentation tools across media types, giving the developers greater scope to produce a better web sites and web applications. This is vital from a business point of view, as user engagement and retention is key to increased site and system use and conversion. Creating an accessible and usable site or system means that users will be more likely to engage.

 

Conclusion

Both languages represent numerous opportunities in web development for businesses that develop and deploy online content and web applications. Overall, by using both of these tools in your businesses’ web development you can optimise your users’ web experience, provide a solid foundation for your SEO and content marketing strategy and significantly reduce your cross-platform web development and support costs whilst increasing your reach and optimising web experience.

Do you already have knowledge regarding HTML & CSS languages? Our latest job role might be just right for you. Check it out by following this link!

 

– byte9

Shropshire Careers & Enterprise Advisor Network complete success!

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More than 40 business leaders celebrated the launch of an initiative in Shropshire

Representatives from companies across Shropshire attended the launch of the Careers & Enterprise Company’s “Enterprise Adviser Network”. The initiative is aimed at building stronger guidance-based relationships between businesses, schools and colleges so that young people are equipped with the knowledge to effectively develop their workplace skills.

Held at Enginuity in Coalbrookdale, the event focused on the important role that businesses have in ensuring that young people have access to the right careers advice at the right time, and the impact that access to business leaders who take on Enterprise Adviser roles can have on young people.

Speaking at the event, Dr Floyd Millen, Head of Operation Delivery at the Careers & Enterprise Company, commented on the importance of integrating business and skills in Shropshire.

“It’s great that this is happening here and now. As someone who grew up a few miles away and now lives in the south east, I’m pleased that the Marches LEP and Telford & Wrekin Council have demonstrated their commitment to bringing businesses and schools together in a way that will provide young people with transformative, life changing experiences. It is, therefore, a pleasure to be here at the official launch of the Enterprise Adviser Network.”

Drawn from across the public, private and third sectors, senior business people who become Enterprise Advisers will provide advice to school and college heads on how to effectively engage local businesses in the development of careers and enterprise plans.

Paul Hinkins, Deputy Chair of the Marches LEP, was also at the launch and highlighted why closer ties between business and education are so important – especially in an area like the Marches:

“The Marches covers a diverse geography of rural, semi-rural and urban but shares many of the same barriers as the other 38 LEP regions: namely those of a skills void and an ageing workforce.

“Here in the Marches, there are too many people in the 16-54 age bracket that leave to pursue careers elsewhere – we need to prevent that from continuing by encouraging young people to realise their potential with businesses already based here and those which will invest in the region in the coming years.

“We know that 44% of employers in the Marches see a lack of skills as a barrier to growth and that 45% of employers found it a challenge to recruit in the last year. With those facts in mind, the introduction of the CEC Enterprise Advisers should be warmly welcomed.

“This initiative encourages businesses to go into schools and tell young people the options open to them – an approach which helps us retain our home grown talent. It also helps us to identify how to help schools and colleges navigate a fast-changing careers landscape and to give students the best chance of reaching their full potential by providing friendly, strategic advice and guidance. I’d strongly encourage all businesses in the region to consider how they could contribute to this this.”

The launch event also included input from John Gallagher, Vice President at Cap Gemini and Katherine Kynaston, Assistant Director of Business, Development & Employment at Telford & Wrekin Council.

 

– MarchesLEP

Shropshire Jobs continue to increase despite Unemployment Rise

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New Shropshire jobs are still being created despite an unemployment rise in the County.

Job Centre bosses insist that new Shropshire jobs are still being created, despite a third successive rise in unemployment in the county.

The number of people claiming various forms of unemployment benefit in Shropshire Council’s area now totals 1,970, while in Telford & Wrekin the figure is 1,730.

Last month the figures stood at 1,915 and 1,705 respectively, and the latest increase marks the third consecutive increase on the back of a long period of falling numbers.

In Powys, 780 people signed on in September, a fall from 800 the previous month.
But Gareth Niblett, from Bridgnorth’s Job Centre, said: “There’s no real main reason for the increases.

“We are not seeing lots of redundancies coming through. At the moment the only explanation is that the labour market is buoyant and people are coming on and off the register – what we are seeing is the general turnover.
“It’s disappointing that the numbers are going up but from our point of view there are lots of Shropshire jobs out there, and we are working with lots of employers.”

The numbers are now starting to be affected by Christmas employment, and a number of retailers around the county are now taking on additional staff.
Marks & Spencer is advertising 31 positions in Telford and nine in Bridgnorth, Southwater Event Group has 15 roles to fill in Telford, and a new Co-op store in Dawley has just seen 12 vacancies filled.

Shrewsbury too is seeing new positions coming onto the market, with around 80 vacancies being created across the retail market, including with Home Bargains, H Samuel, Thorntons, HMV and New Look.

Shropshire’s numbers reflect a changing national picture, and the unemployment total rose by 10,000 in the quarter to August, to 1.66 million, the official figures showed. In the West Midlands, that figure was 3,000 higher at 168,000 for the same period.

The UK claimant count, including those on Jobseeker’s Allowance, also increased last month – up by 700 to 776,400. It was the sixth time in the last seven months that the figure has increased.

But employment was up by 106,000 in the latest quarter to almost 32 million, the highest since records began in 1971.

Average earnings increased by 2.3 per cent in the year to August, down by 0.1 per cent on the previous month.

ONS statistician Nick Palmer said: “While there was also a small rise in the headline unemployment level, that was accompanied by more people actively seeking work.”

Graffiti Recruitment are a recruitment agency which specialise in finding individuals work within the the Information Technology Industry. If you are interested in finding an IT Job in Shropshire, check out our vacancy page by following this link! 

 

– Shropshirestar

‘TeenTech’ comes to Telford

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The children of today have been inspired to become the innovators of tomorrow by a special event, TeenTech, held in Telford right in the birthplace of the industrial revolution.

TeenTech

Around 250 year 8 students from across the borough were at the Enginuity museum on Tuesday 11 October in the Ironbridge Gorge for ‘TeenTech’ Telford.  Joined  by nearly 30 local and national companies who brought their brightest engineers and scientists and cutting edge technology – the children learnt how they could continue the tech revolution.

For the students and their teachers, it was an interactive hands-on event to help them better understand the real and local career opportunities on offer in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). For the companies present, it was a chance for them to explain to the students what it takes to be part of their high-tech world and inspire the young people to pursue careers in their companies.

Activities included solving electric circuit problems, exploring space through virtual reality, designing apps and building a battery-powered vehicle to race on a 30ft track.

‘TeenTech’ was created by  television presenter Maggie Philbin. She said: “Today is a springboard for those young people.

“We hope it makes them understand that the world of science and technology is a very, very big place and that they belong in it. But we also want them to carry on exploring some of the exciting ideas that they may have started to have today.”

Maggie explained all the students who attended are now invited to enter the annual ‘TeenTech’ awards. She said: “After a day when they have seen all sorts of things that perhaps they didn’t realise existed or had thought about before, they are then encouraged to develop their own projects to make life better, simpler or easier.”

‘TeenTech’ Telford was the first of its kind in the  West Midlands.

Project managed and sponsored by Telford & Wrekin Council, this was the first time that TeenTech has come to the West Midlands and would not have happened without additional sponsorship from, Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Explore University, Faccenda, Business, Watch Guarding, Epson, Midland Alloy, TDS / Cadcoe, Woote, SCE, Wolverhampton University

Councillor Gilly Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Education, Employment & Regeneration said: “It’s fantastic to see young people engaging with business like this, and taking part in it with hands-on activities. There are so many businesses in Telford which use these STEM skills and so many opportunities for our young people.

“It’s really important that young people in Telford and Wrekin get to know what job opportunities there are in our Town and are inspired to achieve their full potential.  There was something for everyone yesterday and the Council look forward to building on the event to enable our schools and colleges and businesses to work even more closely together.

“Thank you to ‘TeenTech’ for coming to Telford and to all those who supported us yesterday – our local businesses, sponsors and volunteers.  . Without them it wouldn’t be possible.

“It’s a testament to the collaboration  between local businesses, schools and colleges and Telford & Wrekin Council.”

Employers and educational organisations who attended were:

The Army, Barclays, CH2M, Epson Telford Ltd., Enginuity Fablab, Febweld, Faccenda, Fujitsu, Harper Adams University, Hoshizaki, JVC Kenwood, Keele University, Lighting Industry Association, Maplin, National Grid, PDSA, QMUL, RAF, RHQ REME, Shropshire 3D Print, Sodexo, Staffordshire University, Technology Supplies, Telford College of Arts and Technology, University of Wolverhampton, VEX Robotics, West Midlands Police.

Shrewsbury Development will see 400 new Shropshire Jobs

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400 new Shropshire Jobs will be created following development plan by major food company ABP.

More than 400 Shropshire Jobs are to be created by food giant ABP, with a £20 million investment at its operation in Shrewsbury.

The redevelopment of its site in Harlescott is the company’s latest vote of confidence in Shropshire.

Last year ABP completed a £30 million overhaul of its site at Hordley near Ellesmere.

ABP is already one of the biggest private sector employers in Shropshire, with 732 staff at the Battlefield Enterprise Park in Shrewsbury and more than 725 at Ellesmere. The new additions would take its total workforce to almost 1,900 in Shropshire.

ABP said there will also be a significant number of construction jobs generated during the project.

Its county operations supply beef to major customers across the country, with Sainsbury’s a key contract for the company.

The latest proposal is for a new retail meat packing building that ABP said will improve the existing Shrewsbury plant.

The new building will also include a dry goods store, employee amenities, canteen facilities and administration and staff offices.

But director Seamus Banim sounded one note of caution over the impact of Brexit on farmers in the UK.

“The vast majority of cattle coming to ABP Shrewsbury is sourced from farms within a 50-mile radius and it is our hope that this supply of quality British cattle will not be impacted in a post Brexit non CAP era,” he said.

A planning application for the development is expected to be made public in the next few days.

Councillor Malcolm Price, Shropshire Council’s portfolio holder for housing, said: “The comments we have received so far have mostly been positive. When it is completed it will be one of the most modern and efficient packing plants in Europe. All the equipment will be brand new, state-of-the-art.

“The good thing about the company is all the meat that goes into the site comes from within 50 miles of Shrewsbury.

“This is a major investment for Shropshire. It is significant employment and economic investment.

“In 15 years of being a councillor I have never heard a complaint against ABP. They are a very professional and well-run company. They have a great reputation.”

– Shropshirestar

 

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Over 1000 New Shropshire Jobs to be created in £50 million project

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Plans for a one million sq ft major warehousing and logistics development near the Shropshire border could bring 1,500 new Shropshire Jobs

1,500 New Shropshire Jobs could be generated should plans for a multi million pound warehousing and logistics development building be approved.

One unnamed component manufacturing company has already signed a deal with property investment company Tritax Big Box to take a 543,000 sq ft unit on the site before it is even built.

If the plan gets the green light from South Staffordshire Council, Tritax will then lend developer Bericote £56.3 million to build the logistics and headquarters building.

It is the first of four large warehousing facilities proposed for the site by Bericote, north of the M54 near Brewood.

Together they would cover 1.1 million sq ft and could provide Shropshire jobs for more than 1,500 people, says the developer.

Bericote has submitted a detailed planning application for the four buildings on 63 acres of land off Gravelly Way, in Four Ashes, part of which used to be a chemical works.

The proposals have had a cautious reception from Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy, who said: “We need to see the details on this but in principle I am in favour of anything creating this number of jobs.

“Brownfield sites are something I want to see developed and used for employment purposes.

“In South Staffordshire, we don’t want to see continuance between the West Midlands conurbation and Stafford. It is vital we have green land there.

“But I will always support development on brownfield land.”

Work has already been carried out on traffic controlled access and road widening for the site as part of the £82.2 million Staffordshire Growth Deal, which saw Government cash ploughed into developments across the county.

The work at Four Ashes saw access to the A449 upgraded with new traffic signals, the bridge over the Stafford and Worcestershire canal has been widened and priority control over the rail bridge will favour incoming traffic to the development.

A new road will link the Gravelly Way roundabout to the development site. Work on the first warehouse is due to start next month, if planning permission is secured, with work completed by next July.

The 50ft tall facility will have a gross internal area of 543,692 sq ft with expansion land to accommodate up to a further 101,139 sq ft.

Bericote says its plans could see up to £120 million invested in the area, once firms have taken the other three logistics units, which measure 270,300 sq ft, 176,400 sq ft and 37,070 sq ft.

Bericote has a track record for delivering large-scale logistics and warehousing projects.

It developed a £40m logistics warehouse for Rolls-Royce at Bognor Regis and this year is building a 563,000 sq ft internet delivery warehouse for online supermarket Ocado at Erith in London.

Colin Godfrey, a partner of Tritax, said: “We are very pleased to be investing in this new logistics facility and UK headquarters which will benefit from significant capital investment by the tenant with the capacity to expand the unit to accommodate future growth plans.

“This is our seventh pre-let forward funded development and the third with Bericote, one of the UK’s leading developers of Big Box assets, following the successful completion of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Ocado facilities,” he added.

– Shropshirestar

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