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The Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition in partnership with Birmingham City University which awards a fully funded undergraduate degree at the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. Now in its seventh year, we look at some of the finalists in this year’s competition.

Asima, 37, is currently studying Social Science and Humanities at Dudley College, with the aim to read for a degree in Planning at Birmingham City University (BCU).

“I want to go into this area because I worked for 12 years in planning, and I was inspired by the planning officers and senior planners,” she explains. The amount of work they do and what they bring to the community – from putting it on paper to going out into the community and seeing it all come to life, and the people you meet, the local businesses and neighbours you talk to, it’s amazing. I’m inspired.”

She adds: “Winning the scholarship would mean a helping hand towards my career, and my future.

“If, however, I was not to win, it was an experience, an opportunity to go out there and express myself and be noticed and be known, so whether I win or not, it’s still a great opportunity to be here.

“After I finish my degree, I want to start looking for work and once I look for work, I don’t want to stop there – I want to carry on; do my post graduate, do my master’s and go as high as I can. Planning has many opportunities; during my time in planning I’ve noticed there are many opportunities and there’s a long way to go – this is just the start. I’m a fighter, I carry on, so it will be hard but I’m not going to stop.”

“People should apply for the 2022 scholarship because it’s an opportunity; it’s very rare that you get a helping hand like this. If somebody is offering to help you and the opportunity is there, why not?”

For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.

The Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition in partnership with Birmingham City University which awards a fully funded undergraduate degree at the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. Now in its seventh year, we look at the STEM leaders behind this year’s judging panel.

Hanifa is Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment at Birmingham City University.

She is a firm advocate of the Millennium Point Trust Scholarship, and has been involved in the competition for several years on behalf of the university:

“From our point of view, and for our partners at Millennium Point Trust, it’s really important that we create opportunities in STEM-related subjects for people from a diverse range of backgrounds, and that’s why we’re committed to doing this. We think it’s incumbent on us to create these opportunities and be part of that ecosystem that drives opportunities for people who might not consider going into STEM and STEM-related careers.”

She adds: “I think the second part of this is really from the point of view of the students themselves – the scholarship is a fantastic opportunity to go into a STEM-related subject to develop the professional capabilities that will launch them into a great career.

“Following on from the global pandemic, there’s going to be changes that are technological, economic and societal, and these are going to require a response from STEM-related industries, and as a result of this there are going to be new jobs created, new types of jobs and new opportunities.

“With the focus on things like sustainable living, the electrification of vehicles and artificial intelligence, these are very much reliant on STEM,” says Hanifa. “Therefore, we need to develop the skills in the region if we’re going to drive the opportunities.

“STEM-related jobs are growing at a faster pace than non-STEM-related jobs – a huge opportunity area for the region and anybody who’s developing skills and capabilities in this field. In addition, STEM graduates are known to earn more than non-STEM graduates – a lot of people don’t realise that.”

“Studying for a STEM subject means not only will they become a professional in an area that’s really important, but they’ll also develop more general, transferrable skills around creativity, problem solving, designing, developing, making and becoming self-organised and efficient.”

Hanifa has a clear view on what she wants from the scholarship finalists:

“I’m looking for someone that demonstrates real passion for their subject, and I’d like to see that evidence through them being able to show a broader understanding of the importance of key aspects of their subject, alongside some important details as well,” she explains.

“Have they thought of really important questions? Have they made us think when they’ve talked to us about their subject with passion? Have they shown us that they’ll be someone who will make the most of this life-changing opportunity?”

For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk

The Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition in partnership with Birmingham City University which awards a fully funded undergraduate degree at the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. Now in its seventh year, we look at the STEM leaders behind this year’s judging panel.

Abbie is CEO of Millennium Point, and head judge for the Millennium Point Trust Scholarship 2021. Abbie has been instrumental to the project since her appointment as CEO in 2018, ensuring that the impact of the project remains significant and in line with overall objective of the Millennium Point Trust to grow STEM education and opportunities in Birmingham and the wider region.

“I think STEM is important to the region because it’s the careers of today and it’s also the careers of the future,” she says.

“The scholarship is incredibly important – it’s about showcasing STEM and supporting people, because if you change a child’s life then you change a family’s life and their future and that’s everything that we want to do. STEM is about creating things, solving problems, and these issues will never go away, and so STEM careers will always be there,” she adds.

“They’re also beginning to underpin lots of the traditional careers – so whether you’re a lawyer, an accountant or in medicine, STEM is behind all of that. There’s also a huge skills gap in STEM at the moment, and if we can get more and more people into STEM careers, that will be great for the economy and great for the region.

Abbie continues: “The scholarship is really important to Millennium Point, and it is one of our flagship initiatives; it’s about creating an opportunity for young people in the region that they may never have.

“It’s wider than winning the scholarship, it’s bigger than that – it’s the journey you go on from the minute you become a finalist and the exposure to different industries and key people in the region. If you do go on to win, you become an ambassador for Millennium Point Trust and that will take you on a journey where you’ll meet lots of different people.

“What am I looking for from the candidates? For me, it’s about someone who’s really invested in what they want to do with their chosen subject; over the years of doing the scholarship, it always amazes me at such a young age they can look at what they want to do with their subject and how they can make a difference in the world.”

What I’m looking from the candidate is ‘this is what I’m going to do, this is how I’ll make a difference to the region with what I choose to do’ – so someone who’s incredibly focused on that they know it’s going to change their lives and they’re going to make their lives better with that career.

“We really love the Millennium Point Scholarship; it’s really important, and it’s having a great impact on people; we’re already seeing the benefits of the scholarship on the people that came through seven years ago, and they’re doing exactly what they wanted to do, so we really want people to apply for the 2022 Scholarship. STEM is still really important – it’s the careers of the future and we want to help you to get where you want to be without that financial burden. We can support you.”

For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

Zain, from Handsworth in Birmingham, is currently studying at Hamstead Hall Academy Sixth Form. He hopes to go to Birmingham City University to study for a degree in Computer Science.

“I want to study the subject because it piqued my interest from a very early age,” he explains.

“Specifically, because I play video games and that interests me a lot; to see what goes on behind the processes. I use a lot technology in general, but that really interested me, and I want to explore the subject in depth.

“I want to maybe go into video games one day and try and replicate the feeling and enjoyment I had playing video games and give it to other people, and maybe make it a passion for them. It’s such an interesting subject, there’s so much stuff you can do like AI; it can change the world, advance it.”

He adds: “STEM is very important to me because they’re subjects that can change the world, and not only do they have high employability and higher pay, but STEM can better people’s lives. Winning the scholarship would mean a great deal to me, as it can give me a boost of motivation and confidence, show me that I can achieve good things and push my goals even further, give me a sense of accomplishment and kickstart my career.”

Zain adds: “After university I’m not really sure what I want to do at the moment, but there are so many options I’m thinking about, such as video games, or something that can make people’s lives better or help change the world – I want to be part of something like that.”

The winner of the 2021 scholarship competition will be announced at the end of May. For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

“The scholarship process built my confidence greatly. The scholarship has lessened the financial pressure of studying for a degree, and has meant that I can invest more in learning equipment.” – Laura Avis, 2019 scholarship winner

Each year Millennium Point pay for the tuition fees of one young person to pursue a STEM related degree at Birmingham City University (BCU). This is part of the ongoing work of the Millennium Point Charitable Trust to support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in greater Birmingham and the West Midlands.

MEET LAURA

After receiving an email from UCAS highlighting the opportunity to win a scholarship to fund course tuition fees for the Film Production Technology (BSc) course at BCU, Laura, from Redditch, registered for the Millennium Point Scholarship back in 2019 – and became the lucky recipient that year. Now in her second year, Laura is a star student and active member of the Birmingham City University student body. Upon her graduation in 2022, Laura has aspirations to pursue her career in film production.

On why she chose this particular university: “I chose BCU because of its locality to me and the amazing film facilities it has to offer. I had visited the studios once before and saw how much dedicated and professional space and equipment had been given to the film and VFX courses. Much of the equipment is very specialist and high-end also, such as the MILO rig, green screen studio and foley recording studios. BCU is only one of a limited number of universities in the country that offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Film, which makes the course content extremely unique and specialist.”

LAURA’S STORY

“The chance to have such an incredible opportunity directly related to the course I wanted to study was something that I just couldn’t let pass by,” says Laura, who studied for her A-Levels at Bournville College, Birmingham. I knew that it would be a competitive process, so I didn’t think that I would get to the final stage, but I knew that I had to try because of how rare an opportunity it was to get all three years of your degree course fully funded.”

“The application process was really straightforward – it was just written answers to three questions about what the scholarship would mean for you, and your passion for your chosen subject.”

Laura presenting at the Live Final in 2019.

“The final was daunting because I had no idea what the other finalists had prepared for their presentations. It was nice sitting with them leading up to the presentations because we were all equally as nervous. For some reason, my actual presentation felt like it wasn’t actually me presenting – I think because I had practised it so much at home it just felt natural and I was able to get through it as if it were just me speaking to myself. Just before I climbed the steps to the stage, a member of the Millennium Point events team wished me good luck and I’ve never forgotten that – I am so grateful for them saying what they said right at that moment!”

“The sense of relief when I finished the presentation was immense as it was months of hard work and fear paid off. I was not expecting to win the scholarship, so for me just getting through the presentation and having that chance to say what I wanted to say about the subject that I am passionate about was the best feeling.”

Laura, who is due to graduate in 2022, adds: “The scholarship process built my confidence greatly, and it has lessened the financial pressure of studying for a degree, and meant that I can invest more in learning equipment. The support that Millennium Point has given me, both throughout the scholarship process and since the final, has been so encouraging for my studies.

“It’s also helped me feel included and important – knowing that someone believes in you is a great encouragement to have. During my studies they have also made me aware of film-related events happening at Millennium Point. I also attended last year’s final, which provided me with a great insight into upcoming West Midlands talent and also the range of STEM courses that the Millennium Point Scholarship supports.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Thinking ahead to the future, Laura says: “I am very passionate about pursuing a career in the film and television industries. During my course, I have been able to explore many of the different roles involved in film production, and I have become enthusiastic about sound design, graphic design and screenwriting. Once I complete my studies, I will be looking for job opportunities within these fields and I am so excited to take those first steps towards a creative career. I am always looking for projects and productions to be involved with during my time at university to further my love of and experience in the industry.

Laura alongside Millennium Point’s Executive team Rebecca Delmore (Left), Abbie Vlahakis (Middle) and Linda Degg (Right)

ADVICE FOR APPLICANTS

“My advice for anyone thinking of applying for the scholarship would be to definitely apply now. It is a life-changing opportunity that you cannot miss if your course is eligible to receive the scholarship. Ignore any self-doubt about applying, and don’t be afraid of what the final may consist of. Show your passion towards the work that you have created related to your subject in your application, even if it’s small – any passion is still passion.”

UNLOCK THEIR FUTURE

Millennium Point is helping young people across the region unlock their future. For more information on how to apply or get involved please, visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

The Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition in partnership with Birmingham City University which awards a fully funded undergraduate degree at the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. Now in its seventh year, we look at the STEM leaders behind this year’s judging panel.

Kari is a young entrepreneur who started her first business at the age of 13, in AI consultancy and development. She now runs an AI youth programme, Youth4Code, working with thousands of young people across the region and beyond, helping them to understand AI and look to careers in STEM.

“STEM is so important to the region because it is so intrinsically linked to everything we do,” she says.

“Literally every day you’re doing something with STEM, and it’s so important especially when we have such a massive skills gap in the region and beyond. We need to firstly understand where we’re using STEM and be able to innovate and create for the future. I think the scholarship is so important, to provide opportunity for everyone to be able to study STEM; it’s something that I am really passionate about – providing that diversity of thought within STEM careers and having that opportunity for everyone to apply and be able to get that degree and learn about STEM.”

“I think for me I’m looking to the candidates for a genuine passion for STEM and technology, a real dedication and interest for the subject beyond what they’ve learned at school, and real proactivity – someone who wants to pursue STEM and really has that passion, dedication and interest.”

For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

The Millennium Point Scholarship is an annual competition in partnership with Birmingham City University which awards a fully funded undergraduate degree at the faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. Now in its seventh year, we look at the STEM leaders behind this year’s judging panel.

Samantha is the founder of 81G Blue, which has provided IT services to Millennium Point for the last three years.

The ethos behind 81G, which she started in 2007 is, she says: “to take IT tech from a corporate level background and distil it down for SMEs, and allow them to grow while using corporate level people, process and tech, to take them forwards.”

“STEM is really important to the region right now,” she adds. “In the West Midlands, the investment for STEM is huge; there’s so much coming into our region, and the more we can get our girls and guys into STEM – scholarships and otherwise – all the better for it.

“The scholarship is really important because, sadly today still, the doors are only open to the privileged. We want to give other opportunities to people who are deprived of them and should be able to kick down those doors and get the same opportunities as those privileged guys.”

She adds: “I think it’s really important to say that to get this far, all these girls and guys are awesome; they have done so well and wherever they go from here, whether they succeed with the scholarship or not, they’re going to have doors that open to them.

“What am I looking for from a candidate? Someone with a NERF gun of positivity; somebody that has got a glint in their eye and a plan in their back pocket, and they know where they’re going to go, and take this and not waste the opportunity – that’s important.

“I want to see positivity, because the hurdles, barriers and challenges which I’ve had to go through haven’t stopped me and it’s not going to stop them.”

“My message to the finalists is this: all is possible – you can have it all. The steppingstones that you’ve taken with your education have led you to this bridge. Once you go over this bridge, you’re on a pathway to success. It might not be in the way you think it is today, but trust me, it will ultimately go the places you want it. The only thing I will say is, on occasion, stop and look up at the sun – you need to do this, it’s important.”

The winner of the competition will be announced at the end of May 2021 online and on our social media channels. For more information on the scholarship competition, or how to apply, please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship.

Neil Thompson, Founder and Managing Director of The Delegate Wranglers will be the host of Talking Point: The Future of Events.

With just under 4 weeks to go until Talking Point: The Future of Events, we are delighted to announce that Neil Thompson, Founder and Managing Director of The Delegate Wranglers, will lead the discussions at Millennium Point’s critical hybrid conference examining the events and hospitality industry’s road to recovery over the next 12 – 18 months. We are excited to see what unique insights Neil brings to the discussions over the two panels with his more than 22 years experience in events and hospitality industry, having organised and managed events across the globe.

He founded The Delegate Wranglers Facebook group in 2014, which brings together professional conference organisers and events industry suppliers. The Delegate Wranglers has become a platform where more than 21,000 members worldwide share information, ask questions, advertise industry positions and services and provide advice and support.

Neil comments: “The pandemic has hit our industry hard and we’ve lost a lot of good people and businesses over the past 12 months. I’m thrilled to be heading up Talking Point, which is going to give event professionals and bookers meaningful insight into into important topics such as the latest trends, consumer attitudes and current obstacles we face in the immediate future of our industry with.”

Get your free ticket to Talking Point: The Future of Events

Talking Point: The Future of Events runs from 2pm – 4pm on Wednesday 26th May. It’s two panels will cover vital topics relevant to the industry including the latest trends, the rise of hybrid and virtual conference solutions, the importance of sustainability, corporate social responsibility and what the roadmap to recovery will be for events and hospitality.

The panels comprise local leaders across key industries including Chris Peacock, Co-Founder of Conference Care; Michael Anderson, Director of Projects at West Midlands Metro and Andrew Perolls, CEO of Greengage Solutions – with more to be announced over the coming weeks. Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director and Victoria Webb, Sales Manager both at Millennium Point, will also join the panels to give insight into the current position of being an events and conference venue.

This will be an opportunity for agents, event bookers and professionals to see how a hybrid event at Millennium Point works as well join in a vital conversation around kickstarting the events and hospitality industry across the UK. This event is free to attend both online and in person. The event will be broadcast live across our digital channels and will be available for replay on our Youtube following it’s conclusion.

To reserve your ticket, or for further information, visit the dedicated page here.

“Looking back, I feel really proud of myself, as I would never normally say yes to presenting in front of large groups. I really enjoyed the whole process.” – Sagal Qodah, 2017 scholarship winner

Sagal (Middle) collecting her award alongside 2015 winner Malik (left) and 2016 winner Abi (right)

MEET SAGAL

Sagal won the Millennium Point Scholarship (then called “The Young Innovator Prize”) in 2017, which funded her Civil Engineering course at BCU, and is currently working for Jacobs as a Graduate Geotechnical Engineer, having graduated in 2020 with a First Class Honours degree.

Sagal applied after hearing about the opportunity through her school; in fact, Sagal is the second pupil from Ark St Alban’s Academy in Highgate, Birmingham, to have received the scholarship, as a former pupil also received the funding from Millennium Point two years previously.

On why she chose BCU, Sagal says: “I liked the fact the university buildings were modern and had great laboratories to carry out experiments, compared to other universities. There were a variety of opportunities for me to develop, and, as a civil engineer, it was an exciting prospect to see the development of the city, along with the enabling works of HS2 over the three years of my course.”

Sagal with MPT Chairman, Simon Topman at the Live Final

SAGAL’S STORY

When asked why Sagal decided to apply, she says: “I did think about going abroad to study in Denmark at one point, but when I heard about the chance to have my tuition fees paid for and completely taken care of, it did make me rethink, and the financial assistance provided by the scholarship is the main reason I applied.

“The application process itself was easy and simple, and I was fortunate enough to have help from my careers advisor too, which made everything even smoother.”

While the 2021 final is a virtual one, Sagal reflects on her experience in 2017, when it was a live final in front of a panel of judges and audience of over 200 people: “It was nerve-wracking as I had never presented to or spoken in front of that many people before, and I did find it challenging beforehand when deciding what to include and how to structure my presentation, as well as preparing for any questions that I may have to answer. However, I had the encouragement and support from my friends and teachers which made the process and the evening itself less stressful.

“Looking back, I feel really proud of myself, as I would never normally say yes to presenting in front of large groups. I really enjoyed the whole process.”

Thinking about how the Millennium Point scholarship has benefited her, Sagal explains: “It has allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and in turn, it has meant that my confidence has increased – something which was incredibly valuable to me as I was starting university not knowing anyone. Through the scholarship and support from Millennium Point, I’ve been able to increase my network, have been given access to industry events, and I’ve also been provided with help and guidance when needed.

“For anyone thinking about applying for the scholarship, I would advise making the most of the process and don’t doubt yourself, as anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”

UNLOCK THEIR FUTURE

Millennium Point is helping young people across the region unlock their future. For more information on how to apply or get involved please, visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

Over the past few decades, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important part of many businesses worldwide. Like many things, the coronavirus pandemic caused businesses to take a step back and question their purpose, value and impact. This in turn has increased the development of CSR initiatives, with more and more businesses feeling the pressure from employees and consumers to operate with a stronger social conscience. This blog will look at what CSR is and four reasons why you should care.

WHAT’S CSR?

In general terms, CSR is the responsibility of an organisation for the impacts of its decisions on society and the environment above and beyond its legal obligations, through transparent and ethical behaviour. Previously, CSR was more common among the biggest brands as a way of addressing the impact their practices had on the environment but over recent decades, it has become more commonplace due to factors such as shifting public interests in environmental and ethical issues and legal changes which have made some aspects of CSR compulsory.

A prominent local example of CSR in action is with Cadbury’s. George and Richard Cadbury created the model village of Bourneville for their workers in Southwest Birmingham. This was born out of their desire to create better working conditions and quality of life for their workers compared to squalid conditions that were common at the time. Today, Cadbury’s CSR has evolved into the Cadbury Foundation which delivers regular projects and donations to local communities.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE

Other than it being a nice way of giving back there are several reasons why CSR is important and if you don’t already think about it then you should.

CSR ATTRACTS TALENT

Having a strong CSR is a gateway to attracting fresh talent, passionate about working for you. With Millennials making up around half of the workforce and Generation Z taking their first strides, CSR has never been more of a hook for attracting fresh talent. One report suggests that 82% of millennials consider CSR efforts of an organisation when deciding where to work. It goes on to suggest that 70% are actually willing to take a pay cut to work for a company with strong social values. This trend is likely only to increase as more of Gen Z and beyond enter the workforce.

CSR CAN REDUCE EMPLOYEE TURNOVER

On the same notion, companies who actively engage their people in CSR projects reduce their employee turnover by about half. This helps employees feel that their work has purpose beyond their role, serves as a source of motivation and raises morale. In turn, this equates to more job satisfaction which is a major factor in retaining your workforce.

CSR CAN INCREASE REVENUE

Companies who invest in a social purpose have 4-6% higher market value and 20% more revenue compared to those who don’t according to a study in 2015 reported by The Telegraph. As collective social consciousness soars, so does a cultural shift occur and the demand from consumers for more ethical practises and CSR from businesses. CSR raises your profile and makes your company more attractive to consumers and investors. We only need to look at the rise in ethically driven SMEs over the past few years to see this in effect. It also shows that consumers are willing to pay a bit extra when they know the products and business are ethically driven.

Similarly, in a B2B space, business’ and investors are more likely to choose businesses with strong CSR profiles for the simple fact that it increases their own. Many of our clients here at Millennium Point cite our strong commitment to investing our profits into STEM education projects and initiatives – more of which you can read about here.

CSR IS A GREAT BRAND TOOL

In the same article, The Telegraph reported that a quarter (25%) of a company’s market value is it’s reputation. Brand is an important part of any business and CSR is an excellent way of elevating it. CSR gives another layer of engagement with your customers, which means more touch points for you to grab their attention and get their buy-in. In fact, 76% of the general population believe business leaders should take a lead on social and environmental issues — that’s 76% of the population who you could be engaging with right now with your CSR projects.

Engagement aside, it raises the overall perception of your brand. Businesses who show that they are taking an active role in tackling environmental and social issues are seen as more respectable and more human. This legitimises your brand and leads to more recognition and brand loyalty.

MILLENNIUM POINT’S CSR

Profits from our commercial activity as a multi-award-winning venue and landmark public building are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. This investment approximates to around £5m annually on projects, events and initiatives which promote the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. That means a percentage of any event booking or ticket purchase you make goes towards improving education locally. Read more about some of the projects we have funded here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON CSR

Get your free ticket to our own hybrid conference Talking Point: The Future of Events from 2pm – 4pm on Wednesday 26th May. This two-hour event consists of two panels that will examine the impact of the pandemic and what the next 12-18 months has in store for the events industry – topics include CSR, sustainability and current trends. You can join online or in-person to see how a hybrid event at Millennium Point works as well as join in a vital conversation around kickstarting the events and hospitality industry across the UK.

To reserve your ticket, or for further information, visit the dedicated page here.