Keeping your business safe and secure is a major part of doing business, even in countries traditionally considered to be safe. It’s estimated that cybercrime alone costs US businesses more than $120 billion a year, or about two percent of their total value.
But businesses are fighting back. They’ve had enough of the constant erosion of their profits and are looking for ways to stop criminals from stealing all their wealth. Here’s what they’re doing.
Training Their Staff
Staff training is an essential part of keeping a business safe. Not only do staff have to know how to respond to threats in the real world, but they also have to know about the threats they face online. Businesses have been teaching their workers for years about the importance of alerting management if they see anybody suspicious walking around the office, but it’s only recently that many have begun focusing on cyber security. Cybersecurity is fast becoming the biggest problem that businesses face. And what’s more, it’s their own employees who are often responsible for creating the opportunities that allow it to happen. Carelessly downloading email attachments or leaving devices unlocked in public places, make it easier for criminals to get access to business networks. Smart companies understand this, and they are taking action to ensure that their staff is adequately trained.
Crime can happen any time of the day, any day of the week. This is why so many savvy businesses are hiring security companies to monitor their feeds. The problem with a traditional CCTV setup is that it is reactive, not proactive. In other words, a crime takes place, and then the business goes back over the CCTV footage to try to catch the perpetrator. A much better solution would be to monitor the security feed the whole time so that crimes can be prevented, but most companies don’t have the internal resources to do this sort of thing, and so they forever have to pick up the pieces after a crime has taken place. The smart move is to get somebody else to watch the feed who can then alert the business if there is any sign of suspicious activity.
Preventing Information Theft
Another problem that businesses face is information theft. Criminals want companies’ information, including private client details, because they can sell it on to the highest bidder. Most companies don’t realize it, but there’s actually a market for their information and people are willing to pay a high price for it, making it very lucrative for criminals who can get their hands on it.
Some companies are getting a handle on this sort of thing and trying to prevent it. One way that they are doing this is making sure that access is restricted on a “need-to-know” basis. In other words, employees are only able to access data that is relevant to them. Employees themselves can sometimes be a threat, and so companies are also regularly reviewing who makes changes to “privileges” option on the network.
There’s a serious skills gap in the country right now. While unemployment figures are low at the moment, when you look at graduate unemployment it’s a different story – it’s at an all-time high for people leaving college. Why? Well, the simple truth is that few graduates end up even working in their field of study, and they just don’t have the experience to work in any other areas. Plus, of course, they owe a huge amount of money to student loans, credit cards, and other debts that have supported them through college life.
But imagine if they didn’t go to college. Imagine instead that they took an apprenticeship with a local trades company, as a trainee electrician, bricklayer, or plumber. Or what if they just took a six-month course in their trade of choice? Sure, there is still a cost involved, but it’s way less than a college degree in a subject that might not give you a job on completion. Where would they be right now?
They wouldn’t have the huge levels of debt, that’s for sure. And the chances are that within a couple of years they will have qualified as a professional, be earning some great money, and maybe even have their own businesses. The university student, however, still has another two years of debt to build up, and no guarantee of a job.
Trades are well paid, too. When demand outstrips supply, you are always guaranteed work, wherever you are in the country. Your prospects are fantastic, and you can either specialize in different types of work, set up your own company, or even take your skills with you while you travel the world. With all this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the things you need to consider if you want to make it with a trade.
Your best entry into a trade is finding a company or sole trader who is looking to take on an apprentice. While your wages will be low, you may find that the business is willing to pay for your training. When you get your certification, your employer will expect you to return some service to them – usually two or three years. But there is a big advantage – it’s a perfect environment for you to improve your skills, get more on-the-job experience, and learn about the business side of being in a trade.
Taking courses
There are a few routes into most trades. You can either do courses in your spare time – even online – or go to a trades college, which typically costs anything up to $30,000, depending on the trade you choose. Sure, it’s a lot of money, but when you bear in mind a standard university degree can cost well over $100,000, it’s not a terrible investment – and you’ll be earning money as soon as you qualify. You’ll also need to get a license to practice your trade of choice in the state you work in.
Tooling up
As a tradesperson, there are two vital things you will need to invest in: tools, and a vehicle. Neither should be skimped on, as the tools of your trade will keep you working fast and accurately, and your van or truck will help you get to jobs and stay organized. In fact, your vehicles are far more important than you might think. An electrician is on the go constantly, and it’s crucial that he has all his equipment with him at all times. Check out http://www.tallermovil.org/equipamientos-furgonetas/productos-infinity/ for some examples of how to best organize your van.
The beauty of having a trade is that if you are good enough, you will find work with a whole bunch of companies. You might join a trade-specific firm, or work for a general building company ads their trade specialists. Depending on the quality of the business you work for, your job should be safe, and it will give you a regular income and training opportunities. If you are willing to work for yourself, however, the rewards can be even greater. You can work as a contractor for a broad range of building businesses, as well as offering private services to homeowners and businesses alike.
Growing your trades business
Of course, there are only so many hours in the day that you can work, and your trade will have an hourly rate attached to it. So, while you can make an excellent living, there will be limits on your income. If you want to make seriously good money, you will need to consider starting a business and employing people. It’s an entirely different kettle of fish to working alone, and the more you grow, the less you will be able to rely on your trade. Ultimately, you will start to become more of a manager, running the business from an office, visiting customers to provide them with quotes, and ensuring everyone is working in a safe environment at all times.
Following the money
Some trades pay better than others. For example, if you want to earn big money, doing a trade in a hazardous environment will pay out big time. Instead of welding for a living, try welding underwater. Working on an oil rig with your specialty is another way to boost your income. If you are an electrician, then looking for a job in powerhouses or substations is better paid than domestic labor. There is an element of danger money to all of this, of course, but the point is if you can find a niche you will become hot property for anyone that needs to use your service.
Conclusion
So, do you think you have what it takes to be a successful blue collar worker or a business owner? The trades used to get a bad rep in years gone by, as it was often seen as ‘worse’ than an office job. But good tradespeople are creative, smart, and inventive problem solvers – which is why they enjoy a level of income that most office workers would love.
Workshops are, by definition, businesses that create, form, or mould items together to then sell to the general public or other businesses. Manufacturing affects so much in this world. Entire countries economies are built on manufacturing. Just look at America and Henry Ford in the last century. It is huge and always has been. The fact you want to tap into that market is great. Yet, to truly make your business succeed you need to bear certain things in mind and make your workshop an easy and great place to work. These tips may seem basic, are at aimed at those just starting up. You may have considered one or two of these tips, but persevere and check the others out as they could give you the ideas to really succeed.
First, before buying the premises you need to ensure what you want to do will be suitable. Check out what you’ll be manufacturing and ensure the required machinery will fit with enough space to spare. Cramped places aren’t easy to work in and accidents can more easily occur. When you are built, try not to get equipment that has already been built and is somewhat generic, consider getting it built specifically for you place. If you have heavy items to move around then look for a shop crane for sale. You need to ensure that everything moves as it should, it all depends on what components you are using. Your business plan should reflect the costings for these machines, if it doesn’t now is the time to get back to the drawing board.
You’ll likely be recruiting people too. No one can manufacture on their own, regardless of the machinery used. You really want to be going for people with experience with the machinery you currently use. Don’t recruit people with no experience, not at this stage in any case. You want to benefit from people’s expertise and what they can bring to your fledgling business.
For any kind of workshop to run well there needs to be certain rules. These quite often revolve around health and safety. This is paramount. If anything happens to anyone and you didn’t have the right protocols in place you could be held liable and end up being shut down or worse you could be personally sued. When you get specialists coming in they need to also be trained on the machinery they aren’t used to using. Be double sure and safe. Create a guide book. Ensure the book is read and signed off by all. These kinds of due diligence can help you if anything bad happens because you can show you have done the right thing.
On the same note you should consider PPE. Protective equipment is a must in the workshop. It includes steel toe cap boots, gloves, and overalls. Eyewear and masks can be great too, especially if the manufacturing process creates bad fumes. These must always be on hand and you should discipline anyone that doesn’t use them.
Do you love animals? Of course, you do! Who doesn’t? But have you ever wondered what it would be like to actually get to work with animals for a living? One of the most frustrating things in life is working a job where you don’t get to be involved in anything that you’re really passionate about. But working with animals is one of the best ways to do something for a living that you really care about. There’s nothing quite as wonderful as being able to use something that you really love and turn it into a career. Of course, there are as many different types of careers with animals as there are animals themselves! So, with that in mind, here are some career choices that are sure to drive any animal lovers wild!
Being a vet is something that takes years of training, and a lot of people simply don’t have the opportunity to do that. Of course, just like a doctor is nothing without a nurse, running a successful vet clinic isn’t something that anyone can do on their own. A vet assistant provides lots of incredibly important support on both an administrative level and regarding care. You’ll be able to help the vet with procedures, administering medications, and performing examinations, as well as dealing with things like booking appointments and scheduling follow-ups. This is the perfect job for you if you want to be right on the front lines, saving animals lives every day.
Have you always been pretty good in the saddle? Well, why not pass that knowledge onto other people? This is a great job if you want to combine your love of animals with a love of interacting with people as well. You’ll need to be up pretty early and ready to motivate your students as well as have a great deal of patience with them. You’ll need to be able to handle the horses as well as groups of both adults and children. After a while, you might be sure which ones are supposed to be the wild animals!
Every kid wants to be a zookeeper at some point; it’s usually between wanting to be a firefighter and a power ranger. But why let that dream die with childhood? As a zookeeper, you’ll have the opportunity to care for all kinds of animals, from the big cats, all the way down to exotic reptiles and insects. This is the perfect job for someone who loves all animals equally. Rather than getting stuck working with a single type of animal all the time, you get to spend your time with dozens, even hundreds, of different species every day. You’ll be there to care for them, feed them, help exercise and train them. Sadly this does mean that you’ll also be in charge of clean out the enclosures from time to time. But hey, even the best jobs in the world have been known to stink from time to time.
It seems as though technology has had a huge impact on all aspects of our personal lives, as well as the majority of industries. So many jobs have been completely revolutionised by technology and the way that we live our lives is constantly changing. However, the construction industry seemed to be one area that had not seen that much change in recent years as a result of technology. But that is all changing, the construction industry is finally beginning to embrace new technology and altering the way that the industry functions. These are just a few of the new technological innovations that are changing the construction industry right now.
Drones
We’ve all heard about drones, they seem to be everywhere today. There are plenty of different uses for them. Some companies have recently introduced drone deliveries, and there is a popular drone racing community out there. But they are also being utilized in the construction industry.
The main way in which they are being used in the construction industry is for surveying purposes. In the past, surveyors would have to inspect every aspect of the building themselves, using boom lifts or ladders to reach the higher areas. This was incredibly time consuming and expensive. But now, this can be carried out completely remotely, by flying the drone around the building and surveying the building through a camera. They can be a lot more efficient than a human surveyor, and negate the chance of human error.
They can also be used for health and safety purposes, assessing a site and finding any hazards, without a human having to put themselves in danger by entering the site. The use of drones in the construction industry is becoming more widespread as technology companies are now starting to manufacture specific drones designed for industrial applications.
Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
When we think of Augmented and Virtual Reality software, we usually think of entertainment applications, particularly movies and video games. There are in fact a lot more different uses for these technologies, construction being one of the more recent ones.
Construction companies are using Virtual Reality software in a number of different ways. When designing buildings with clients, it can be used to give them a much more real sense of what the finished product will be. It can be difficult to know whether the designs meet your requirements just from looking at drawings and mock-ups. But using Virtual Reality software, clients are able to walk around a three-dimensional recreation of the design.
Augmented Reality also has more practical applications as it can lay data and images over the top of a physical space. The main use for this is to lay measurements and technical drawings over the actual space that the building will be constructed in. This way, any errors or discrepancies can be found before construction begins, avoiding any delays to the schedule that could end up costing money.
Health and Safety
There are plenty of technological innovations that have replaced troublesome health and safety procedures that are often ignored. Light up hard hats, safety glasses and protective clothing have all seen huge advances as a result of technological innovation.
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