C-Ways
C-Ways is a Scarborough based company with over 15 years experience in the provision of IT services to the education sector in Yorkshire and to the public sector. The company's main services include network design & installation, storage area networks and virtualisation, as well as providing IP CCTV, IT solutions for new build/refurbishment projects and comprehensive support services.
Jacky Jackson, general manager at C-Ways, said: "C-Ways has been involved in providing vendor independent IT services to educational and public sector organisations in Hull for over ten years. Involvement with the Hull Esteem Consortium would enable us to continue our long standing business relationship with these organisations, and provide continuity of service during and after the deployment of the BSF programme.
"C-Ways has substantial existing business activities with schools and colleges in Hull which we are keen to protect. As a Yorkshire based specialist company we feel it is important for the City of Hull to assist local companies to participate in the BSF programme and to help retain their existing business and if possible develop further opportunities.
"We believe that our experience, knowledge and expertise of the education sector in Hull should be harnessed by BSF and would prove to be invaluable to the timely and successful implementation of the BSF programme in Hull.
"C-Ways has been providing specialist IT services to schools, colleges and the university in Hull over many years and we believe these skills should be harnessed by the main contractors. We have a broad local knowledge of the education sector in Hull, the topography of the area and the integrated links to each organisation.
"We have established excellent business relationships and worked with clients in the education sector, including Hull College, Malet Lambert School, The Sirius Academy and Hull University. We have also worked alongside public and private sector organisations in the city, including East Yorkshire NHS, Hull Truck Theatre, Hull City Build and Kingston Communications.
"C-Ways is constantly looking to recruit young people, either on a part-time or full-time basis. If working with Hull Esteem Consortium would open up further routes to placement for young people, we would very much welcome that.
"We currently employ twelve full-time staff and two part-time staff. If we were to gain sizeable further business through the BSF programme, we would need to recruit in the Hull area. We would need people with IT skills, but more importantly people with the right attitude, a willingness to absorb knowledge and be ready to grasp opportunities when they present themselves.
"The short-term effects would be the opportunity to sustain our business in a very competitive market. In these economically challenging times, the public sector especially is experiencing cut-backs in revenue, which undoubtedly effects the organisations supplying services to it. The added benefit would be that we would then need to recruit staff locally in order to fulfill those contracts.
"In the long term, we could plan the strategic direction of the company in a much more considered way. We would look to establish an office in Hull to manage the BSF business on a more local basis, as well as looking to employ local people to staff the office with technical and project management staff."