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Whole construction supply chain now on the hook as new right to work rules take effect

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LONDON, Oct. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — UK construction firms can now be fined for illegal working anywhere in their supply chain, not just among their own employees. Penalties can reach £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach and £60,000 per worker for a repeat breach. That was the warning from experts at a briefing hosted by innDex, the construction site and workforce management platform, at the House of Commons on 29 September.

Contractors heard from Kevin Barker, an immigration compliance specialist and former Home Office official, and a Home Office policy representative. The session was chaired by innDex co-founder George Smithies and Dean Tuhey, founder of right to work specialist PPAC.

What has changed

Until 1 October, a civil penalty for illegal working depended on a direct employer-employee relationship. Liability now extends to self-employed workers, gig workers, subcontractors and labour supply chains.

Where the Home Office cannot identify the direct employer, or prescribed requirements have not been met, it can impose the penalty on another business in the contractual chain.

Businesses now need a statutory excuse built on three requirements:

Contractual terms requiring subcontractors to carry out compliant right to work checks, seek consent before further subcontracting, accept audits and cooperate with the Home Office.Substitution controls, so the person on site is the person who was checked.Identity verification systems, such as access passes, facial verification, biometrics and attendance records.

Kevin Barker said: “The two things I want people to remember are that responsibility is changing, and so is liability.”

Why construction is exposed

Construction supply chains are often several tiers deep, running through subcontractors, agencies and payroll companies. A gap at any tier can come back to the businesses above it.

Contract clauses alone are not enough

The Home Office will judge how well each requirement works in practice, and audits must actually happen and be evidenced. As penalties are a civil matter, decided on the balance of probabilities, what counts as “reasonable and proportionate” will ultimately be decided by a County Court judge.

“New powers tend to be used as soon as they arrive,” said Kevin Barker. “It’s no good just having it written in your terms and conditions. You have to do it, and you must be able to show you’ve done it.”

Dean Tuhey added: “A right to work check is no longer a tick box exercise. It’s a process. Student visa hours, sponsor confirmations and workers in roles their visas don’t cover are all on sites today. There’s only one acceptable number in construction: 100%.”

The role of digital verification

Under the UK Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework, certified digital verification service providers (DVSPs) now play a central role in the new regime.

From 1 October, certified providers can check British passports that expired up to six months ago, and the in-person element of a check can be carried out digitally. Employers must still confirm each check matches the person they engage.

PPAC passed its certified DVSP audit on 21 September. With innDex, it links a worker’s right to work check to their site induction, a face check on arrival and daily biometric clock-in. If a visa expires, site access updates in real time.

George Smithies, co-founder of innDex, said: “We kept hearing confusion from our clients about what was changing, who’s responsible and what they need to do. Our message is simple: the law has moved from the employer to the whole chain, and the industry needs a process that can prove who is on site, every day.”

 

About innDex:

innDex delivers end-to-end workforce management solutions purposefully designed for the construction industry. Built by civil engineers, the platform simplifies project delivery through digital tools that enhance safety and compliance on site. Today, innDex supports more than 26,400 companies across 27 countries and five continents.

About PPAC:

Founded in 2016, PPAC provides right to work and identity verification built specifically for construction, making onboarding faster, verification more accurate and compliance simpler on site.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/whole-construction-supply-chain-now-on-the-hook-as-new-right-to-work-rules-take-effect-302914353.html

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HKAGE Showcases Gifted Students’ Learning Journeys at InnoCarnival 2026

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Promoting “Technology for Good” Through Innovation and Creativity 

HONG KONG, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) has been invited to participate in InnoCarnival 2026, organised by the Innovation and Technology Commission. Under the theme “Technology for Good, Innovation for All”, HKAGE will showcase the learning journeys of gifted students who have completed programmes on AI robotic arms, underwater archaeology, etc., demonstrating how technology can be harnessed to address societal needs.

Having proactively aligned its work with the education development strategies of the Education Bureau (EDB), HKAGE fully supports the EDB’s Blueprint for Digital Education in Primary and Secondary Schools, which seeks to advance the digital transformation of school education in Hong Kong. Building on its Talent Development Model, HKAGE systematically develops programmes, provides diversified learning experiences and engages in cross-sector collaborations to nurture gifted talents equipped with innovative capabilities, technological literacy, and a strong sense of social responsibility. At the exhibition this year, HKAGE will present how students applied knowledge gained through gifted education programmes and learning experiences in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, environmental science, underwater archaeology and sustainable development to design socially conscious solutions. These experiences reflect the students’ ability to serve society with knowledge and respond creatively to diverse challenges.

Among the highlights is the learning journey of students in the “Artificial Intelligence Course: Creative AI Robotic Arm for Inclusion”. After acquiring foundational knowledge in artificial intelligence, robotics and sensor applications, students designed, tested and refined intelligent robotic arm prototypes through real-time data analysis and algorithms. With the aim of improving the quality of life for the elderly and caregivers, students explored various application scenarios for intelligent robotic arms. Another showcase features the “Environmental Science Course: Bat Echoes – Voices of the Night”. Through acoustic monitoring, the exhibition demonstrates how students recorded bat voices and analysed related activity data and characteristics. The programme enabled students to gain a deeper understanding of local biodiversity and explore practical approaches to ecological conservation.

The HKAGE exhibition booth also features an interactive photo-taking device, allowing visitors to take photos with different gifted programme themes and share the joy of learning.

On the first day of the exhibition, a “Build Your Own Glider Parent-Child Workshop” is specially organised by HKAGE for the visitors. Under the guidance of instructors and assisted by HKAGE students, participants will learn the basic principles of aerodynamics, including lift, gravity, thrust and drag. They will also learn to design, assemble and decorate their own gliders by using lightweight and durable materials, experiencing the joy of science and engineering.

Mr WONG Chung Po, Acting Executive Director of HKAGE, said: “The Academy is committed to providing gifted students with diversified learning platforms and encouraging them to transform knowledge into innovative practices that generate positive social impact. Participation in this exhibition not only provides students with a valuable learning experience that helps consolidate the knowledge acquired in gifted programmes, but also enables the public to better understand how gifted education nurtures a new generation of creative and socially responsible talents to jointly advance the philosophy of ‘Technology for Good’.”

InnoCarnival 2026 – The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

Date:

24 Oct – 1 Nov

Venue:

The Hong Kong Science Park

Booth:

C08-09

Time:

10:00 – 17:00 (Mon to Fri)

10:00 – 18:00 (Sat & Sun)

 

About the HKAGE

Established in 2008 and subvented by the Education Bureau, the HKAGE offers gifted education services actively to local primary and secondary school students to unleash their potential. It also provides gifted education-related information and support for teachers, parents, and other relevant stakeholders.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/hkage-showcases-gifted-students-learning-journeys-at-innocarnival-2026-302918606.html

SOURCE Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education

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LEAP Group Relaunches HumanView, a Growth Intelligence System Built to Explain Why Customers Behave the Way They Do

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Reimagined from the ground up, HumanView pairs statistical modeling with expert analysts to turn millions of real-world customer signals into business decisions

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LEAP Group today announced the relaunch of HumanView, its growth intelligence service. The new version has been rebuilt from the ground up and now has a dedicated home at leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

HumanView analyzes what customers say and do across social platforms, e-commerce sites, review platforms, search behavior and user-generated content, including signals from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Amazon and Walmart+ that general AI tools cannot always access. Because the data reflects unprompted, real-world behavior, it avoids the response bias built into surveys and focus groups.

The service works in three layers. HumanView captures signals at scale, decodes millions of records through validated statistical models such as regression, correlation and clustering, and then relies on experienced analysts to interpret the patterns. Clients receive clear, human-validated insights instead of another dashboard.

“Machines find the patterns. Humans find the point,” said Alan Gilleo, CEO at LEAP Group. “The first version of HumanView showed us how much customers reveal when nobody is asking them questions. This version is built to explain why they act the way they do, and to put those answers in front of everyone making decisions, from product to service to marketing.”

HumanView focuses on three areas:

Growth Intelligence: customer motivations and how people perceive a brand and its competitors

Market and Category Intelligence: product pain points, service friction, unmet needs and competitive gaps

Audience Intelligence: new segments, positioning opportunities and gaps in the market

Every model is designed and validated by data scientists and benchmarked before it informs a recommendation.

To learn more about HumanView, visit leapgroupnetwork.com/humanview.

About LEAP Group
LEAP Group is a boutique marketing agency holding company with offices in Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Chicago. Guided by the belief that brands should “Market Less. Matter More.,” LEAP gives clients access to specialized experts across its entire network. Learn more at leapgroupnetwork.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leap-group-relaunches-humanview-a-growth-intelligence-system-built-to-explain-why-customers-behave-the-way-they-do-302918557.html

SOURCE LEAP Group

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STEPHEN A. SMITH ADDRESSES WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTENDANCE, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO HBCUs AND PROTECTING CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN BLACK EDUCATION

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NEW YORK, Oct. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stephen A. Smith, media mogul, New York Times bestselling author, and proud 1991 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, is addressing the public discussion surrounding his decision to attend a White House dinner with President Donald Trump, emphasizing his commitment to the long-term financial stability of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

For Smith, the decision was rooted in a commitment to institutions that have educated generations of Black leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, and public servants.

“I will always advocate for HBCUs and the students whose futures depend on them,” Smith said. “My reason for attending the White House dinner was to discuss the challenges these institutions face in securing long-term funding and to make the case that corporate America must continue to invest in them.”

Smith acknowledged federal support through the FUTURE Act while expressing concern that political tensions surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) could discourage private companies from supporting HBCUs. He maintains that these institutions deserve sustained corporate partnerships, philanthropic contributions, and public investment.

“If we truly believe in free-market capitalism, businesses should be able to support educational institutions and charitable causes without fear of criticism or repercussions,” Smith said. “HBCUs have made extraordinary contributions to this country. They deserve sustained public and private investment.”

Ashley Christopher, Esq., Founder and CEO of the HBCU Week Foundation, recognized Smith’s advocacy and decision to engage with the administration.

“Stephen A. Smith has been a powerful advocate for HBCUs, using his platform and influence to shine a national spotlight on our institutions,” expressed Christopher, “His continued support of HBCU Week helps advance our mission of connecting students with life-changing educational opportunities, and we are proud to have him as our ambassador.”

Since Smith became an HBCU Week Ambassador in 2019, the initiative has facilitated more than 15,000 on-the-spot college acceptances and raised and awarded more than $150 million in scholarships, according to the HBCU Week Foundation.

As public discussion continues, Smith is emphasizing the importance of ensuring HBCUs have the resources and partnerships needed to educate future generations and expand opportunities for students.

CLICK HERE to watch Smith’s full response to his White House visit.

MEDIA CONTACT:

media@mrsasinc.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stephen-a-smith-addresses-white-house-dinner-attendance-reaffirms-commitment-to-hbcus-and-protecting-corporate-investment-in-black-education-302918547.html

SOURCE Straight Shooter Media

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