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Manufacturing Wales Shares Skills Training and Procurement Insights

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At MW’s members' insights event on 14 October hosted by Chair Frank Holmes, members came together to hear about the latest trends and emerging opportunities for public sector procurement and workforce training.

Noting the critical role of Wales' further education sector in working with employers, Manufacturing Wales was delighted to welcome Coleg Gwent to share their ambitions for collaboration and to explore the links between FE and industry.

Claire Reardon and John Sexton from Coleg Gwent, MW’s newest Further Education member, spoke about the college’s ongoing ambitions to ensure manufacturing in Wales has the human resources it needs for future growth.

“Coleg Gwent is really keen to engage with employers and develop partnerships. We do it in a number of ways engaging with employers for work placements, site tours, training and masterclasses, guest lectures.

John Sexton, Faculty Director Construction, Engineering and Creative Studies at Coleg Gwent, spoke about the college’s plans for a new campus in Ebbw Vale that will be chiefly concerned with advanced manufacturing, and invited businesses to contact him with a view to future collaborations related to the development.

Public Sector Procurement

“There’s never been a better time for local companies to be trying to access public sector procurement, because government is more interested than ever before in local, circular economy benefits.

Manufacturing Wales is committed to assisting members in growing relationships with the public sector and reaping the benefits of government procurement through the UK and Welsh governments, as well as local authorities.

As part of this session, Tarkan Conger, Director of Rototherm in Port Talbot, provided a valuable insight into their government procurement journey.

Tarkan spoke about how they went from supplying the public sector nothing to a significant amount through their PPE experience.

“In the UK you have main government channel partners – these are assigned to framework agreements.

When they get assigned then the government will directly liaise with them, and you can supply into the framework.”

Tarkan’s advice for companies wanting to pursue public sector tenders was to start at the Sell to Wales website.

“Type in your product and it’ll show what bids might relate to it. Then you can make a strategic decision: do you apply directly, or go through a framework.” Tarkan’s advice? “Go for both, but often it’s better to go through the framework” which provides a one-stop-shop for government.”

Another piece of advice is not to underestimate the ‘social value’ element of a bid.

“Public sector awards are assigned on a marking system, and they’re very big on social values. It’s not just about price. We’ve invested in our facilities with solar energy for instance and community events.

“Doing something for the environment, the circular economy. That’s becoming increasingly attractive for government wanting to procure locally.”

Manufacturing Wales is keen to focus in more detail on sharing tangible pathways for its members to access public sector procurement, and this will be a developing area of our research on behalf of members.

The above captures just some of the information shared at this Manufacturing Wales’ membersm insights event. To hear more, including unique and exclusive industry perspectives, do join us.

Manufacturing Wales brings together the ideas, innovations, best practices and pioneering spirit of the Welsh manufacturing community. Membership is open to companies and affiliate membership to universities – providing a unique platform to collaborate, innovate and create new ventures.

The next Members Insights meeting takes place in January 2022 when the group will also begin a series of factory tours, initiated by founder member, Penderyn at their distillery in Aberdare.

Business News Wales