Welsh broadband provider Ogi is making waves in the telecommunications sector – not just for delivering ultrafast full fibre broadband, but for investing heavily in its people.
Since launching during the pandemic in 2021, Ogi has expanded rapidly from a 20-person team to more than 200 employees, now operating across South Wales from Milford to Monmouth. With this growth has come a strong focus on staff development, and the Flexible Skills Programme – funded by the Welsh Government – has played a pivotal role, providing up to 50% towards training costs.
Ogi has benefitted from the programme to invest significantly in its workforce. Louise Mumford, Learning and Development Manager, said:
“At Ogi, we’re all about being dynamic, vibrant, and proudly Welsh. Learning is vital to our strategy, ensuring our people have the skills they need to thrive.
“We’ve utilised the Flexible Skills Programme to help fund our ‘Last Mile’ training – a specialist programme for our installation engineers. This focuses on the crucial ‘last mile’ of their work, ensuring they can confidently deliver excellent service from the roadside cabinet right to the customer’s door. This training has improved staff confidence and driven up service quality.”
The programme has also supported wider skills development across Ogi, including IT, project management, technical teams, and the company’s inspiring managers programme – designed to nurture leadership talent and create opportunities for career growth.
By investing in its workforce, Ogi has seen real benefits. Louise adds:
“Investing in our people is crucial. It benefits both parties – us, as an employer, but it also shows our staff that we care about their development and value them, which in turn drives the quality of the services we offer. Ogi’s staff turnover rate, especially amongst the engineers, is at the lowest it’s ever been. We’ve embedded a culture of curiosity, encouraging everyone to continue learning.”
Funding for the Flexible Skills Programme can be used for both face-to-face and online training, with no requirement to use a specific training provider. However, all supported training must be accredited or meet recognised industry standards.
Louise said:
“In today’s financial climate, training is often overlooked. The programme has allowed us to keep learning and development a priority. It’s helped us recruit sustainably within our communities and improve our green credentials.
“The support from Business Wales is fantastic. They’re willing to talk, to help, to give us feedback and enable us to create an application which is strong and will ensure success. It’s quick, efficient and really helpful.
“I strongly encourage all businesses to explore the Flexible Skills Programme and reach out to Business Wales to see what options are available – there’s something that will suit your business. It’s helped us nurture the talented managers of today and tomorrow. For us, it’s been a no-brainer.”
As Ogi continues to expand, they’re also exploring other training options such as apprenticeships to support sustainable growth.
For more information on the Flexible Skills Programme, visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/topics-and-guidance/employing-people-and-improving-skills/recruit-and-train/flexible-skills-programme.
Business Wales is funded by Welsh Government. For more information and support to help your business discover opportunities, and to speak to a specialist advisor, contact Business Wales. Visit www.businesswales.gov.wales/ or call 03000 6 03000. Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg – we welcome calls in Welsh.
