GUEST COLUMN:
Huw Williams
Director of Operational Excellence
KLA
At KLA, we’ve always understood that the challenges faced by communities are too complex for any single company or organisation to solve alone.
This belief is fundamental to our involvement with the Business in the Community (BITC) Newport Place Programme. Through the KLA Foundation, we recognise the power of the network in driving real change, and the Newport programme has become a perfect example of how collaboration can make a tangible difference.
KLA’s presence in Newport is significant. Our SPTS division has been based in the city for more than two decades, and with plans to invest more than $100 million in a new plant next year, Newport is central to our growth. But our relationship with the community goes beyond business operations. The KLA Foundation, the charitable arm of our company, is committed to giving back to the regions where we operate. When BITC launched the Newport Place Programme in 2022, we were one of its founding funders, contributing $75,000 to help establish the initiative.
For us, the decision to support the Newport community was not just about financial investment. It was about aligning the three core aims of the KLA Foundation with the needs of Newport and its residents. These three pillars – education and support, wellness and health equality, and community enrichment – closely mirror the goals of the Newport Place Programme. Together, they form the foundation of our efforts to make a lasting impact.
Education is a key focus for KLA. As a technology company, we are particularly passionate about supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, especially for underrepresented communities and women in technology. In Newport, we’ve already made strides in this area. Last year, we partnered with Kidcare4U, an organisation that supports more than 100 children from the Pill area every weekend. These children attend educational sessions, gaining the qualifications and skills they need to succeed.
One of our early initiatives was to take a group of these children to Techniquest in Cardiff, where KLA has a dedicated lab. The visit allowed the children to see firsthand that technology is a field they can pursue. The experience was particularly impactful for the high percentage of girls and underprivileged children in the group, showing them that opportunities in well-paid, cutting-edge industries are within their reach, and right on their doorstep.
This year, we’re building on that success. We are working to extend our partnership with Kidcare4U by offering apprenticeships at KLA for young people from the Pill area. This initiative is about more than just providing training. It’s about showing the local community that they can aspire to careers in high-paying industries and achieve success without needing to leave their region. We hope this will inspire a new generation of talent in Newport, fostering a sense of pride and possibility.
But the power of the network goes beyond our direct involvement. Through the Newport Place Programme, we’ve connected with other organisations that share our commitment to making a difference. The University of South Wales and Coleg Gwent are key partners in our apprenticeship programmes, providing essential training and education for young people. These partnerships allow us to pool our resources and expertise to offer even greater support to the community.
What KLA gains from this involvement is not just the satisfaction of contributing to a community’s development, but also the opportunity to broaden our pipeline of future talent. Newport is a critical region for us, and by engaging with local schools, colleges, and community organisations, we’re helping to nurture a diverse group of future employees. This, in turn, adds diversity to our workforce and strengthens our long-term prospects as a company.
One of the most rewarding aspects of this work has been seeing how our efforts align with the needs of the community. Whether it’s providing access to educational resources, promoting health equality, or enriching the local area through community programmes, our work with the Newport Place Programme has reinforced the idea that collective impact can drive meaningful change. It’s about understanding that no single organisation can tackle these challenges alone, but together, we can achieve so much more.
For KLA, supporting the Newport community is not just a matter of corporate responsibility. It’s about building lasting relationships that benefit both the community and our business.
Through the power of the network, we’re showing that when businesses, organisations, and communities work together, the results can be truly remarkable. The Newport Place Programme is the perfect conduit for this collaboration, and we’re proud to be a part of it.
