by 4theManagement | Aug 8, 2023 | Past, Reports
Green Economy Skills Roundtable 2023
Partners from across South West Wales came together to discuss some new initiatives to support the development of green skills across a variety of sectors.
This roundtable is part of a series of conversations focused on the region’s green economy. The Green Economy Conference, happening in November, aims to bring together businesses and organisations to discuss the growth of the green economy in South West Wales. This roundtable featured discussions on various projects and initiatives related to skills development in areas such as renewable energy, construction, digital sector, and more.
The focus is on preparing young people for future green careers, raising awareness about the opportunities in the green economy, and bridging the skills gap in the industry. Collaboration and working together across the region are seen as crucial for success.
The projects, initiatives and themes are captured in the event report below.
Projects, Initiatives and Themes
Rob Holdcroft, Development Coordinator for the Regional Learning and Skills Partnership.
- A number of projects have been authorised via the Swansea Bay City Deal Skills and Talent programme.
- The Pembrokeshire Passport to Employment project will teach students between 5 – 19 year old about the renewable sector and opportunities within the sector.
- The Low Carbon Net Zero Awareness Raising pilot will raise awareness of zero and low carbon technologies in the construction sector.
- The Digital Sector pilot in Neath Port Talbot will demonstrate the need for enhanced digital skills in the green and renewables sector.
- The Swansea University-led Battery Manufacturing Skills pilot will build on skill gaps in battery manufacturing and supply chain by providing training, upskilling, and re-skilling to higher skilled students and the local workforce.
- All of these projects and more have come from research to identify skills gaps and new skills that will be required for a greener economy.
- We need to engage industry. We can create skills, and a skilled workforce but if those jobs aren’t available because industry isn’t moving at the pace they need to, it could create stagnation. We need the industry to move on this as well.
Kathryn Dunstan, Director of Partnerships, NPTC Group
- We’re seeing changes that are leading to uncertainty. We’re finding it difficult to pin down what’s going to be needed. There’s a lot of opportunities but nothing is quote tangible yet.
- How can we prepare for something we don’t really know for certain how it might look like in each of our regions?
- We’re involved in managing and supporting the training programs for the Homes as Power Stations project and developing resources for schools and colleges to share.
- The college will launch the Net Zero Academy in the Autumn. We need adult learners and upskilling of existing employees to immediately fill the short term gaps in labour markets at the moment.
- The Academy will also showcase the career pathways possible for younger learners and that green careers can be developed.
Andrew Selby, Electrical Commercial Coordinator, Gower College Swansea
- Preparing young people is the right way to go, particularly primary school-level.
- We’re seeing a massive demand for upskilling, with over 300 people taking the Solar PV and Battery Charging Course course over the last 18 months.
- It’s crucial to understand what’s required from a school level and how that feeds in to higher level skills.
- There’s an urgent need for something like a renewables apprenticeship and pathway for higher degrees. Upskilling is good for supporting the market, but we need to identify needs and what pathways and career developments are available for young people.
Donna Griffiths, Business Development Manager, Bouygues
Arwyn Williams, Head of Faculty for Engineering, Computing, Construction & HE, Pembrokeshire College
- Pembrokeshire College have engaged with two secondary schools to deliver a GCSE equivalent program to learn about renewable energy within industry.
- The local Education Authority is leading on a skills barometer working with primary schools. Pembrokeshire college is developing materials to fit in with the new curriculum for Wales and to raise awareness of opportunities in the green sector.
- Engaging with parents is equally as important as engaging with children from a young age. Parents need to understand the potential careers their children could go for.
- Pembrokeshire College is working with the Seren Network to provide more activities across the region.
- They are hosting a robotics club for primary and secondary school leaners to learn about coding robots from basic to advanced functions.
- Destination Renewables is a pioneering program delivered to 16 to 18 year olds to engage them with industry partners and learn about a range of jobs from project management, procurement to engineering and construction.
- The college has recently gained funding to roll out similar programs across the region so local colleges can engage with local industries relevant to them and their area.
- There’s a lot of activity happening in the region in regards to green energy. There are many companies in the region that are really struggling to recruit individuals with the skills.
Bruce Fellowes, Head of GCS Training, Gower College Swansea
- Gower College’s Energy Centre is involved in a lot of renewable skills, such as solar, thermal, air source, ground source heat pumps, Solar PV charging.
- The Energy Centre also offers battery storage, electrical vehicle charging and service in e-bike maintenance.
- We’re looking to expand into wind turbines and hydrogen by sharing practice with Neath Port Talbot and Pembrokeshire.
- Staff are currently on courses themselves to understand these new technologies more because it’s ever-changing.
- We need to become more involved with schools and parents. Parents can be very influential in what their children do.
- If parents have a better understanding about green skills and green careers, then that can help with younger ages making career choices.
Sue Poole, Young Dragons
- We’ve just completed our Swansea Enterprise Challenge, with over 500 young people going to Castle Square to sell the wares they’ve been making in school.
- There was an unbelievable amount of children with a focus on climate change. Many were making products out of reusable materials, growing plants, etc.
- The new project Futurescape is a new initiative aimed at tackling future skills shortages within the building services sector.
- The project will see VR used in the classroom to introduce young people to the variety of roles within the construction sector they may not be aware of.
- It’s possible that many of the jobs that these young people will be taking possibly don’t exist as yet.
- We need to engage with teachers and parents to introduce them to skills needed in the future.
This roundtable was part of a series that bring together experts to discuss the green economy relating to a number of themes. These roundtables were held in the run-up to the Regional Green Economy Conference 2023, taking place on the 22nd November.
The Regional Green Economy Conference is a major regional conference and exhibition, new for 2023, bringing together projects, businesses, organisations and key stakeholders in South West Wales’ green economy, together with people of all ages and from all walks of life, for an unmissable day of connecting, showcasing and knowledge sharing, with the goal of getting everyone working together for a resilient, sustainable future for the region.
Click here to book your place at the Regional Green Economy Conference!
by 4theManagement | Jul 27, 2023 | Past
EVENTS > SWANSEA CONFERENCE 2024
THURSDAY 7th March | Swansea Arena | Free to Attend
The Swansea Conference & Exhibition is a special day in Swansea’s calendar, bringing people, businesses and organisations together – and everyone is invited!
Book your ticket now, and save the date!
This Event is Organised By
Everyone is welcome! Free to attend
Whether you want to know more about what’s happening in Swansea, raise the profile of your business or project, or get involved in conversations to help shape the future, there are so many great reasons to be part of this event.
We have over 100 businesses and organisations exhibiting, a great line-up of thoughtleaders on the main stage, and the best networking opportunity… we are very excited to welcome you back to the amazing Swansea Arena for a landmark event in a landmark venue!
If you’re a city centre retailer, a regional business, a community project or a not-for-profit organisation, the Swansea Conference is the perfect place to raise your profile and make connections. There are 5 exhibition zones to be part of.
Previous Event Highlights
by 4theManagement | Jan 19, 2023 | Our Events, Past, Reports
EVENTS > SWANSEA CONFERENCE 2023
Wednesday 29th March | Swansea Arena | Free to Attend
The third annual Swansea Conference was an incredible day, showcasing everything that’s great about Swansea and hearing from the people, organisations and businesses who are making change happen.
This Event is Organised By
This year’s theme was all about Supporting Local – buying from local businesses, supporting each other, and keeping more of our spending in the local economy.
Exciting new visitor attractions, slick new office spaces and initiatives to attract new traders were just some of the things discussed in the Swansea Regeneration Update at the Swansea Conference.
City centre retailers with a stronger online presence, an increased appetite for visiting physical shops, and the promise of increased footfall in the city centre created a positive picture during a panel discussion at the Swansea Conference.
What are the challenges faced by local food producers, and how can we get more local food onto local plates?
An initiative to create a new creative network for Swansea was announced at this year’s Swansea Conference in a panel discussion that also explored the city’s cultural assets and how to make the most of them.
If you’re a city centre retailer, a regional business, a community project or a not-for-profit organisation, the Swansea Conference is the perfect place to raise your profile and make connections. Registration for the 2024 Conference is now open!
We had over 100 businesses and organisations exhibiting, a great line-up of thoughtleaders on the main stage, and the best networking opportunity in the area.
by 4theManagement | Jul 4, 2022 | Our Events, Past, Reports
How can we create a sustainable, prosperous future for Swansea’s businesses and communities?
In the context of COVID recovery, economic uncertainty, rising energy prices, the cost of living crisis, and the climate and nature emergency, businesses and professionals from across the city and county of Swansea, in South West Wales, have come together to address this increasingly urgent question.
4theRegion is launching the Swansea Green Business Report, which summarises the emergent priorities for collective, collaborative action. This report is part of an ongoing programme of activity among the business community, to share knowledge, resources, inspiration and ideas to create a resilient local economy, better able to adapt and respond to the challenge and predicaments we face.
NEXT STEPS – COLLABORATION
The Green Business Report identifies priorities for action and collaboration in the transition to a more resilient, relocalised green economy. We are inviting businesses and organisations to register their involvement and submit project proposals, as we work with partners to make progress on our shared priorities over the coming months.
THE GREEN RECOVERY BUSINESS CONFERENCE
In the lead up to the Green Recovery Conference in June 2022, we spoke to our event partners about the 8 opportunity areas for transformation. These thought provoking interviews provide an overview of some of the key issues we should be considering, as we set out to co-create a more resilient, relocalised green economy.
This event was organised around 8 key themes – our Opportunity Areas – which hosted interactive discussions throughout the day. Attendees chose three of these breakout sessions to participate in, coming together with other businesses to share ideas and insights.
TRANSPORT
How could businesses proactively reduce car use and promote active and sustainable travel?
FOOD
What could businesses do to support a more local, sustainable food system?
NATURE
How can we support and develop products and services that protect and enhance the natural environment?
ENERGY
How could businesses support the mission to decarbonise our energy system?
WASTE & MATERIALS
How could businesses reduce waste, conserve materials and help create a more circular local economy?
SKILLS
What skills do businesses need to be investing in for the new green economy?
BUILDINGS
How could Swansea lead the way in green constuction and the decarbonisation of our buildings?
SUPPLY CHAIN
How could we all make sure we are buying local wherever possible?
Swansea Council are currently delivering a Green Innovation Grant with the objective of enabling businesses to work towards net carbon zero. The Green Innovation Grants key points are as follows:
- Aims to reduce the business’ carbon footprint and increase energy efficiency
- Eligible items include installation of new systems, changes in the manufacturing process, new equipment (individual capital items must not exceed £1,000 exc VAT), accreditation schemes, training
- Maximum Grant of £1500
- 50% match funding requirement
- Applicants with multiple businesses and/or over 250 employees are ineligible
Click here to download the application form.
Any Swansea based businesses who are currently trading are eligible to apply. Please note that applicants will require a business plan/project summary and 12 month Cash Flow Forecast to apply. For more information, or to submit application forms, please email: growthgrant@swansea.gov.uk
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Construction Wales Innovation Centre based in Swansea is a leading provider of applied research and specialist training across the pan-Wales construction industry. We’re helping to transform construction into a Net Zero industry – identifying and encouraging new ways of working.
SPECIFIC IKC
SPECIFIC is a UK Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC), accredited by UKRI, leading in energy technology research and full-scale demonstration.
Our vision is a world in which ‘Active Buildings’ can generate, store and release their own heat and electricity from solar energy. To deliver this, we research, prove and promote early commercialisation of building-integrated technologies that can capture energy from the sun and store it in a building until it is needed.
Working with partners, we aim to enable adoption of the Active Building concept, by steering project delivery teams through the process of designing, constructing and operating Active Buildings.
SPECIFIC can provide tours of their Active Buildings on Swansea University’s Bay Campus and provide expert advice on how your business can run more sustainably. Click here to find out more.
Afallen — Energy Sponsor
Afallen is Wales’ leading sustainable development consultancy, helping organisations identify, embed and accelerate sustainability strategies for transparent, inclusive and long-term social, environmental, cultural and economic value. All of our work is underpinned by the Well-being of Future Generations Act, Ways of Working, and Goals.
Afallen’s recent work in the Swansea Bay region includes:
- Supporting production of decarbonisation strategies for Designated Landscape Organisations in Wales
- Mapping food networks for Swansea Food Partnership
- Stakeholder engagement for Pembrokeshire’s Local Area Energy Plan
- Marketing support for Swansea University’s Circular Economies Innovation Communities programme
- Development of Circular Economy activities in Carmarthenshire
Natural Resources Wales — Transport Sponsor
Working jointly with Swansea Council to design, develop and implement green infrastructure solutions in Swansea. Natural Resources Wales ensures the environment and natural resources of Wales are sustainably maintained and used, now and in the future.
Swansea Environmental Forum — Transport Sponsor
Swansea Environmental Forum (SEF) is an association of organisations and individuals working together to initiate, develop and co-ordinate environmental action in Swansea. Set-up in 1985, SEF is a fully constituted voluntary group with membership open to any individuals and organisations that support its aims and are interested in furthering its work.
SEF recognises that the protection and enhancement of the environment is best achieved by working together in the context of sustainability. The principles of sustainable development are at the heart of the Forum’s work.
Natural Products BioHUB — Nature Sponsor
Swansea University’s, Community Renewal Funded Natural Products BioHUB project, in partnership with Swansea Council, will bring together multi-disciplinary expertise from academia, industry and business, to address the need to:
- Harness and develop the unique value of natural products and processes.
- Provide environmentally friendly solutions to meet the needs and demands of agricultural, manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries.
- Develop Green Infrastructure and create more business and job oportunities.
- Help to combat climate change and increase the amount of BioDiversity within the Region.
Castell Howell — Food Sponsor
From small rural beginnings in 1988, Castell Howell Foods are this year celebrating 33 years of business and have grown to become Wales’ leading independent food service wholesaler, servicing the length and breadth of Wales, the Border Counties and the South West of England.
Waste & Materials Sponsor
Gavin Griffiths Group
Gavin Griffiths Group, is an established, family owned company providing transport services, supply of aggregates, waste management solutions and contracting, to a wide range of clients in the UK and further afield.
With a proven track record we continue to grow and develop, making significant investment in our staff, operational facilities, fleet and plant ensuring our capability to evolve whilst meeting the needs of our clients and the environment responsibly.
Andrew Dauria Solutions
We provide first class commercial and domestic building, heating, plumbing, mechanical and electrical services. We offer a comprehensive solution for all your building, heating, plumbing, mechanical and electrical needs. Headquarters based in Landore, Swansea and Forge Hammer Estate Cwmbran and heading into Pembrokeshire. we serve clients ranging from individual households to councils and other large organisations across Wales.
Awel Aman Tawe
Established in 1998, we are leaders in the field of community based renewable energy. We have many years’ experience of developing and advising on community schemes, including wind, solar, biomass and hydro; and have implemented energy efficiency measures across thousands of homes and community centres in south Wales.
Business in Focus
Business in Focus is a not-for-profit organisation that has been helping businesses to start up and grow for nearly three decades. We have an excellent track record of creating and implementing business support contracts on behalf of a range of clients, including UK and Welsh Governments, other public and private sector bodies.
Bwyd Abertawe
Bwyd Abertawe is a broad partnership with bold ambitions for Swansea to become a Sustainable Food Place with a food system that works for people and nature, where everyone who works, lives, visits, has a business or studies in Swansea has access to good food, and there is a strong support network for local food producers and food businesses.
Bwyd Abertawe wants to take a strategic and collaborative approach to good food governance and action; build public awareness, active food citizenship and a local good food movement; tackle food poverty, diet-related ill- health and access to affordable healthy food; create a vibrant, prosperous and diverse sustainable food economy; revitalize local and sustainable food supply chains; and tackle the climate and nature emergency through sustainable food and farming, and an end to food waste.
Business Wales
Business Wales is the Welsh Government’s fully-funded business support service, helping Welsh businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs to access the information, advice and support they require to start, run and grow their businesses.
Gower College Swansea
An award winning, sector leading Further Education College with a diverse range of training programmes that develop the skills of employees.
Low Carbon Swansea Bay
Public, private and voluntary organisations in South West Wales working together to reduce carbon emissions. We’re excited about developing new contacts and partnerships at this conference.
Pobl Group
Pobl are leading on a community focused green regeneration project in Penderi. In partnership with the Environment centre, Swansea Community Farm Room2Grow and the Council we are working with the community to build knowledge and enthusiasm in the area for developing green spaces for people and nature.
Swansea BID
As the first BID in Wales we’re proud to champion our BID area businesses and to make our city centre a better place to live, work and study.
Social Business Wales
Social Business Wales is helping our economy to become both fairer and greener by growing the number and scale of social enterprises, co-operatives and employee owned businesses in Wales.
We offer a team of specialist businesses advisors with expertise in supporting social enterprises. If you are looking to start up or grow a social enterprise, we’re here for you. Our social business support is fully funded meaning that you get free guidance every step of the way.
The Social Business Wales programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through Welsh Government and delivered by Cwmpas.
Swansea Council – Business Swansea
Swansea Council’s Business Swansea team provide a business support service to the City’s Business Community. Main activities include administration of grant funding, business engagement through the Business Swansea Newsletter, delivering business support workshops and networking events.
4theRegion has developed an app to promote local sourcing, and to showcase local businesses who are a “force for good”. Register your business on the app and then scan the event QR code to collect your GREEN RECOVERY profile badge, to show you have been part of this event.
by 4theManagement | May 10, 2022 | Past, Well-being Region
4theRegion members met with businesses and organisations across South West Wales to explore the range of ways that young people are being supported to create flourishing futures for themselves here in South West Wales.
Whilst it’s true that these are exciting times for the region, with new sectors emerging, local businesses growing and major investments taking place in local areas across the four counties, large numbers of young people are facing increased anxiety, stress and mental health challenges, made worse by the pandemic. Modern life presents some real threats to their wellbeing, including excessive internet and social media use, too much focus on exams and testing in our education system, and fears for the future in a changing world. In this context, businesses and organisations agree that rather than heaping expectation and pressure onto children about “what they want to do when they grow up”, we need to first address the emotional, psychological and mindset challenges that young people are facing, so that they are better able to capitalise on the exciting training and employment opportunities that exist in our region.
Perhaps the real question is, “who do you want to be, what kind of person would you like to become” – placing the focus on the opportunity to build a happy, healthy and fulfilling future. Self-belief, resilience and curiosity are key attributes that enable young people to seize opportunities and discover their own path.
With all that said, the opportunity to explore different industries, understand the wide variety of different career paths available, and challenge preconceptions about certain sectors is also massively beneficial to young people, and projects like Technocamps and Springboard are examples of sector-related initiatives that give young people skills and insights in key sectors – computation and hospitality respectively.
Businesses and employers have a key role to play in engaging with schools and colleges to illuminate the opportunities that exist for young people. The construction sector in particular has a strong record of engaging with schools and older students, with regional companies like Griffiths Civil Engineering and major contractors like Bouygues offering work tasters, apprenticeships and shadowing opportunities. Projects like 2D Enterprising and The HOW People are also connecting local businesses with schools and young people, providing role models, hands-on experiences and inspiration as well as developing important transferable skills in children, such as entrepreneurialism, creativity, problem solving and self expression.
You can catch up on the wide ranging discussion about young people, skills and opportunities in South West Wales, by watching the event recording or reading the full event report. Please do get in touch with 4theRegion to tell us about your work in empowering future generations in South West Wales, or to share challenges and ideas about what more is needed.
by 4theManagement | Apr 28, 2022 | Past, Reports
FOOD FOR THE REGION APRIL FOLLOW-UP
5th April 2022
A Major Conversation about our Regional Food System, brought to you by Swansea Environmental Forum, Grwp Resilience and 4theRegion.
Following the first Regional Food System Conference in October 2021, we regrouped to share updates, explore emerging projects and encourage collaboration on all things relating to growing, producing, distributing, sharing and caring about food in South West Wales.
The goal was to share perspectives and co-produce priorities for regional collaboration and to bring local residents and organisations back together to discuss initiatives to transform our regional food system here in South West Wales.
Catch up on the full event recording and listen to presentations from thought-leaders and experts in the food sector. Click the video at the timestamps listed below to jump to their appropriate segment.
0:02:44 Dawn Lyle, 4theRegion
0:25:00 Augusta Lewis, Bywd Sir Gar Food
0:41:40 Peter Howells, NFU Cymru
1:00:00 Alice Coleman, WCFD PLANED
Subscribe to our Youtube channel and save our Food & Farming playlist to be notified when new videos are uploaded.
Local Authorities & Policy Makers
- We need to get policy makers more involved and increase the amount of support available for smaller scale producers, growers and suppliers.
- A policy-led top-down approach is needed to change the systems.
- Are we able to better map out what’s working? Local growing projects, schemes, etc. Identify the gaps and best practices that could be scaled up.
- Evidencing our needs better, particularly around land.
Communities
- We perhaps need to shift our collective regional identity towards the sense of ourselves as a food producing region.
- Connecting farmers back to their communities is also a huge benefit to all concerned.
- Promoting ‘local’ isn’t the only thing but is a principle that may be getting traction with influential bodies and could be the door into the wider changes that are needed around production methods, etc. By local do we mean regional or national?
Individuals
- Consumers should ask where their food comes from.
Businesses & Producers
- We need more urban and peri-urban farming.
- To get people in using food hubs, we need a massive marketing push.
- Ultra processed food is often cheaper and therefore it brings us back to the issue of food poverty.
- The impact of food price inflation is yet to be fully felt.
Education
- Food growing needs to be part of the national curriculum.
- Food for life partnership is in England and luckily more schools are getting involved, but sustainability and food growing needs to be in mainstream culture.
- When an effective food labelling system incorporates the real price of food – including environmental impacts – this may encourage people to avoid some supermarket products and look local.
- Educating and informing businesses has the potential to trickle down to educate the consumer.
- The new curriculum allows schools in Wales to access more creative and holistic resources.
- Help schools to map the life cycle of food at different levels.
Health
- Regenerative practices produce crops with increased levels of phytonutrients – needed for human health
- We need to teach a lot more about links to food/nutrition and our health.
- Online marketing campaign comparing the nutritional value of local produce vs mass produced produce.
- Hidden costs of cheap foods are in the health sector, and loss of money in the local economy.
Procurement
- The impact of world events has a major impact on supply chains.
Environment
- We need to change the way we farm – stop ploughing, increase soil biology, use traditional seed varieties, small scale mixed farms. We don’t need toxic fertilisers and synthetic fertilisers.
- Anaerobic digestion using animal manure and turning it into renewable energy.
- There could be a lot of work done to loosen compacted soils. Regenerative farming practices.
- There needs to be more focus on carbon net-zero strategy.
Land & Forestry
- Farmers in Pembrokeshire have given land access to growers.
- Social Farms and Gardens have some good resources and support for how to secure long-term success for community growing projects leasing private land.
- CSAs are reaching out to farmers to discuss common problems and find solutions.
- Land management skills are also in short supply.
- A farmer must be sure his or her land is being well managed.
- The land around rural and town communities should be ring-posted for the needs of the community.
- Regarding access to land, it’s not just the land availability, but the type of land suitable for different types of production,
- I think we need to better understand and evidence the demand for land for food growing / production so that the task can be more specific / informed.
- The size of land to produce adequate amounts of food to feed large numbers of people.
- Start up funding for infrastructure etc, business support, finding experienced growers or training new entrants etc.
- For successful food businesses, it’s more of a collaborative approach than just relying on farmers offering up land.
- The key to diversifying food production will be whether subsidies will be available for small-scale intensive horticulture enterprises of 5 acres and under or not.
Prior to this event, we supported Bwyd Abertawe in hosting an online food assembly for the City & County of Swansea – the first step in Swansea’s bid to become a Sustainable Food Place. Find out how you can get involved by connecting with the group on Facebook.
We are collaborating with Wales’ Wellbeing Economy Alliance “Transformational Food” meeting, bringing together all those working on the food system across Wales. If you are doing something interesting related to food – or thinking about it – or if you would like to hear what others are up to across Wales, please come along on Thursday 12th May from 7pm!
Food will be a key theme at our Green Recovery Conference & Exhibition on June 16th. Hosted on behalf of Swansea Council, we are showcasing businesses, projects and organisations who are leading the city’s green recovery. Register for free here, and if you’d like to be involved, please contact zoe@4theRegion.org.uk
And if you are working in this space, have a project in mind, have information or updates to share, or would like to fund or support regional initiatives relating to food, please reach out to us so we can connect, amplify and collaborate! Contact zoe@4theregion.org.uk.
