A new £6.6m programme seeking to drive the competitiveness of key sectors in the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) has been launched.
Jointly funded from the £1.2bn City Deal for the CCR - which is made up of the ten local authorities of south east Wales - and the 海角视频 Government’s Prosperity Fund, the cluster development and growth programme will deliver targeted projects across the region’s priority sectors of: fintech, medtech, cyber-security, compound semiconductors and creative industries, along with its net zero ambitions.
Contracts have been awarded to delivery partner for the three distinct projects making up the programme, which will run for three years. Cardiff and Vale College will lead a network of higher and further education and specialist skills partners to deliver the skills programme, while University of South Wales will lead the consortium for the academic-industry partnership programme. Finally, professional advisory firm, Grant Thornton, alongside delivery partners Business in Focus and Cardiff Metropolitan University School of Business, will address scale-up support for enterprises in the business growth programme.
READ MORE: {}
Lis Burnett, leader of Vale of Glamorgan Council, and the portfolio lead for CCR’s Shared Prosperity operations, said: “This programme represents a new and ambitious development in the journey to unleash the region’s potential in skills, innovation, and knowledge-based enterprises. The organisations that have come together to make this a reality have expertise and depth and I am looking forward to working with them as the programme develops.”
The development of the programme was supported by CCR’s regional business council. Its chair and entrepreneur, Nigel Griffiths, said: “The launch of these programmes is a watershed moment for our region. By investing in our people and our businesses, we are creating the conditions for sustainable growth and prosperity. I am confident that these programmes will help us to build a stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous future for everyone.”
The head of innovation and clusters for the CCR, Gavin Powell, said: “I am pleased that CCR is matching the Shared Prosperity Fund’s investment in this exciting programme, we are gearing up for a major shift in upskilling across our priority clusters – this reinforcement goes hand in hand with our strategy and vision of supporting good growth in the region.”