Leading business backs NATO summit in Wales
Businesses from across the UK will provide their support to make next week’s NATO Summit a success, Matthew Hancock announced today.
Businesses from across the UK will provide their support to make next week’s NATO Summit a success, Business Minister Matthew Hancock announced today (29 August 2014).
BAE Systems, Raytheon UK, General Dynamics UK, Lockheed Martin UK and Airbus have been confirmed as official supporters of the event and will provide financial backing and showcase cutting edge technologies at Celtic Manor in Newport during September’s summit.
All of the companies are major employers with bases in Wales and all invest in building skills by providing apprenticeships.
The defence industry generates over £22 billion per year for the UK economy and directly employs 162,400 people, including 4,900 apprentices and trainees. The industry indirectly supports a further 114,200 jobs.
Equipment on display at Celtic Manor will include:
- General Dynamic’s next-generation SCOUT SV armoured fighting vehicle – in development just outside Blackwood near Newport. As well as their Foxhound, the newest military vehicle
- BAE Systems’ Terrier, the Army’s remote-controlled armoured engineering vehicle
- full scale replicas of the Eurofighter Typhoon fast jet and the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II stealth fast jet. Approximately 15% of the Joint Strike Fighter programme involves work carried out in the UK, with more than 130 British companies contributing to the supply chain. Overall the programme is worth over £1 billion to UK industry every year, and will support around 25,000 British jobs over the next 24 years
The BMW Group and Jaguar Land Rover will also support the summit by providing transport to the delegates.
Business Minister Matthew Hancock said:
This week shines a spotlight on the UK’s thriving defence industry. As part of our long term economic plan, we are working closely with the defence sector to secure new investment, highly-skilled jobs and build a better and brighter future for Britain.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
The defence industry is hugely important to our security and economy. These companies work every day to ensure our Armed Forces have the best equipment in the world and I welcome their involvement in showcasing some of that during the NATO Summit.
The news comes after a GREAT reception to showcase Welsh business, education and tourism hosted by First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones and the Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Crabb earlier this week. More than 200 guests attended the event at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London to find out how both governments are promoting Wales overseas using the UK’s extensive overseas network and to see some examples of Wales’ finest produce.
On Wednesday (27 August 2014) Business Secretary Vince Cable also jointly announced a UK Investment Summit with Wales Office Secretary of State Stephen Crabb and Welsh Government Business Secretary Edwina Hart. To run on November 20 and 21 2014, the summit will be held in Newport, Wales, and focus on new technologies.
With 60 world leaders, 70 foreign and defence chiefs, 4,000 delegates and up to 1,500 international media all set to attend the NATO Summit, the influx of visitors will deliver an economic boost for south Wales. This follows the release last month of annual investment figures from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) which showed that Wales registered an 18% increase in inward investment over the past year compared to 2012/2013.
Through the Defence Growth Partnership (DGP), the government is working closely with industry to ensure the UK retains its competitive advantage and maximises opportunities in increasingly competitive global markets. At last month’s (July 2014) Farnborough International Airshow, Prime Minister David Cameron launched the DGP’s Implementation Plan, which set out a package of measures to improve the UK’s competitiveness, support collaboration, strengthen international focus and build on strengths in air capabilities and intelligent systems for export-led growth. The defence industry generates over £22 billion per year for the UK economy and directly employs 162,400 people, including 4,900 apprentices and trainees. The industry indirectly supports a further 114,200 jobs.
BAE Systems, General Dynamics UK, Lockheed Martin UK and Airbus all run apprenticeship programmes in areas including engineering, business, logistics, desktop support and commercial support. The BMW Group and Jaguar Land Rover also have apprenticeship schemes.
Notes to Editors
- The NATO Summit is being held from 4 – 5 September 2014 at Celtic Manor in Newport.
- UK Trade and Investment is the government department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. We also help overseas companies bring their high quality investment to the UK’s economy – acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business. UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world. We provide companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage.
- Large employers such as BAE Systems, Google, PwC and CapGemini all feature in the recently launched ‘Get In. Go Far’ apprenticeship campaign. It features real apprentices in varied sectors giving their own thoughts on their experiences. The apprentices, shown in the adverts taking selfies in their places of work, will appear on TV, posters, digital channels and in print media. Apprenticeships bring considerable value to organisations, employers, individuals and the economy. Businesses across the country are increasingly realising the enormous benefits that apprenticeships create, not only in terms of developing a highly skilled workforce but also by boosting productivity and staff retention. Research shows that apprenticeships are an optimal way of training, developing and skilling people for the future, helping businesses to secure a supply of people with the skills and qualities they need and which are often not available on the external job market. There has never been a better time to employ an apprentice, or start an apprenticeship. Visit www.apprenticeships.gov.uk or call 08000 150 600 to find out more.