Email News March 2013
Welcome to the March 2013 email newsletter from Marine South East
If you would like to submit an article for consideration please email the text and a suitable image or logo to sarah@marinesoutheast.co.uk
Posted 2013-02-20 14:55:19
Accessing Apprentice Funding; MSE events 20th and 21st March 2013
MSE is working with the Cornwall Marine Network (CMN) to help marine companies take on new apprentices under a scheme called Skills Active. Marine South East will be organising two events on Wednesday 20th March 2013 at City College Southampton, and Thursday 21st March 2013 at Marchwood to inform businesses of the opportunities on offer.
Cornwall Marine Network (CMN) provides its members with a first class Apprenticeship service; including a holistic approach to Apprentice recruitment, support with selecting the best training package and enhanced employment flexibilities through its associated Apprenticeship Training Agency (the Cornwall Apprenticeship Agency, CAA). The CAA can employ Apprentices directly and charge them out to a "Host Employer", thus reducing the risk to the business. The CAA has already helped 91 of CMN's members recruit Apprentices into their businesses through building bespoke Apprenticeship solutions centred on employer needs.
Businesses involved in the marine leisure sector and its supply chains can benefit from a programme by Skills Active, the sector skills council for sport and outdoor sectors. Under this programme, MSE member companies can access advice on how best to meet specific apprentice requirements, and what funding they are eligible to receive in order to offset the costs of an apprentice.
In addition, companies can take advantage of SkillsActive's new Group Training Association (GTA). This enables employers in England running small to medium enterprises to take on more new staff as apprentices. It does this by creating partnerships between employers so they can access funding and discounts normally only available to bigger companies.
Marine companies (from all sectors of the marine industries) can also benefit from support available by an Apprentice Training Agency. Such an agency takes on all the hassle of finding and employing an apprentice, on behalf of the marine company taking on the apprentice. This eliminates a major risk for employers, which in the past has discouraged many firms from offering apprenticeships. MSE members can benefit from the marine Apprentice Training Agency run by its partner CMN.
Find more about the opportunities on offer at one of the events being organised by Marine South East.
Wednesday 20th March 2013, 4.00-6.00pm, being hosted by City College Southampton at the Hub St Mary Street, Southampton and
Thursday 21st March 2013, 4.00-6.00pm, being hosted by Brockenhurst College at the Marchwood Construction and Marine Technologies Centre.
For more information please go to:
http://www.marinesoutheast.co.uk/event_bookings/
Or for more information on the apprenticeship scheme please contact David Rea, david@marinesoutheast.co.uk
Posted 2013-02-20 14:58:42
Sea-state Forecasting project progresses using Chelsea Technology sensors
WaveSentry, a project co-funded by the Technology Strategy Board and managed by Marine South East, is using sensors and electronics provided by project partner, Chelsea Technologies to collect real-time wave data to advance sea-state forecasting for marine applications.
The sensors and electronics have been installed by Chelsea Technologies on board RV Callista, The University of Southampton's research vessel, and are currently collecting real-time wave data.
Large numbers of marine operations including offshore oil and gas companies, renewable energy projects and shipping depend on high quality information on sea-state (wave height, period, direction and steepness) for economic and safety decision making. Currently available information is based on atmospheric/ocean models and lacks sufficient temporal and spacial resolution. The WaveSentry project aims to address these issues and the real-time data being collected aboard RV Callista is an important part of the project.
Wave data collected from the Chelsea Technologies sensors is logged against the GPS position of the boat and will be merged with numerous other data streams by another WaveSentry partner, HR Wallingford. The hope is that more accurate 'nowcasting' and forecasting of sea conditions using current, forecast and historical data can be portrayed to end users via a variety of means including web-enabled devices and email alerts.
The WaveSentry project, which culminates in April 2013, is running a pilot system in the English Channel to demonstrate how its new system can improve upon existing services.
Satellite GNSS Reflectometry is another data source being developed by WaveSentry partners Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd and the Southampton National Oceanography Centre. The pilot system will also utilise data gathered by Fugro Emu's sea bed mounted wave measurement device.
Chelsea Technologies Group will be holding two hands-on workshops onboard RV Callista during Ocean Business, 9th-11th April 2013, NOC Southampton.
For more information please contact Ellen Keegan ekeegan@chelsea.co.uk Tel +44 (0)20 8481 9019 or Simon Powell, WaveSentry Project Manager sp@mseuk.org Tel: +44 (0)2380 111 592
Posted 2013-02-25 12:14:11
GrowthAccelerator: New programme for high growth SMEs
Looking to rapidly grow your business? The Growth Accelerator Programme is a new partnership between private enterprise and government which is both affordable and gets results.
The Growth Accelerator programme is designed to help England's brightest growing businesses achieve their ambitions with rapid, sustainable growth. The Growth Accelerator network of world-class growth experts work side by side with leaders of high-growth potential SMEs providing them with the know-how and ability to achieve sustainable growth.
The programme will help discover the real issues that could be holding businesses back, define the right growth plan and open doors to world class business experts and networks.
The experts and coaches on the programme can help you:
* Appreciate your true potential for growth and set achievable goals
* Identify and overcome the barriers holding you back
* Attract investment by developing your funding proposition and introducing you to funders
* Stimulate product development, commercialise your innovation and motivate your employees
* Energise your plans with one-to-one leadership and management advice
* Meet peers who've tackled the same barriers as you
* Connect with business experts and networks to achieve insight and build relationships
To be eligible for the programme your business needs to be registered in England with less than 250 employees and a turnover of less than £40m
Visit http://www.growthaccelerator.com to find out more
The Growth Accelerator Programme has a large number of events scheduled over the next few months in the South East; to find out more please visit:
http://www.growthaccelerator.com/events#b_start=0
Posted 2013-02-22 14:50:55
Marine South East cluster project hopes to influence EC marine policy
For the last 3 years Marine South East has been leading four European marine science clusters in the 'EMSAC' (European Marine Science Applications Consortium) project. The project recently held its final workshop in Brussels.
EMSAC has been working to demonstrate how utilising the strengths of maritime clusters can best exploit a number of marine or sea-related opportunities such as marine energy, aquaculture and maritime security.
The main aim of the final EMSAC international workshop held in December was to work towards the creation of a European network of innovative marine clusters.
Catherine Bearder, MEP for South East England welcomed 62 marine science specialists from across Europe to the workshop that was held in Brussels near the European Parliament.
An expanding network of European marine clusters is intended to facilitate new research activities, promote investment in the marine & maritime sector and enable more effective access to funding. The network will facilitate high-value business to business partnerships, drive faster implementation of new technologies and engage actively with governments and public authorities.
The workshop also explored the innovation capacity-building carried out within EMSAC over the last 3 years and debated future specialisation and collaboration opportunities in the 'blue growth' domain.
The EMSAC consortium believe the workshop outputs will help influence the European Commission to include marine clusters in the definition of new calls for proposals during the forthcoming 'Horizon 2020' programme.
Posted 2013-02-20 16:15:21
Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative: Competition for Funding
The Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) is a funding competition designed to improve the global competitiveness of UK advanced manufacturing supply chains. The latest competition is now open and an event to inform businesses will be held on 21st March 2013 in London.
Additional funding of £120M for a further 2 rounds of the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) was announced in the 2012 Autumn Statement.
This will support Research and Development, skills training and capital investment to help UK supply chains achieve world-class standards and encourage major new suppliers to locate in the UK.
The Competition Brief for these new rounds (AMSCI Rounds 3 and 4) has been published on the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) website at
http://www.innovateuk.org/content/competition/advanced-manufacturing-supply-chain-initiative1.ashx
The deadlines for applications are noon on 29 May 2013 for Round 3, and noon on 16 October 2013 for Round 4.
BIS will be holding a National Briefing Event for companies interested in applying to the competitions at Central Hall Westminster on 21 March 2013. The event will also include a speech by our Minister Michael Fallon.
Full details of this event, and how to secure a place can be found at https://registration.livegroup.co.uk/amscinationalbriefingevent/Registration/
Posted 2013-02-28 13:50:12
Brochure Display offer for Ocean Business 2013
SMI are offering companies to forward limited quantities of promotional brochures for distribution to visitors and for display on racks on the SMI stand at Ocean Business 2013 taking place 9th-10th April 2013 at the NOC in Southampton.
Each company will be limited to three different styles of brochures (e.g. equipment, company, services, etc.). The cost for this service, which includes transport to the exhibition and active promotion and distribution of the brochures from the SMI stand during the exhibition, is £100+VAT per company, irrespective of the number of brochures forwarded.
Ocean Business 2013, taking place from April 9-11 at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, comprises an exhibition of over 300 companies, bringing the latest global technologies all under one roof. The show will welcome over 4000 visitors from more than 50 countries around the world. Visitors can expect to meet the world's leading manufacturers and service providers in a compact exhibition area situated directly on the waterfront.
Companies wishing to take part in the Brochure Display Offer should follow the link below for more information and booking details:
http://www.maritimeindustries.org/write/Uploads/Events%202013/Ocean_Business_2013_Promotion_Material_Offer.pdf
