Sectors

Cyber Security

If you work in Cyber Security then Swindon & Wiltshire has a wealth of opportunities for your business, from great locations and a talented workforce to dedicated support packages for a soft landing.

Cyber Security is a core skill set in Swindon and Wiltshire, and we have world-leading expertise based within one hour of the area.

In light of COVID-19, digital and cyber resilience is becoming increasingly important for businesses and citizens due to greater remote but inter-connected activity.

Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership are therefore establishing a unique national facility – The Business Cyber Centre. With the support of major backers across industry, government and academia, the centre is scheduled to be fully operational in 2022. It will be formed of three main components – acting as a cyber start-up incubator, a highly secure platform for world-class cyber research and an education facility for industry-leading cyber training.

The facility will allow easy access to London and the rest of the country.

Cyber in Swindon and Wiltshire is supported by a highly skilled local workforce which has a higher proportion than the national average of workers with NVQ level 4 (foundation degree) qualifications and above. 17 leading universities all sit within one hour of the region area, boasting between them over 70,000 students working in STEM subjects, including over 17,000 studying Computer Science and Mathematics.

The Universities of Bath and Bath Spa both offer specific cyber courses and are engaged with the LEP on the new Business Cyber Centre.

There are opportunities to recruit specialist staff coming onto the market from the military, with many Ministry of Defence facilities across the area. This includes the cyber-focussed ‘Strategic Command’ at Corsham and the Defence, Science and Technologies Laboratory (Dstl) at Porton. Swindon is particularly strong in financial cyber security, with large specialist teams in major players such as Nationwide and Zurich.

“Zurich are proud to be supporters of the Business Cyber Centre being developed by the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP). Like the SWLEP we recognise the skills shortage in cyber security and are delighted to see a vision which places diversity at the heart of a skills strategy and the training complex within the Business Cyber Centre.”

Andrew Gudgeon OBE Head of Enterprise Risk Management and Operational Risk at Zurich

Digital Technology

If you work in Digital Technology then Swindon & Wiltshire has a wealth of opportunities for your business, from great locations and a talented workforce to dedicated support packages for a soft landing.

Many organisations specialising in Digital Technology have chosen to make their home in Swindon and Wiltshire.

Dyson, the world-leading British Technology company, is based here. Intel have chosen to put one of their 4 global innovation centres in the region. Companies like QinetiQ, Siemens Rail Systems and Knorr-Bremse can all be found here, as can Dolby and Imagination Technologies. Meanwhile Amazon, Oracle, Cisco, Huawei and Microsoft all have large centres on our doorstep. You’ll find yourself in good company in Swindon and Wiltshire.

The region has 300+ companies working in ICT, more than 60 in software and 70 in Hardware/Telecoms. We work with large multinationals (like BT) to innovative start ups (Like Io technologies). Even the UK Space Agency is based here.

All of this is supported by a highly skilled local workforce. Swindon and Wiltshire has a higher than the national average of workers with NVQ level 4 (foundation degree) qualifications and above. We employ three times the national average of people working in Scientific R&D. 17 leading universities all sit within one hour of the region, boasting between them over 70000 students working in STEM subjects, including 17.7k studying Computer Science and Mathematics.

Through Tech Swindon, we also shine a light on digital innovation and the entrepreneurs who have made this their home, showcasing their talent and providing a robust and supportive ecosystem for local tech businesses.

We also offer assistance finding organisations a first class new home – for example The Enterprise Network offers spaces in its £5.2m Enterprise Centres across the region. You could base yourself at Porton Science Park, just a step away from the UK’s Defence Science Technology Laboratory. Or you could move to the new £21m Wiltshire 3D Enterprise Centre.

London is just 45 minutes away by train, Heathrow and Bristol Airports are within an hour’s drive and the M4, M5 and M3 motorways are all close by.

Life Sciences

If you work in Life Sciences then Swindon & Wiltshire has a wealth of opportunities for your business, from great locations and a talented workforce to dedicated support packages for a soft landing.

Life Sciences are a core economic sector in Swindon and Wiltshire.

The Porton Science Park Incubator Centre, one of only six in the UK to have been awarded Life Science Opportunity Zone status, not only offers first class support for companies in the Life Sciences, but also is home to:

– Public Health England’s Porton Down centre, the world leaders in microbiological research and technology

– The MOD’s Defence Science Technology Laboratory, specialising in the development of effective countermeasures against chemical and biological events

– And Porton Biopharma Ltd, established to commercialise the pharmaceutical development and manufacturing capabilities at Porton Down.

Additionally the UK Research and Innovation(UKRI) HQ is based here, working in partnership with universities, research organisations, businesses, charities, and government to create the best possible environment for research and innovation to flourish. Innovate UK, part of UKRI, is focused on driving productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas.

You’ll also find commercial organisations like QinetiQ, Patheon, Tintometer and Nanosight all in the region.

Creative and Digital Media

If you work in Creative and Digital Media, then Swindon & Wiltshire has a wealth of opportunities for your business, from great locations and a talented workforce to dedicated support packages for a soft landing.

Many companies specialising in creative and digital media have chosen to make Swindon and Wiltshire their home.

Dignus Films, award-winning filmmakers, are moving to the region. Photonica, an international ground-breaking photonics technology company, has recently moved to Wiltshire, to develop new products for consumers and industry in video display.

This in addition to a number of creative companies, such as Sandstorm Films, Firebird Films, Inspire Creative, Create Studios and Ottrworks, who are based here in Swindon and Wiltshire.

With Wiltshire’s stunning natural scenery and rich architectural heritage, many directors have chosen the region for countless world-renowned productions to be set or filmed here. Wilton House has been host to 45 television and film production crews over the years, with most recent productions including Bridgerton and The Crown. The large expanse of Salisbury Plain has also been used for the blockbuster movie 1917, and more recently in the James Bond film No Time To Die.

The team at Invest in Swindon and Wiltshire have showcased the extraordinary talent in this field, working with Ottr Works producing the video above demonstrating the skills and impressive work that already takes place in the region.

There are impressive opportunities available to those wanting to learn and develop their creative and digital skills in the region, with Swindon & Wiltshire’s Institute of Technology, backed by a huge £20m capital investment, offering excellent courses and apprenticeships ranging across all creative media sectors. These include; Content Producer, Photographic Assistant, Media Production and Technical Operator apprenticeships, and HND Creative Digital Media (film).

With a skilled workforce, thriving film and creative sector, and excellent proximity to London, Swindon and Wiltshire have a wealth of opportunities and support available to businesses looking to move to the region.