Newport Secures First Investment From The Cardiff Capital Region City Deal

The City of Newport has secured the first investment from the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal – just days after the £1.2 billion programme was signed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Investment will be provided for a National Cyber Security Academy (NCSA), a joint project between the University of South Wales (USW) and Welsh Government to help address a shortage of cyber security skills, and develop the next generation of cyber security experts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

With funding support from Welsh Government, the £500,000 pilot initiative involves current USW computer forensics and computer security undergraduates. They will work on real-world projects set by NCSA partners, while also ‘flight testing’ the course from October to ensure it meets the latest cyber security challenges. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It will be based at USW’s Newport City Campus, on the banks of the River Usk opposite the recently opened Friars Walk retail and leisure development. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Bob Bright, Leader of Newport City Council, said: “This is tremendous news for the City Deal partners, and an impressive start to 2016 for the City of Newport. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The ink is barely dry on the agreement and £0.5 million of investment is coming to the city. Newport, like many Welsh towns and cities, has been built on the back of traditional industries. To be known now as a centre of excellence for cyber security is a real statement of intent of how much the city has changed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are already home to world class technology, electronics and cloud computing companies. This City Deal investment is another step forward in the emerging story of the Newport’s continued revival. We truly are at the heart of a Silicon Usk Valley”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The academy is a key priority of one of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal objectives: to accelerate the growth of innovation and facilitate investment in research and development. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Professor Julie Lydon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Wales, said: “Both government and business understand there is a growing need for graduates with hands-on skills that can fight cyber threats, and that there is a need to work together to address this challenge. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“For industry, it offers direct access to a pool of graduates who have been trained to the highest standards and who have a clear understanding of cyber threats, while, for the students, it will maximise the opportunities for them to get a job when they leave USW.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The City Deal is expected to unlock significant economic growth across the Cardiff Capital Region, and over its lifetime, local partners expect it to deliver as many as 25,000 new jobs, and £4 billion of private sector investment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The ten leaders of the local authorities in the CCR, the Secretary of State for Wales Stephen Crabb, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Greg Hands, and First Minister Carwyn Jones signed the City Deal document in a ceremony at Admiral’s head office in Cardiff. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​