v THE NEXT HERALD IS OUT ON 5TH OCTOBER v 14th September 2023 • The HERALD • Page 61 ASK A PROFESSIONAL Work in the Creative Sector? Join CREATE Solent Artists and people from all kinds of creative industries in the region are being invited to join the exciting new CREATE Solent initiative which aims to build a powerful, industry-led body of people to boost the creative industry eco-system. e pioneering collective, launched by the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), is being launched in partnership with CREATE Britain, a national organisation that brings together and promotes every aspect of British Design and Creativity. e new regional initiative will provide exciting opportunities for all those working in the creative industry in the region, as well as recent graduates starting out on their careers. It will be a single access point for creative industries to network, address challenges and collaborate. Paula Swain, Solent LEP Business Director and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) Champion said: “We are really excited about the launch of CREATE Solent, a platform that will help regional creative industries achieve their full creative and commercial potential by being part of a bigger association. The LEP is delighted to be championing the Solent’s creative industry in all its forms, supporting this growing sector to flourish. I encourage all those who are working in any of the creative industries to sign up and be part of CREATE Solent, through which they can raise their profile, and reach out to collaborators and clients from right across the country.” CREATE Solent will support the industry to thrive by forging stronger alliances between creative businesses, entrepreneurs, networks, and associated organisations. It will also provide an easily accessible route for buyers and new commissions to access information about the best creative professionals in the region. CREATE Solent, which is part of CREATE Britain (www.createbritain. com) will play an important role in Britain’s place-making and levellingup drive, showcasing the region’s specialisms, culture and heritage to enrich the UK’s Creative Industry sector. e Solent has 16,000 creative industry students at universities in Southampton and Portsmouth, making it the fourth largest area for creative studies in the UK. e Solent region is recognised as a Creative Industries Growth Cluster, with 4,500 creative businesses and 40,000 related jobs, generating £1.5bn GVA per annum. Find out more and sign up via the CREATE Solent registration page: solentlep.org.uk/growth-hub-businesssupport/create-solent/ BT has announced it has secured a seven-year deal with Hampshire-based NATS, the UK’s leading provider of air navigation services. NATS handles over 2.5 million ights every year and the new long-term contract will strengthen its technology infrastructure by creating a future- t strategic network architecture to support air tra c operations in the UK. BT will take responsibility for the consolidation and modernisation of NATS’ critical data network as well as manage digital networking and cyber security across its sites. BT will also develop an enhanced cyber security capability with NATS, which will include a new proactive central coordination point for cyber resilience. Together, these services will enhance NATS’ technology programme into the future and provide leading support for the technical operations it relies on. NATS provides air tra c services at 14 UK airports and manages all UK airspace from two air tra c control centres located at Swanwick in Hampshire, and Prestwick in Ayrshire. It also provides air tra c services at Gibraltar Airport and, more recently, Hong Kong International Airport. Tim Bullock, Supply Chain & Facilities Management Director at NATS, said: “NATS is implementing a truly transformational technology programme to keep the skies safe and support our customers worldwide, so it is vital we have BT as industry leaders alongside us. We select organisations at the top of their game technically, to join our collaborative ecosystem of partners. I’m delighted with the partnership we have formed and look forward to working together for many years to come to deliver great solutions for our customers.” Andy Rowe, Director of Central Government, at BT, said: “Secure, highbandwidth connectivity is essential in keeping the UK’s air traffic moving in the future – so after many years of building world-class networks and cyber security for providers of critical national infrastructure, we are looking forward to delivering this now for NATS. Under the partnership we will be responsible for both network provision and cyber security within the NATS strategic supplier ecosystem, and will be embarking on consolidating and modernising the entire network to build a world-class digital infrastructure that is fit for the future of air traffic management.” BT Lands Major Network and Cyber Security Deal with Hampshire-based NATS
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