Specialist Welsh-speaking recruitment firm, Job Trac Cymru, received top honours in the category Bilingual Business of the Year as part of the Rhondda Cynon Taf Annual Business Awards for the third year running in recognition of its efforts to promote the use of Welsh in the workplace.

Managing Director, Tracey Williams, who started the company after spotting a gap in the recruitment market, believes the secret of success lies in the company’s ability to assist employers find high-quality Welsh speaking employees.

She said: “After working as a Human Resources manager for a number of companies across Wales, I quickly realised there was a definite divide between the number of jobs which showed a preference for Welsh language speakers and those candidates who could actually speak and write fluently in Welsh.

Quick to turn this into a lucrative business opportunity, Mrs Williams who is a fluent Welsh speaker herself founded Job Trac Cymru with the idea of creating a Welsh speaking recruitment firm which would not only recruit, but fully vet Welsh speakers for business.

Within three years of setting up Job Trac Cymru and providing Welsh-speaking candidates to dozens of companies and public sector organisations across Wales, the firm was recognised by the RCT Business Awards as the winner in the Bilingual Business of the Year category 2008.

Job Trac Cymru also repeated this success in 2009 and now again in 2010.

Paul Cannon, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Housingat Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council said: “Congratulations to Job Trac Cymru on their well deserved award for Bilingual Business of the Year in Rhondda Cynon Taf.  Our annual Business Club Awards were another big success this year and recognised the achievements of companies like Job Trac Cymru. The Council is pleased to continue supporting local businesses through running the Business Club and also offers a range of other services and interventions.”

Mrs Williams added: “We are incredibly proud to receive this honour for the third time. I also believe we’re the only company to have received an award three years running! It just goes to demonstrate the increasing importance of Welsh in the workplace and the number of companies wanting to ensure they have the right candidate for the job.”

This trend, Mrs Williams believes, is being fuelled by the introduction of the Welsh Language Act of 1993 which stipulates that Welsh speakers should be able to have access to all public services in Welsh. The recent Welsh Language Legislative Competence Order is also playing a role.

Since setting up Job Trac Cymru, Mrs Williams also spotted another online business opportunity resulting in the creation of safleswyddi.com.

Safle Swyddi functions as an interactive employment website for Welsh speakers and allows candidates to be informed of any vacancies in Welsh and then link up directly with the potential employer via the website.

Safle Swyddi currently attracts around 15,000 unique visitors per month and has displayed in excess of 600 vacancies ranging from temporary placements to prestigious vacancies for experienced architects and managing directors since its inception.

Mrs Williams is hopeful that her success will inspire more candidates and businesses to actively promote the use of Welsh both inside and outside of the workplace.

“Studies indicate that those who understand more than one language are able to think more flexibly and creatively and can communicate with a wider variety of people. This can only be a good thing in an increasingly competitive global marketplace and should be actively encouraged.”

After successfully completing an Honours degree course in Welsh Studies at the University of Wales, Lampeter, Paul is now putting years of experience in dealing with people to the test when he answers all manner of enquiries through the medium of Welsh in his new role working in a busy Welsh Assembly Government contact centre in Morganstown.

“Although I completed an O level in Welsh, at the time, the language was not seen as a useful language to master when seeking your first job or a career. I subsequently joined the Post Office and for more than 20 years communicated mainly in English with the odd European language greeting when appropriate. I always felt that I was missing out!”

Paul subsequently enrolled for night classes to learn Welsh and after the encouragement from an inspirational tutor, applied and signed up for a full-time degree course at Llanbedr Pont Steffan (University of Wales, Lampeter).

Paul added: “I used to borrow Welsh language books from my local library and it was then that I rediscovered my interest in Welsh heritage and history. Making the move from working full-time to full-time student was difficult financially, but I wanted to be able to speak and work in Welsh, and with the fantastic support of my wife, I persevered.”

Keen to put his newly rediscovered Welsh skills into practise, Paul applied for a number of posts after his graduation. It was after contacting Job Trac Cymru, a recruitment company which specialises in finding jobs for Welsh speakers, that Paul found out about the job at the Welsh Assembly Government.

“Although I commute from Talyllyn, Powys to Morganstown every day, I really enjoy my new role. I also get to practise my Welsh with my colleagues all the time, which is great!”

Tracey Williams, founder and managing director at Job Trac Cymru said: “Paul is a terrific example of a first language English speaker who’s mastered Welsh as an adult. Not only is his written and spoken language ability of a very high standard, but Paul is able to carve out a whole new career path because of his courage and perseverance.”

Mrs Williams, a fluent Welsh speaker herself, also vets candidates in Welsh on behalf of her 50-strong client base. “The use of Welsh in business is becoming increasingly important and we’re keen to see more people learn and use Welsh to their advantage. The Welsh Language Act 1993 and Welsh Language Legislative Competence Order are also having a significant impact in helping to promote the use of Welsh in the workplace and we expect more organisations to follow suit.”

 For more information see www.jobtraccymru.com

So how do you go about boosting your presence online, without having to give up your day job, family and social life?

The first suggestion is to look again at who you are trying to target. If you’re audience is young people or teenagers, you’re probably better off setting up a MySpace or Bebo page. Facebook or LinkedIn typically appeals more to the average business user, whilst YouTube is suitable for video links, online demonstrations, etc.  

Two, what are you trying to achieve? Are you looking to inform, raise awareness, get people to sign up, buy something or attend something? In defining what you’re trying to achieve, it’s much simpler to narrow down which channels to use.

Three. Relevance. Whether you’re looking for a new job, building an online network or fan page, ask yourself if what you’re trying to say is relevant or of interest to the people or audiences you want to talk to.

Four. Think of the medium you’re using and consider your message, the language you use, etc. The language you use when posting your profile on LinkedIn will understandably be different to the way you communicate on Twitter.

Five. Be yourself. Remember that to get to where you are in business, you’re currently or potentially able to do something different, better or faster. Don’t be afraid to let potential customers, users or business partners see this.

Six. Choose the right tools for the job. Social or online media are great, but they are not necessarily the only or even best way to reach your target market or audience. So do your homework and listen to what your customers have to say.

Seven. Use the best person for the job. If you can’t think of anything you’d less rather do than spend hours every week updating your Facebook page of fan page, get someone else to do it. After all, many of your employees are already spending hours on these supposedly timewasters, so why not get them to promote your business or service at the same time while monitoring your competitors.

Eight. Collaborate. Just as there are different tools for different outcomes, using a combination of traditional and new media tools is a safe bet for maximum reach and minimum criticism.

Nine. Keep up with the news. After all, they say there’s nothing new under the sun, it’s just your interpretation that makes it interesting, fresh or relevant. Also, by keeping up with the news, you have a ready source of angles for your blog, your twitter messages, etc.

10. Consider the law. Although Social Media is still in its infancy, there are laws affecting usage, obtaining leads for marketing campaigns, etc. If you’re not sure, get some legal advice before you jump aboard!

 Known as a cryo-scanning electron microscope, the device is capable of examining single cells or even single molecules and will be used to help researchers within the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre (MNC) carry out high level research and development in a range of sectors from healthcare and steel to printed electronics and solar cells.

 The microscope has been custom built to ensure it incorporates a number of highly specialist features, making it one of only two in the UK with this functionality. Capable of magnification of up to one million times or a thousand times more than that of a typical optical microscope, the device will be used as a vital tool for examining organic or biological samples that would typically be destroyed or damaged during traditional imaging.

 Commenting on its capabilities, Dr Thierry Maffeis, lecturer at the MNC said: “The crucial development from basic research to prototype and commercialisation of nano-devices would be very difficult to achieve without this facility. The microscope enables us to examine objects such as mammalian cells, neurons, etc. under very low temperatures making it possible, for example, to see how engineered nanostructures interact with cells. This will tremendously assist ongoing projects within the nanotechnology centre and the institute of life science such as the development of biosensors used to detect cancerous cells, scaffolds for tissue engineering and literally thousands of other applications.”

 Dr Owen Guy, who specialises inelectronics for biosensor applications added: “Access to world class facilities is critical to the success of any modern engineering department. The MNC has a superb range of surface science and device fabrication tools but there is a glaring absence of a scanning electron microscope with truly nanoscale imaging capabilities.

 “There are an increasing number of nano innovations emanating from the Multidisciplinary Nanotechnology Centre, the Materials Research Centre and the Centre for NanoHealth and this cryo-scanning electron microscope is an essential facility that will be utilised by knowledge transfer projects from across the university.

 “Few industrial organisations have such a sophisticated and multifunctional tool and access to it through collaborative projects or contract work is a vital resource for Welsh and UK industry.”

 The Assembly Government’s A4B programme is designed to stimulate and encourage universities and institutes of higher education to collaborate with industry on R&D and knowledge transfer projects and help bring new products and processes to the market.

 The application for funding from the A4B programme has been supported by a number of companies including Corus, Haemair, Cyden, Surface Technology Systems, GE Healthcare and Pure Wafer – highlighting the strategic importance of the equipment to Welsh industry.

 Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, said the acquisition would provide academia and industry with an ability that was currently lacking in Wales but had the potential to significantly advance a host of existing projects and create new avenues of innovative, collaborative research.

 “Knowledge transfer from our universities to industry is key to supporting and developing a knowledge based economy and this investment will enable business operating at the leading edge of key industry sectors to maintain that edge.

 “The availability of this equipment will lead to new collaborative or research bids that will stimulate further research investment. The need for it is readily demonstrated by the range of companies supporting the bid from Swansea University.

 “The unique capabilities of this piece of equipment, coupled with its unparalleled resolution, will greatly aid and encourage research and development activity in many technology based SMEs. It will give them access to equipment that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive for them to acquire.”

 Professor Steve Wilks, Deputy Head of the School of Engineering said: “This is a tremendous opportunity for both the MNC and Swansea University to further its advances in partnership with industry in developing new products and processes which takes advantage of the growth in the Nanotechnology, Photovoltaic (solar energy) and Plastic Electronic markets.”

The Rolls-Royce/EPSRC award to the Strategic Partnership in Structural Metallic Systems for Advanced Gas Turbine Applications, further underpins the world-leading research in structural materials carried out at the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) at Swansea University. The funding will also help secure Rolls-Royce’s involvement in the University’s Science and Innovation Campus.

The Strategic Partnership in Structural Metallic Systems for Advanced Gas Turbine Applications will harness key academic expertise via a three-way collaboration between Swansea University, Cambridge and Birmingham Universities.

Over the next ten years, the UTC at Swansea will undertake fundamental materials research necessary to improve the efficiency and environmental sustainability of gas turbine engines and help train the next generation of world-class materials scientists and metallurgical engineers in structural metallic.

Ric Parker, Director Research and Technology, Rolls-Royce said; “Materials research is a vital part of ensuring we have the technology and skills needed to produce future gas turbines that will meet our customers’ needs. We look forward to working with all three universities and building on the excellent relationship we already share with them.”

Commenting on the funding, Swansea University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard B. Davies said: “This is a historic day for Swansea University. The Rolls-Royce/EPSRC announcement is the first major announcement by a leading multi-national company, which will enable Swansea University to realise its ambition of a Science and Innovation campus. The announcement clearly demonstrates that a 21^st Century campus which intermingles industrial research and development, academic research and postgraduate and undergraduate students, is being positively received by companies wanting to have a presence on the site.

“This Strategic Partnership in Structural Metallic Systems for Advanced Gas Turbine Applications builds on the long established collaboration in the field of advanced structural materials and will enable Swansea University to expand its applied research strengths in Engineering Materials which in turn will help support many small and medium-sized companies across South West Wales.

“This announcement further demonstrates the world-leading research undertaken in the School of Engineering at Swansea University and I would like to applaud my colleagues who have brought about this enhanced reputation.”

The Director of the Swansea UTC, Professor Martin Bache and his co-investigators Dr Karen Perkins and Dr Mark Whittaker will now embark on a number of individually designed packages of research. These will address more efficient use of existing metals (mainly titanium and nickel based superalloys) together with the development of novel materials for future engine applications – the so called “Vision 20” alloys. 

The expansion in knowledge transfer between these academics and the company will also help to generate a greater understanding of the performance of key components whilst in service, including safety critical parts such as rotating turbine discs and aerofoils, shafts and combustors.

Professor Bache said: “To develop, optimise and evaluate any new structural alloy to the stage where it can be approved for service application by the International certification authorities can take anything up to 15 years. Our research aims to reduce this lead time, whilst at the same time providing a more efficient use of existing materials and reducing the environmental impact of gas turbines. Such long–term funding is essential to sustain a stable team of academics and support staff at Swansea that can then establish a close working relationship with the company.

“This announcement is not only a welcome boost to the present UTC team but also recognises the tremendous efforts by former materials colleagues who have forged such a strong relationship between Swansea and Rolls-Royce since the 1970s.”

Professor Javier Bonet, Head of Swansea University’s School of Engineering said: “The School of Engineering is world-leading in this research field where close working relationships with key industrial players like Rolls-Royce are crucial. Along with Cambridge and Birmingham, Swansea will transfer its cutting edge technology to real industrial benefit, also providing training for the next generation of engineers.”

Treforest-based Safle Swyddi, which signposts job vacancies where Welsh is desirable or essential, has increased its visitor numbers to around 12,000 Welsh speakers per month as more and more companies across Wales opt to advertise their job vacancies online.

The business has also posted in excess of 500 jobs which specifies spoken or written Welsh as a requirement since setting up the service just over two years ago.

In order to make it easier for job seekers to access and share jobs information via social networking sites on their PC or mobile phone, Safle Swyddi has just completed a site overhaul.

Founder and Managing Director, Tracey Williams explains: “Safle Swyddi has seen a marked increase in the number of companies looking to recruit Welsh speaking candidates for jobs ranging from  administration, childcare and youth workers, to researchers, managing directors and teachers.

“Despite the wider turbulence within the recruitment market, our formula of providing a forum for employers to access Welsh speaking candidates online is clearly working well.

“By adding in a number of features which will make the site easier to access and use, we aim to encourage even more Welsh speakers and learners to use the language to further their careers, spot new opportunities and keep the language alive.”

Mrs Williams, a fluent Welsh speaker herself, founded the Safle Swyddi website with the idea of creating an interactive Welsh recruitment site which would not only flag up opportunities for Welsh speakers, but also enable employers to access Welsh speaking candidates early on in the recruitment process.

In addition to email links and bookmarks, online forms which can be completed and posted by employers within minutes, Safle Swyddi now also offers a service for companies wanting to translate their adverts into Welsh. Employers can also make use of the firm’s Welsh language vetting service if required.

Mrs Williams added: “Now more than ever employers are looking for people who can speak and work in both English and Welsh. Initiatives such as the Welsh Language Act of 1993 stipulate that Welsh speakers should be able to have access to all public services in Welsh. Also, The Welsh Language legislative competence order (LCO) is now in its final draft and includes a possible new right to require some private companies to use the language, I therefore expect these numbers to continue to rise.”

Mr Price, Director of E&L Instruments Ltd in Wrexham – an electronics design and manufacturing company specialising in technical training equipment for use in college and university laboratories, will act as regional manager for Mid- and North Wales; whilst former Director of Human Resources of ESM, Ms Lewis from Cardiff, will do the same across South East  Wales. Both are former Forum Council Members and will be looking to raise awareness of the Welsh Electronics Forum and its services within their respective regions over the coming months.

The two key appointments follow the Forum’s recent consultation with industry on matters of funding and innovation, the impact of the recession on the skills pool and better collaboration in order to unlock new markets, among others.

Dr Chris Young, Chief Executive of the Welsh Electronics Forum says the appointments are extremely timely.

She said: a Trend Survey of Welsh and UK companies conducted earlier in the year confirmed that although half of companies expected to retain numbers over the next quarter, access to finance and credit was limiting their growth substantially. After meeting with the Deputy First Minister, Ieuan Wyn Jones, in April and consulting with technology companies across Wales in July, the Forum proposed and prioritised four key actions according to importance. These now form the core of the Action Plan that Avril and Idris will help to deliver.

“In addition to winning more business, establishing ‘communities of interest’ was identified as a top priority. Both Idris and Avril will have further responsibility for setting up communities in North and Mid Wales and developing a community of contractors and consultants, respectively.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Price, who is also a Knowledge Transfer Partnership Adviser for North Wales, said: “Nearly 60% of the companies we spoke to cited networking and making contacts as a fundamental role of the Forum. Having worked in the electronics industry since the 70s and being closely associated with the Forum for many years, I am relishing the challenge of creating a stronger community in North and Mid Wales and actively promoting a programme of regular events where technology companies can exchange not only ideas, but also experience and in this way build lasting relationships.”

Ms Lewis, who was part of the MBO of Newport Wafer-fab , now International Rectifier, has worked in the technology and recruitment industry for many years. She has been tasked with strengthening the Forum’s links with Semta, the Sector Skills Council for the electronics industry.   She said: “The technology industry is one of the most exciting industries in which to work and I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed seeing young talent being developed and offered opportunities to progress within a truly global industry.

“In order to ensure that the technology industry and Wales plc continue to thrive, we now need to relook at the current skills pool and make certain that its size and quality continues to match the needs of the industry it supports.”

Mr Price and Ms Lewis will also be looking to identify potential new services and income streams for the Forum, spend time with companies in order to update the Forum’s directory and provide information on other informal service offers available from member companies.

The Welsh Electronics Forum currently represents nearly 600companies in Wales and has been collaborating with a number of organisations including Semta, the Wales Manufacturing Forum, Electronics Knowledge Transfer Network and the UK Electronics Alliance to ensure a unified industry-led approach to business support and representation.

Researchers at Swansea University’s Centre for NanoHealth have been awarded £1 million by the Research Councils’ Nanoscience through Engineering to Application cross-council programme, led by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC), to analyse the levels at which nanoparticles can be deemed safe within cells.

The funding, awarded as part of a £1.4 million research grant to Swansea University and collaborators at the Institute of Materials Research at the University of Leeds (EPSRC), will enable Swansea University to develop techniques to accurately measure the nanoparticle dose delivered to biological cells, track the dose dilution as cells reproduce and provide vital information for researchers studying any potential toxic responses. 

The four year project will also ensure closer collaboration between researchers at Swansea University’s School of Engineering and School of Medicine, both of which have undertaken significant research into nanotechnology, nanometrology and nanotoxicology over the last 15 years.

Professor Huw Summers, lead researcher and Chair in Nanotechnology for Health at Swansea University said: “Current practice in the assessment of toxic dose uses bulk solution measures such as milliliters per gram to determine correct dosages rather than the fundamental measure of particle number. As the size of nanoparticles can vary significantly, some being as small as a protein molecule, determining optimal dosages for use in healthcare and beauty products such as sunscreens or cell-based diagnostics will be crucial.

“Our research which uses light emitting nanoparticles as optical markers within living cells that give an individual signal relating to cell generation will also provide vital information for our colleagues in nanotoxicology about how the dose evolves as cells divide and nanoparticles are passed onto future cell generations.”

In recent years the application of nanotechnology to medicine has sparked the imagination of life scientists, engineers, clinicians and industry around the world.

These nanoscale technologies, for example, will enable researchers and scientists to apply engineering methodologies to successfully build and repair tissues such as cartilage and skin using advanced cell culture techniques, act as an early warning system for cancer or diabetes and make products like sunscreen or antiperspirants more effective.

Professor Summers explains: “We’ve been using nanoparticles for tracking lineage, proliferation and inheritance in populations of biological cells for a number of years. Using fluorescent nanocrystals known as quantum dots, we now have established protocols for introducing nanoparticles into cells and quantifying their interactions within the biological environment through optics-based experiments and detailed computational simulations.

“This enables us to not only predict and control the way cells and structures behave, but test these before they are introduced, reintroduced or implanted in the body to give better results in future healthcare applications.”

The project research team will comprise 11 researchers, six academic investigators, three postdoctoral researchers and two PhD students.

In addition to optical tracking of nanoparticles in cells, measurement and computer simulation of the nanoparticle dose evolution, biological assessment of particle uptake and toxicology assays on skin, lung and immune system cells; Swansea University will also be working with the Institute of Materials Research at the University of Leeds which will be providing high resolution electron microscopy to image nanoparticles in cells and provide chemical analysis.

The project is closely linked to the Centre for NanoHealth initiative at Swansea University which stems from a number of joint research programmes between the School of Engineering and the School of Medicine and is expected to position Swansea University as the front-runner in nanotoxicology research in the UK.

The Centre for NanoHealth is the first state-of-the-art NanoHealth facility of its kind in Europe, bringing together the expertise of clinicians, life scientists, engineers and industry to develop cutting-edge technologies and devices for the benefit of patients everywhere.

The Centre for NanoHealth has been made possible after securing more than £10 million from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government.

The trick is timing it correctly.

So how do you turn what’s getting the media’s attention right now into an opportunity? The first thing is to realise what is making the news i.e. something so big, that it’s getting everyone’s attention.

Secondly, remember the big story of the moment may not be your core business, idea or service. And for many businesses not operating in or dealing with the entertainment business, Michael Jackson’s death – no matter how shocking or sad – could just seem like a waste of valuable business time.

So if you’re not an entertainer trying to make a comeback, how can you get your message across? In this case you need to find a way to hook into the big story of the moment.

 Think US Weekly or AEG Live – the organisers of MJ’s London tour. US Weekly unveiled previously unseen online footage taken at the 1984 Pepsi ad fiasco which resulted in MJ losing much of his hair and sustaining serious burns to both his face and scalp (the speculated start of his pain killer problems). The results, record hits for US Weekly online and global coverage for the title within hours.

After issuing a statement saying our thoughts are with the family, AEG Live quickly bounced back from a major potential crisis with news of a possible tribute gig and then the eureka moment – offering a souvenir ticket instead of a refund. Risky if every fan took this option, but quick and clever thinking nonetheless!

Thirdly, remember that every week or holiday season there’s a news item or issue that takes the lion’s share of airtime and print space. If you, your business or product has anything to do with this or what the media are talking about, make the most of it – ring your local news reporter, issue a press release, send an email … Bottom line, if it’s newsy, use it!

The Council was presented with the initial findings of the Fabian Way feasibility study and agreed on the submission of an outline planning application after completion of the technical and investment appraisals in the next few weeks.

A final decision on whether to proceed with the new science and innovation campus at Fabian Way will be made later in the year.

The plans will include relocating some activities from the Singleton Park campus to the new campus. This will enable Swansea University to improve existing facilities at Singleton Park for staff and students.

Welcoming Council’s decision, Swansea University Vice Chancellor, Professor Richard B. Davies, said: “This Science and Innovation campus is an ambitious 21^st Century development and is expected to be the largest knowledge economy project in the UK.

“By removing the boundaries between industry and academia, which restrict the traditional science park model, we are proposing radical new approaches to the provision of research and development, education and skills to help drive economic regeneration for the benefit of the whole South West Wales Region.

“The new campus will provide an open innovation environment intermingling industrial research and development, academic research and postgraduate and undergraduate students. This vision is made possible through substantial business support and the gifting of the land from BP.

In addition to BP, the project is being developed in partnership with Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, City and County of Swansea, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Prince’s Foundation.

Professor Davies added: “The positive endorsement from Council is particularly timely. We are confident that this development will deliver world-class education opportunities, new employment and prosperous high-tech companies; all contributing to the excellent quality of life and environment in South West Wales.”

Swansea University’s campus expansion plans build on longstanding links between Swansea University and multi-national companies. The concept of the Science and Innovation campus is the result of consultation with these companies. A number will have a substantial presence on the new campus.

This expansion plan is expected to create about 11,000 jobs and make an economic impact in excess of £3bn over 10 years in the South West Wales region.

For more information visit www.swansea.ac.uk