At the recent WSBC Business leader Luncheon, held at Platinum Partner Parkroyal Parramatta and kindly supported by gold member University of Western Sydney, WSBC general manager Michael Sugg highlighted some recent WSBC updates and reported back on his recent UK visit and research.

"For those of you that attended the SOR event you will have seen a number of news items on the WSBC website, post the event relating to the $30bn investment planned for Western Sydney.

Recently, WSBC were invited to participate in the 2014 Business Leadership Forum, with 120 representatives from a broad priority of sectors as part of the Government’s engagement with industry. WSBC were able to represent its members, the SME businesses of Western Sydney and voice opinion and feedback towards the Governments economic development plans and their priorities in the year ahead.

With NSW clearly emerging as the engine room of Australia’s economic future, with improving business confidence, above the trend growth forecast and jobs growth, there is more and more importance on the collaboration, of not only research and industry, as we shall hear today, but also government and industry particularly in laying the foundations for long term growth in NSW and especially Western Sydney.

As well as the initiatives laid out by the State Government WSBC is seeking to formalize its new advocacy position to ensure that its members and the SME businesses of Western Sydney directly benefit from the $30bn investment into the region.

We have been conducting some research with the Committee for Sydney and I have also visited a number of organisations in the UK to understand how local businesses have benefited from major infrastructure projects, assessing how prime contracts are broken down and awarded to local sub contractors amongst other key initiatives. 

Over the coming weeks we will consult our members further and inform you of our plans to engage and connect industry, local and state government to benefit the local economy. We will also be working with our education partners too, to ensure that the Western Sydney SME businesses are equipped to tender for and deliver on these sub contracts.

One of our education partners, TAFE WSi, as we mentioned last time is already working on the Barangaroo and North West rail link projects doing exactly this and we will be sharing informative stories over the coming months to show you how success has been achieved.

We will also be conducting research on Western Sydney businesses – addressing the future skills gaps of Western Sydney industry, with TAFE Wsi and the needs and sentiment of Western Sydney SME businesses, with a joint project with William Buck, St George and UWS. For those interested in getting involved in this research please contact me directly and also look out for the first round of the business research in your inboxes this week.

Manufacturing and in particular, Advanced Manufacturing was discussed at the Business Leadership Forum, and I am pleased to announce that WSBC will be re-launching our manufacturers connection with a joint program with UWS, named WSFAM.

This program kicks off on 10 November and its first event is already sold out. 

WSFAM is a business innovation program designed to support a transformation of the manufacturing industry in Western Sydney through increased productivity, growth and sustainability. 

To help rebuild the competitiveness of Western Sydney manufacturing industry, WSFAM integrates a series of activities including undertaking detailed research to map the future of the industry, 

delivery of targeted advisory services to support business enhancement and establishment of a network group and Knowledge Hub to connect businesses and share information.

Further information on the program can be found on our website soon or by contacting myself or Don Wright at UWS.

As WSBC continues to grow its membership, provide a voice for the SME businesses of Western Sydney and conduct various research You, our member, will continue to benefit from our engagement programs and connect with the businesses you need to connect with.

Our news pages have received a massive increase in content recently and we are starting to hear how members are reaping the rewards of new connections and contacts, directly from their thought leadership articles and news items. 

WSBC will also be introducing new benefits to the Platinum and Gold partnership levels over the coming months to focus on getting even more businesses in the room at out events. Look out for information on this as we prepare for our next business leader luncheon in February, on the subject of health. You will have noticed we have moved the date from the 3^rd of December to accommodate our key note speaker, and the date and speaker will be announced as soon as we can. For those wanting to partner with us on this event and our future ones please give me a call.

In the New Year you will see a number of new initiatives aimed at connecting you further and for those wanting to network after work in a more social environment make sure you book on the event on the 14^th November, kindly hosted by new gold member Hugo Halliday. 

I am pleased and proud to report that WSBC continues to grow and offer more value to YOU, its members. And I ask that you continue to pass on the good word to grow our community and support us in connecting you more beyond our key business leader luncheons.

Together we will grow and with it the Western Sydney economy ".