Tom Lockhart, Project Officer for our SME Group, shares his passion for supporting businesses and explains how Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) are a cost-effective way to inject new skills into your business, and identify innovative solutions to help it grow.

KTPs are a UK-wide programme designed to help businesses improve their competitiveness and productivity through shared knowledge, technology and skills.

They involve recruiting a skilled graduate to work on a strategic business challenge identified by you, the business. The programme gives exclusive access to world-leading facilities at WMG and gives you the ability to employ a fresh way of thinking into your business.

We recognise that, for many business leaders, stepping away from the everyday running of the business to focus on delivering the future vision can be challenging. So we work with you to identify a potential project that addresses your challenges, we will support you through the application process and, if successful, provide ongoing academic supervision throughout the partnership.

KTP’s are based on a three-way partnership between a UK business, an academic organisation and a suitably qualified graduate who can lead on the project known as the KTP Associate. The KTP Associate will work within the business full time and have supervision from an expert in WMG. In addition, there will be a named academic supervisor on the team to provide top-level support and expertise to drive the project forward.

Harry Mason began their KTP this year

Each KTP is part-funded by Innovate UK, who contributes between 50% and 67% of the costs depending on the size of the company involved. They also provide necessary training to the Associate at no extra cost to the project.

We are proud to have recently begun a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Raleigh Coatings to implement digital technology in their business to optimise machine settings and deliver optimised product quality. Raleigh have seen the opportunity to invest in their business and utilise the skills and capability of the team at WMG to drive innovation and growth.

If you are interested in how a KTP could help your business grow, contact the WMG SME Team on WMGSME@warwick.ac.uk.

WH Tildesley began their KTP this year