Leading Advocacy - Building Capability Attracting Work - Developing Tradespeople
Future Proofing Our Trade
SOREC (Southland and Otago Regional Engineering Collective) was established by industry for industry. We are passionate about ensuring the sustainability of engineering in our regions, an incubator for industry to work together to grow and share the ‘pie’.
Our Story
Gareth Evans, CEO of FARRA Engineering, spearheaded a feasibility study into developing an engineering hub in early 2018. After many years in high tech internationally, Gareth returned to Dunedin in 2017 and was concerned at the number of engineering firms failing in the region, the lack of capital investment in new technology and the difficulty in finding staff.
Upon receiving PGF funding Gareth established a SOREC Steering Committee, which led the development and launch of SOREC at the end of 2019.
Capability Mapping
We are in the process of mapping manufacturing engineering capability across Southland and Otago.
This landmark project will help us understand the combined capabilities of our sector. We will use research findings to help our sector bid with confidence on new, exciting pieces of work, to help create and retain jobs.
We have the capability, we simply need to have the full picture so we can better tell (and sell) our story.
$7M in industry funding
In October 2019 the Minister for Business Innovation & Employment David Parker announced PGF funding of $500,000 towards the establishment of SOREC. Further funds have since been awarded to engineering and manufacturing firms under the SOREC umbrella.
SOREC’s first order of business was to provide business development support to prospective companies looking to invest in new capital expenditure within their business - working with companies on their funding applications, positioning them for the best chance of success.
Join Us
We are looking for like-minded manufacturing engineering firms across the region who want to help shape the future of engineering in the South.