In a bid to reduce costs, the DVLA has announced a partnership with TechHub Swansea to tap into Welsh tech talent.
The agency, itself based in Swansea, is targeting a reduction in IT spending over the next five years, which currently tops £100m every year.
The two year deal with TechHub, said to be worth nearly £250,000, will see space created in the coworking space for the DVLA, startups and SME’s to work together.
Working closer to home
Since 1992, the DVLA has outsourced most of its IT requirements to multinational firms. It came under fire in 2009 after extending its contract with US-based IBM until 2015/16.
It has now decided not to renew its IT contracts and wants to make the most of South Wales’ “unsung” British developers.
It’s not clear what technologies exactly it hopes to develop, but the DVLA has said it wants to “develop stronger working relationships with local developers” who it believes can easily rival multinational firms.
DVLA chief executive Oliver Morley insisted that the financial investment was the “tip of a very large and exciting iceberg”.
There is no question whatsoever that Britain generally, and Swansea in particular, is home to some of the most talented software developers in the world, and it is our hope that this scheme will facilitate a dialogue between us.
Welsh tech city
Adam Curtis, cofounder of TechHub Swansea added that the DVLA’s commitment to local talent “only strengthens Swansea’s status as Wales’ tech city”.
Over the next few months, 40 DVLA staff will work on projects in TechHub Swansea, where they will also mentor startups.