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The morning started of with a session for small business owners in the region.

A great opportunity for the businesses in the region to engage and get an intimate overview of what is happening within Minister's Bayly portfolio's and have a genuine chance to identify specific challenge the business sector are currently facing; and even pitch meaningful solutions to these challenges.

In the afternoon the SOREC Summit took place. SOREC (part of Business South) organised a summit future proofing the Manufacturing and Engineering companies across Otago and Southland with a wide range of speakers focused on the industry. 

In his speech Hon. Andrew Bayly said Dunedin's engineering and manufacturing sector could provide the blueprint for the rest of the country as long as it works together.

"The sheer fact is, manufacturing is crucial to Otago and Dunedin in particular, and long may it continue because we need more of it. "I wish the whole of New Zealand was at the same level that Dunedin is."

Mr Bayly said he was "really" open to looping education and business portfolios into regional programmes for the nation’s engineering sector, but he needed to see a proven model of success to make it happen.