ON Your Marks. Get Set. Go. A series of interactive workshops are being launched this month and Worcestershire companies are set to be among the first to make the most of more than £30 billion of public sector opportunities.

The free Business Link West Midlands-backed event, which will be held at the Pear Tree Inn at Smite, between Worcester and Droitwich, on Thursday, February 28, will provide specialised training for small and medium-sized businesses looking to take advantage of a host of potential contracts, including future sporting events, transport infrastructure and regeneration projects across the UK and overseas.

At the top of the agenda will be the London 2012 Games and the potential that undoubtedly exists for the region to take its share of work in providing services or expertise to help build the landmark Stratford City, London.

Janet Ferris, head of marketing and communications for Business Link West Midlands, said: "Worcester has so many companies which can offer unique experience and expertise for both the Olympics and other major projects.

"However, many businesses feel they have no chance of securing any of these contracts or they get lost in the complexities of the tendering process. This is something these procurement workshops will solve."

There will be a calendar of seven events held across the West Midlands, with a further three sector specific seminars for construction, professional services and the security industry.

The half-day sessions will provide an overview of the opportunities set to be created by the London 2012 Games and will develop into more intensive training around processes, detailed procedures and the skills needed to meet public sector guidelines. Mrs Ferris said: "The development work will include, among many other subjects, preparing for bidding and tendering, understanding EU and Government rules, identifying opportunities within a timeframe to allow effective response, analysing tender documents and finalising contracts.

"The workshops are only one element of the support we can offer and, following the event, our advisers can continue to offer impartial advice and guidance on helping businesses develop and be in a strong position to win new contracts.

"We are also working with Advantage West Midlands on promoting the national website www.london2012.com/business, which will feature thousands of London 2012 Games contract opportunities and a number of indirect tenders that will be part of the ripple effect of the games.

"It will also allow smaller businesses to locate similar companies elsewhere in the UK to join forces with and bid jointly for larger contracts which might otherwise be out of their reach."

Away from the Olympics and Business Link West Midlands is determined that this specialised training will leave an important legacy for firms and open doors to procurement for other public sector contracts. It has already worked with many firms that have benefited from being more pro-active in this area, including a company that supplied portable netting for the Cricket World Cup 2007, an artist who exhibited paintings at the Rugby World Cup and a firm that has replaced hundreds of tiles for the London Underground.

As well as the event at Smite, there will be another at Hedley Lodge, Hereford, on Thursday, February 27.

For further information about the workshops and to reserve a place, contact the events team on 0121 452 4218 or e-mail events@businesslink wm.co.uk