Launch of Cork Enterprise Month
Local entrepreneurship and innovation is the key to enterprise and employment growth in Cork - Kelleher.
The Minister for Trade and Commerce, Billy Kelleher T.D., today (Friday 26th February, 2010) launched ‘Cork Enterprise Month’. The initiative, organized by the 4 Enterprise Boards in Cork City and County, showcases the ongoing programmes of advice and information offered by the Enterprise Boards, to qualifying start-up and expanding small businesses in Cork City and County.
During the month of March a series of at least 40 separate events are being made available to potential entrepreneurs and will include prominent figures such as Sean Og O’Hailpin, Bobby Kerr of Dragon’s Den and author and motivational speaker Veronica Canning.
Speaking at the launch, Billy Kelleher T.D., Minister for Trade and Commerce said,
“Cork is well placed to take advantage of an enterprise and innovation infrastructure, and to advance the ‘Smart Economy’. With an established international manufacturing sector, excellent air- and sea-port access and centres of research and excellence at UCC and CIT, the application of local entrepreneurship to technology and innovation is the key to enterprise productivity and employment growth in Cork. At national level, 100 high-value enterprises have emerged from State-funded research investment and are worth ¤ 160 million annually, with 80 per cent of this coming from exports”.
“The Enterprise Boards and other State agencies offer a wide range of enterprise-oriented assistance and support, so that entrepreneurship can develop and grow at local level. I welcome this initiative by the Cork Enterprise Boards and encourage anyone interested in starting or developing a business to avail of a wide range of enterprise-oriented programmes being showcased during the month of March”, the Minister added.
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Notes for Editors:
County Enterprise Boards:
The 35 County and City Enterprise Boards (CEBs), were established in 1993 to provide support for small businesses with 10 employees or less (‘micro-enterprises’), at local level.
CEBs provide direct grant-support and indirect support through promoting entrepreneurship, capacity building, women-in-business and enterprise skills to new and existing micro enterprises in the commercial sphere, at local City- or County- level. Employing a small administrative staff of between 2 and 4, CEBs are often located in county towns or cities, as appropriate.
Cork Enterprise Month:
In deciding to brand the month of March as ‘Cork Enterprise Month’, the Enterprise Boards will be highlighting the role that entrepreneurship plays in economic development throughout the County and City. The Boards have prioritised innovation and entrepreneurship as the drivers of the local economy and have incorporated innovation as a key theme in the training and development programmes being run by each of the four Boards in Cork County and City.
The training and development programmes offered by the Enterprise Boards are a vital component in developing the business skills and acumen of local entrepreneurs. The training courses provided by the Boards over the years mean that Cork businesses are well equipped to cope with change and the challenges that the current economic difficulties are presenting. During 2009 a total of 2,015 participants availed of Training Programmes provided by the Boards covering a comprehensive range of business disciplines and enterprise issues.
Notable Participants in Cork Enterprise Month:
Sport and TV personalities, Bobby Kerr ‘Dragons Den’ and Sean Og O’Hailpin are involved in the 3RD level showcasing of entrepreneurship, An Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) in the sectoral Training programme ‘Seafood Development’ and acclaimed motivational Speaker Veronica Canning, author of ‘SHOEISMS: Working woman's guide to be the sassy, successful woman you know you can be’, in Networking for ‘Women in Business’.
ENDS
Last modified: 26/02/2010
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