850 additional jobs targeted in communities across the country as part of Community Enterprise Development ProgrammeBusiness Development Managers are to be appointed to 37 Community Enterprise Centres across the country as part of a €2million programme aimed at protecting and growing businesses in the community, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD announced today [Thursday].
The announcement relates to a key commitment under Action Plan for Jobs 2012.
Under today’s announcement, €1.6million of funding has been allocated to support the management infrastructure within the national community enterprise centre network, managed by Enterprise Ireland. The 37 Centres which will benefit under today’s announcement were selected from applications received from Community Enterprise Centres following a call for proposals made by Enterprise Ireland in March 2012.
The 37 Centres forecast that a total increase of 848 employees will be achieved by 2014 in the businesses they support due to the employment of a Business Development Manager.
A second call for proposals for a further €400,000 will be published in 2013.
The people appointed to these positions will be responsible for managing Community Enterprise Centres, building business links and driving entrepreneurship locally. The Centres will be judged against a range of metrics in return for the funding granted, and among their responsibilities will be:
· facilitating and providing business development programmes and training courses
· facilitating companies to graduate from the centre once their employment levels rise
· managing cooperation with other business development stakeholders locally such as local entrepreneurs, third level institutions, CEBs, Local Authorities, Chambers of Commerce
· collaborating and networking with other Community Enterprise Centres in the area
Since the Community Enterprise Centres Scheme was established in 1989, €61.4 million has been approved and 110 CECs have been set up across the country. Approximately 800 companies and 5000 jobs are currently supported by these Centres around the country. They provide space in a supportive environment for budding entrepreneurs and support the development of local entrepreneurship in urban and rural locations.
Making the announcement Minister Bruton said:
“A key part of the Government’s plan for sustainable jobs and growth is a drive to support enterprise in the community. In many cases communities by coming together to focus on job creation can have a much greater impact on their local economy than Government ever could, and initiatives such as “Local Heroes” and “Fiver Friday” have shown what can be achieved.
“This Government is determined to support community efforts for job-creation, and the Action Plan for Jobs contains a series of measures aimed at this goal. Today’s announcement will mean that more entrepreneurs in more communities will have more support as they seek to start businesses and create jobs”.
Welcoming the announcement, Tom Hayes, Enterprise Ireland Head of Micro Enterprise and Small Business said:
“We are confident that this funding and these appointments will have a significant impact at local level in driving the continued success of community enterprise centres. Experience shows that business development managers in the Community Enterprise Centres have a track record of maintaining and creating the employment numbers in the centres.
“Enterprise Ireland is encouraging CECs to grow local enterprise with the implementation of this scheme in all regions of Ireland. Enterprise Ireland will work with local organisations and communities to ensure a timely implementation of this initiative”.
ENDS