Assistance

Cleaner Production Promotion Unit, Dept of Civil & Environmental Engineering, UCC, 16 South Bank, Crosses Green, Cork
T: (021) 483 6822
F: (021) 431 6323
E: n.dunphy@ucc.ie
W: www.ruralsme.com

Categories: Community & Rural Development; Training

The Rural Enterprise Training Partnership is an initiative led by the Cleaner Production Promotion Unit, University College Cork.

CPPU worked with organisations such as Comhar LEADER na hEireann/Irish LEADER Network, Macra na Feirme, Cork County Council and UCC's Department of Food Business & Development to prepare a plan for training and education activities to meet the needs of rural-based businesses. This partnership of rural-based businesses with educational institutions, development bodies, public bodies and voluntary groups aims to:

• Identify training/education needs of individual rural enterprises.
• Source and deliver of appropriate training & education programmes.
• Develop accredited training programmes where a gap in provision is identified.
• Provide of a support network for members to exchange experiences.

The Partnership is in receipt of funding from the under the Accel Initiative of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment to fund its activities.

Clusters of Companies have been formed in West Cork, Donegal, Laois and Kerry, with a number of companies in Galwa and Waterford, which will form the basis of additional clusters. Most of the training will be arranged and delivered locally so as to serve the differing needs of each cluster, as identified in the Training needs Analyses of members.