BDMs Appointed To 37 Community Enterprise Centres

Business 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.

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.

(CD)