This article is from page 69 of the 2007-07-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 69 JPG
WHEN Adam Coleman, director of Lahinch-based business _ solutions company, Interventions took the helm at A Clare Industry Service Tourism (ACIST) skillnet, the aim was to provide training for 435 peo- ple in the first two years.
Six months short of that target they have trained 536 with more courses in the pipeline.
Interventions is the training bro- kerage for ACIST and has organ- ised all kinds of training for the 70 companies which are now on board and now Limerick and Galway based businesses are also joining.
The organisation has become so succesfull that it has been decided to hold open recruitment days with plans being laid to apply for addi- tional funding from Skillsnet Ltd, through the Department of Enter- prise and Employment.
ACIST, which is a not for profit organisation, set up with a training and business networking grant of €300,000 from the Skillsnet parent body.
Member companies pay a small joining fee but the returns are worth every penny, says Interventions D1- rector, Coleman.
“What we provide is training and development across the board, tai- lored to the individual company’s needs. It’s training that small compa- nies, particularly, could never access with this kind of subsidisation.”
An example of that access was the
arranged two day visit last year of French cheese making guru, Jamal Kebchaoui, who gave instruction to two cheesmaking companies which are members of Acist. And a follow- up tarining visit is planned for later this year.
A keystone of the ACIST mindset is that they “engage expert trainers – people who been there and done that, actually worked and suceeded
in thier field’, said Coleman.
Companies involved vary from the huge multi-nationals such as Gen- worth to the three surf schools in Clare and companies which make chocolate, market goods, provide lifting machinery or hotels, pubs and restaurants.
ACIST tailors training to the needs of each member company as well as organising networking events and
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Two major courses run by ACIST are the Applied Management and Applied Marketing courses, which can be done in modules and one of the latest initiatives from the organi- sation is the Loyalty Programme, with which companies and services give discounts to other members, en- couraging members to do business with each other and network.
ACIST has even also organised English language courses for polish workers and are planning to organ- ise Polish classes for members in September. “It’s a training need and we re meeting it”, said Coleman.
The bottom line, Coleman stresses, is that membership is a win/win situ- ation for businesses. “Our brief is to see how we can work with compa- nies to improve their situation. They can take advantage of training and development opportunities which are organised to to suit their needs, in their time and conducted locally.”
The ACIST expose days are being held in Genworth Financial Offices in Shannon on July 25 between 4pm and 8pm and in the Temple Gate Ho- tel in Ennis, also from 4pm to 8pm.
Everyone is welcome and Coleman predicts a large rise 1n companies wanting to join.
“Training can start at any time that the members want after joining but it would be important that new mem- bers sign up soon, because we need to do a trainig needs analysis with each new company very soon, as we will be reapplying for funding.”
Further information available at www.skillsacist.com.