The Chamber has published its Pre-Budget submission which sets out to Government the priorities of Cork’s business community in advance of Budget 2014.  A central priority of Budget 2014 must be the resolute avoidance of any increases to the costs of doing business in Ireland given the persistent challenges and pressures businesses continue to experience after six years of austerity.  The Chamber’s PBS focuses on a number of key measures that will facilitate and support the operation of existing businesses and incentivise and enable the expansion and growth of these businesses in addition to wider measures that improve confidence levels and stimulate the domestic economy. 

The Pre-Budget Submission focuses on four key areas: taxation; supports for micro, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs; employment protection and generation; and priority infrastructure projects to ensure a strong, economic region that has the capacity to attract and capitalise on growth and employment opportunities. 

Further details of the Chamber’s PBS can be found HERE

Certificate in Business & Executive Coaching Leadership (FETAC Level 6)

Course Dates: 10^th & 11^th September, 1^st, 2^nd & 22^nd October

Member Rate: €550.00

The FETAC Level 6 Business Coaching for Peak Performance course is designed to provide those with responsibilities for developing workplace competencies with the skills needed to develop individual performance in others.

Throughout the 5 day course, competencies, behaviours, knowledge, skills, and abilities are identified that directly and positively impact the success of employees and organisations. It is designed to create an understanding of the organisational and workplace context within which performance and individual career development takes place and it will provide the skills, knowledge and tools required to carry out effective coaching in the workplace. Coaching is about unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their performance.

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will:

• Understand the distinctive nature of coaching as a tool for developing workplace competencies and career advancement

• Learn how to use the G.R.O.W model of coaching

• Understand the organisational context of coaching

• Learn how to set goals for individual development

• Understand the non-critical, non-judgemental, and confidential nature of the coaching relationship

• Be able to build and sustain powerful coaching relationships

• Develop the skills of active listening and systematic questioning

• Understand how NLP can contribute to coaching effectiveness

• Develop personal effectiveness as a coach

• Be able to manage a coaching programme and evaluate the effectiveness of coaching as a development tool

This course is ideal for anyone who would like to learn the core skills of Business Coaching whilst also gaining a qualification which is on the National Qualification Framework in Ireland (FETAC Level 6). This course is suitable for managers and other individuals who are responsible for developing workplace competencies and who possess the interest and skills required to develop individual performance in others.

See our full range of courses at www.corkchamber.ie/training

Bookings can be completed through the website and enquiries should be directed to Aoife@corkchamber.ie  (Training Services Administrator)

Part 1:  Bank Financing - 11th September 2013

Speakers at this Seminar include:

-         Eoin Gunn, Business Banking Senior Relationship Manager, AIB Bank

-         Michael Ashe, Trade Finance Manager, Ulster Bank

-         Brendan Moran, Senior Business Manager, Bank of Ireland

-         Paul Kerr, Senior Reviewer, Credit Review Office

Attendees will learn more about the following themes:

-          Managing all elements of the payments cycle effectively

-          What banks look for in a lending application

-          Working Capital Finance Options

-          Export financing options for businesses going international

-          Medium and Long-term funding facilities

-          The role of the Credit Review Office and how to proceed if you have been refused bank credit

All speakers will be available for one-to-one consultations after the seminar. The Seminar takes place in the Clarion Hotel Cork from 8.30am – 11.30am. To reserve your place click here or contact: katherine@corkchamber.ie (021- 4530137)                                                                                                 

Themes and provisional dates for the rest of the series include:

• Part 2: EU Funding - Wednesday 9^th October 2013
• Part 3: Venture Capital and Private Investments - Wednesday 6^th November 2013
• Part 4: State Agency Funding - Wednesday 4^th December 2013

The seminars are free of charge and details of each seminar will be announced in due course.

Business partnership opportunity

Hotel solutions provider

A UK, family-run consultancy, specialising in hotel management, marketing and revenue generation, offers a complete solution for hotel owners looking to increase sales and occupancy rates. The consultancy is owner-managed and prides itself on its exceptional customer services. For more information about this profile, please contact Eimear@corkchamber.ie.

Events

Polymer Connections: A Bridging Borders Event, 26 September, Belfast

The Enterprise Europe Network is running ‘Polymer Connections: A Bridging Borders Event’ in Belfast on September 26, 2013. The event will be hosted by Invest Northern Ireland in association with the Northern Ireland Polymers Association (NIPA) and will bring together polymer companies and other users of the technology from across Europe to explore partnership opportunities. Attendees will have the opportunity to have one-to-one scheduled meetings to explore collaborative opportunities. Local experts will also give advice on how to access EU funding. In addition, the event aims to identify industrial and academic partners from different regions who wish to participate in EU funded projects under programmes such as Horizon 2020. For further information about this event, please contact debbie.vance@investni.com.

The International Furniture, Equipment and Accessories Fair, 17-21 September, Bucharest, Romania

The International Furniture, Equipment and Accessories Fair will take place at the Romexpo Exhibition Centre in Bucharest from 17-21 September, 2013. The exhibition area will be organised into six thematic areas: Classic; Design; Comfort; Kitchens; Accessories and Materials; Machinery and Equipment. The event is organised by ROMEXPO S.A., in partnership with the Romanian Furniture Manufacturer’s Association, the Romanian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Euroexpo trade-fairs. For further information about this event, please contact Luiza Girleanu at the Romanian Embassy, ro_economic@eircom.net.

Survey on the Innovation Capabilities of Service SMEs in Ireland

The RIKON Group located at Waterford Institute ofTechnology is currently conducting an important National Study which aims to assess the innovation capabilities of service SMEs in Ireland. The findings will have significant implications for helping SME managers/owners understand the nature of service innovation in Ireland. Furthermore, the study will enable service innovation researchers at WIT to develop a practical management toolkit that will assist SME owners and managers to measure their level of innovativeness and identify the most effective mechanisms to help upgrade their innovative mode.

The survey is targeted at senior managers / owners of SME service firms in Ireland and should take no longer than 15-20 minutes to complete.  To participate in the survey please click here. All participants who complete the questionnaire will receive a substantial business report summarising the key findings emerging from the research that will enable SMEs to benchmark themselves against their industry competitors.

For more information contact Margaret Walsh on 087-1923553 or mwalsh@wit.ie.

UK Market Access Programme

Are you considering setting up a business in the UK?  If so, then you may wish to be involved in the UK Market Access Programme (UKMAP), which is promoted and supported by UK Trade and Invest (UKTI) in the British Embassy.

The UK Market Access Programme offers Irish-owned businesses, setting up in the UK:

• Free formation of a limited company
• Free Company Secretarial and Registered Office services for one year
• 6 months’ rent free office accommodation at the University of Warwick Science Park
• Discounts on market research and customer searching services
• Access to a wide range of benefits including recruitment, employee benefits, logistics, car leasing and much more

As an introduction to the UK market, the Market Access Programme also gives Irish businesses the opportunity to avail of a FREE, one-to-one consultation with market experts JMB Partnership and EBS European Business Solutions.  The JMB Partnership specialises in helping companies find UK customers through meeting programmes and outsourced sales staff. Their services include telemarketing, email marketing and LinkedIn campaigns. EBS European Business Solutions  has been working exclusively with foreign-owned businesses establishing themselves in the UK since 1991 and specialises in providing practical accounting, office and administrative support.

As part of the UKMAP, JMB Partnership and EBS European Business Solutions are offering their free consultation services to businesses in Cork on Wednesday 18 September 2013. 

For expressions of interest or to find out more please contact Katherine@corkchamber.ie

The Barefoot Race is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a record-breaker, do a good deed for charity and have a lot of fun. Join us in Cork on 24 August at 11.30am and help us reach our target of 600 pairs of bare feet to break a brand new world record. Sixty percent of every €12 registration fee will go to support our work in research, CPR and patient information to help 100,000 people newly diagnosed with heart disease and stroke here annually.

The barefoot dash will be preceded by a 5km run at the same venue and a discount applies to those who participate in both the 5k and barefoot races. The World Mini Games is a flagship Gathering event for Cork, and is supported by IPB Insurance, The Gathering Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork County Council.

Over the two days, Prof. Gassmann will deliver an evening keynote lecture and three master-classes addressing key issues of innovation. You can attend any or all of these free events by registering at http://www.uccinnovation2013.eventzilla.net/ for tickets for your chosen event or else emailing Dr. Lawrence Dooley at l.dooley@ucc.ie.


Keystone Public Lecture- September 4th (Boole 2: 18.45-20.00) - Secrets of Innovation and the €100 million Question

Master-class 1- September 4th (ORB 2.55: 10.00-12.00) - Leading the Innovation Process: From ideas to market success.

Master class 2: September 4th (ORB: 2.55 14.00-16.00) - Open up your innovation: The power of customers and community and innovation engine.

Master class 3: September 5th (ORB 2.55: 10.00-12.00) - Revolutionize your Industry: The magic patterns

The Go-2-Tender programme is Ireland’s most successful and comprehensive tender training programme. We are running a workshop in Cork on the Tuesday 17^th September and Tuesday 24^th September. Bid Management Services and Core Consulting will be delivering the workshop and there will be equal emphasis on tendering in ROI and NI.

The course consists of a 2 day in classroom programme which covers many aspects of public procurement ranging from making the bid/no bid decision, your approach to the market and the construction of a typical document. Further to this a free half a day mentoring session is attached to this programme which can focus on any procurement issue you are interested in and the option exists to apply for an additional up to 3 days of mentoring which is free of charge.

Background of Go-2-Tender

This programme has been developed and run for InterTradeIreland by Bid Management Services and is specifically targeted to provide companies with the skills to successfully tender for Public Sector contracts. Participants have been incredibly successful following the programme and have won €50m of business following on from their participation on the course in recent times. For example last year’s attendees on the programme have secured in excess of €10m of contracts since participating in the Go2Tender programme.

It works by providing participants with two days of in class training followed by free mentoring from our expert tender specialists.

Programme Topics Covered Include:

• How public sector bodies across the island buy their goods, services and works
• How and where to source working opportunities
• What the buyers are looking for
• When to bid and not to bid
• The tendering process
• How to prepare the winning proposal

Mentoring Topics Include:

• Sourcing and vetting of opportunities
• Taking you through an actual live tender
• Review of your past tenders and provision of a report
• Development of a public sector market entry strategy

In addition, we have guest speakers from one or more central government procurement organisations across the island (CPD, eTenders etc).

Cost

Go-2-Tender provides excellent value for money and includes training, materials, catering and mentoring.

The cost is €100 or £85 per person.

Dates and location for the workshop

To register for the above workshop please go to http://www.gototender.com

If you have any queries or questions then please contact me directly on Hazel@bidmanagement.ie or +353 (0) 5252650

The Clarion Hotel, Cork will host a special wedding style event on Sunday 1st September with fashion aficionado Celia Holman Lee. The event will focus on fashion for the entire wedding party from brides and grooms to bridesmaids, mothers and guests. Consultations will also be given on the day by the Clarion wedding team with hair and make-up demos also provided by Benefit and Sobe Brown. Holman Lee will give her top tips for a stylish wedding with trend forecasts, dressing for different body shapes and the rules of finding the perfect dress for the bride.

Speaking of the event, Sales and Marketing Manager, Raymond Kelleher says, “Our style event is a step away from the traditional wedding fair, instead we want to showcase the Clarion as a unique alternative for couples who are looking for a stylish aisle in the city."

Also speaking of the style event, Celia Holman Lee said, "Cork is such a fashionable city and I am looking forward to meeting with couples and their mothers to let them in to some of my top tips for a stylish wedding. There are of course some golden rules which should never be broken where wedding fashion is concerned, including wearing white or cream if you are a mother of either party or a guest and allowing the mother of the bride to decide on her colour palette before the mother of the groom. No bride should allow a dress to wear her either - it is vital that she is comfortable and chooses a style to suit her body shape.”

The event takes place from 2-5pm on Sunday 1st September with Celia hosting her showcase from 3-4pm.

 Do you want to know how the financial markets work?  Would you like to learn the inside secrets of financial trading?

The Irish Institute of Financial Trading is holding a four week Diploma course this September 2013 in the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, Little Island, Cork.

Peter Brown, founder of www.iift.ie, will deliver our Diploma in Financial Trading. He is a banking contributor on RTE TV and Radio. Peter also appears regularly on TV3’s Vincent Brown show where his views are sought on economic and financial issues.

The course is highly successful and will cover - How the markets work, risk management, fundamental and technical analysis, trading strategies, psychology of trading and much more.

Please contact Colin Gregan or Tomás Agnew at 01 6644034 or cgregan@iift.ie

 More information available HERE