Last week Cork Chamber Chief Executive Conor Healy, was part of a delegation who travelled to Cork's sister city San Francisco on the inaugural Aer Lingus direct flight from Dublin to San Francisco. Along with promoting investment in Cork, five students from Blackrock Castle's CoderDojo group, were invited by San Francisco's Mayor Lee, to showcase and share their coding skills with students and representatives of Silicon Valleys top firms.  See ABC7 news piece HERE.

1. Public Procurement Must Be About Strategic Goals Not Just Cost Saving - Read More HERE
2. New Commercial Law Firm in Cork - Read More HERE
3. Tee off in the fight against cancer at The Mercy Hospital Foundation Golf Classic - Read More HERE
4. Network Cork launches its Annual Business Awards - Read More HERE

Dylan White, a young student from Ovens, Co Cork participated in the National Job Shadow Initiative this week.

Dylan is one of several students from the Doras Training Centre of the Cope Foundation to get a chance to experience the working world in an office setting. The Doras Centre in Cork educates people with disabilities and helps them learn valuable work skills and eventually secure employment.

Read More HERE.

The Transition Year Business Projects Awards is an initiative of the UCC Faculty of Commerce and Cork Chamber and are sponsored by BNY Mellon. The Awards aim to foster entrepreneurialism in students by encouraging them to develop collaborative business related projects. Students participating in this year’s competition were requested to submit a project based on their experience of their school’s Mini Company/Enterprise. Students were asked to Review the Resources Available to a Start-Up Business and comment on the Key Framework, Infrastructure or Resource Necessary to Grow their Business.


The prize for this year’s winning team is €1,000 for their school and €500 and €250 for those schools in second and third place. Winners will be announced at a prize-giving ceremony taking place in the Aula Maxima, UCC on the 9^th April.

As evidence by the success of the ICT and Pharmaceutical Clusters in the Cork Region, Clusters are becoming increasingly imperative to the attractiveness of the region for economic investment. Cork Chamber recently visited a number of Clusters in Linz, Austria as part of a study visit, organised by the South West Regional Authority and European project ‘AT Cluster’.

The aim of this visit was to see first-hand some exemplar clusters and gain a greater knowledge and understanding of what makes such clusters successful with the hope of transferring some of those best practices to the Cork region. It also provided an opportunity to build relationships between Cork Chamber and businesses in these Clusters.

Date: 10^th April
Time: 5.30pm – 7.00pm
Venue: Atrium at Clarion Hotel
Cost: FREE for Cork Chamber members
To Book: HERE

Cork City's most perfect meeting place, the Clarion Hotel's Atrium Cafe, has received the ultimate makeover which even includes it's very own giant EGG which fits five people! The Atrium opens from eight 'til late and it's complimentary 100MB Wi-Fi sets the standard for business meetings or for casual online browsing for the passer by who just wants to unwind and have a chill out coffee and pastry away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

Join with your fellow Cork Chamber members to avail of a unique 30 minute “Speed Networking” piece as well as enjoy the full Atrium experience at the Clarion Hotel.

Date: 25^th April
Time: 12.30pm – 3.00pm
Venue: Hayfield Manor Hotel
Cost: €60pp
To Book: please contact Leigh HERE for more information

Cork Chamber is delighted to join forces with Network Cork to host an Executive Lunch on Friday 25^th April in Hayfield Manor, focusing on Women in Leadership with one of the most powerful Irish women in business in the USA, Deirdre O’Connor.

Deirdre, originally from Cobh, is currently the Managing Director at a Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund, she is a Chartered Management accountant with CIMA and GCMA and is a fellow at the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants and previously Deirdre was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs where she was Controller of $150 Billion of Assets under Management. 

With every new role come new responsibilities. Our Certificate in Supervisory Management course (FETAC Level 6) will equip you with the knowledge and skills set to handle your new role in management and build and engage with your new team.

P.S. – Don’t forget our new Dynamic HR Business Partner course, starting on the 17^th April next – learn how to present the value of HR to business leaders, develop a value proposition and confidence to lead change in the organisation.

• UK Business Opportunities for Cork SMEs – meet UK businesses from the Coventry / West Midlands area  on Tuesday, April, 29^th at Cork Chamber. Appointments available 1pm – 5pm.   See inside for the UK participants’ profile details.  
• A special sudsidised rate is on offer to Cork SMEs travelling to Futurallia Rhône-Alpes to find new business partners.   Cork County and City Enterprise Boards and Cork County Council invite Cork SMEs to be a part of its delegation to Futurallia Rhône-Alpes which takes place in Lyon, June 4th-6th.  See inside for further details.
• Applications NOW OPEN for New Frontiers, Phase 2.   The Rubicon at CIT, invites those with a business idea that has potential to grow and create jobs to apply to the 2014 New Frontiers Phase 2 Programme. See inside for further information.
• ICT European Online Job Day on the 9th of May 2014   The Department of Social Protection / EURES Ireland together with the European Commission are organising an Online European Job Day for the Irish ICT sector.   See inside for further information.

Date:  1^st May
Venue: UCC Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Room G05.
To Book: HERE
Cost: Free

Supported by UCC, Cork Chamber, Cork innovates & Junior Chambers International, Cork

Dr Seán McCarthy, Managing Director of Cork based company Hyperion Ltd, will deliver a workshop on EU funding opportunities for Cork companies (including SMEs) to engage in new research and innovation under the Horizon 2020 programme.  

Date: 16th April
Time: 11.00
Venue: Ignite - UCC
Cost: Free
To book: HERE

InterTradeIreland’s Seedcorn programme manager will outline the process for entering the 2014 Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition and give information on what investors are looking for ina business idea.

Date: 12^th April
Time: 9.00 – 3.00
Venue: Hays Office, 54 south mall
Cost: Free
To book: Contact: fionnan.o’sullivan@hays.com/ brian.mackay@hays.com

Come to our Fund Administration open day on the 12th of April and we will discuss the current market and the range of jobs that matches your skillset. We are  currently recruiting for Fund Accountants and transfer agency/Investor relations professionals at all levels. We will review your CV and give you some advice on how to maximise your interview skills.

If you haven’t already registered then please bring along your passport, proof of address (utility bill) and at least one other form of ID.

If you know of a friend or colleague that would be interested in attending please forward on the details to them.

Date: 16th -  26th April (excl. Sunday & Monday)
Time: 8pm
Venue: Cork Arts Theatre
Cost: All tickets €10, Family Special: 5 tickets for €40*
To Book: 021 4505624

The story of three ordinary people living in an extraordinary time. Avraham, Bina, and Esther are very different eyewitnesses to the happenings in Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion. Cross words, cross purposes, lead each one to the foot of the cross. At a time of change, a time of chance, a time of choice - what would you do if you were there?  Buy one ticket at €10 and get one free for opening week just quote 'chamber offer' when booking on 021 4505624.