About Emerge Skillnet

The Emerge Skillnet has been successful in securing a grant for the Training Networks Programme (TNP), from Skillnets, the enterprise-led support body, whose mission is to enhance the skills of people in employment in Irish industry to support competitiveness and employability.  The network will be funded from 1 January 2008 until 31 December 2009.  Emerge Skillnet will be an Ethnic Business Training Network for ethnic entrepreneurs and employees.  The Emerge Skillnet Steering Group consists of owner/managers from an Ethnic background who have businesses of their own in Ireland, Ulster Bank and Partas who is the contracting organisation.  

The network is nationwide but initially training will run in Dublin, Cork, Galway/Mayo with the flexibility to respond the needs of businesses in Ireland as they arise.

Emerge Skillnet will consist of members from the ethnic business community and their employees, indigenous businesses with high levels of non-Irish employees and support organisations to ethnic businesses and their employees.  As well as benefiting from access to targeted training, networking will be strongly encouraged and developed as a skill for all participants.

Networking will be encouraged among members themselves and, given the aim of the network to integrate ethnic businesses into the wider business community, members will be able to develop links with Irish businesses and business support organisations during networking events which will be organised in all areas.

Partnerships with other business support organisations, including the Small Firms Association and BASE Enterprise Centre.

The network will organise an annual large-scale seminar/networking event to galvanise the training and advances of the sector which will be held in the final quarter of 2008/2009.  This will become the focal point of the network and an opportunity for dissemination and encouraging new members to join the network.