Shannon Chamber Secures Funding from Skillnet Ireland to Deliver a Suite of Training Webinars to Help Companies in all aspects of re-opening their Businesses

Shannon Chamber is delighted to announce that it has been allocated funding by Skillnet Ireland, under its ReBound programme, to deliver a suite of training webinars to assist companies in the manufacturing and aviation sectors with all aspects of re-opening their businesses. The ReBound programme was introduced to enable small and medium-sized companies and managers to avail of free specialist webinar training and one-to-one mentoring support to guide  them in implementing the ‘Return to Work Safely’ Protocol’ and support them as they navigate a secure recovery.

Shannon Chamber submitted an application to Skillnet Ireland to deliver 30 programmes under the ReBound initiative and has been approved funding to provide 14 programmes to help companies comply with health and safety, operations and the implementation of COVDI-19 protocol requirements, 9 programmes focused on employee engagement, 4 programmes to help companies develop strategies to navigate the new normal, and 3 programmes focused on supply chains.  

The training will be delivered via webinar by Shannon Chamber Skillnet. All programmes will be industry-led and Shannon Chamber is now encouraging and inviting companies to engage with them to express and an interest in programmes their company needs so that the Chamber can plan and schedule the delivery of these programmes over the next number of months.

Reacting to the news that the application has been approved and the funding allocated, Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes stated: “Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have had weekly calls with a large cohort of our member companies. The purpose of these calls was to support them as they faced different scenarios, keep them up to date on Government requirements and the range of supports on offer, and to encourage knowledge sharing during this unprecedented crisis.

“While training was discussed during these meeting, it was not uppermost in companies’ minds in the initial stage of lockdown; however, we are now seeing an increase in the demand for training, particularly from SMEs, to help them comply with Government protocol and also help them to undertake the work in-house as opposed to having to take on a new hire and in doing so, add costs to their businesses.

“This prompted us to seek out relevant courses that would respond to this demand and assist members in the manufacturing and aviation sectors particularly in their quest to re-open their businesses whilst adhering to, or exceeding, Government protocol requirements.

“Many of the programmes we will now offer will involve companies acquiring a new set of skills as many of the positions required will need to be created by companies. The smaller company may not have the financial wherewithal to take on new talent; they will be looking to upskill their existing staff so that they can assume many of the new roles that complying with COVID-19 protocol has initiated.

“It is likely that as the economy reopens, we may find a need for additional, as yet unidentified, programmes to respond to emerging and additional unmet needs but, as in this instance, we will proactively respond to any such requests we receive from our members.

“Our focus now is on delivering these 30 programmes by the end of October and seeing our members reap the benefits from participating. Details of all programmes, which will be free of charge, will be published on the training section of our Shannon Chamber website www.shannonchamber.ie/events-training,” added Ms Downes. 

ENDS

NOTE:

Shannon Chamber Skillnet will deliver 30 programmes under the Skillnet Ireland’s ReBound initiative in the categories outlined below:

  • COVID-19 Health & Safety, Operations and Implementation
    • COVID Compliance Officer
    • COVID Detection and Response
    • COVID Infection Prevention and Control
    • COVID Lead Worker Representative
    • COVID Response – Practical Supported Implementation Coaching
    • COVID Return to Work – Practical Steps for Business
    • COVID – Safe Use of PPE
    • COVID-19 Implementation of Control Measures
    • Employee Engagement & Wellness for COVID
    • Preparing your COVID Audit Checklist
    • Preparing your COVID Safety Statement and Risk Assessment
    • Social Distancing and Surface Contact Prevention Audit (COVID Response Plan)
    • Workplace Wellbeing – Managing Employee post COVID-19
    • First Aid Responder (FAR – Update) Training
  • Employee Engagement
    • Change Management – New Ways of Working
    • Communications Training
    • Training for Leader Workers
    • COVID-19 Induction Course for all staff prior to Returning
    • Managing Remote Teams
    • Performance Managing in the New Normal
    • People / HR Policies and Procedures – key considerations and development supporting return to work
    • Mental Health in the Workplace – Supporting Employees during Transition and Return to Work
  • Future Planning
    • Facility Management for COVID
    • Business Supports & Managing Cashflow for COVID
    • Half-Day Executive Coaching
    • Preparing your COVID-19 Response Plan and SOP
  • Supply Chain Management
    • Supply Chain Management – How you can adopt IT to assist Supply Chain Management
    • Creating a Competitive Edge (Strategy, Building Capacity, Technology) ‘Differentiation
    • Internationalisation

All programmes are free of charge and will be run virtually to support the manufacturing and aviation sectors.