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Minister funds College for commitment to innovation

28 May 2009

Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, has announced the approval of funding to the South Eastern Regional College (SERC) through the Innovation Fund: Employer Support Programme.

This fund was established in 2008 to enhance the support further education college’s offer to local business and industry.  It specifically supports projects which engage with local employers, supports entrepreneurial activity and improves cross-border collaboration in the development of an ‘all-island workforce’.

Speaking today at the college’s Bangor Campus, the Minister outlined the benefits that this programme can bring.  He said: “Given the turbulent economic climate that we are facing it is important that there are established partnerships in place to ensure that the needs of companies and individuals are addressed at a local level.

“This fund allows my Department to provide the necessary financial support for colleges to engage with local companies and ensure that people have the relevant skills to meet the needs of the Northern Ireland economy.”

In 2008/09, SERC was awarded total funding of £379,481 from the Innovation Fund: Employer Support Programme, for their Innovation and Enterprise Programme, Specialist Support for Innovators, Sustainable Production by Reducing Energy Usage and Developing Cross-Border Links projects.

The College has now been awarded £299,126 from this year’s Innovation Fund: Employer Support Programme for its Enterprise, Incubation and Innovation project.  This project builds on the college’s activities in the first year of the Fund by developing enterprise awareness amongst students and college staff, supporting incubation services for student enterprises and providing innovative technical services to new and existing businesses.

Speaking at the announcement of the funding Mr Ken Webb, SERC Chief Executive, said: “The College is delighted to be receiving this funding and looks forward to the continuation of the work we started in Year 1 of the programme.  The College is also looking forward to working across the further education sector and with the Department to develop the collaborative proposal through the fund to address the needs of local companies and individuals who have been affected by short time working or redundancy.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. The Innovation Fund: Employer Support Programme was launched by the Department for Employment and Learning in 2008 to enhance the support FE colleges in Northern Ireland offer to local business and industry.
  2. The fund will support projects which engage with local employers, supports entrepreneurial activity and improves cross-border collaboration in the development of an ‘all island workforce.’
  3. £9m is being made available through the Innovation Fund: Employer Support Programme over the three financial year’s 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11.
  4. For media inquiries please contact DEL Press Office on 028 9025 7872 or out of hours call the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 0769971 5440 and your call will be returned.