Shannon Chamber has confirmed 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.
Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes said: “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 websitewww.shannonchamber.ie/events-training,” added Ms Downes.
