Are You Thinking about Starting Your Own Business?

If you are thinking about starting your own business, SECAD is providing a course called the AIR² Programme in conjunction with the Department of Social Protection.

AIR² stands for Am I Ready; Am I Right and helps you to decide if you are suited to self-employment and if you are, how do you go about setting up your own business.

The course involves two half day sessions per week over 5½ weeks and leads to a FETAC Level 5 Award on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Sessions 1 – 3 look at helping the participants to identify their entrepreneurial traits; assessing if they are ready to be their own boss; identifying training gaps and setting goals; and assessing the business idea.

Sessions 4 – 11 cover strategic planning and how to prepare a business plan. The legal formalities involved in starting a business are also explored. Participants are shown how to carry out market research, examine the market for new product or service niches and how to effectively market their businesses.

Participants will also receive an introduction to small business finance and funding sources for businesses. This will include setting up accounts tailored to the needs of the participant’s particular business. There is a full session on the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.

In addition to the training, each participant will have access to 10 hours of free one to one mentoring from experts in areas such as sales & marketing, financial management, taxation, law, web design, internet technology. We deliver the programme on behalf of the Department of Social Protection (DSP) so participants must be in receipt of a social welfare payment.

The AIR2 Programme will be taking place in Ballincollig, Carrigaline, Cobh and Youghal starting the week of 14th October 2013.

For more information phone at SECAD at 021 4613432 or email info@secad.ie