About Us
The Rural Enterprise Training Partnership initiative based in the Cleaner Production Promotion Unit, University College Cork is a collaboration of educational interests, rural development groups local government and businesses. Its purpose is to increase rural business sustainability through the provision of training supports and the development of education and training materials.
CPPU-UCC worked with organisations such as Comhar LEADER na hEireann/Irish LEADER Network, Macra na Feirme, Cork County Council and UCC's Department of Food Business and Development to prepare a plan for training and education activities to meet the needs of rural-based businesses.
This partnership of rural-based businesses with educational institutions, development bodies, public bodies and voluntary groups aims to:
- Identify training/education needs of individual rural enterprises.
- Source and deliver of appropriate training & education programmes.
- Develop accredited training programmes where a gap in provision is identified.
- Provide of a support network for members to exchange experiences.
It is supported under the Accel programme of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and funded through a combination of business contributions and support from the European Social Fund and the National Development Plan.
Clusters of companies have been formed and the partnership is active in West Cork, Galway, Tipperary, Donegal, Laois/Offaly and Kerry. Most of the training will be arranged and delivered locally so as to serve the differing needs of each cluster.
Related Information:
CPPU is a research unit based in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University College Cork. It has a strong, multi-disciplinary capacity and applies its technical and socio-economic knowledge and expertise to research and applied research projects. CPPU is a centre of excellence of the Environmental Research Institute (ERI). CPPU conducts research and works with industry and other actors to promote the development of environmentally sustainable production techniques, products and by-products and to encourage sustainable consumption. See
cppu.ucc.ie for more information.
Accel is an initiative of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and is managed by Skillnets Services Ltd on its behalf. The programme is funded by the European Social Fund and the National Training Fund. Up to €16 million total grant funding will be allocated to approved projects for the period 2006-8. The Accel programme will support the training of people in employment (in-company Training). It aims to give employers and workers an opportunity to rapidly improve, realign or revise their current skills base. See www.acceltraining.com for more information.
