Some of the participants in the MAPP
Program
after their presentation at US Trust Bank.
Press Release
Thanks to funding from the
International Fund for Ireland, 20 young unemployed
people from the border region of Counties Amagh and
Monaghan will have an opportunity to visit Boston in
February as part of an innovative training program
designed to prepare participants for careers in
business. An integral aspect of this program is the
enhancing of cross-border cooperation and mutual
understanding.
The program is based on last
year's highly successful "Business Links"
initiative where 18 people from Monaghan and Belfast
were involved in carrying out research for Pittsburgh
companies interested in using the Border counties as
a base for expansion into the larger European Union
Market.
The program aims to provide a well-rounded knowledge
and thorough understanding of business principles and
to develop competencies in applying this knowledge to
practical business situations. Unlike tradional
"taught" business courses, the approach of
the program is "learning by doing"
involving real life assignments. The highlight of the
training program will involve the visit to Boston
where the young people will make a formal
presentation to the Massachusetts business community.
The Irish Networking Society of Boston, The Irish
Chamber of Commerce (ICCUSA) New
England Chapter, and the University of Ulster Alumni
Association , will be promoting the event.
The aim of the presentation is to promote the
Monaghan-Armagh border region within the overall
context of doing business in Northern Ireland and the
Republic of Ireland. The presentation content will
comprise an economic profile of the region including
industry analysis, an overview of the transport and
communications infrastructure, factory space costs,
labor costs, and the regional skills base. In effect,
the presentation will thoroughly inform US companies
who may wish to invest in the region or form business
linkages with Irish companies operating there. It is
expected that the presenation and the
questions-and-answers session that follows will last
no longer than one hour.
The skills based training program aims to go some way
towards solving the catch-22 situation of needing
experience in order to get a job. The sponsors of the
program recognise the importance of building the
confidence of young people in their own ability and
theie search for a job. As such, modules which
include the preparation and delivery of a
presentation to a business audience will contribute
to both their professional and personal development.
This project is organized by
the Monaghan and Portadown Partnership, with support
from Area Development Management Ltd. and Combat
Poverty Agency through the EU Special Support
Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, and the
International Fund for Ireland.
Members of the Society
are encouraged to attend, and also to invite contacts
from the business community.
For more details, please call
Glenn Daly at 617.572.4512
