11 April 2001

DIRECTION! – MINISTER POINTS THE WAY TO A SUCCESSFUL E-BUSINESS FUTURE

A new initiative, aimed at offering small and medium sized businesses the chance to map out their own e-business strategy and future, was launched today by Dr Sean Farren, the Minister for Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment.

Launching the Training and Employment Agency (T&EA) initiative, Direction – Mapping Out Your E-business Strategy, Dr Farren encouraged Northern Ireland SMEs to consider the implications of E-business on their company.

He said: "Northern Ireland businesses have a choice when it comes to e-business - to be a driving force today or a spent force tomorrow.

"As a whole, business here has reached a high level of awareness and access to internet and e-mail technologies. But we still have some distance to go to catch up with regions in the UK when it comes to actual internet presence and conducting business online.

"That is what Direction will help our small and medium sized businesses to do, by offering them a tailored training programme with the necessary direction and support they need to move forward. It is also a very practical example of how the Executive is living up to its commitment to promote Northern Ireland as a world-class centre for e-commerce."

The Minister explained that the training programme will include an in-depth analysis of the steps required to implement a successful e-business strategy, based on specific company aims and objectives. The training will be personalised, focused on offering practical support to participant companies and will result in a detailed action plan which will enable companies to maximise technology for business results.

Dr Farren added: "The programme will begin in May 2001. It will be delivered by two local providers, Beckinridge and B.I.C. Systems who will offer practical hands-on training to senior managers and decision makers in the small to medium business sector.

"This will be done through a series of one-day workshops, over several weeks and will be supplemented by one to one mentoring, ongoing website support and online mentoring."

For further details on the training programme companies should visit www.leapfrog.gov.uk or to apply should contact either of the providers directly to reserve a place on an appropriate course.

Beckinridge – Tel: 028 90 572400 www.beckinridge.com

B.I.C. Systems – Tel: 028 90 560481 www.bicsystems.com

 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Direction – Mapping Out Your E-business Strategy builds on the success of last year’s Buttons – E-commerce Made Easy initiative, which was also introduced by the Training and Employment Agency. It attracted over 2,000 SME participants and following evaluation has lead to the development of an in-depth and tailored training programme to enable companies to progress further along the e-business connectivity chain.
2. Companies eligible are those located in Northern Ireland employing less than 250 employees. Public sector or publicly funded organisations are not eligible. The workshops will be limited to approximately 10-15 people, to ensure adequate individual attention. The cost of the training will be equally split between the T&EA and the participants.
3. Based on the results of the 2000 Northern Ireland ICT Benchmarking Study, NI businesses lag behind the rest of the UK when it comes to actual web presence and are even further behind when it comes to online trading and online business. In Northern Ireland less than 40% of SMEs have a presence on the internet, with the total business presence standing at 46% - this makes Northern Ireland the lowest performing region throughout the UK. Less than 25% of companies in Northern Ireland are actually trading online.

Media Enquiries to Simon Burrowes/Kevin Mulhern on 028 90 257831 or 07799 711524 or 07799 711523.