Graduates 4 International Growth 2015
A resource for market development
Reference Document
1. Background
The “Graduates 4 International Growth” (G4IG) initiative supports Irish based companies to
identify, employ and train graduates in international business development.
2. Objective of G4IG
The objective of G4IG is to assist companies with ambitious growth plans in key markets to:

Employ a graduate entry level market research resource for the purpose of completing
an overseas market research project;

Train and develop the graduate in international business development with the aim of
providing future business development capability for the company;

Expedite the international sales growth of Irish SMEs.
For graduates, the programmes:

Provides excellent placement opportunities;

Provides a practical graduate development opportunity through the study of a
Postgraduate Diploma in International Business Development with the IMI; and

Demonstrate that EI recognises the need to broker graduates with suitable placement
opportunities.
Companies that are supported will create one or more entry level graduate market research
positions. The graduate employed will complete a project related to the company’s growth plan
in an overseas market. Graduates will work within an infrastructure that supports them, both
in their development and in the completion of the project, for the duration of the programme.
Graduates identified as having the potential to become international business development
executives will be employed by companies and provided with a structured means of developing
new skills while completing a Postgraduate Diploma in International Business Development.
G4IG is 18 months in duration, with participants based in an overseas market for a minimum
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of six months and up to 12 months. G4IG has a strong focus on action learning and project
work, coupled with education modules on relevant topics such as ‘strategic selling’,
‘international sales & buying process’ and ‘financing international growth’.
3. Overview of G4IG
Companies that intend to apply for funding under G4IG should contact their Enterprise Ireland
Development Advisor in advance of submitting an online application for funding.
Enterprise Ireland has designed and developed a dedicated website for its graduate offers and
initiatives called www.gradhub.ie . To support client companies to attract and recruit
graduates, companies can advertise their opportunities via this website.
Enterprise Ireland will also provide a recruitment system for clients to assist them in screening,
shortlisting and selecting candidates for their opportunities.
The client is asked to consider the visa requirements for the market in which they
propose
to
send
the
graduate
as
the
visa
arrangements
are
the
clients’
responsibility.
G4IG Graduate employment cannot commence until Enterprise Ireland has confirmed that the
company’s application has been approved, and no later than the first day of the Postgraduate
Diploma in International Business Development.
4. Funding
Funding for G4IG will be from Enterprise Ireland existing budgets.
Projects submitted by eligible companies will be grant-aided to receive full or partial funding
available under G4IG subject to:

A Company De Minimis Limit of €200,000 over 3 fiscal years (i.e. have an available De
Minimis balance - please discuss with your Enterprise Ireland Development Adviser).

The number of projects, submitted by a company, approved for support.

Large companies can only be supported for one graduate to a maximum of 50% of
agreed eligible expenditure up to a maximum of €30K.

Additional projects may be partially supported (Training Grant only).

SMEs can only be supported for two graduates to a maximum of 50% of agreed eligible
expenditure up to a maximum of €30K per graduate.

Additional projects may be partially supported (Training Grant only).

All companies must identify a suitable company mentor.
G4IG is administered under De Minimis.
Where companies have exceeded their De Minimis
limits, they will not be eligible for the employment grant rates outlined in Section 11.
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5. Legal Basis
The legal basis for G4IG is Section 25 of the Industrial Development Act, 1986, as amended,
and Section 7 of the Industrial Development Act, 1998.
6. State Aid Basis
The State Aid basis is Aid under De Minimis Aid – EC 1998/2006.
7. Applicant Eligibility
7.1 Company Applicant Eligibility
Eligible companies
G4IG is open to all manufacturing and internationally traded services companies1.
In addition to the above, companies must satisfy all of the following criteria:

Have a minimum of 10 employees;

Turnover of at least €1 million;

Be generating sales for at least 2 consecutive years.
Ineligible companies:

Food companies and/or food ingredient companies with graduate projects targeting
foods for human consumption, or horticulture companies, are ineligible. Bord Bia
provides alternative programmes for graduates in this area.

Companies who have received High Potential Start Up Funding in the past 3 years.
7.2 Graduate Applicant Eligibility
Eligible graduates
G4IG is open to graduates in all disciplines:

Seeking graduate entry level market research positions;

Willing to relocate to an overseas market, as advised by participating companies, for a
minimum of six months and up to 12 months:

Have a recognised undergraduate degree not less than Level 8 (minimum grade 2:2) on
National
Vocational
Qualifications
Framework,
or
recognised
equivalent,
or
a
postgraduate degree not less than Level 9 of the National Vocational Qualifications
Framework, or recognised equivalent;

Have been awarded that qualification in 2013, 2014 or 2015;
1
Traded services are defined under the Industrial Development Act 1986 and Industrial Development Services Order
2010 (SI No. 81 2010) see http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/About-Us/Our-Clients/Eligibility-criteria.html
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
Have a valid work permit to work in Ireland (if required) to cover the 6 month period in
which the Diploma in International Business Development Modules will take place.
Where language competency is required (outside of English speaking markets), graduates will
need to illustrate appropriate fluency. Appropriate language capability is deemed to be (1)
equivalent of the language component in a mixed undergraduate degree, i.e. marketing and
languages or (2) a native speaker.
Final assessment of academic eligibility will rest with the IMI Registrar’s office.
Ineligible graduates:

Graduates who cannot provide evidence of having reached the required academic
standard
on
the
National
Vocational
Qualifications
Framework
or
demonstrate
equivalence;

Graduates/Postgraduates from a graduating year other than 2013/2014/2015

Graduates who do not at time of application have a valid work permit to work in
Ireland.
9. Project Eligibility
Projects eligible for consideration must meet the following criteria:

Are submitted by eligible companies;

The project is part of the strategic development plan of the company in international
markets;

The project is of sufficient size to require the creation of an entry level graduate market
research position;

The project will require the graduate to be located for a minimum of six consecutive
months and up to 12 months in an overseas market. The required overseas period will
commence six months after the graduate commences the Postgraduate Diploma in
International Business Development.

The company clearly demonstrates that it has an appropriate infrastructure to enable the
graduate to fulfil the aims of the programme.
Eligible Activities within the Project
Eligible activities

Market research activities against a specific project in a specific market that is aligned with
the company’s overall strategic development plan.

Market research for:

a new product in a new market

a new product in a existing market
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

an existing product in a new market
Activities that support the development of the graduate specifically in relation to the
graduate attaining the Postgraduate Diploma in International Business Development.
Ineligible Activities

Activities relating to foods for human consumption or horticulture.

Investigations on the feasibility of expanding (either solely or primarily) domestic market
activities.

Activities relating to export aid which includes, for example, any support towards the
setting up of an overseas office, the setting up of a distribution network, or any costs which
could subsidise the unit costs of the final product or service.
10.Eligible Expenditure
There are two eligible expenditure categories: employment costs and training costs.
10.1 Eligible Company Employment Costs:
Eligible company employment costs are costs directly associated with the payment of a salary
to a graduate, and are capped at a maximum with no distinction on market destination:
Eligible company employment costs will vary depending on the size of the company:

Large companies are eligible to receive funding support, in the form of an employment
grant, for one graduate only up to 50% of eligible expenditure to a maximum of €60,000
per graduate;

SMEs are eligible to receive funding, in the form of an employment grant, for up to two
graduates, up to 50% of eligible expenditure per graduate to a maximum of €60,000 per
graduate.
In order to be eligible for salary support on a second graduate market research position, SME
companies will need to demonstrate a strong business case and demonstrate an appropriate
infrastructure to enable the graduate to fulfil the aims of the programme.
10.2 Training Costs:

Training costs, to cover all costs associated with the Diploma in International Growth, of up
to €7,000 for each eligible graduate who is on the programme.

There is a limit of three graduates per company that can be supported for the training
costs.

On acceptance of a training grant offer, companies will mandate Enterprise Ireland to pay
the training costs to the relevant service provider.
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10.3 Ineligible Expenditure

Bonuses related to the graduate’s salary

Employers PRSI contributions

Travel and subsistence in Ireland and Overseas.

Accommodation costs
11. Funding Limits
LARGE COMPANY
Maximum
Eligible
Company
Salary
Costs
(one
€60,000
graduate only)
Company Employment Grant Rate at 50%
€30,000
Maximum Eligible Training Programme Costs
€7,000
(Training Grant at 100% up to a max of €10,000)
Total Company Contribution for Graduate 1
€30,000
Total Maximum Amount Paid by EI for 1st graduate
€37,000
= Company De Minimis
Plus up to €7,000 training for maximum of two
€37,000
+
additional
additional graduates
graduates * €7,000
number
of
SME COMPANY
Maximum Eligible Company Salary Costs (up to two
€60,000
graduates)
Company Employment Grant Rate at 50%
Maximum
Eligible
Training
Programme
€30,000
Costs
€7,000
(Training Grant at 100% up to a max of €10,000)
Total Company Contribution for Graduate 1
€30,000
Total Company Contribution for Graduate 2
€30,000
Total Amount Paid by EI
for 1
graduate
=
€37,000
for 2nd graduate
=
€37,000
st
Company De Minimis Support
Total Amount Paid by EI
Company De Minimis Support
Plus up to €7,000 training for one additional
€37,000/€74,000 + €7,000 for one
graduate
additional graduate
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12. Company Responsibility
Companies are responsible for the setting of appropriate graduate salaries, having a policy in
place in relation to payment of Irish and overseas expenses, graduate visa applications, the
cost of processing visas and, where applicable, the payment of host country graduate
employment related taxes. Enterprise Ireland requires that companies have adequate health
insurance in place for graduates located in markets outside the EU.
Companies are also advised that graduates must have achieved the minimum qualification
standards for the Programme.
13. Application Process
13.1 Company Application Process
Guidelines and application forms for companies are available on the Enterprise Ireland website
www.enterprise-ireland.com/G4IG. The application form must be submitted through this site
no later than 3pm on Friday 18th September 2015.
Companies should contact their Development Advisor in advance of submitting an application.
A pre-requisite to the company submitting an application is that the company has a clearly
developed project related to the company’s growth plan in an overseas market. Following the
approval of their application by Enterprise Ireland’s Investment Committee, the company can
then progress the shortlist of graduates to final interview and offer stage. The client can select
the graduates to interview from the G4IG recruitment system.
13.2 Graduate Application Process
Application forms and guidelines for graduates are available on the corporate website:
www.enterprise-ireland.com/G4IG or the following website www.gradhub.ie. Graduates will
apply directly via this dedicated graduate recruitment site.
14. Committee
Projects will be approved by Enterprise Ireland’s Investment Committee.
15. Evaluation Process
15.1 Evaluation of Project Applications
Applications will be evaluated by the company’s Development Advisor and put forward for
recommendation by the appropriate Department Manager in Enterprise Ireland. Applications
will be assessed using the criteria below for each project submitted:

The potential impact of the project on the strategic direction of the company;

The commitment of the company to develop its business development capability;
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
Quality of graduate project proposed

The quality of the proposed infrastructure within the company to enable the graduate to
fulfil the aims of the programme;

The incentive effect of Enterprise Ireland funding;

Previous Enterprise Ireland financial support and performance against targets
15.2 Reporting of Recommendations

Following a review of the evaluations carried out a summary of each application and an
initial recommendation for support or otherwise is presented to an internal Enterprise
Ireland panel which will adjudicate and make a final recommendation.

The panel’s recommended projects will be presented to the Investment Committee for
decision.
15.3 Graduate Recruitment Process
When a company application is approved, a company job specification will be developed for the
approved role(s). This job specification will be used to match suitable candidates from the
graduate recruitment site (www.gradhub.ie) to the company opportunity. Enterprise Ireland
will also provide a recruitment system for clients to assist them in screening, shortlisting and
selecting candidates for their opportunities. Companies will be assisted by the G4IG team on
how to use the G4IG I.T. recruitment system for shortlisting, interviewing and hiring
graduates.
16. Post Approval
All companies will be notified by email on the outcome of their application following the
Investment Committee decision. Unsuccessful applicants will also receive an email informing
them of the Committee’s decision. Feedback will be available to companies if requested.
Workshops for company mentors will take place before the start of the graduate academic
modules in the IMI (scheduled for November 2015). The purpose of the company workshop is
to outline the specifics of companies’ responsibilities in relation to mentoring. All company
mentors should be in attendance at this workshop.
Companies must release graduates to attend relevant skills modules associated with the
Postgraduate Diploma in International Business Development, which will take place over 15
days in Dublin during the 18 months of the programme. Eleven of these skill modules will take
place in the first six months of the programme. Graduates must attend all modules associated
with the Postgraduate Diploma in International Business Development, and submit in a timely
manner required course work associated with the course, or else medical certificates must be
supplied to the course provider for unexplained absences or delays.
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The graduate will be requested to fill out progress updates and submit them to the training
provider over the period of the six to 12 month overseas assignment. The EI Client Skills Unit
will liaise with the service provider over this period.
17. Duration of G4IG
Graduates must be recruited before the first date of the Postgraduate Diploma in International
Business Development training programme. G4IG will end on completion by the graduate of
the six to 12 months in an overseas market and provision of a market research report to the
company and to Enterprise Ireland.
18. Time period for approval and drawing down grants
There will be two claim periods. The first claim period will be on receipt by EI of the company
signed letter of offer, graduate employment contract and a tax clearance certificate. This claim
will be for 50% of the agreed eligible employment costs up to a maximum of €60,000 for 18
months.
The second claim period will be payable on completion of the programme, for the remaining
50% of the approved eligible employment costs. The company will need to provide a valid tax
clearance certificate, proof of graduate payment, copy of graduate payslip, director’s
statement and the relevant claim form.
Full details of making a claim and claim periods are available on
http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/Process/Companies/Graduates-4-International-GrowthG4IG.html
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