HATCH Newsletter
HATCH – a Cross Border initiative that educated over 420 adult learners is celebrated in style
A newsletter with a report and photographs from the end of HATCH Celebration Event
The success of HATCH is celebrated with participants
To celebrate the success of HATCH a special event was held in Castle
Saunderson on Tuesday 21st October 2014. HATCH, an education and
networking programme that was developed four years ago to support and
develop entrepreneurship in the Border Region.
HATCH delivered targeted, accredited courses designed to meet the
needs of:1. The Construction & Engineering Sectors
2. Foreign Nationals
3. Female Entrepreneurs
Participants came from the council districts of Cavan, Monaghan, Sligo,
Leitrim, Donegal in the RoI and Armagh City & District Council, Cookstown
District Council, Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council, Fermanagh
District Council and Omagh District Council in Northern Ireland.
The event was attended by the participants of the HATCH programme as well
as stakeholders and representatives from right across the border counties.
Speaking at the event Dympna
McCarron, Programme Manager
said: A number of targets were set
at the outset of the HATCH
programme including promoting
entrepreneurship;
support
of
enterprises
through
training;
enhancing
employability;
developing transferrable skills;
increasing confidence and capacity;
and collaboration via networking.
I am delighted to report that the independent research company, First
Western, have found that the programme has delivered against targets and
in many cases exceeded all expectations against the targets set at the outset.
To-date
over 420 adult learners having participated in the HATCH
Programme over the four years in 36 courses. These results together with
excellent accreditation and retention rates are a testimony to the
commitment and dedication of all those involved.
Dympna continued, “From research conducted we know that the courses
have had a positive impact on both the individuals and their businesses.
Some report that their participation has led to them employing more staff as
their business improved, some were able to secure promotion as a result of
the qualifications they received through the programme and some became
employed or indeed self employed”
HATCH Explained
Higher Attainment through Cross-Border Hubs
(HATCH) is an EU INTERREG lVA funded initiative,
managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.
It was developed in collaboration with the Irish
Central Border Area Network (ICBAN) as Lead
Partner; Local Enterprise Office, Cavan (lead
beneficiary); Business Institute of University of
Ulster and South West College as programme
delivery partners; and managed by Dympna
McCarron and her team at Cavan Innovation &
Technology Centre.
SPEAKERS at the HATCH Celebration Event
There were a number of speakers at the
celebration event including:
Shane Campbell, CEO of ICBAN; Vincent
Reynolds, CEO Cavan Local Enterprise Office; Dr.
John Moore, South West College; Michael
McQuillan, University of Ulster; Enda Candon,
CEO First Western who conducted the student
research; Jerome Mullen, Hon Polish Consul in
Northern Ireland; Miriam Byrne, Female
Entrepreneur and CEO of City Analysts and Tomás
O’Leary, Passive House Academy.
Representing the students were Donata
Simonaitiene, who successfully completed the
English for Employability, BEC Accredited course
as well as a tailored management programme;
Claire McNamee represented the Female
Entrepreneur Cohort; she has successfully
completed
the
Advanced
Diploma
in
Management Practice with the University of
Ulster and Garvan Hanley, partner with Hanley
Taite Architects who participated in a number of
the Construction and Engineering programmes
delivered by South West College.
HATCH Celebration Event in Photos
HATCH Programme, Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre: 00353 (0) 49 4377277 www.cavanitc.ie
HATCH Programme, Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre: 00353 (0) 49 4377277 www.cavanitc.ie
HATCH Programme, Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre: 00353 (0) 49 4377277 www.cavanitc.ie
HATCH Programme, Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre: 00353 (0) 49 4377277 www.cavanitc.ie
Congratulations once again to all the
participants of the HATCH
Programme – it was a pleasure
meeting you and seeing you progress
through the different courses.
We wish you every best wish for the
future.
Dympna McCarron and the HATCH
Programme Partners
HATCH Programme, Cavan Innovation & Technology Centre: 00353 (0) 49 4377277 www.cavanitc.ie