10 New Jobs to be Created by Female Entrepreneurs

Eleven West Cork business women successfully launched their new and invigorated businesses recently in Rosscarbery on completion of a Women in Business programme, funded and managed by Cork County Council's Local Enterprise Office Cork North & West. The women who come from a diverse range of business sectors in West Cork including creative businesses, service led businesses and food manufacturing are expected to create more than 10 new jobs between them in the next 12 months.

The intensive programme which began four months ago was aimed at women who have been in business for a minimum of one year and those employing up to 10 employees. Led by business coaches Billy O'Connor and Veronica Murphy of Discovery Partnership Ltd, participants were provided with the tools they need to grow and develop their commercial businesses including strategy, finance, raising money, marketing, sales, public relations, social media, pitching, and the business plan

Speaking of the course, jewellery designer and goldsmith Rebecca Higgins Atkinson, said, "This course has really given me the space I needed to discover the next steps of my business journey and look at how my business can expand and grow. As a mother of six it might be easier to put my passion and skills to one side but the lure of creating will always be there. The result of participating in this course has given me the confidence to build and grow my existing business and look to new markets which is incredibly exciting. Having the support of the other women and the Local Enterprise Office is fantastic and has been a really important part of this journey also.”

Also among the participants was Dolores Cummins, international business coach and change management consultant, who said, “As a business coach and trainer I know that learning never stops so when I returned back from living in Australia I looked to the LEO for support as I set out anew. The course has given me the ability to discover new ways to reach my target audience and fully utilise my expertise for driving change in companies on a local and national level in Ireland.”

Speaking of the Women in Business Programme, Christine Heffernan, Local Enterprise Office Cork North and West said, “We are fully committed to the promotion of women in business and this course has become one of our most subscribed to over the past number of years. Each of these women have looked at ways of growing and diversifying their businesses which will in turn make them more competitive and will allow them to grow and create employment in the months and years ahead.”

The next West Cork Women in Business programme will take place in Bantry at the E-Centre and will commence on Friday the 5th of October. To express your interest and to complete an application form, please do so from our website at this link. 

Closing date for receipt of applications is 4.00pm on 21.09.2018. For enquiries call: 023-8834700.