‘You’re the Business’ - a new digital training scheme for Irish SMEs

Google, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices are today announcing a new partnership, with a focus on supporting Irish businesses to upskill digitally and enhance their online capabilities.

The new ‘You’re the Business’ programme aims to accelerate Irish SME growth through digitalisation in the form of a free of charge online training scheme, as well as an SME reward programme.  This comes after recent research from Google found that significant gaps in the areas of digital skills and competence remain a concern for many SMEs.

Waterford SME's are now encouraged to get online, to grow their digital footprint and expand internationally. Successful applicants could receive a customised suite of digital supports from Google, which includes a €1,000 Google ads package.

• New ‘You're the Business’ platform provides online training and resources for all Irish SMEs to help them get online, to grow their digital footprint and expand internationally
• Ten participants will be awarded with a suite of customised digital supports from Google, including one-to-one mentorship sessions and ad funding supports
• Recent research shows that almost half of SMEs believe they could more than double their turnover (40%) and profitability (45%) with an investment in digital skills
• Less than half (47%) of Irish SMEs have invested any time into digital skills training
• Almost half (46%) of Irish SMEs feel their employees have either ‘none’ or ‘few’ of the skills needed to successfully adopt and use new technologies

Damien English TD, Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail said:

“The skills required for doing business in a digital-first world are constantly evolving, and it can be challenging for SMEs to stay ahead of the curve as they manage their day-to-day business needs. Irish SMEs' ability to adapt and thrive is both an inspiring and vital component of their success. To prosper on their digital journey, Irish SMEs need support and that is why I am encouraging businesses from across Ireland to engage with the You’re the Business initiative and would like to wish Google, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices every success in its roll out.”

Speaking at the launch of You’re the Business in Google, Alistair A Jeje founder of Caribbean takeaway restaurant - Socafro Kitchen in Waterford said:

“The positive impact that digital has had on our business is almost invaluable. Growing our presence online has allowed us to expand, to grow our customer base, hire more people and to reach our community. I know that getting started in digital can be daunting, particularly when running a business leaves very few, if any, spare hours in the day but there are excellent supports out there. I would encourage fellow founders to engage with their LEO and to visit the You’re the Business campaign site to see what digital can do for your business and how easy it is to get started.”

Taking ten businesses to the next stage

The ‘You’re the Business’ platform and resources are open to all SMEs, but ten participants that demonstrate a commitment to digital at different stages of their journey will be awarded with a suite of customised supports, including mentorship and ad funding. In order to be considered as one of the ten firms to receive a package of tailored supports, SMEs will be invited to submit a video [via the You’re the Business site] no longer than two minutes in duration detailing what their business means to them, as well as an example of how they have used digital to enhance their business. The ten SMEs selected by a panel of established judges will receive a customised suite of digital supports from Google, which includes a €1,000 Google ads package and expert mentorship across a range of technical areas that will help them to further develop their business. 

For further information on the various training modules as well as the You’re the Business competition, please visit: yourethebusiness