One of the most important aspects of the AIB Irish Times Start-up Academy is that it gives practical training each week in areas specifically focused on benefiting start-ups to make them successful.
You might have come up with the best business idea in the world, but you might not know how to finance it, how to use social media or how to market the business. This is where the academy supports, advises and trains the finalists on their eight-week accelerator programme.
Una O’Hare is general manager and director of Irish Times Training, which is responsible for the delivery of more than 45 open programmes and a range of in-company activities in both public and private sector organisations.
“The modules for the Start-up Academy are designed and delivered by Irish Times Training in association with AIB. We would have suggested a number of suitable modules and designed those for AIB to deliver to the start-ups,” O’Hare says.
“These focus strongly on areas that we feel benefit start-ups such as design thinking, the business canvas, social media, ecommerce, funding and finance, negotiation and sales training, as well as on marketing and ‘mastering the marketing funnel’.”
Reputation
What makes this training stand out, according to O’Hare, is the quality of the accelerator programme and the standard of trainers and their experience.
“Irish Times Training has been around for about 40 years and has a reputation for delivering quality business and corporate training. We have excellent trainers who have industry experience so it is a very practical course, rather than a very academic course and that’s very important,” she says.
“They really have their finger on the pulse in terms of what the current thinking in certain areas is. What the finalists learn on the Mondays here in the Start-up Academy, they can go and implement into their business straight away.
“We also bring in guest speakers who can discuss their own journey as well, particularly in the start-up arena.”
As an employer and an employee, it is vital to keep updating your skill set. O’Hare says that one of the other key benefits of the Start-up Academy for the finalists is one they might not have thought of: networking with their fellow finalists.
“It is so important to be constantly updating your skills in your job or workplace but also to be constantly aware of the latest thinking in terms of managing a business. The networking opportunities are great for finalists; we actually had that as our first session in the AIB Start-up Academy. You are exposed to different people from different backgrounds, and it really enriches the learning experience.”
Education
If you have not been lucky enough to make it on to this year’s Start-up Academy you can explore the other courses Irish Times Training delivers with a range of business and executive education courses. They also design and deliver programmes for different companies.
“We offer business executive education, digital marketing, in-company digital marketing training and one- and two-day short business courses which could be anything from presentation skills to finance for non-financial managers,” she says.
“We also have a relationship with Ulster University where we deliver a range of degree and MSc programmes in areas that include executive leadership.”
Training can be in The Irish Times building or in the client's own premises. They are a registered QQI. centre so can deliver awards up to Level 6 on the national framework of qualifications.
While there is a cost to embarking on any training course, O’Hare says: “You should view it as an investment: it is an investment in your career and it is investing in your long-term future.”
If you would like to find more, visit irishtimestraining.com.
