By Business & Finance 
Applications are currently being sought for an innovative training programme which equips the long term unemployed with the skills required to set up their own business.
Conducted by QEDTraining, Ireland’s premier entrepreneur development company, the ignite programme is a free, full-time, six-month intensive training programme which assists people on Jobseekers payments to become self-employed.
The next ignite course gets underway on June 29th 2015 and participants will have the opportunity to learn everything they need to know about setting up a business – from coming up with the idea, to market research, to building a website and making sales.
The course, which takes place in the ignite Academy in The Distillers Building in Smithfield in Dublin’s city centre, includes classes, online activities, workshops, individual mentoring, practical activities and skills building sessions.
For many who have been out of work, self-confidence is a concern, so participants are backed by a personal business coach, and have access to a team of experts to help them build their business idea into a functioning enterprise.
The ignite programme is open to people who have been on Jobseekers payments for over 311 days. It is fully funded under the Government’s Momentum Initiative, so participant’s welfare payments will remain at the same level. In addition, Revenue will waive taxes on the first €40,000 of sales in the first two years of operation and there is also significant provision for childcare.
63 participants recently completed the inaugural ignite programme, and are now well on their way to setting up and successfully trading in business following the course which has equipped them with the skills and support necessary to become an entrepreneur and begin their journey into self-employment.
Apply: Applicants must be over 21 and be on Jobseekers Benefits or Allowances for over 311 days in the last 18 months.
Prospective participants should contact the ignite team at (01) 460 6009, email hello@igniteireland.ie, visit the website at www.igniteireland.com or speak to their case officer at the DSP.
