Local Enterprise Offices announced the creation of 86 new jobs over the next three years at a conference on Friday.
The Big Picture Conference, the finale of the South Eastern Creative Corridor (SECC) initiative, was held in The Druid’s Glen Hotel and Golf Resort. Headed by LEO Wicklow and funded under the Regional Action Plan for Jobs, it targeted start-ups and entrepreneurs in the audio-visual industry.
Seventy-eight businesses participated in the Creative Corridor across Waterford, Wicklow, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Tipperary. The majority of these were either sole traders or micro enterprises, most of who have been operating for less than 5 years.
The overall objective of the SECC initiative was to assist new and existing enterprises operating within the broader AV sector to grow and develop, trade internationally and create employment in the region.
During the programme, 15 businesses secured funding from the Local Enterprise Offices. 14 training and networking events took place throughout the year across the region which included 19 industry expert speakers. Over 100 mentoring hours were also delivered to participants.
Speaking at the event, Sheelagh Daly, Head of Enterprise at the Local Enterprise Office Wicklow, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the success of SECC and it has been a privilege to work with the participants over the past twelve months. We have had tremendous support from key industry figures, including the eminent panel at today’s conference, all of whom believe in the potential of the Content Creation sector for Ireland’s economy.”
Peter Baxter, founder of CreateSchool in Greystones and a participant of the initiative said he was drawn to the SECC as “it is hard to find specific supports for the sector, especially within the south-east region.”
“Receiving direct financial support was of huge benefit to me. It was a competitive process and it gave me increased confidence in myself and in my business when I received the news that I qualified for it. This is extremely helpful to me and will assist me greatly with financing future marketing, equipment and job creation,” he added.
