Getting the figures right

When it comes to fashion and design awards, you name it: the Late Late Show Fashion Awards, Smirnoff Fashion Awards, Outstanding Young Person the Year Award for Entrepreneurial Accomplishment, the RTE Shannon Design Show; the chances are that one or other graduate of Limerick IT's enterprise development programme has either won it or is a runner-up.

The one-year post degree or diploma (in fashion or a related area) course, or enterprise development programme in fashion knitwear - to give it its proper name - is now in its fourth year.

"It's a very practically based course," explains Lucy Erridge, who is programme supervisor. "Prospective students have to have a business idea that they want to explore and develop. They learn the enterprise skills to enable them to do that. We do knitwear technology based on the Shima knitting machine, we visit a yarn fair in Paris. Then we do the business side including market research, costings, design, yarn ordering and making up samples. Students go through the whole process and come out with a business plan."

According to Erridge, 55 per cent of graduates set up their own businesses, while almost one-third take up employment in the industry. The Enterprise Development Programme (EDP) is an EU-funded programme operated by the Council of Directors of ITs. Aileen Cronin is programme co-ordinator. "EDP focuses on skills training for graduate entrepreneurs," she explains. "We have set up an independent adjudication programme which allows different ITs to compete for funding to run EDPs. A number of colleges make applications on an annual basis. "Funds are limited, so the standard is high."

A number of training models have emerged, she says. The Limerick IT model is the only one which is sector-specific. Cork and Tralee ITs have joined forces to create the South West EDP, which caters for all types of businesses and benefits from local partnerships. The programme runs in the Business Innovation Centre (BIC) in Cork. Participants are given basic business facilities.

Again, the programme has enjoyed a number of successes - including the Late Late Enterprise Award and the Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award - and boasts the only Irish company to be invited to exhibit in London's Millennium Dome.

"Six months after completion of 1997-98 programme, all of the promoters' firms were trading," Cronin notes. "Fourteen firms have 38 full-time employees. The 1998 group has a combined projected turnover of £7.8 million in three years' time and projected employment of 128 jobs."

Sadly, though, the £400,000 annual funding runs out this year. "We'll be making a strong case to the Department of Education for continued funding, Cronin promises. "The impact of the money is out of all proportion to the amount spent."