SLNIW: Waterford project to create 300 jobs

The Irish Times announcing the launch of the SLNIW project, based at ArcLabs.

A collaborative project between the Waterford Institute of Technology and Wales’ Aberyswyth University will create up to 300 jobs in the south east region over the next three years. The €1.7 million European-funded project will see over 30 enterprises in the south east and a similar number in Wales participate in the partnership.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs are being targetted by the project which is designed for entrepreneurs and owners/managers of micro-enterprise and SMEs to improve the creativity, innovation and competitive processes. Six sustainable, self-learning networks will be established and each will meet on a monthly basis, over an eighteen month period. Partners will also host at least two international conferences during the twelve month section.

The goal is to develop a process that will help entrepreneurs and owner/managers of micro-enterprise and SMEs to improve the creativity, innovation and competitive processes of their organisations and the regions within which they are situated.

The SLNIW project is headed by Dr Bill O'Gorman, research director at the WIT school of business and Nerys Fuller-Love, senior lecturer at Aberystwyth University’s school of management and business.

“It's a very timely and innovative project,” Dr O'Gorman explained. “Taking the current global economic environment into consideration, today, more than ever before, there is a need for enterprises within regions to work together in order to enhance the economic development and sustainability of their regions.”