IT 'clustering funding' to boost Mayo job creation options
A SUM of €727,342 in funding has been allocated to Galway/Mayo IT under the government’s Regional Technology Clustering Fund.
Confirming the announcement, Mayo Fine Gael general election candidate Alan Dillon said: “I am extremely keen to see more regional options in Co. Mayo being opened to school leavers.
“This county has a huge pool of talented, knowledgeable and experienced people in our enterprises and they are willing to bring on the next generation.
“Funding these clusters is essential to get the partnerships to bed down and create opportunities for students to plot a career path and enterprise and industry to grow.”
“Twelve successful applicants representing academic institutions from all regions have secured funding for their projects amounting to €46 million in total.
“The Regional Technology Clustering Fund is the first annual competitive fund of its kind. It provides a platform for engagement between enterprise and regionally-based academic institutions – the Institutes of Technology (IoT) and Technological Universities (TU) – in order to drive productivity and competitiveness.
“The fund aligns with the government’s Future Jobs Ireland which prioritises clustering and builds on regional strengths to support the expansion of Irish exporting businesses.
“It is really positive for Mayo that GMIT is to be part of this fund.
“The clustering activity will help GMIT to connect and engage with SMEs and multinational corporations such as the like of McHale’s or Malone Farm Machinery, Baxter Healthcare, Allergan, or Fort Wayne Metals to name a few in a strategic way on common areas of interest, while providing a means to increase their educational and research remit as knowledge providers in their region.
“This kind of interaction between educational institutions and business helps companies to respond to the skills challenges faced by SMEs and to assist companies to enhance their capability to win business in international markets. This can only be good news for the economic development of County Mayo.”