CEA building for the future

The merger took place in June and plans are underway for a full refurbishment of the grounds and offices at the Moyle Enterprise Park this month.

In preparing for the merger CEA has been actively supporting new business starts, business development and enterprise in schools since July last year and have already made a positive impact in the area.

The results from the business programmes speak for themselves with 22 individuals benefiting from training and mentoring on the “Steps to Work Programme” designed to help the unemployed into self-employment, 14 individuals undertaking Exploring Enterprise Training, a programme for the long term unemployed to help improve their career prospects, 25 attending Go For It “Start a Business Training”, three businesses receiving one to one business development and marketing mentoring through the Tradelinks Programme and a further 84 businesses attending online marketing and social media training delivered in partnership with Moyle District Council.

The past year has been busy for education programmes too with Causeway Enterprise Agency delivering seven programmes in the area engaging with 349 pupils from Ballycastle schools including Integrated Primary, St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s Primary School, Dunluce, Ballycastle High and Cross and Passion.

The programme of events included entrepreneurial skills development, careers development, aptitude test training, the annual careers convention and a business workshop roadshow where pupils got to work alongside real entrepreneurs for a day.

Jayne Taggart, Chief Executive of Causeway Enterprise Agency says: “We are delighted that the merger of the two companies has been finalised.

“Over the last year we have been active in North Antrim with our advisors delivering a range of initiates including enterprising schools programmes, Exploring Enterprise, Start-Up Moyle Business Training, Tradelinks and online marketing training.

“We are really excited that the process has been formalised allowing us to press ahead with our development plans. We have always been committed to delivering high-quality services to our clients and the wider community this expansion allows us to truly service the entire causeway area.

“The merger has come at the right time as RPA fast approaches and is an important strategic move in our growth strategy. The move will bring together the strengths of both agencies and the resulting combined business will be a strong organisation that will be even better placed to serve and support the needs of local Causeway businesses in the future.”

The refurbishment at Moyle Enterprise Park will include a new reception area, new office décor and furnishing as well as an upgrade to the external ground works.

Promised new features at the enterprise agency in Ballycastle include a new conference room and the addition of a modern ICT training suite with ten work stations.

All meeting rooms, conference and training rooms will have access to Broadband and WiFi making the facilities the first of their kind in Ballycastle.

As well as facilitating in-house training the IT suite and conference room will also be available for hire making it a valuable new resource in Ballycastle for organisations requiring access to multiple PC’s with internet access for training and development purposes.

Moyle District Council Town Clerk and Chief Executive, Richard Lewis, welcomed news of the acquisition.

“In the current economic climate, it has never been more important to promote an enterprise culture.

“It is vital that individuals and businesses have the information, advice, and mentoring they need to start-up, grow and expand.

“The North Antrim Business Agency has done excellent work over the past years, and this work can only be enhanced by the wealth of experience that the Coleraine Enterprise Agency will now bring to Ballycastle. Combined with the new conference and IT suite, this will be a great boost to the business support services currently provided in Moyle.”