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In the initial stages of COVID 19, Skillnet Ireland created a COVID 19 Response Fund.
The Construction Professionals Skillnet decided to use this funding to provide some training free to the sector. One of the courses offered was “Transform Your Business”, a development programme for SME Owner-Managers. Dave Clarke, of our member company Core Air Conditioning Ireland Ltd, participated in this programme, and speaks about how it will help them to improve how they do business.
“Core Air Conditioning was established 24 years ago and is the main agent for Carrier, Vertiv, Clint and Novair HVAC products nationwide. We sell and commission our own products and maintain these along with a wide variety of other air conditioning systems. We currently employ 15 people. I managed the service and maintenance departments until recently when I was appointed General Manager. I come from a technical background in the industry but would not have had the background in the breadth and depth of strategy or finance. I decided to do this course to help me better understand these aspects of the company. I got that and much more from the course. Core AC has always been a well-run and successful company, everyone did what they needed to do to keep our customers happy and keep the company progressing. What the training has helped me do is to look at defining the roles and systems that we have in place, to review them, and to see if they are what we need for us to achieve what we want as a business down the line. It is a work in progress, and we are taking it slowly.”
“The participants on the course were from technical and construction backgrounds and some of the material was theoretical. However, the structure of the course was such that no one was left unsure of the content or direction. One session focused on what motivates people
to do what they do in work, and it became clear that it is not always the obvious. During this session the topics of autonomy, mastery and purpose showed that, when people are given the tools, training and backing to do the job, self-direction is better than management. To this end, once the process and structures are in place, it leads to a happier, motivated, more efficient and effective staff and company.”
“The course also provided an insight into other small businesses and how different sectors have the same business issues, independent of the sector they are operating in. Even if I had to pay for this training, the cost and effort would be far outweighed by the benefit of learning from the experience of the instructors and other participants.”
To learn more about Construction Professionals Skillnet, or to book a course, contact Network Manager, Liz Carroll, by phone: 087 9323749 or by email at [email protected]