The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) has announced the availability, during 2008/2009, of ten scholarships worth up to €13,000 each. The programme, entitled Release Your Full Potential, is part of an overall aim to raise the skills and competencies of SME employees to international standards.

Run in conjunction with FÁS, 18 companies have been previously awarded scholarships worth over €180,000, in total, towards the education of their staff. A scholarship can be used to cover all the direct costs arising from an employee undertaking a course, e.g. fees, travel, books.

Commenting at the launch of the programme, Liz Carroll, the Training and Development Manager of ISME said: ‘ISME is delighted to continue this programme in partnership with FÁS. Training and education is crucial to the improvement of productivity and so has a positive on the competitiveness of companies. It is imperative that this support for the development of the sector continues, as the economy becomes more reliant on the indigenous sector.’

Application forms and further information are available at www.isme.ie or by ringing Liz Carroll at 01 662 2755. Only three applications may be made by any one organisation.

Companies are free to choose any course in any institution, providing certain conditions, including the following, are met: the course must be recognised by the National Framework of Qualification (NFQ); learners must be moving up a level on the NFQ (e.g. from a Level 6 Higher Certificate to a Level 7 Ordinary Bachelor Degree); it cannot be a partial award; and the subject matter must directly relate to the company’s work.