Micheál Martin, TD, Minister for Trade, Employment and Development will
today (6 October 2006) launch the Irish Pest Control Accel Project at
UCC. The Accel Project is a sectoral based national network of
companies whose main activity is engaged in pest control. The network
plan was developed primarily to increase the competitiveness of each
company and the employability of staff at all levels. The overall aim
of the network is to identify, develop and provide a range of relevant,
quality focused and independently accredited training programmes
tailored to meet the needs of people employed in the Pest Control
Industry.
The Accel Project was granted €270,000 in funding by the Accel
Programme for 2006-2007 with a further €90,000 expected from 14 member
companies. The Accel Programme, an in-company training initiative
of the Department of Enterprise and Employment, and funded by the
European Social Fund & the National Training Fund, is expected to
be allocated funding up to €16 million for approved projects during the
period 2006-2008.
Speaking at the launch, Fergus Reynolds, Chairperson of the Project
said "Accel funding has provided the catalyst for companies within the
Pest Control Industry to agree standards of training, and to co-operate
on the design and implementation of a wide range of programmes. We are
particularly proud to be associated with UCC on the "Certificate in
Environmental Pest Management " which will commence this month.
This is the first time that an independently accredited pest control
course has been made available in Ireland. We believe that
this Independent Certification will provide the basis for regulation of
those engaged in Pest Control, and increase confidence for those
involved in Food Manufacture, Processing or Supply to the
public. There will now be recognized training standard
across the industry, which can be used as a benchmark by bodies
concerned with standards in manufacturing and food hygiene."
Diane Dignam, Programme Manager of the Accel Programme added: "By
coming together and forming an Accel Project, companies work together
to devise the most suitable training programmes for their collective
needs. By joining forces companies increase their buying power, reduce
training costs and subsequently access forms of training that might
otherwise have been too expensive or specialist for one company to
oversee."
The 14 member companies include: Rentokil Initial Ltd, Ecolabs
Services Ltd, Pestguard, Owl Pest Control, Curtin Pest Control,
Alphasan Ltd., Bower Pest Control, Achill Pest Control, Arrest-A-Pest
Ltd., Central Pest Control, Eastern Pest Control, Pest Check Ltd.,
Atlantic Environmental Services, Central Pest Control.
The Launch of the Project will take place in UCC on 6 October.
Also in attendance will be representatives from UCC, the Pest Control
Accel Project and member companies. During the launch, Minister Martin
will present certificates to the successful trainees of the Manual
Handling Instructors Course.
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