Education - Communications Hub

Digital Marketing Night Course at Mallow College

I’ll be looking forward to teaching this 12-week night course in Digital Marketing QQI L5 at Mallow College of Further Education again this autumn.

This programme module aims to equip the learner with the knowledge, skill and competence to develop and execute digital marketing strategies and activities, under supervision, using a range of e-tools within a range of digital marketing contexts. It would be of interest particularly to those who own a business, who are starting a business, marketing professionals, or anyone managing a corporate website. Digital marketing will enhance your business online presence.

Course details are as follows:

Night: Monday
Times: 18:30 to 21:30
Duration: 12 Weeks
Starting: Monday, 24 September 2018

Cost: €270.00 (€15 discount for signing up online)

For more information see the Mallow Night School website or feel free to email me with any questions karen@communicationshub.ie

#DigitalMarketing #MallowCollege

Social Media for Business Mallow College

I’m delighted to announce that I will be running my Social Media for Business Course as part of the Autumn 2017 night course schedule in Mallow College of Further Education.

As a business, social media is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to reach customers and create awareness around products and services. This 10 week course will help you to understand the best social media platforms for business, as well as the most effective type of content to engage users and enhance your company’s online presence.

The Social Media for Business course will touch on managing online reputation, the best online platforms to promote business, how to create engaging content, how to save time using content calendars and online scheduling, effective blogging, email marketing campaigns, and how to boost search engine optimisation through digital marketing.

For further details or to book your place see the Mallow College Evening Course Autumn 2017 Prospectus

Local Enterprise Offices (Cork) CIT Prize for Innovation

There has been a record number of entrants for this year’s Local Enterprise Offices (Cork) CIT Prize for Innovation, which awards €10,000 in cash prizes to inventions and business ideas judged most creative, novel, innovative, and likely to succeed in the workplace

The prize forms part of Cork Institute of Technology’s Innovation Week 2016 taking place all this week across CIT’s five campus locations with a series of events and activities promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.

The applications for this year’s prize offer proposals from a wide variety of disciplines. The field of technology features strongly with entrants such as Touch – a digital alternative to tradition notice boards, and Flashbox – a combined USB flash drive, battery pack and Bluetooth locator for mobile devices, just some of the creative proposals.

Mental health was also a popular focus this year with the promotion of a holistic approach to coaching, mentoring, nutritional advice and mindfulness for women forming one business idea, while various APPs supporting and promoting positive mental well-being were also submitted.

Last year’s first prize winner was sole trader and founder of the Roll Out Vegetable Garden Company, Cara Tremayne from Dunmanway, Co Cork. Cara, who was a fourth year Horticulture student at CIT, picked up a cheque for €4,000 and the title of CIT Entrepreneur of the Year for her roll out coco coir woven matting impregnated with vegetable seeds.

“To finish fourth year after winning the Prize for Innovation made me feel so positive and driven towards making my own business a success and becoming self-employed. It gave me huge hopes for my future,” said Cara, who was the first ever female winner of the prize.

Other prize categories awarded as part of the Prize for Innovation include Most Innovative Award, Best Business Plan, Best Presentation Pitch and Best Exhibition Stand.

The CIT Prize for Innovation is sponsored by Local Enterprise Offices (Cork). Further details available from www.cit.ie/innovationweek.

CIT Innovation Week 2016

Cork Institute of Technology’s Innovation Week 2016 will kick off on Monday 7^th March with an official launch taking place around a supersized box in the main Atrium of the CIT Bishopstown campus.

The launch sees the unveiling of the larger than life CIT Innovation Week 2016 box which promotes all aspects of innovation and creativity, as well as paying homage to past winners of the Local Enterprise Office (Cork) sponsored CIT Prize for Innovation.

The week-long event includes a wide range of seminars, exhibitions, workshops and demonstrations. The highlight of the week is the Local Enterprise Offices (Cork) CIT Prize for Innovation which awards €10,000 in cash prizes to those whose inventions and business ideas are judged most creative, novel, innovative, and likely to succeed in the workplace.

“Innovation Week is a celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship across the many disciplines and campuses of CIT. Throughout the week we will be showcasing seasoned entrepreneurs, many of whom are trading internationally, as well as students who have come up with business and App ideas” says Carole O’Leary, Industry Liaison Manager, CIT.

Other prize categories during the week include NIMBUS Product Development Prize, The Apprentice, Bank of Ireland Business Canvass Wall, CIT CodorDojo Competition and Build Your Own Rocket Workshop. The competitions are open to all students registered at CIT during the academic year.

CIT Innovation Week 2016, which is now in its 6^th year, will take place from 7^th – 11^th March across CIT’s five campus locations. Further details available from www.cit.ie/innovationweek

Digital Week Skibbereen

As I set off for Skibbereen early last Wednesday morning I was unsure of what to expect. I had followed the growing lineup of speakers for National Digital Week with interest and was very much looking forward to attending some of the events. As bad luck would have it the only day I was free to attend was Wednesday, Digital Week’s opening day. That left me with a choice of two events – Future of Digital Education and STEM, or Farming 2030. Having no connection or real interest (sorry!) in farming, except for being married to a farmer’s son – the non-farming one – I quickly opted to attend the educational conference.

While I certainly have an interest in digital education and STEM, in truth there were other talks that held more appeal – Empowering a Billion Women 2020 & Social Entrepreneurship, and IOT Reimagining a Connected World, being but two. But so it was on Wednesday morning, after a long two hour drive through commuter tail backs and twisty rural roads, I eventually arrived at the West Cork Hotel for my taste of Digital Week.

With no time for a much needed caffeine hit, I was ushered straight through to the function room where Dr Laurence O’Rourke of the European Space Agency was just about to take the stage. As I settled into my seat my focus was drawn to those surrounding me. They were young, very young. They sat, packed into the room like sardines, with every bit of free space – seats, floor, stage – all occupied. I felt a bit of panic gurgle up from my coffee craving stomach. Was I in the wrong event? Had I misread the program? I quickly started looking towards the exit doors. Maybe if I moved quickly I could get out before the speaker began and take my chances with the farming after all. Alas, right at that point my panic was interrupted by the host inviting us to put our hands together for Dr Laurence O’Rourke. I was trapped.

After a few minutes something very strange started to occur. The natural hustle and bustle, to be expected when a couple of hundred school children are in a room, started to subside and before long the room fell silent. That spell of silence remained cast for Susanne Thompson from Discovery, and later in the evening for Stephen Howell from Microsoft Ireland. The young attendees, including myself (not so young), were entranced by the great speakers, interesting props and eye-catching visuals. These energetic and enthusiastic speakers did what so many other speakers fail to do, they connected. They were professionals who judged their audience and adjusted their content and delivery accordingly. To do this with with adults is one thing, but to hold the attention of a room full of young students for over an hour, is nothing short of impressive.

After the event I set off on my long journey back home. I left not only enlightened as to how important STEM and digital education is in this country, but truly in awe of my fellow conference goers. They were respectful, confident young people, with a real interest in their futures. They listened, they partook in live surveys and they asked intelligent questions. What a great indication of the future of this small island and the exciting opportunities available to our graduates. What a credit to their schools, teachers and to their parents. And what a great event to be part of #DigitalWeekSkibb