Karen urges others to follow her path

A SUCCESSFUL participant on the Exploring Enterprise Programme is encouraging others to join the next programme commencing later this month at LEDCOM and in Carrickfergus.

Delivered by LEDCOM on behalf of Larne and Carrickfergus Borough Councils and Enterprise Northern Ireland, Exploring Enterprise 2 is geared towards supporting individuals back into employment and helping them develop possible business ideas.

As a result of doing the Exploring Enterprise programme with LEDCOM, Karen Dobbin has opened her own travel agency in Larne, Travelseekers, and in the last seven months has exceeded all business targets.

With 25 years’ experience in the travel industry, Karen was hardly a novice when it came to knowing what customers want, but it was the practicalities of finance and marketing that really paid off in doing the Exploring Enterprise programme.

“The people at LEDCOM were fantastic and they really helped me with everything. The biggest hurdle was getting an ABTA and ATOL licence and with a bit of research I joined the Freedom Travel Group, which is a national consortium of independent travel agents.

“Now, I am fully covered and able to offer the widest range of holidays from the most competitive all inclusive deals for families to the most exotic cruises for the more adventurous”

The Exploring Enterprise programme is provided free to eligible participants and enables them to achieve an accredited qualification in order to improve their CVs and prospects for employment/self-employment.

Patricia Brennan, LEDCOM’s Exploring Enterprise programme manager, explained that the Programme, “aims to help people into sustainable employment or self employment through mentoring, training and by gaining a recognised qualification.

“There are no qualifications required to gain entry to the programme which is delivered at a pace specifically tailored to suit individual needs.”

This project is part-financed by Larne Borough Council, Carrickfergus Borough Council, the European Social Fund, the Department for Employment and Learning, Enterprise Northern Ireland & the Local Enterprise Agencies under the Northern Ireland ESF Programme 2007 -13

The Exploring Enterprise 2 programme will be running on Tuesdays commencing May 29 at LEDCOM, Willowbank and on Thursdays commencing May 31 at Oakfield Community Development Centre.

Places are limited so anyone interested should contact Patricia Brennan at LEDCOM on 028 28270742 or patriciabrennan@ledcom.org. Karen’s business Travelseekers can be contacted at Tel 02828275484 or e-mail travelseekers@vsmail.co.uk

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