V.T.O.S -Start Your Own Business: Enterprise Studies Year 1

V.T.O.S -Start Your Own Business: Enterprise Studies Year 1

The student on this programme will be interested in exploring or actively pursuing the setting-up of their own business in order to become self-employed. A well-established business idea is not a prerequisite for participating on the course; simply a desire to explore the practicability of becoming self-employed as an alternative to traditional employment.

This is a full time programme, where students spend a minimum of 12 hours per week in a classroom setting where they gain the knowledge and skills to start a business. They are also required to complete Work Practice/Mentoring in their fledgling business. A full time commitment is required from the student through a combination of onsite class attendance and work practice in order to achieve their objective of starting their own business.

The primary target group for this course are those unemployed for longer than 6 months. Places are also available to persons in receipt of an unemployment payment, One Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, Deserted Wife’s Benefit/Allowance, Widow’s/Widower’s Contributory/Non Contributory Pension and Prisoner’s Wife’s Allowance and to qualified spouses/partners of persons eligible to participate in V.T.O.S or persons signing for credits for at least 6 months. The 6 months qualification period is waived for those made compulsorily redundant. The programme is operated as part of the Vocational and Training Opportunities scheme. Students on the programme may qualify for childcare subvention from your local participating crèche/after-school childcare provider. The teaching team are business professionals who have experience at senior management level in their fields.
Training is provided to the standard of knowledge, skills and competence in business studies in order to achieve the award specification for Business Studies 5M2102 level 5.

Financial Supports: Students on the programme may qualify for childcare subvention from your local participating crèche/after-school childcare provider. Students retain their unemployment benefit/social welfare payment, as well as secondary benefits, for the duration of the course, while no longer being on the live register. The learner may take up part-time work while on the course without loss of benefit. The course is free.

Employability Statement
This course enables the student to explore self-employment, usually as a sole-trader. The students are provided with the necessary business skills to train to start their own business.
Many of the completing students transition onto the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection – (B.T.W.E.A) Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, which supports and mentor students to start their own businesses.
If required, students are supported in preparing applications for enterprise supports from the Local Enterprise Boards and Leader.
A review meeting is held with each student at the end of Year 1, where student needs are clarified. If their research indicates that their original business idea is not a viable proposition, students are encouraged to refocus on a new business idea, further education or employment opportunities.
Where the business idea is not viable, career guidance and mentoring are provided to enable the student to put in place a career plan in preparation for employment or progression to higher education.
Over the years, numerous students have started their own business’s; Keating and Stone, Vivien O’Malley Ceramics and Irish Gourmet Butter, while other students that changed direction went on to study at 3rd level.