Accel is an initiative of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and is managed by Skillnets Services Ltd on its behalf. The programme is funded by the European Social Fund and the National Training Fund. Up to €16 million total grant funding will be allocated to approved projects for the period 2006-8.

The Accel Programme

The Accel programme will support the training of people in employment (in-company Training). It aims to give employers and workers an opportunity to rapidly improve, realign or revise theircurrent skills base.

The Accel programme complements a number of other actions and initiatives under the Employment and Human resources Development Operational Programme.

Projects approved for funding under Accel will have one, or a number, of the following features:

• High levels of enterprise participation in the design, development of delivery of training.
• Actions in which the social partners play a significant role.
• Groups of enterprises working collaboratively (e.g. training networks, clusters or other group based approaches)
• Actions which will lead to the development of accreditation for
in-company training, which aligns with the national Qualification Framework
• Actions led by industry/education institutions.
• Actions where local enterprise bodies, local employer and employee groups and enterprises groups form local training alliances

Who is eligible to apply?

The Accel initiative will be available to support the types of actions outlined above which are operated by
• employer bodies,
• trade unions,
• business associations,
• groups of companies,
• educational and training institutions acting in partnership with industry

Proposals co-ordinated by County Enterprise Boards on behalf of groups of companies will also be eligible for funding.
Funding will not be provided for proposals from individual companies.

Management of the In-Company Training measure

This call for proposals is being administered by Skillnets Services Ltd on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Department has engaged Skillnets Services Ltd as a technical support unit to oversee the administration of the initiative and the implementation of the successful projects. Successful projects will be required to report to, and co-operate with, the Department and Skillnets Services Ltd on an on-going basis.