EPIC SUPPORTING NON-NATIONALS IN JOBS QUEST - Today sees the official launch of the EPIC programme, or Employment for People from Immigrant Communities. It is being run by Business in the Community Ireland and supported by the Minister for Integration, Conor Lenihan. EPIC was set up to help legally resident EU and non-EU nationals get jobs in the Irish market in a wide range of areas - from childcare, to lab work, construction and customer service. BT is involved in giving EPIC trainees IT classes, while recruiter CPL takes care of mock interviews. The programme is currently available only in Dublin but it is hoped it will be rolled out nationwide during the year.
One trainee, Maria Bulz, moved here from Romania last year with 16 years experience as an administrative assistant. So far in Dublin she has worked as a cleaner, but now, thanks to EPIC, she is ready for office work. Ms Bulz says the course improved her language, computer and communication skills.
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FAIR TRADE GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH - According to the annual report from Fair Trade Labelling Organisations International, or FLO, sales of Fair Trade products in Ireland last year shot up by 101%. The global average increase was 48%. Sales here grew from €11.6m in 2006 to €23.3m last year.
Peter Gaynor, executive director at Fair Trade Ireland, says the growth was mainly down to an increasing number of coffeeshop chains converting to 100% Fair Trade mark coffee. He says that while coffee and tea are still a huge part of the business, it has now extended into new products like clothes made from Fair Trade cotton. He added that, in general, retailers are stocking a much bigger basket of Fair Trade goods.
Peter Gaynor said the growth is mainly consumer led, but it is also, growingly, company led. 'When businesses in Ireland look at their Corporate Social Responsibility strategies they will see that being a responsible corporate citizen is as much about how companies make their money as how they spend it,' he said.
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MORNING BRIEFS - The price of oil rose over $134 a barrel yesterday after a US government report showed inventories unexpectedly fell last week. Also, according to today's Wall Street Journal, after assessing the condition of the world's top 400 oil fields, the International Energy Agency in Paris has reviewed downwards its world oil supply forecast. This morning in Asian trade oil shot up even further to $135.04 a barrel, before easing back to trade at $134.62.
*** The rocketing price of oil has forced the world's biggest airline, American Airlines, to cut its aircraft fleet, its workforce and timetable. It intends to scrap 75 planes and will reduce the number of seats available on domestic routes by between 11-12% this year. An unspecified number of jobs will also be lost from its 85,000 strong staff as the airline closes and merges facilities. Yesterday American Airline shares dropped by 16% to a three year low.
*** Aer Arann says it may look for a financial partner, and lease out surplus planes, as fuel costs increase and the slowing economy means there is less demand for its flights. It is in talks with Air Botswana, Air Jamaica and FlyBe.
*** Building materials group CRH has appointed Myles Lee as Group Chief Executive Designate, succeeding current Chief Liam O'Mahony when he retires at the end of this year.
*** On the currency markets the euro is trading at $1.5776 cents and 80.03 pence sterling.
