In response to the challenge to reduce youth unemployment Jobcentre Plus is coordinating a series of events and activities to raise awareness of the additional support available to young people. Responding quickly to the economic down turn, ESF programmes in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have engaged with over 1200 young people and supported more than 350 into work.

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Hi-tech pump manufacturer Watson-Marlow is celebrating sending its first Pumpsil tubing shipments ahead of target, from purpose-built workspace that was supported by ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Convergence investment.

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A Helston-based company, which is UK market leader in the manufacture of spiral and helical staircases, is taking advantage of a forthcoming major expansion of its premises to bring all its buildings and processes up to the highest international environmental standards, with the help of ERDF Convergence.

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A 100% organic and natural skin care company in Cornwall is looking to streamline production to support an ambitious expansion into the international market after employing a graduate through the ESF Convergence-supported Unlocking Cornish Potential scheme.

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“Something that all business people know is - promises are easy, delivery is hard.  The other fact that businesses know is that you can’t predict the future, however, you can prepare for it.

“This is the opportunity that the ERDF and ESF Convergence Programmes give us. Collectively we are delivering our mission to transform the economy in the long term and focusing on building a future-proof lower carbon economy, knowledge driven and providing opportunity of access to education, training, employment and better paid jobs.

“Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly now have a new set of economic assets; the Combined Universities in Cornwall and its novel routes of knowledge transfer to local businesses and the creation of new markets. This includes the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, which hosts groundbreaking research in diabetes and skin cancer.  The groundbreaking PRIMaRE project ready to maximise the research opportunities around marine renewable technology and new business opportunities. And the continued success of Unlocking Cornish Potential which places graduates from Cornwall and all over the UK to create a vibrant stream of profitable business opportunities.

“To date there are over 60 ERDF and ESF funded investments working together to build a stronger economy for decades to come.

"This is a continuing journey that will see the collective benefits of our investments in wave energy and supporting research initiatives; new innovation centres; 21st century digital infrastructure and the development of new types of business and export markets. All this will be rooted in our environment, heritage, art and culture to give us a unique offer which can only be “of Cornwall”.

"As we leave the unprecedented economic storms of the last 18 months and face the challenges and unknowns of 2010 we take confidence in knowing that we have banked the first two years of our Convergence investment and that our economy continues to be robust.

"We have hard decisions to take to deliver our mission. Together we can influence our future. 

"And when it comes to our future there is no time like the present."
 

Find Rural Development Programme updates, including Trewithen Dairy investment and contacts on the Convergence website.

For contact details and information about the fisheries programme visit the European Fisheries Fund section on the Convergence website.