Photo opportunity: 6.15pm, Tuesday 18 November, DCA (Meeting Room), Nethergate, Dundee.
Following the success of the University of Dundee's pilot PLATO networking scheme - the first in Scotland - a recruitment drive for is now under way for the launch of PLATO 2 in the new year. The PLATO programme is a unique business-to-business support forum for small to medium enterprise (SME) managers to help them tackle the challenges of today's business world. Through a partnership with large "parent" companies, PLATO creates a confidential and safe environment where SMEs can benefit from group learning, training activities, business linkages and networking events. PLATO encourages participants to share experiences and resources, to stimulate new ideas, and to support each other in trouble-shooting. Since March 2002, two PLATO groups were established in Dundee by the University of Dundee's Centre for Enterprise Management - the first and only groups in Scotland - as part of a 12-month pilot programme with funding from Scottish Enterprise Tayside. These groups are "parented" by two senior managers (from NCR, Dundee, and Michelin, Dundee) and meet on a monthly basis.
Dr Dooley of the University of Dundee said, "The success and further potential of PLATO has become apparent through our evaluation and we are now looking forward to expanding with new groups in Perth and Dundee.
It is hoped that the programme can be rolled out across the country so that SMEs and entrepreneurs from Shetland to the Borders can benefit from the scheme and, ultimately, boost Scotland's economy."
If you are a SME manager in the Dundee or Perth area and are interested in obtaining further information on PLATO 2, you are invited to attend an Information Evening on Tuesday 18 November at DCA, Dundee, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. The event will include a description of the PLATO programme and a question and answer session with PLATO participants.
For further information, contact Dr Lawrence Dooley of the Centre for Enterprise Management, University of Dundee, l.dooley@dundee.ac.uk, call 01382 344361.
Editors' notes
The Centre for Enterprise Management gained the licence to run the highly successful Plato programme from Belgium and has instigated the scheme, recruiting 14 local enterprises to take part and securing the support of NCR and Michelin.
Ireland witnessed incredible success with the scheme in Dublin involving over 1500 small to medium sized enterprises having secured the big business support of Guinness, Murphy's and SmithKlein Beecham.
This is the first Plato scheme in the UK and if successful in Dundee, the Centre for Enterprise Management hopes to roll out the programme across Scotland. Already there has been interest in running Plato in Grampian where the oil companies would play a role in supporting younger and smaller enterprises.
Participating SME managers have the opportunity to:
As the relationships have grown within the PLATO-Dundee network, both the "parent" and smaller companies have gained from closer contact and regular meetings with each other. Examples of the benefits experienced within the pilot groups include: access to new and better information; sharing of equipment; acquisition of new customers and suppliers; pursuit of joint ventures.
By Esther Black, Press Officer 01382 344768 e.z.black@dundee.ac.uk