Google Ireland, the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) and the Women’s Gaelic Players Association (WGPA) have announced details of a new partnership which offers inter-county players the opportunity to benefit from both business development and career development mentoring from experienced and highly qualified Google employees.
The two bespoke programmes are available exclusively for GPA and WPGA members.
It is one of the first sporting partnerships that the company has engaged with in Ireland and if it works out well could open up more for one of the country’s major employers and one which has substantial sporting interests through YouTube and other divisions around the world.
Inter-county players who are small business owners are being encouraged to apply for the Business Development Programme which will include practical advice and mentoring to help them grow and enhance their online presence.
Mentoring
The programme will offer small businesses full support through a series of mentoring sessions led by Google’s own dedicated team of experts, who will share their expertise, insights and practical tips to help motivate and empower them to better understand the needs of their customers and build a successful business online.
10 spots are available on the programme per quarter.
All players can also apply to become part of the Career Development Programme where the Google team will offer guidance and advice on all aspects of career progression.
64 players will be able to take part in this programme per quarter.
Delighted
“We are delighted to be partnering with Google Ireland on this initiative,” said GPA CEO Paul Flynn.
“For our members who are business owners and entrepreneurs, this is a great opportunity to team up with a Google mentor who will coach them and provide them with the necessary digital tools and skills to successfully run and grow their business online. For any of our members who wish to work in tech, they can benefit from having a Google mentor assist them with their CV and interview prep specific to the sector.”
“This partnership presents a unique opportunity for our members and we are delighted to work with an organisation such as Google Ireland for the benefit of inter-county players.,” added Maria Kinsella, Chairperson of the WGPA,
“It is hugely important to emphasise to players that they need to think about their educational and career development. These two programmes can be highly influential in this regard.”
Skills and Ideas
“GPA and WGPA members have already enjoyed wonderful careers in one field, and we’re thrilled at Google to help them develop their skills and ideas in another,” said Alice Mansergh, Director of Small Business Solutions at Google Ireland.
“Google is committed to supporting Irish businesses as they navigate their way through Covid-19 to the future beyond. We hope these mentoring sessions provide lifelong digital skills that will benefit GPA and WGPA members and help them to successfully manage their businesses both online and offline.”
Google Ireland’s partnership with the GPA and WGPA is part of Google’s Grow with Google initiative, which aims to help people and businesses acquire the skills needed to embrace the opportunities that technology presents in today’s working world. As part of this, Google has committed support for 60,000 Irish SMEs and to provide free training to 40,000 people in digital skills by the end of 2021.
Sport for Business Partners
