Certain Government ministers might take a sharp intake of breath this morning when they hear that corporate employees in Bermuda have been assessing the requirements needed to open up company operations in Ireland.

But Cabinet members needn't reach for the smelling salts just yet, because this isn't a broadside warning shot over the bows about possible outsourcing or relocating.

Instead, the Ireland expansion plans were classroom exercises dreamt up by participants at a number of training sessions for company professionals where the key was solving problems and coming up with controls and risk solutions.

The corporate professionals were encouraged to 'think outside the box' and, as part of that remit, some posed themselves the challenge of what would need to be taken into consideration if they were opening a new branch in Ireland.

Raven Henderson is the latest trainer to be brought to the Island by the Institute of Internal Auditors Bermuda Chapter to add fresh knowledge and skills to its members and others in the business world interested in taking part in the short sessions.

Ms Henderson concentrated on two topics; creative problem solving and controls and risks.

The Washington DC-based trainer used a few of her own tricks and puzzles to encourage participants to "think outside the box." During a creative problem solving session a question asked was what companies might do to better attract and retain staff.

"We had 32 suggestions, such as a company having a school so their employees who are parents have a school they can leave their kids at and works around their work hours," said Ms Henderson.

With the controls and risks sessions those attending the sessions looked beyond simply IT controls and risks and again went "outside the box" conjuring up hypothetical situations, such as identifying controls and risks that would need consideration in order to open a company branch in Ireland.

Taking part in the training sessions were internal auditors, independent consultants, bank employees, IT professionals and even a hedge fund manager.

"I got them to take out the tools to be more creative. Creativity is about getting around a significant problem," said Ms Henderson.

"Controls are everyone's business. You have to make sure people know that controls are something you should do to reach your objectives and not just because the auditors are asking for them."

During the year the Institute of Internal Auditors Bermuda Chapter arranges a number of training sessions it feels will be useful to its members and others within the corporate world.

Owen Martin of the organisation, who is also vice president of group internal audit at Butterfield Bank, explained: "Someone who attended one of our previous courses said that people working in IT needed to know about controls, especially in relation to Basel II (new international banking and law regulations).

"Then we decided to offer this to people outside of the bank, and with the creative problem solving we wanted to offer something that was not just for internal auditors.

"It covers a lot of areas and we thought it would attract interest and it did. Bringing a trainer to the Island is also more cost effective than having 30 or so people fly away for a course elsewhere."

Trainer Ms Henderson, who runs her own company Raven Lane and has the professional certifications CPA, CIA and CFSA, also has an extensive background in the financial field which includes eight years as an internal auditor.

She said: "People have been pretty pleased with the amount of material that has been covered within one training session and one of my rules is that everyone who attends should have fun."