The local chapter of EMPRETEC, an initiative designed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to pursue poverty reduction in developing countries by providing various specialized forms of support to small and medium-sized enterprises, is currently basking in the glow of successive years of international recognition arising out accolades bestowed upon two ‘EMPRETECOS’, the title given to inductees in EMPRETEC’s orientation and training programmes.
The local EMPRETEC Chapter, one of 27 being administered in developing countries around the world, hopes to use its successes reflected in the recognition of Irene Bacchus-Holder in 2008 and Lucia Desir last year (see today’s Stabroek Business editorial) to win more local support for its training and coaching programmes in disciplines ranging from entrepreneurial training to niche marketing. The success of the two beneficiaries of EMPRETEC training coincides with a growing domestic focus on enhancing the role of small and medium enterprises as a contributor to the national economy and as a mechanism designed to reduce poverty while empowering ordinary people. Significantly, while the programmes offered by EMPRETEC seek to reach the broadest range of local entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs, its deliberate targeting of women owning or seeking to establish small business enterprises reflects a sensitivity to the gender challenges associated with the Guyanese business culture.
Managing Director of the EMPRETEC Guyana Project Judy Semple-Joseph unfolded the organisation’s schedule of training and coaching activities for 2010 – 2011 which target both established small business operations and start-ups and which address a range of business-related disciplines. In May EMPRETEC will host a six-day Entrepreneurship Workshop that targets both current and prospective owners of businesses and credit officers from financial institutions that provide credit to small and medium-sized enterprises. The objective of this seminar, Semple-Joseph says, is ‘to help participants understand the behavioural competencies of successful entrepreneurship.” Significantly, the seminar also seeks to bring together small business operators and representatives of credit institutions in an exercise that is evidently designed to provide budding entrepreneurs with access to sources of financing.
On June 5, EMPRETEC is hosting a Vision to Venture seminar, which, as the title suggests, seeks to help participants turn ideas into businesses.
The Vision to Venture Seminar seeks, particularly, individuals without significant business experience and young unemployed females with entrepreneurial vision, the objective being to develop participants’ understanding of the processes involved in investigating the feasibility of a business operation. Significantly, the Vision to Venture Seminar will place particular emphasis on informing participants of the legal and regulatory environment in the business process.
Business managers responsible for designing and implementing business strategies will have an opportunity to benefit from a Customer Service Management seminar on June 15, which, Semple-Joseph says, will seek to offer “a guide for survival in a tight economy”. The programme, she says, seeks to help participants recognise the value of creating a customer-focused strategy.
EMPRETEC’s 2010-2011 schedule of training activities also include a two-week Venture Out seminar which targets participants from Regions 2, 4, 6, 9 and 10 and seeks a minimum 75% female participation. The programme which will focus on both motivational and business support activities seeks to build confidence, particularly in women that will, hopefully, foster greater entrepreneurial awareness and empowerment. At its core, the programme aims to enhance the quality of life for participants through increased knowledge and skills.
On June 26, EMPTRETEC will stage a Leadership Development Seminar that targets, exclusively, ambitious females seeking to become entrepreneurial leaders. Specifically, the programme seeks to empower women to have a vision and strategy for success in business as well as to allow professional women to further develop existing leadership capacity.
EMPRETEC’s July 14-16 Supply Chain Management Seminar targets employees whose responsibilities include managing, purchasing and supply-chain operations in enterprises.
This training programme which comprises 16 modules aims at seeking to strengthen the international competitiveness of private sector companies through enhanced supply chain management techniques.
Other training programmes targeted by EMPRETEC this year include a September 22-23 Niche Marketing programme for general managers, sales managers, consultants, bankers and NGOs and two further programmes between October and December which will address Capacity Building for Agro Processors and a Youth Development Project. EMPRETEC also plans to offer a Business Leaders Capacity Building Workshop earlier in 2011.
In a recent interview with Stabroek Business Semple-Joseph said that much of her focus has been on persuading entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs to recognize the importance of investing in training. It is, she said, an investment in staying abreast of new technologies and new ways of doing business and becoming more efficient.
Additionally, she says that EMPRETEC constantly encourages its adherents to develop networks that focus on information–sharing. Additionally, the local EMPRETEC Chapter has also succeeded in enhancing its relationship with the local private sector including the financial sector.
The EMPRETEC Guyana Project seeks to provide a range of training and post-training opportunities for local businesses including business diagnoses, technical support in the preparation of business plans, business counselling, credit assistance, establishing linkages with foreign companies and providing assistance in identifying sub-contracting opportunities between SMEs and larger local enterprises.
The EMPRETEC Guy-ana Project anticipates the further building of trans-national bridges through links with similar regional and hemispheric organisations including the Brazilian mini and small business support organisation, SEBRAE which sent a top level delegation to Guyana in March to interface with the local business community and which will be hosting the next meeting of directors of EMPRETEC later this year.
