Over 150 business firms engage in national training programmes across the OECS

Castries August 6th 2010–The OECS Export Development Unit, OECS EDU says at least One Hundred and Seventy-five companies across the nine members grouping are to benefit from an ongoing series of National Training Programmes. The workshops are supported by the 9th European Development Fund Caribbean Trade & Private Sector Development Programme.

The National Training programmes feature several ICT applied techniques for enhancing the profit margin of OECS business firms. These include developments computing break-even analysis. Business Development Officer at the OECS EDU Debra Blackman says this is one of the most critical elements in doing business:
“If a business manager is not aware what are the overheads and other core operating costs to at least break even, something is wrong. So break even analysis provides the company with a status of their profitability in terms of whether the business is making money. It helps firms identify issues and create solutions to make their business more competitive.”

Blackman adds that to help improve performance, an introduction to various forms of e-commerce will also be shared with the OECS Business firms.

“In dialogue with companies over the years one of the major issues has been transportation. E-commerce can alleviate the problem of intra-regional and international transportation.   Hence we look at e-commerce as another medium of moving products at a lower cost.   We are not looking at ecommerce simply as websites sales but other online stores such as EBay, Amazon.com who facilitate ecommerce”

Blackman pointed out that there is need for some business firms to be exposed to more effective techniques in marketing plans, records and human resources management: “Without an effective management plan you will be operating at a loss. We have noticed these deficiencies in companies with which we work, over the years and so we have started these National Training programmes to address these issues.”

Blackman says during recent workshops in Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis firms have realized the potential for their products to be marketed throughout the OECS.

The workshop also embraces the consumers’ needs to help ensure that the most appropriate goods and services are provided.

This is in keeping with the mandate of the OECS Export Development Unit to increase exports from OECS markets through technical and financial assistance, geared at ensuring that products and services for export are competitive.

The overall objective of the workshop is to equip personnel from Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Business Support Organizations with creative tools for enhancing their business performance. The workshops aim to enhance the knowledge of participants to successfully manage their business in the face of the increasingly competitive export market.

A Reference Manual to assist Companies and Business Support Organizations in implementing what they have learnt is one of the tangible outputs of the workshop. Another significant outcome is the establishment of an electronic workspace and information portal that provides free support and networking opportunities for participating companies.

Blackman says the portal has already been active since recent workshops in Antigua and Barbuda and St.Kitts and Nevis. The workshop is facilitated by the consulting firm of Business Works Limited out of Jamaica

The target audience includes owners, managers and supervisory level personnel from OECS companies and Business Support Organizations (BSO’s) in the manufacturing and services sectors.

Following workshops in Antigua & Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis, the next training session for Business firms will be held from August 9th to 12th in the British Virgin Islands. Anguilla will also attend that session. Other National Training Programmes for OECS Business firms are scheduled for: Grenada-August 17-20, St. Vincent and the Grenadines-August 23-26, Dominica-September 13-16, and Saint Lucia-September 27-30, 2010.

The OECS/Export Development Unit delivers technical and financial assistance to a client base of over three hundred (300) companies. The EDU works with these Firms to help make them market ready, meet quality assurance and good manufacturing practices, meet the export market certification standards and product development requirements of international markets.