LET’S face it, stimulating local economies also need that small and medium enterprises (SMES) build roads that connect them to the vast information super-highway to get their products a world-wide exposure.
And with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) poring into the aspect of high tech marketing SMEs, Project Training Enhancement for Competitiveness in Harnessing Innovative Entrepreneurs (Project TECHIE) is the immediate government intervention.
Conceptualized to help local SMEs and Micro SME’s, the project as implemented by DTI Industry (DTI) and the Philippine National IT Standards (PhilNITS) Foundation, Inc. uses an integrated approach in Information Technology, enabling SMEs and MSMEs by building partnerships, training and giving them access to an efficient support through a project secretariat.
“It is in response to the mandate of the present administration that calls for the promotion and development of SMEs and MSMEs as a way of stimulating economic activity in the countryside, admits DTI regional director Asteria Caberte.
She adds, the project is “a tool, which can help local SMEs and MSMEs boost productivity and income as they’re taught how to maximize the use of the world wide web and the Internet in their promotion and marketing efforts”.
Coming with five levels of training, project TECHIE starts from basic computer literacy to comprehensive web marketing, according to DTI.
Implemented since December 2009 to June 30, 2010, the project roots out participants from SMEs and sends them to training courses.
The DTI nominates and selects participants to the training conducted by PhilNITS free to SMEs and MSMEs, she revealed.
It may be recalled that DTI has been actively promoting IT among local MSMEs here in the past three years.
DTI Director Maria Elena Arbon is optimistic that the project will improve the competitiveness of local MSMEs by enhancing their global presence through website promotion of products and services.
Locally, DTI partners with Holy Name University in the implementation of Phase 1, making use of HNUs IT facilities to train Boholano MSMEs on basic computer skills and applications.
Some 25 Boholano SMEs from the crafts and food sectors participated in the first batch of the training which was held last May 27-29 at the HNU Computer Laboratory.
PhilNITS Certified IT Professionals Mr. Hans Bawagan and Ms. Amy Caballo, Dean of HNU Computer Science Department conducted the training. Mr. Karlo Soriano, PhilNITS Cebu Manager also guested the three-day training.
Implemented via a 5-phase training program, each phase progresses into a more technical training with participants gaining exposure in using computer and its different practical applications in the work place.
Aside from learning the basic computer use, the project also aims to equip the SMEs and MSMEs with the knowledge and skills to maximize the benefits of the latest technologies to promote business, increase productivity and efficiency, and consequently improve revenue and profits.
The project’s five phases include Basic Computer Literacy and Applications Training, Promotion and Marketing: Internet-based Marketing, Electronic Brochures Bulletin, E-Commerce Applications and Market Research and Intelligence thru Technology Applications.
The training programs aim to enhance competitiveness through technology enhancement training and programs.
It also hopes to enhance global presence thru website promotion of products and services, provide skills in electronic promotion collaterals preparation and dissemination and facilitate E-Commerce or electronic transactions using Websites and other platforms.
Finally, the training aims to strengthen market promotion and market research through the use of available technology applications and develop regional centers as training providers for IT-enabling of SMEs and MSMEs. (PIA-Bohol)
