Three Grenadians were among thirty persons from various Caribbean islands who recently participated in a region training programme that exposed them to Services Go Global – a programme designed to assist service firms in improving their competitiveness and achieving success in the global marketplace.
SERVICES Go Global, an instructor-led, competency based export training programme for service providers, was introduced this week to a team of regional trainers during the programme’s train-the-trainers workshop. The 22-24 September training in Barbados, attracted pre-qualified, regional trainers and representatives from national Coalitions of Service Industries who reviewed the programme and discuss its implementation. The participants from Grenada were Sandra James, Kendall DuBois and Jude Bernard.
A press release from the organisers stated that the advent of globalisation and technology has made it possible for small service providers across all services sectors to export their services. “This includes the region’s priority sectors of: business and professional services, health and wellness, creative industries and information and communication technology, amongst others,” said the release which explained that there are countless opportunities for these small firms, which will now have the opportunity to learn about the steps necessary in entering new markets through the SERVICES Go Global training programme.
SERVICES Go Global is the only export readiness training programme for services exporters and would-be exporters in the world. The programme follows a logical, sequenced approach to exporting – a roadmap – that takes the exporters through four stages and twelve modules of export preparation. With the completion of each module, elements of the service provider’s export plan are developed. Service providers who undertake the course will come away having completed the essential elements of their export plan and will have gained the valuable skills necessary to successfully engage in the international marketplace.
The programme was developed and delivered by Global Links Network, a team of certified international trade professionals who have delivered services training in over 50 countries worldwide over the past 20 years. The development of the programme and the hosting of the train-the-trainers workshop were made possible with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Caribbean Export Development Agency.
SERVICES Go Global will be delivered by authorised trainers on behalf of national CSIs and will be launched in early 2015 across the Caribbean including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Caribbean Network of Service Coalitions is a network of independent, national coalitions of service industries collaborating on the development of the service sector.
By Linda Straker