Bay SMMEs undergo training course

SEVENTEEN small businesses in Nelson Mandela Bay that are hoping to be part of the R1.7-billion Baywest Mall construction project completed a six-day entrepreneurship training course overseen by the UN.

The Empretec training programme was focused on developing entrepreneurs and honing their "soft skills" to help them better understand their business practices.

The prestigious global entrepreneurship programme, organised by the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), was held from last week Monday until Saturday.

The six-day workshop was developed in the United States and has since been rolled out in 33 countries around the world.

Baywest managing director Gavin Blows said: "It is training such as this that empowers and grows small businesses and grows employment from a grassroots level."

According to research conducted by Baywest developers Abacus Asset Management and the Billion Group, the Baywest Mall would decrease unemployment in the region by 3%. This excludes the development of the rest of Baywest City over the next 10 to 15 years.

"The course's unique feature is that participants are guided to start a business at the workshop, prepare a business plan and financial projections, run the business and keep financial records to be audited at the end of the workshop," Seda's Empretec programme manager Louis Nhlapo said.

"The participants are carefully observed by the trainers and assisted to develop their potential through role-playing, coaching, simulation, field visits, group assignments, case studies and so on."