Caribbean news. Bridgetown, BARBADOS, October 13, 2014. The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has once again partnered with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to support the development of the SERVICES Go Global programme – an instructor-led, competency based export training programme for service providers managed by the Caribbean Network of Service Coalitions (C-NSC).
Introduced for the first time to thirty pre-qualified regional trainers and representatives from national Coalitions of Service Industries (CSIs) in Barbados on September 22-24, 2014, the trainers were able to review the programme and discuss its implementation across the region to assist Caribbean service provider firms to improve their competitiveness and achieve success in the global marketplace.
The advent of globalization 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.
“Services play a crucial role in the development of the Economies in CARIFORUM, not just as a sector but also due to the significant impact on other sectors such as the manufacturing sector. Caribbean Export is deeply committed to the development of the region’s services sector and it is hoped that firms large and small capitalise upon this opportunity to build their capacity to take advantage of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA and better integrate into the global economy.” expressed Allyson Francis, Services Specialist at Caribbean Export.
There are currently a number of opportunities for small firms to enter new markets, and it is anticipated this will be increased once they’ve participated in the SERVICES Go Global training programme. This human and institutional capacity building initiative goes hand in hand with another joint project between the development Agencies, which aims to enhance the sustainability of the national services coalitions which provide critical business support services to local service providers such as training, advocacy and market visits.
“SERVICES Go Global is a timely and comprehensive training programme for service exporters, but it is the element of the services-tailored Export Plan that I find most exciting and relevant, as I’m sure will the participants of this course,” shared Suzanne Joachim, a well-experienced trainer from St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Other participants echoed Ms. Joachim’s sentiments, that the course will not only prove valuable to service providers across the region, but has enhanced their own export efforts in the process.
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. To date, 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.
“This workshop forms a critical part of the on-going commitment to support the CARIFORUM services sector and efforts towards enhancing the ability of the private sector to leverage the economic benefits available under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the CARIFORUM states and the EU countries” shared GIZ representative Ginelle Greene.
The SERVICES Go Global programme will be made available to the private sector and other interested persons through authorized 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.
