More than 17,000 Central Luzon existing and upcoming entrepreneurs have benefited from the training sessions organized by the Department of Trade and Industry Regional Office III (DTI-3) in 2017.
According to a report from the DTI-3, a total of 430 training sessions were held by DTI provincial offices and Negosyo Centers in the seven (7) provinces of the region. The sessions are part of the Small and Medium Enterprises Roving Academy (SMERA) program of the agency, which is the capability building program of DTI to scale up and enhance the livelihood and management skills of entrepreneurs. A total of 17, 322 Central Luzon residents from 127 cities and municipalities attended the free SMERA sessions conducted by experts identified by DTI-3.
DTI Nueva Ecija conducted the most number of sessions with 96 and gathered the most number of participants with 4,141 while Tarlac had 93 sessions and 3,444 participants. Pampanga had 54 sessions and 2,900 participants while Bulacan held 60 training sessions with 2,212 participants. DTI Bataan held 50 training sessions with 2,158 while Zambales held 48 runs with 1,644 participants and DTI Aurora conducted 29 runs with 823 participants.
As the DTI-3 aims to prepare Central Luzon entrepreneurs to bigger markets and the ASEAN integration, the agency included training sessions on topics that will scale up the operations of micro small and medium enterprises. Among the topics of the SMERA sessions are: Product Development and Brand Management, Visual Merchandising, Digital Transformation, Putting your Business Online, Business Opportunity Seminar, Analyzing Brands and Buying Behavior, Project Management, Customer Relations, Good Manufacturing Practices and other relevant management topics.
Under the SMERA program, participant MSMEs undergo training in stages as they grow, from Stage 1 or the Start-up and Capability Building Stage to Stage 2 or the Market Awareness Stage to Stage 3 or the Market Readiness Stage to Stage 4 or the Export Readiness Stage until Stage 7 where the business establishment has attained Export Expansion Stage. For Central Luzon, 1,851 MSMEs have benefitted from SMERA training sessions and have since graduated in stages from start up to market readiness to export readiness.
Interested entrepreneurs who want to attend the sessions are advised to visit the nearest Negosyo Center in their locality to inquire on the schedule of SMERA sessions. They may also contact the nearest DTI regional and provincial offices.