San Antonio, February 11, 2014 – The International Trade Center at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Institute of Economic Development announced today that it will begin a two-module Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Counselor and Director Certificate Training in Merida Mexico. This round of training marks the 13th SBDC training for the International Trade Center in Mexico.
SBDCs, established throughout the US by the federal government in partnership with state governments and universities and colleges, assist entrepreneurs and business owners in establishing and growing their businesses through a free and confidential suite of advising services. Services include, but not limited to, feasibility studies, business strategy, financial planning, marketing, production and professional networking. The Centers support new and existing businesses.
The goal of the SBDC Counselor and Director Certificate Training is to transfer the SBDC model methodology and train professionals on how to manage and operate an economic impact-producing SBDC. This training is part of the International Trade Center and Institute for Economic Development’s International SBDC Expansion Initiative that, with the support of the US Department of State, has been helping countries develop US modeled SBDC networks in the Americas since 2003.
Mexico was the first country that the International Trade Center assisted with creating and developing a national SBDC network. Today, there are more than 100 associated centers throughout the country — the most of any country outside the US. More centers are in development. In Mexico, SBDCs are part of the Asociación Mexicana de Centros para el Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa (AMCDPE) which oversees the country-wide network of centers.
UTSA International Trade Center Director Cliff Paredes and Sr. International Business Consultant Julio Garcia de las Mestas will conduct UTSA’s Counselor and Director Certificate Training. The first module begins February 17-21, 2014.
“Merida is a thriving cultural and economic center for the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico,” said Cliff Paredes, Director of the International Trade Center. “We will be working with the network of Institutos Tecnologicos, part of the Direccion General de Educacion Superior Tecnologica (DGEST) to continue strengthening the capacity of the Mexican SBDCs for business assistance that will create a big boost to the regional economy, and will add to the overall strength of the SME sector of the country.”
The International Trade Center at UTSA is one of the largest and most successful trade assistance organizations in Texas. It helps companies become globally competitive through technical trade consulting, customized market research and innovative training programs. The center is a specialty SBDC program in the South-West Texas Border SBDC Network. Follow them on Twitter (@TexasTrade) and like them on Facebook (Facebook.com/texastrade).
For more information on the project, visit http://www.sbdcglobal.com/index.php/us/international-sbdc.html.
