San Antonio, February 5, 2014 – The International Trade Center at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Institute of Economic Development announced today that it will begin its four-module Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Counselor and Director Certificate Training in Lima, Peru. 120 participants are expected to attend the training from the public, private and higher education sectors. Peru is the second country in South America to receive Counselor and Director Certificate training.
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.
UTSA International Trade Center Director Cliff Paredes and Sr. International Business Consultant Mónica Alcoz will conduct UTSA’s Counselor and Director Certificate Training, which will be offered in four parts. The first module begins February 12-14, 2014.
“Peru represents the second country for us to provide training to in South America after Colombia,” said Cliff Paredes, Director of the International Trade Center. “Building SBDC networks in South America is a critical step to bringing President Obama’s plan for a ‘Small Business Network of the Americas’ to fruition. We are pleased to be this involved in the process.”
For this Certificate training UTSA has partnered with Peru’s Ministerio de la Producción, the event will be conducted in Lima at the Universidad del Pacífico.
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.
