Indonesian Business Advisors Visit

BEC helps Overseas Business Advisors

The Snowy-Monaro Business Enterprise Centre (BEC) hosted 18 small business advisers from Indonesia in August 2005. They were in Australia to study small and medium business development under a program managed by Canberra University. AusAID and the Indonesian government fund the program jointly under the Indonesia Australia Specialised Training Program. The three-month program was made up of lectures, tutorials, case studies, workshops, work placements and field visits.

Local BEC manager at that time, John Mercer, provided them with a presentation on our facilities and services, explaining to them our unique rural, small town, integrated business incubator model. They were interested in the process of enterprise development facilitation we use in Australia and asked a number of questions on cooperatives, clusters, industry development and funding assistance.

Most of the group were managers in regional or district government departments from all over Indonesia. They deal with the development and support of small and medium local business, and provide advice and assistance to businesses wishing to enter the global market.

Aine Dowling, Executive Officer of the Centre for Developing Cities at the University of Canberra, who accompanied them, advised " They were here to learn how Australian federal, state and local governments support, develop and help to grow small business." Ms Dowling said, "The group were very impressed with Mr Mercer's presentation and learnt a great deal not only about the BEC's facilities and services but also the history and background of community-based business support in Australia."

BEC Manager John Mercer with Indonesian Business Advisers