SMEs receive export training from Australian experts

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian and Australia governments are jointly providing funding for a special project to build the export capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia.

Angelica Aurore Bunanta, the in-country project manager of the Indonesia-Australia Specialized Training Project (IASTP) III, said Thursday in Jakarta that comprehensive six-day courses in Malang, East Java; Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara; and Makassar, South Sulawesi were currently being delivered by a team from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

The highly experienced training group consists of experts from Australia, including Janette Clonan, Graham Poon, Gilbert Cruz-Carreon and Anna Gebbett, and a team of specialized Indonesian trainers, mentors and translators, including locally-based businesspeople who provide input to complement the international training.

"The purpose of the course is to provide a practical, step-by-step guide for SME owners and government officials on how to organize businesses for selling into export markets on a sustainable basis," Bunanta said.

The focus is on the very practical preparation for exporting, regardless of the product or service, she said, adding that to date, SMEs in such areas as textiles, handicrafts, furniture, fisheries and agricultural products had participated in groups of up to 40 people in each location. Topics included costing, understanding export documentation, international marketing and networking, and many other crucial export areas.

The response from the participants, both private sector and government, had been very positive, with many remarking that the highly practical nature of the course content would allow them to use the principles learnt in their everyday efforts to build export capacity.

The joint project is in line with the basic strategic objectives of the State Ministry for Cooperatives and SMEs to increase the competitiveness and productivity of SMEs and to enable them to compete on both the domestic and global markets.

Indonesia has projected a growth rate of 6.8 percent for the coming year and exports will play an important part in achieving that growth.