Island entrepreneurs and business owners working to increase their export sales now have access to additional support through a new Export Readiness Program.
“Prince Edward Island is leading the provinces in export growth this year, following a record year in 2014 where the province surpassed a billion dollars in international exports,” said Premier Wade MacLauchlan. “Supporting Island businesses in continuing this momentum will help reduce our trade gap and see export growth continue to outpace the national average.”
The program was launched today as part of Export Day during Small Business Week on Prince Edward Island.
The program will help grow the number of export ready companies across the province, and by doing so, increase the value and volume of exports originating from the Island in a concerted effort grow exports.
“The export readiness training program will assist both companies that are currently exporting and companies that are preparing to do so,” says Minister of Economic Development and Tourism Heath MacDonald. “The program will take companies through a customized program from self-assessment, training workshops, tools and mentoring, to in-market experience. I think it’s a great program with plenty of potential for growth.”
Interested companies will be asked to complete an export diagnostic self-assessment and have a follow-up interview to review company needs and appropriate workshop modules and program elements.
A customized export readiness work plan will match businesses with appropriate program components and workshops. The six workshop modules are half-day sessions – Core Capacity for Export; Export Market Analysis; Export Finance; International Trade Law; Export Logistics and Pricing Strategies for Export.
Companies that complete the program will have the basis of an export plan and the tools to go forward. The final steps will include a visit to the border to experience first-hand the realities of exporting goods internationally.