Microsoft, VCCI Support to Enhance ICT Skills of SMEs in ASEAN

The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the ASEAN Foundation officially announced, on December 12, the launch of the Project on “Enhancing ICT Skills of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in ASEAN”, funded by Microsoft – the world largest software maker.

 

The project will be implemented over 2 years, from 2012 to 2014, with the focus on enhancing ICT skills of SMEs in 4 ASEAN countries, namely Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

 

In Vietnam, the project aims to increase the awareness and realize full potential of using ICT skills, especially in e-commerce and e-business of young entrepreneurs with the age bracket of 19 – 35 years old in traditional occupation villages, thereby increase their competitiveness in the market.

 

Mr Vu Minh Tri, General Director of Microsoft Vietnam (MSVN) said: “One of MSVN commitments is to empower local businesses by newest but affordable technologies. In this project, our target benefits are young people living in handicraft village who are going to startup a business or running their own business. We want them to take advantage of the latest ICT such as basic tools for enhancing productivity, up to exploring e-commerce, e-business, thereby to realize their potential, thus growing their organizations in current competition economy”.

“From the view of a representative of Vietnamese business community, we highly anticipate the potential contribution of this project to the developing and enhancing ICT skills of Vietnamese SMEs, thereby to improve the competitiveness of this sector through online trade, Therefore, VCCI is very keen to participate in the project as a partner in Vietnam,” emphasizedDr Pham Thi Thu Hang, Secretary General of VCCI.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives of the project, the following activities will be implemented namely: A ‘Train of trainers’ training will be organised to provide a source of trainers to directly train the young entrepreneurs in the traditional occupation villages; Training courses will be conducted to train about 100 young entrepreneurs in the traditional occupation villages in enhancing ICT skills; Selection of appropriate entrepreneurs amongst the above participated entrepreneurs for an E-Business incubation programme, which will provide mentorship and assistance as they implement ICT in approach and expand their markets.

 

These activities will be implemented by VCCI, the main partner organization of the project in Vietnam in the collaboration with the concerned agencies, organizations, associations and traditional occupation villages.

 

For more information on the project as well as to register on participating in the training programme of the project, please contact Mr Dang Thanh Tung, Deputy Manager, Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Centre (SME PC) – Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI); email: tungdt@vcci.com.vn; tel.: 84-4-35742022 (ext. 251); fax: 84-4-35742020; 35742030.