AC-Cisco Launches Entrepreneur Institute
In an effort to help train and improve the skills of entrepreneurs, African Connections Ghana Limited, in partnership with Cisco, has established “The African Connections - Cisco Entrepreneur Training Institute” in Accra.
The training institute, which is located on the campus of Ghana Telecom University College, is aimed at strengthening the entrepreneurial spirit to develop sustained economic growth.
It forms part of Cisco's global efforts to foster entrepreneurship skills, speed the development of successful small and medium-scale businesses to create jobs.
The institute also seeks to enhance business skills of entrepreneurs, furnish them with the know-how to start and maintain successful businesses, increase jobs, develop and sustain economic growth in the global market from a wide collection of resources, ideas, learning materials and facilitators who would train participants.
The course is designed for entrepreneurs or individuals who are thinking about starting businesses as well as those who are already operating one and want to expand or improve operations.
Launching the training centre, Dr. Ayesha S. Hakeem Managing Director, African Connections Ghana Limited, said the institute would provide participants with real world business skills by combining business theories with tested strategies for success.
She said, “This would be achieved by facilitating the interpersonal relationship to build aspects of entrepreneurship by creating a sustainable network of contacts for participants to provide business skills, training and expertise in an academic setting, which is suitable for doing business in Ghana and worldwide.”
Ronald Pickings, Program Manager of the African Connections Ghana Limited, on his part, said such an institute is needed because Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are the largest contributors to economic development even though half of them fail within the first few years.
He said it is important to create a strong private sector because they help to create jobs, produce goods and services for export and increase personal savings.
He indicated that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive in Ghana, explaining that “we see entrepreneurs everyday; the plantain chip, cashew and mobile phone unit sellers and pure water vendors, among others.”
These businesses, he noted, are easy to start and require very little start-up capital, stressing that some of these individuals have business acumen.
Mr. Ronald Pickings acknowledged however that it was important for SMEs to know that there is more to business than just buying and selling.
“It also involves planning, strategizing, directing, organizing, securing funds as well as managing employees,” he added.
He expressed the hope that participants would be able to evaluate business potential; prepare business plans; determine the information and communication technologies needed; decide on a business organization structure; identify the appropriate licenses and permits needed determine the types of insurance needed; select a business location and negotiate its lease; manage business accounting activities and track cash flow and finance ventures by acquiring start-up capital; set up an e-commerce site to sell online (if applicable) start a business or a franchise; recruit, hire, train, manage and motivate employees; develop marketing plans and put them into action; make use of the internet for online marketing and manage purchasing and inventory control.
He announced that African Connections Ghana Limited would establish a minimum of one institute across all the regions of Ghana by the end of 20l2.
“So as you can see, the African Connections-Cisco Entrepreneur Institute can be a positive force here in Ghana by helping to enhance the vibrant entrepreneurial spirit that already exists in the country,” Mr. Pickings reiterated. The first course, which is titled, “starting a business” would be taught at the Abeka campus of the Ghana Telecom University on April 13th 2010 at 6:30 p.m.