The general director of the National Institute of Professional Technical Training (Infotep), Rafael Santos Badía, announced the implementation of a series of programs that seek to strengthen and promote the sector of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the country and those of the Dominican diaspora.
He said that 60% of quality jobs are generated by MSMEs, which provide an important boost to the development of the national economy, so it is necessary to strengthen this sector.
“In this sense, Infotep will develop four programs with MSMEs that consist of technical assistance advice, to strengthen the presence of these important companies in the national economy scenario. A second training program in companies, to develop human resources. Third with technical assistance to entrepreneurs, so that their businesses have more durability and success over time, and a fourth dual training program, to prepare technical workers ”, explained the director of Infotep.
The information was released during a meeting with more than 200 leaders, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs from different sectors, among which trade, services, metalworking, confectionery and bakery, carpentry, printing industry, textile branch and production stand out. knowledge transfer, among others.
The director of the country’s technical professional training entity indicated that these four actions will be developed within the framework of a relationship that Infotep defines as “Closer”, which, he explained, is a work program where the institution will be together with MSMEs developing their strengths, helping them diversify the market.
Also, supporting them in the management of an international trade space and financial resources with investors from national and foreign sectors.
“Today the miracle is taking place; Small and medium-sized entrepreneurs are also emerging from the pandemic, they are not being left behind, and Infotep starts a national day that we call ‘Closer’, through which we give companies the boost they need to be nationally competitive and internationally, “said Santos Badía.
He also explained that, as a consequence of this, a calendar will emerge to replicate these meetings in the 32 provinces of the country and small entrepreneurs will also be contacted in other cities of the world, from the Dominican community abroad, where there are winemakers, merchants from the textile industry, mechanical workshops, among others.
“Many entrepreneurs demand technical training from Infotep. All this will be closer to our people, our entrepreneurs, medium and small. Closer to their needs is the strategy that we have agreed with Codopyme ”, he highlighted.
“Closer” is a web portal, with a dynamic virtual client relations manager that manages mass emails and / or internal revenue APPs, with important information, such as the Job Bank and Self-Training Booklets, among other facilities.
Professor Santos Badía also highlighted the importance of the role of small and medium-sized companies, as well as micro, in structuring a strong, diverse, plural and resilient economy of the country, since they consolidate the broadest base of the population creating general well-being.
“The purpose of the program is to promote the qualification of the human resources required by companies within the framework of the environment in which they carry out their productive and commercial activities, in order to promote the improvement of their productivity and competitiveness, as well as job placement and social promotion of workers, ”Santos Badía specified.
On his side, Luís Miura, president of the Dominican Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Codopyme), said that after the pandemic the challenge of renewing the needs of industries has arisen and, as a consequence, training must be refocused to respond to the demands of a new human talent trained in the use of modern technologies such as: artificial intelligence, digitization, robotics and 3D printing, among many others.
“And more at this time, when our Codopyme has classified as the best for the national MSMEs industry, because the effect of the pandemic on the rise in prices of international commodities and prices in import freight, open a great window of opportunity to increase local manufacturing ”, he stated.
To date, more than 1,000 large, medium and small companies have participated in the Infotep Dual Training Program apprenticeship training.
Currently, an average of 300 companies are linked to the program and some 658 apprentices are in the process of training.
It should be noted that, in the last graduation held in September of this year, a total of 2,160 technicians graduated in person, of which 545 graduated from the dual training program, which is equivalent to 25%.
