Media Release 23 July 2004
500 Coast businesses now enrolled for Enterprise Training
In September 2003 The West Coast Development Trust took over delivery of the Enterprise Training Programme on the West
Coast. Since then, an additional 193 local business clients have enrolled in the programme, achieving a total of 500
local businesses now registered for training. By mid next year, The Development Trust expects to have over 700 local
businesses actively participating in the programme.
The Enterprise Training Programme is one of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s key initiatives, designed to improve the
management capability of small to medium enterprises - those that are personally owned, have less than 20 employees and
are not part of a larger business organisation - to help them grow their businesses. Participation in the programme is
free. All small businesses on the Coast are invited to register with The Development Trust, including those planning to
start a new business.
The training programme identifies and registers eligible business owners/operators and delivers a series of 3 hour
workshops on business planning, sales & marketing, accounting & finance, e-commerce and other subjects. Follow-up coaching sessions are conducted with clients to apply the skills
learned in the workshops. The Development Trust also provides confidential individual business mentoring and referral to
other training and business assistance programmes where necessary.
Training Workshops doubled
In 2001, 25 training workshops were held on the Coast - in Westport, Greymouth and Hokitika. In 2002, 28 workshops were
held, with Reefton being included for the first time. In the nine months to 30 June 2004 The Development Trust delivered
52 workshops, extending locations to Franz Josef and Haast. Plans are in hand to extend coverage to Karamea and Fox
Glacier in the coming year.
Most businesses that register for training are small, with less than 5 staff. They range from sole traders working from
home to produce handmade products, to holiday park owners catering for up to 150 guests per night in the tourist season.
A large percentage of enrolled businesses are directly or indirectly related to the rapidly developing tourism industry
on the Coast, reflecting the high growth of this activity in the region.
All new clients are met by a Trust representative and interviewed to discuss their training needs; previously registered
clients are also progressively being followed up. Many clients attend a series of training workshops, well above the
national average of three workshops per client reported by NZTE; dozens have already received confidential individual
business mentoring and others have recently started the application process to The Development Trust for development
funding. The Development Trust hope’s that more clients will follow this pathway as small to medium enterprises will
form the basis of much of the Coast’s future economic growth.
#ENDS