E-Development Academy for M/SMEs

The ICT Trust Fund in cooperation with Microsoft will start the implementation of a new project "E-Development Academy for M/SMEs" .this project advocates the importance of ICT in M/SMEs through a new tailored ICT competency and training program to support M/SMEs.

Objectives

• Improving ICT level of the M/SME and their intermediaries (NGO/CSO).



• Capacity building for TOT on basic IT skills, advanced IT skills for SMEs.



• Training program for SMEs.



• Help in setting the standards for IT training curricula for M/SMEs.



• Help in providing ICT tools for M/SMEs (IT-toolkit).



• Encourage ICT-enabled SMEs to help regular SMEs.



• Support the monitoring and performance measurement process.

Activities

M/SMEs ICT TOT

Provide train of trainers program for 100 instructors per year; Training their staff on:

• Basic IT Skills (Microsoft UP curricula).



• Advanced Business/Soft Skills.

M/SMEs ICT competency and training

The project will conduct a series of IT-M/SMEs training programs (basic IT skills, advanced business/soft skills) based on the trained TOT to train 1000 M/SMEs per year 1-3 persons in average per SME. As this training should be conducted in remote locations, training labs can be provided by NGOs, CSOs and the IT-clubs in the same geographical region / network or other well equipped sites. Road shows presenting these programs will also be held. The Mobile IT-club could be used as a platform for these road shows.

M/SMEs-IT services/tool kit

This package could include help but not limited to:

• Accounting



• Costing & Pricing



• Financial & Inventory Management Systems



• Production & Operation Management Systems



• Customer Relation Management



• Enterprise Resource Management/Planning



• Web-site development



• IT consulting services

SMEs impact assessment study

M/SME ICT impact assessments will be conducted to support potential ICT implementation. This study will help measuring the performance of M/SMEs and identifying the barriers facing M/SMEs to adopt ICTs in their business and provide them with the needed consultation services. The impact assessment study will be at the end of each year for the trained group in this year.

However, at the project end there will be a general impact assessment for the whole training program as well as for the toolkit. This study will include all the SMEs trained in the project 3 years life. Results of this study will be reported and published in technical reports.

The study outputs in the first and second years will help in modifying/adjusting the training program as well as the toolkit content. The findings of the general impact assessment at project end will help in tailoring the awareness material towards the specific needs of Egyptian M/SMEs.