AIIA members may have read with interest the recent media coverage of a proposed merger between AIIA and the Australian Electronic & Electrical Manufacturers’ Association (AEEMA).

AIIA will begin accepting enrolments for its inaugural Developing Business Skills for ICT Entrepreneurs program from 9 May, 2005.

The innovative course has been designed specifically for business owners and managers of established ICT companies with less than 20 employees.

According to AIIA’s Chief Executive Officer, Rob Durie, AIIA is seeking ICT companies with great potential to expand their operations from less than 20 people to more than 200 in the next five years.

“This is a first-class program designed to build business capability within the local ICT sector by focussing on the three key elements of business skills training, mentoring and networking. The program will assist high potential ICT companies to follow in the footsteps of success stories such as Mincom, Integrated Research and Volante." Mr Durie said.

“The program has been geared towards business owners and managers who have already demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence in establishing their businesses. We want to give these already successful business people the extra edge to greatly increase their chances of success on an international stage.”

Participants will learn the management skills necessary to lead their businesses through a sustained period of growth in both Australian and international markets.

The program, incorporating residential workshops, speaker presentations, course work and case study sessions, will be delivered by Macquarie Graduate School of Management, a recognised leader in management education across the Asia-Pacific region.

Training will be supported with specialist input from Austrade and BDO Chartered Accountants & Advisors. BDO will provide proprietary business analysis tools and individual constructive feedback on participants’ growth strategies, while Austrade’s international ICT specialists will assist participants with their export development plans.

In addition, the program will leverage one of AIIA’s core strengths by providing participants with access to experienced and successful ICT entrepreneurs as mentors.

“Mentoring is one of the most valuable components of the project, and the element that AIIA is best able to provide through its membership,” explains Rob Durie.

During the course, mentors will work with a small team of participants, providing valuable counselling and support to assist them in completing their business action plans.

David Merson, founder and former managing director of Mincom, is just one of the mentors involved in the project. “Mentoring is a powerful way for some of the ICT industry’s leaders to share their professional experience and expertise, and to help these high potential companies meet the challenges they’ll face in growing to be world leaders in their markets,” Mr Merson says.

“AIIA’s program is an important initiative which will not only provide valuable training, but also provide participants with access to an Australia-wide network of fellow ICT entrepreneurs,” Mr Merson adds.

Other high profile mentors include Alan Bracken founder and former Managing Director of Volante, Chris Howells founder of Netcom, John Gwyther, Founder and Executive Chairman of Tusc, Murray Rankin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Distillery, and John Stockbridge, Director of Brookstone Technologies.

The first residential workshop will commence on 21 July at Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

AIIA’s Developing Business Skills for ICT Entrepreneurs program has been heavily subsided by both AIIA and AusIndustry’s Small Business Enterprise Culture Program. Fees to participate in the program are $5,000 per participant (excluding travel costs).

Participants may be able to recover up to 50 percent of their out-of-pocket expenses through state government subsidy programs. The Victorian Government has already confirmed their financial assistance of local participants, with other states also indicating their support.

Applications for the first 30 participants will open on 9 May 2005. Application forms are available from AIIA’s website

AIIA’s Developing Business Skills for ICT Entrepreneurs program is proudly supported by:

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