THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Island Region (NIR) will soon start implementing its “mentor me” program in the province, which will initially benefit 20 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who will be trained to become competent entrepreneurs, its top official said.
DTI-NIR Director Asteria Caberte said the agency is tapping potential mentors, mostly successful entrepreneurs and businessmen, to train local MSMEs in doing business.
In the “mentor me” program, Caberte said DTI-Negros Occidental will identify and screen the first batch of recipient-MSMEs, who will undergo a series of about 10 trainings in three months.
Other provinces like Cebu and Iloilo have already started implementing the program, and this year it will also be done in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.
“We have very good mentors who will handle MSMEs as their mentees, they are willing to share their knowledge and skills even with minimal honorarium,” Caberte said, adding that there will be a module thus, it is like school where after a series of mentoring sessions, entrepreneurs will graduate.
After the first batch, DTI will again select another 20 MSMEs as program-recipients until it covers all potential entrepreneurs in the province.
The program will be availed for free by entrepreneurs, provided they are committed to finish the program by attending regularly the weekly training-sessions.
“Through this program, we really aim to produce competent graduates who are bankable entrepreneurs, those who can survive amid the emerging challenges in doing business,” Caberte said.
