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PAGE 12, WIMBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8,1990 Durh«"JamL businesses become expertso exports By Trudie Zavadovica The proverbial 'pot of goid' may be fer. away in exotic fer-off countries, or as cloe as the U.S. TRUCKRENTALSI Monday - Friday I I1230DqUndas SE, Whbyu 1I Thlirty-two cmpa *ies ini Dur- hain Regionce ale-the Qppor- turnity ta, access s ch 'goldby le g the ins àd auts of 9. ýe rFederai Busin~ess Deveiop- ment Bank (FBDB) and Durham Regi*on Action Committee for Training (DRACT) have joined forces ta offer the Durham Exporting Initiative' ta 32 inter- ested businesses ini the region. The course originally costing $3,500, is oflered ta businesses for oniy $850, with funding fram DRACT absorbing the remainder of the cost. According ta initiative advisor Bruce Tuck, companies complet- ing the course wiii be «export ready.n ~SaIe o :,! ic0 off on e veryth ing i the 'store o ver $3. 00 £ * aGra4uates 'from the Durham, Ex norn Initiative wil 'have! completed their own expàrt mer- ketiinffiplan end be ready. tol 'rAtt ::h am i »ays Tuck, «they wIl1 have establ*shed con- tacts:ànd inetworks wth federgl, BRENDAN CUNNEEN, ]manager of Federal Business Development Ban, discussed Durham exporting in- itiative at a press conference Iast week. bsBdeht provincial and regiogiai govern- ment officiais and1 31 feliow exporters who wili be eble ta assist with fuifilIHng their export -poteèntial." The initiative wili combine semiarsround-table discus- sions anMindividuai counseliing tatailing eight hours per month for 10 months. The course begins Sert. il e*nd concludes June 11, Developing an exportmerket- ing plan, understanding the com- ponents of thýe export process extport financing, international trade documents, the, free trade agreement, the Geàeral Agree- ment on- Tariffs and Trades (GATT) and sdciès of export assistance, wilf ail be discussed indepth hrugout the course. Aned analysis _Study targe- ted Durham Region as an appro- priate settinq or tixs type of initiative and the course has been customized ta the region. «Free trade is an'opportunity, that almost seems ta have passed us by,» says David Pétrie, vice chaiman of -DRACT. «Our companies wiil be well positioned ta understand the 1Process.» Tuck says there is a very diversifled group of people look- in to export in taday's merket. Hefeels confident the course will I up quickiy. Two peaple from each company cen attend. "TMe program will focus on the ~eopie who are in it;,» says Tuck. Te proam is fleible enough.'» He said that the impending goods and services tex is great from the exporter's pint ofvew «(Exporters) sould continue ta SEFE PAGE 14 Sharpemng sil .By Trudie Zavadovie Ini these times of increased econamic restraint, it may be only the most astute retailers who wiil weather the stormn. In the quest for mare value for the money, taday's consumer is increasingly more critical of how ta spend herd-earned dollars. The Durham Region Action Committee for Traini ng (DRACT), in co-operatian with Durham Coilege Management Centre, is beginnin a new retail selling course, scheg edt begin Aug. 22 and continue Wednesday mornings (8:30 a.m. ta, -12:15 p.m.) until Oct. 10. The course focuses on sharpen- ing the retailer's ability ta meet their customers' needs. "The 1990's je a real challenge for the retailer,» salys Liorna H a-- born-May of thie Durham Management Centre. "TIhe course meets three kinds of learning needs, attitude addresses the whoie erea of pro- fessionalism in seing,» says Holborn-May. «Customier service is the primary focus» She says that the retailer with proficient customer service ekilîs will have a competitive edge.. A second focus of the course is ekili building - improving gelling skilis, listening skxlls, helping ta, identiIfr customers' needs, and dealing with challenging custo- mers. Hoiborn-May says the third focus of the course will be on product knowledge and how you go aboût gaining it. She says that now, more than ever, a retailer needs ta know his product. I not, te consumer will sin«Iy goelsewhere. 0W 15 the training time, before. the GST is in place," says Hoiborn-May. "More , then *ust education, it is a value attitude.» The mission statenient of the training centre is ta deliver qua- lity training services that enhance the business skill of their clients. Ile teexned up with DRACT ta deliver this course ta the community. DRACT is one of 57 com- munity industrial training com- mittees in comprised business, the province and is of volunteers from industry, labor and education. 1- Its primary raie is ta be the voice of local industry in al trainingmatters. A recent survey by Peat Mer- wick showed that mare than 30 occupations were identifled with a significant number of empioyees currentiy trained or seeking trainig. Aong them were salies clerks Ccommodities; pipefitters and pÏumýber9; chefs and cooks, waiters, hostesses, and stewards; laborers, general, and assembly line-workers. 1It aiso showed the most prefer- able was in-house treining and that Durham Region employer spend 5.2 per cent of their annual budget on tramning. The studytùurther showed that throughout the region, approxi- mateiy 150 companies have '625 sales clerks that currently need skill training and that 350 firms wili iikeiy hire and train more 2,000 sales clerks in the next'12 months. The retaii seliing skills course will accommadate 20 applicants. For more information cail 576- 0210 ext. 471. For assistance in obtaining non-emergency information about chemicals, cali the CHEMICAL REFERRAL CENTRE *1-800-267-6666 betwveen 8 a.m. and 6 p.m <(Eastern) A public serv.,e petd hy The Clanadtan Chemical PrOdsîcers* Asociation PE T D,,,EPOT