Successful Australian Small Business Development Programs that Aid in the Establishment, Survival and Growth of SMBs

摘要

Box Hill Institute is a large, multi-award winning provider of Vocational Education and Training in Australia where it conducts numerous programs in accordance with the Australian Quality Training Framework. In addition Box Hill also delivers programs internationally including in China. In this province through our relationship with the Zhejiang Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering we are already delivering Teacher training programs and the Advanced Diplomas of Business (International Business) and Engineering.Small Business Training is another area where Box Hill Institute has an outstanding reputation. Box Hill Institute is the second biggest provider of Small Business Training in Australia. Due to its small business expertise, Box Hill Institute was chosen by the Victorian Government's Office of Training and Tertiary Education in 2002 to establish the "Victorian Centre of Specialisation for Services to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)". The Specialist Centre's role includes researching, designing, developing and delivering training utilising methodologies targeted to the needs of SMEs. We deliver programs for start-up businesses and for existing businesses including those with growth potential. Two of our flagship programs are the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) which is aimed at start-up businesses and Business Breakthrough which is aimed at growth businesses.The New Enterprise Incentive Scheme is an Australian Government program that aims to assist people on welfare to start their own businesses. Students in the program receive 6 weeks training in small business management during which time they develop a business plan for their new business. This business plan is then assessed and if deemed likely to be viable, then the students receive an allowance from the government and business coaching from us for up to 12 months whilst they establish their business. We receive payment from the Government if our students successfully establish their new business.This program is delivered to by a number of providers in Australia and 6800 new businesses are created each year as a result. 232 of these are created by Box Hill each year. Over the last five (5) years 68.77 % of the businesses established in Australia through the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme have survived for at least 15 months. Over the same time frame, 80.65 % of those established through Box Hill Institute's New Enterprise Incentive Scheme have survived for at least 15 months. In other words, the program at Box Hill Institute achieves outcomes in excess of 10% above the national averageThe Business Breakthrough program was developed and delivered by Box Hill Institute during 2003 with 120 SME owners/managers participating in the initial program. 'Business Breakthrough' was aimed at established businesses with growth potential and utilised a range of non-traditional training methodologies to successfully engage SMEs in accredited training whilst assisting the participants to develop tailored implementable growth strategies for their businesses.Much research had been previously undertaken in Australia into the training and related needs of small business owners, the requirements of the SME owners and managers, and the reasons for their low participation in training. 'Business Breakthrough' was designed to take account of the findings of this research.The 'Business Breakthrough' program was designed to meet the needs of SMEs by incorporating flexibility, one-on-one mentoring, business-to-business networking, and seminars to assist the participants to develop individual, realistic growth strategies and associated action plans for implementation into their businesses. As all the participants' businesses had growth potential, Business Breakthrough provided timely, relevant, real life assistance relating to a specific business issue of theirs - namely how to plan and manage the growth of their businesses.Business Breakthrough was extremely successful