Port of Spain, 24th June 2022: The Trinidad and Tobago Fashion Company Limited (FashionTT) has partnered with The University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Social Sciences, Business Development and Entrepreneurship Unit, for the enhancement of the fashion industry through FashionTT’s flagship project, the Value Chain Investment Programme (VCIP). The UWI will bring its well-established knowledge and expertise via a robust business development programme which will begin in July 2022.
VCIP is FashionTT’s core business initiative designed to support designers at their various stages of business development. These tiers are as follows: Global Value Chain; Non-Global Value Chain (Non-GVC); Business Advisory (BA); Entrepreneurial Proficiency Programme (EPP). In November 2021, various institutes responded to FashionTT’s Request for Proposals (RFP). Through an extensive review and evaluation process, The UWI was selected to take on the role of consultant, business advisors and training facilitators on the FashionTT VCIP Non-GVC, BA and EPP tiers.
Through the partnership, designers will be trained in the essential components needed by entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and drive their day-to-day business operations. Some of these focus areas include: Finance your Fashion Business; Quality and Supply chain management; Fashion Trends and Data Analytics; Retail and e-commerce strategies, Business Canvas modelling, to name a few.
“FashionTT is excited to partner with such a reputable institution as The UWI, and work alongside its Faculty of Social Sciences, Business Development and Entrepreneurship Unit for the development of the fashion industry which has the potential to propel new and emerging designers into new markets across the globe.” Lisa-Marie Daniel, General Manager, FashionTT.
Dr. Acolla Lewis-Cameron, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences at The UWI St. Augustine Campus added that the Faculty is firmly committed to being socially engaged and solutions-oriented, and to continuing to serve the needs of industry stakeholders, “The UWI recognizes the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation in today’s business environment as a source of job creation and sustainable economic growth. The Faculty of Social Sciences is ready to support these organizations. Nurturing our entrepreneurs in the sunrise sectors is a step forward as we build our national competitiveness. Embarking on this initiative is particularly crucial at this juncture of our country’s development as the Government seeks to diversify away from oil and gas.”
FashionTT currently works with 170 designers annually through VCIP and will continue its commitment to ensuring that entrepreneurs have the tools necessary for their business to thrive, contribute to the national economy and leverage its resources to breakthrough into international markets.
To keep up-to-date on what’s happening with FashionTT, follow the Facebook and Instagram pages: @fashionoftt.
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