Small business broadband training
A government
training programme to prepare small business for faster
broadband networks will start soon, but it’ll cost $800 to
take part.
Would you pay $800 to learn how to use
the fast broadband networks currently being rolled out on
behalf of the New Zealand government?
That’s the price
of taking part in a day-long session run by the Digital
Office. However, there may be subsidies for some
participants.
The training programme was launched last
week by Communications Minister Amy Adams who says it will
help small businesses take advantage of the new
networks.
She says it will include workshops to examine
how UFB, RBI and other new technologies will impact on
companies and identifies the opportunities it
presents.
While tech-savvy readers may scoff, there’s a
need for New Zealand’s small business to move beyond
simple online applications like email, banking and
gathering information.
As Adams points out relatively few
small businesses have websites. And when they do, in most
cases the sites are little more than brochures advertising
services. Few offer much in the way of interaction.
Tellingly only 11 percent of NZ business sites offer
customers a way to pay online.
The programme is supported
by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and
will be available through the New Zealand Trade and
Enterprise Regional Business Partner Network around New
Zealand.
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