Learning entrepreneurial skills vital, says president

LEARNING never stops and it is important for people to continuously learn entrepreneurial skills to better their business, says Business and Professional Women (BPW) Association president Jessinta Wagambie, pictured.
Wagambie said its flagship programme of entrepreneurial skills training would continue.
“We also offer entrepreneurial skills training for our professional members to encourage more women to run successful small to medium enterprises,” she said in Port Moresby last week at the launch of the ExxonMobil-BPW scholarship for tertiary students from the PNG LNG project provinces.
Wagambie said BPW was a non-profit organisation, and was an affiliate of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.
“Because a woman may be equipped with the basic knowledge on how to run a successful business, some may have an idea to run a formal business but when they take such training, they know how to run a more formal SMEs.
“Like how to run a business plan, especially on how to approach banks for loans and to write up a business plans, cashflow in order to run a successful and profitable business,” Wagambie said.
She said marketing was crucial as well.
Wagambie said BPW had an influential network for businesses and professional women.
Established in 1982, BPW has affiliated clubs in over 80 countries worldwide.
Wagambie said Dame Carol Kidu, who was a teacher and writer of PNG school text books, saw first-hand the need to promote the education of local women and girls and BPW played a significant role in that regard.
Hela Governor Phillip Undialu, Gulf Governor Chris Haiveta and Central Governor Robert Agarobe praised BPW and ExxonMobil for launching the scholarship.
“It is encouraging to see ExxonMobil PNG LNG project doing some good projects and touching a very wide range of sectors,” Undialu said.