wallonia, your partner region in the heart of europe export & investment export &...
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WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
AER Summer SchoolAER Summer School24-30 August 200824-30 August 2008
What is the role of the regionWhat is the role of the regionin promoting youth entrepreneurship ?in promoting youth entrepreneurship ?
Examples from Wallonia,Examples from Wallonia,including the export fieldincluding the export field
Philippe Suinen, CEOPhilippe Suinen, CEOWallonia Foreign TradeWallonia Foreign Tradeand Investment Agencyand Investment Agency
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
In the centre of a 500 million consumers market
Trucking time
Inhabitants GDPMillion
1 hour 4.700.000
66.931
2 hours 17.800.000
277.641
3 hours 42.300.000
604.860
4 hours 58.800.000
954.390
WALLONIA : A REGION IN THEWALLONIA : A REGION IN THEVERY HEART OF EUROPEVERY HEART OF EUROPE
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
WALLONIA : an autonomous region
Competencies in numerous matters related to its economic policy (including external relation capacities) : employment and professional training, foreign trade and investment, applied research and new technologies, transport and public works, environment, agriculture, energy and water.
Active at the international level together with the French-speaking Community of Belgium, which is responsible for culture, youth, education, basic research, etc.
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
AWEX : A FEW FACTS AND FIGURES
Agency of the Walloon Region of Belgium in charge of promoting foreign trade and attracting foreign investment
Created in 1998 Headquarters in Brussels (foreign trade) and
Namur (foreign investment) Six regional centres in Wallonia Worlwide network covering more than 100
markets 450 employees of which 200 abroad Budget 2008 : € 68,4 millions Certified ISO 9001 since 2002
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : public agencies involved
AWEX : Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency
WBI : Wallonia-Brussels International Agency which is responsible for the international relations of the Walloon Region and the French-speaking Community of Belgium
BIJ : International Youth Office of WBI FOREM (Walloon Office for Employment and
Professional Training) IFAPME (Agency for the Training of Self-
Employed and SMEs Workers) ASE (Agency for Economic Stimulation)
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : programmes implemented
EXPLORT (joint programme managed by AWEX and FOREM)
International Youth Office programmes• Tremplin Jeunes (Springboard for Young People)• AQWBJ (Wallonia-Brussels-Quebec Youth Agency)
Eurodyssée
IFAG (Francophone Institute for Management)
FOREM’s programmes• Languages Plan• Forem International Traineeship (FIT)• Transeurop
WBI-World excellence grants
Programme promoting creative use of interculturalism in business
ASE’s programme promoting entrepreneurial spirit
IFAPME’s programmes
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : EXPLORT
ORIGIN Implemented in 2006 in the framework of the Priority Action Plan
for the Future of Wallonia (known as the Marshall Plan) which provides for an intensification of in-company training in export-related trades intended for young people (target of 350 trainees per year from 2006 to 2009)
OBJECTIVES To provide youth (students and young graduate job-seekers)
with intensive training in international trade in accordance with the market’s needs
To offer a first professional experience through company practice (apprenticeship) and export missions abroad
To help Walloon SMEs grow on international markets thanks to specifically trained young personnel
To focus on the development of intercultural dimensions and language skills
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : EXPLORT
MAIN STAGES Information and guidance Modular training (basic module and specialisations) Linguistic immersion (if necessary) In-company training period Assignments abroad on behalf of a Walloon company or within
AWEX offices Assistance in seeking employment
FROM THE LAUNCHING IN SEPTEMBER 2006 426 EXPLORT trainees have helped Walloon companies to
develop internationnaly Around 85% of trainees have found a job
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : International Youth Office (BIJ)
Tremplin Jeunes (Springboard for Young People)• Set up under an EU programme• Improves youth skills by offering practical work experience in
a foreign business located in the EU zone• Stimulates the search for new knowledge in order to launch
a commercial or cultural project / business
Wallonia-Brussels-Quebec Youth Agency, which promotes• Development of partnerships, business contacts and
potential markets in Quebec• Exploratory or preparatory missions with a view to
subsequent implementation of a project in Quebec• Implementation of joint projects with partners from Quebec
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : Eurodyssée and IFAG
Eurodyssée• Exchange programme of the Assembly of Regions
of Europe• Provides young graduates with a first professional
experience in a foreign company based in an European region
IFAG• Francophone Institute for Management located in
Sofia• Offers future graduates with work experience in
foreign companies through the setting-up of contacts between local and Walloon firms (particularly in Eastern Europe)
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : FOREM
Languages Plan• A key measure of the Marshall Plan (budget of € 60 millions)
allowing young people to improve their knowledge of foreign languages by providing intensive coaching and training:
- 8,000 extra immersion grants- 12,000 extra training courses for job-seekers- 500,000 extra cheques for language training- 800 additional young people trained abroad through the
EXPLORT programme
Forem International Traineeship (FIT) and Transeurope• Provides young job-seekers with work experience abroad in
order to fine tune a career plan, improve language knowledge or start a specialisation
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : other programmes
WBI-World excellence grants• Promotes the mobility of Walloon graduates and
researchers in foreign institutions worldwide with a focus on the 5 competitiveness clusters of the Walloon region (aerospace, transport and logistics, mechanical engineering, life sciences and agro-industry)
Programme for the creative use of interculturalism in business• Assists young entrepreneurs in pooling
experiences, technologies and projects with potential foreign partners
• Focuses on the competitiveness clusters
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : other programmes
Entrepreneurial Spirit programme• Managed by the ASE (Agency for Economic Stimulation)
created in 2006 by the Marshall Plan• Offers grants to scholars and students at all levels (primary,
secondary and university) for the development of projects promoting entrepreneurship in their school environment
IFAPME’s programmes• Provides training modules and courses in entrepreneurship
development and business creation management to self-employed and SMEs workers
• Offers strategic and practical assistance in the creation or purchase of businesses
WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE
WWW.AWEX.BEEXPORT & INVESTMENT
The youth entrepreneurship chain in Wallonia
Promote entrepreneurship and risk-taking attitude at school and in the school environment
Develop and encourage interculturality in your own region
Create a culture of necessary internationalisation
Organise incentives for international projects which aim to create and strengthen businesses
Provide awards and grants for youth involvment in businesses
Stimulate networking and clustering