Digital Boost For Small Businesses

From today, small businesses will be able to benefit from a Government-funded Digital Boost skills training and support initiative.

The Digital Boost skills training is the first initiative to be launched from the Digital Boost programme, a partnership between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the private sector to support thousands of small businesses in realising the benefits of using digital tools and technologies in their business.

“Today we start delivering on the Government’s vision for New Zealand small businesses to be the most digitally-enabled in the world. 2021 will be the year of digital transformation for thousands of Kiwi small businesses” says AJ Millward, General Manager Small Business and Strategic Programmes.

To deliver the training and support, MBIE is excited to partner with The Mind Lab and Indigo, who have extensive experience in helping business owners develop the capabilities needed to take advantage of our rapidly changing digital environment.

Ms Millward says, “The Digital Boost programme is an excellent example of the public and private sectors working together for New Zealand small businesses. Industry Leaders, small business owners and MBIE have designed this programme to meet the needs of kiwi SMEs as we adapt to the digital age and take the opportunity to come out of COVID-19 more resilient and future focused.”

Management consultants McKinsey estimates that in an eight-week period, COVID-19 accelerated the business adoption of digital tools and services by the equivalent of five years. Strong research and evidence shows that small businesses who leverage digital tools have a distinct competitive advantage in the internet age. Whether it’s about reaching more customers, making business processes more efficient, connecting to suppliers or gaining better insights from data – all businesses can benefit from using digital tools.

Our Spotlights on Kiwi businesses succeeding through being digital are live. Other initiatives from the Digital Boost programme, including a digital applications and services directory will become available in early 2021.

Find out more about the Digital Boost skills training modules.

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