Services Weekend Barbados: In an effort to foster a greater understanding and appreciation for the local service industry, the BCSI developed Services Weekend Barbados (SWB) to place a national focus on the industry. SWB 2017 was a three- day event following the theme ‘ICT in 21st Century Barbados’. By the end of SWB 2017, we were able to do the following:

• Highlight the different services sectors
• Provide networking and profiling opportunities for service providers and members of the BCSI.
• Initiate dialogue on topical issues affecting the sector.
• Create an enabling environment for regional and
  international service providers, development partners, trading partners and policy makers to integrate the benefit of the local services economy. 

The objective of the Association Incubation and Support Unit (AISU) is to build strong and vibrant sectoral associations which in turn play a leading role in promoting service sector development. The BCSI will provide the following services to those within our ASIU.

Key Services:

• Agenda and board meeting preparation
• Minute Taking
• Receiving incoming and outgoing correspondence
• Answer calls and receive faxes
• Website design and updating existing sites
• Prepare general correspondence
• Prepare and send emails to members and non-members
• Record keeping
• Edit and format large documents
• Collect monies due
• Organize events, conferences etc.

The Export Incubation Services Unit (EISU) is the secretariat’s flagship incubator program which is meant to enhance the export potential of our Service firms. This unit complements the existing Association Incubator Service Unit (ASIU) and facilitates the link between the Secretariats engagement at the Association level and with individuals who form a part in those associations.

Within the EISU there are four (4) phases:

• Phase 1: Services-Go-Global (SGG) Export Training
• Phase 2: Export Readiness assessment and preparation
• Phase 3: Export Pairing and Technical Assistance
• Phase 4: Market Access and export promotion initiatives

The primary objectives of the Export Incubator Support Unit (EISU) are to:

• Identify and provide front end technical assistance to service provider SMEs seeking to export their services.
• Enhance the overall export capacity of service oriented SMEs.
• Improve the success rate of service provider SMEs in exporting their services.
• Establish systems for tracking and monitoring the level of service sector exporting among Barbadian SMEs, and the factors which impact on this.