AER Summer School 24 -30 August 2008 What

AER Summer School 24 -30 August 2008 What is the role of the region in promoting youth entrepreneurship ? Examples from Wallonia, including the export field Philippe Suinen, CEO Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE WWW. AWEX. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

WALLONIA : A REGION IN THE VERY HEART OF EUROPE In the centre of a 500 million consumers market Trucking time Inhabitants GDP Million 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, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE WWW. AWEX. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

WALLONIA : an autonomous region Ø 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. Ø 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. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

AWEX : A FEW FACTS AND FIGURES Ø Agency of the Walloon Region of Belgium in charge of promoting foreign trade and attracting foreign investment Ø Created in 1998 Ø Headquarters in Brussels (foreign trade) and Namur (foreign investment) Ø Six regional centres in Wallonia Ø Worlwide network covering more than 100 markets Ø 450 employees of which 200 abroad Ø Budget 2008 : € 68, 4 millions Ø Certified ISO 9001 since 2002 WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE WWW. AWEX. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : public agencies involved Ø AWEX : Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency Ø WBI : Wallonia-Brussels International Agency which is responsible for the international relations of the Walloon Region and the Frenchspeaking Community of Belgium Ø BIJ : International Youth Office of WBI Ø FOREM (Walloon Office for Employment and Professional Training) Ø IFAPME (Agency for the Training of Self. Employed and SMEs Workers) Ø ASE (Agency for Economic Stimulation) WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE WWW. AWEX. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : programmes implemented Ø EXPLORT (joint programme managed by AWEX and FOREM) Ø International Youth Office programmes • Tremplin Jeunes (Springboard for Young People) • AQWBJ (Wallonia-Brussels-Quebec Youth Agency) Ø Eurodyssée Ø IFAG (Francophone Institute for Management) Ø FOREM’s programmes • Languages Plan • Forem International Traineeship (FIT) • Transeurop Ø WBI-World excellence grants Ø Programme promoting creative use of interculturalism in business Ø ASE’s programme promoting entrepreneurial spirit Ø IFAPME’s programmes WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE WWW. AWEX. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : EXPLORT ORIGIN Ø 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 exportrelated trades intended for young people (target of 350 trainees per year from 2006 to 2009) Ø Ø 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. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : EXPLORT MAIN STAGES Ø Ø Ø 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 Ø Assistance in seeking employment FROM THE LAUNCHING IN SEPTEMBER 2006 Ø 426 EXPLORT trainees have helped Walloon companies to develop internationnaly Ø Around 85% of trainees have found a job WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE WWW. AWEX. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : International Youth Office (BIJ) Ø 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 Ø 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. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : Eurodyssée and IFAG Ø 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 Ø 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. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : FOREM Ø 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 Ø 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. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : other programmes Ø 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 agroindustry) Ø 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. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

Promotion of youth entrepreneurship in Wallonia : other programmes Ø 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 Ø IFAPME’s programmes • Provides training modules and courses in entrepreneurship development and business creation management to selfemployed 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. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT

The youth entrepreneurship chain in Wallonia Ø Promote entrepreneurship and risk-taking attitude at school and in the school environment Ø Develop and encourage interculturality in your own region Ø Create a culture of necessary internationalisation Ø Organise incentives for international projects which aim to create and strengthen businesses Ø Provide awards and grants for youth involvment in businesses Ø Stimulate networking and clustering WALLONIA, YOUR PARTNER REGION IN THE HEART OF EUROPE WWW. AWEX. BE EXPORT & INVESTMENT