Background

The series of workshops on entrepreneurship, innovation, diversification and advance pattern drafting were among the priority fields of training identified for Rodrigues for 2012-2013. These training areas emanated from the findings of the Labour shortage survey carried out in Rodrigues during the third quarter of 2011. The two-day workshops on entrepreneurship, innovation and diversification solicited the joint collaboration of the National Women Entrepreneurs Council (NWEC) and the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC) of Mauritius and were held on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th November 2013 respectively. 30 - 40 Rodriguan entrepreneurs (both full-fledged and aspiring) were invited to the workshop on issues of entrepreneurship, innovation and diversification. The six-day workshop on advance pattern drafting were held from Friday 15th November to Thursday 21st November 2013 (including a half-day session on Saturday 16th November) and delivered by the Fashion & Design Institute (FDI) of Mauritius for some 20 women entrepreneurs who already had basic pattern making skills and were wishing to upgrade their skills for up-market productions.

The aim of this workshop was to empower women on innovation and diversification in the entrepreneurial sector in Rodrigues.