Western New Mexico University's International Academy for Economic Development (IAED) serves as an umbrella organization for the New Mexico Economic Development Course (NMEDC) and for those courses being presented in other countries.
Every summer since 1993 WNMU has hosted people from around the state, throughout the country, and occasionally from other countries to learn about economic development. The course, guided by leading experts in their field, has now trained over 700 people in the techniques and resources for enhancing their communities.
The course is a first step in the process of becoming a certified economic developer. It is accredited by the International Economic Development Council and is one of 19 in the United States.
Master Courses
As an outgrowth of the course, the IAED is now offering advanced sessions – Master Courses – focusing on single topics. These sessions are designed to give the attendee an in-depth understanding of an individual topic. For those who attended the course, the sessions expand on the information learned in the 2-hour presentation made during the course.
September was the first in the Master Course series: "Harnessing the Power of Electronic Media." This was an all-day electronic marketing workshop with practical tips on how to market your community more efficiently in the digital marketplace. Job location is very competitive and this workshop provided the necessary tools to compete and practical experience to put the training to work immediately. Experts from the New Mexico Partnership, the Garrity Group, and Atlas Advertising made presentations and were available for informal discussions.
November 10 will be the second Master Course: "Will Direct Foreign Investment Impact my Community?" Direct foreign investment has been picking up steam nationwide over the last 2 years. What role does it play in the regional economy? How does an individual community benefit from the investments being made on the state and national level to create jobs in its region?
These questions and others will be part of robust discussions on our region's ability to attract foreign investment. Attendees will learn from experts on this topic - Select USA, International Business Accelerator, Invest US and the New Mexico Partnership - and come away with new ideas to assist businesses in their community thrive.
Foreign courses
Part of IAED's goal is to facilitate education about economic development in other countries. The accrediting organization for the course, the International Economic Development Council, has granted the IAED accreditation for courses presented out of the United States. As a result, the course has been presented in several different cities in Mexico over the last few years. The organization is working with Monterrey Tech to present advanced courses on their campuses around Mexico. The IAED is also working with organizations in Ghana, West Africa, and in New Zealand to bring the course to those countries.
An archive of SBDC Business Reports can be found at http://www.grantcountybeat.com/index.php/archived-items.
Western New Mexico University's Small Business Development Center assists entrepreneurs who are starting a business or wanting to expand an existing business. These services are available at no cost. Call 538-6320 for an appointment with a business advisor, or email sbdc@wnmu.edu. The SBDC office is located in Watts Hall at 500 18th Street, at the intersection of Swan and Silver Heights Blvd. An appointment at your office is available by request. More information may be found at www.nmsbdc.org/silver-city.
Contact the SBDC office for information about the following event:
• November 4 – "How to Start a Business; Steps to Success"
• November 7 – "Food Business Boot Camp; Everything You Need to know about starting a food business in Grant County"
• November 10 – "Will Direct Foreign Investment Impact My Community?"