ED 44

EDC Co r n E r
First Business Advisory Centre
Opened in the Heartlands
Enterprises in the North East District can now tap
on the expertise of business advisors
T
he Enterprise Development Centre (EDC)
at the Association of Small and Medium
Enterprises (ASME) was established on
28 March 2005 to bring business advisory
services to the many small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) in the business environment.
Many SMEs and entrepreneurs alike have
benefited from the advice dispensed by the
EDC’s business advisors, but many smaller to
micro-sized enterprises have little knowledge
or even awareness of the grants they can
leverage upon to upgrade their business
processes.
On 18 June 2012, the EDC@NorthEast was
officially opened by Mayor of North East
District Mr Teo Ser Luck. A new milestone
made possible with the collaboration of
EDC@ASME, the North East Community
Development Council (NECDC) and SPRING
Singapore, EDC@NorthEast is the first
business advisory centre established in the
heartlands.
“As we talk and listen to the business owners on
the ground in the course of the EDC@ASME’s
work, we recognise the need for business
guidance in the heartlands of Singapore,
where many small and medium enterprises
reside,” said Mr Chan Chong Beng, President
of the ASME, during the official launch.
A satellite of the main EDC@ASME, two
dedicated business advisors will be attached
to the consultation centre situated in the
Tampines headquarters of NECDC, assisting
small businesses in seeking the appropriate
assistance channels and also access to
government grants. They will attend to both
prior-arranged appointments as well as walk-in
requests from SME owners and entrepreneurs,
and the services provided at this centre will be
more targeted and designed primarily for the
smaller enterprises.
To that end, the EDC@NorthEast will work
closely with NECDC, the Community Centres
within the District, the Citizen Consultative
Committees as well as the merchant
associations to aid and bring the assistance
schemes closer to the neighbourhood shops
and micro-enterprises populating the North
East District.
“First and foremost, when you are able to reach
out to them, you are able to create greater
awareness of the kinds of schemes available
for them to tap on,” said Mayor of North East
District Mr Teo Ser Luck, on the importance of
improving awareness of assistance schemes
to SMEs.
“With someone there, for example a business
advisor, they can have a coach or a mentor
of sorts to actually explain to them in detail
through a conversation or dialogue on how
they can actually apply (for the schemes),” Mr
Teo added.
Looking ahead, more such heartland EDCs
can be established in the other districts as
well, bringing their expertise to the smallest
enterprises that can make full use of the
wide range of government schemes and
grants available for them to upgrade their
businesses.
Address:
North East Community Development Council
300 Tampines Ave 5, #06-01
NTUC Income Tampines Junction
Singapore 529653
Operating Hours:
Monday to Friday: 1.00PM to 5.00PM
Tel: 6424 4000
Fax: 6424 4066
Email: northeast@edc-asme.sg
Ju l | Au g 2012
En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t
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