Last week saw 23 chief executive officers (CEOs) and managing directors complete the first one-year program, which the AIIA runs through the Macquarie Graduate School of Management with assistance from government funding under the Small Business Enterprise Culture Program.

The course has been designed specifically for business owners and managers of established ICT companies with fewer than 20 employees and who see great potential in expanding their operations to employ more than 200 in the next five years.

The program involves three key elements - training, mentoring and business relationship development and requires participants to attend four, three-day residential workshops over a year. The workshops cover course work, classroom discussions and case study sessions.

Participants also undertook monthly sessions with an assigned mentor and a small group of fellow participants. These sessions gave participants the opportunity to review their businesses and discuss the application of their learning through the development and implementation of business action plans.

Managing director of Ytek Pty Ltd., Richard Yanieri has just completed the program and said it was invaluable. He has 10 staff now, but plans to double that in a very short time.