Small construction outfits are to be given help, guidance and support to improve their ability to compete in the Island’s current booming construction sector.

A year in the planning, Bermuda’s “small business construction incubator” has now gone live.

For small construction businesses it will mean having a central location where they can access administrative and book-keeping support.

It will also offer development of management and leadership skills, information on contract agreements, building documentation and other technical issues.

Qualified instructors will also offer courses from the National Centre for Construction Education and Research on crew leadership and project supervision.

Small construction businesses can also gain a working knowledge of bidding and tendering for work offered by Government, quangos and within the private sector.

Making the announcement Finance Minister Paula Cox compared it to the sharpening of her own “sword” when it comes to legal issues as a lawyer and the need to attend courses and conferences.

“These gentlemen and women in their respective careers are looking at what they can do to continue to raise the bar,” she said. “More and more is going to be required and we certainly have an industry and an economy that is in part driven by the construction sector, so they are trying to get ahead of the game by making sure they equip themselves to sustain their business in a successful and profitable manner.”

The initiative is being overseen by Government quango the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation, headed by general manager Michelle Khaldum.

Ms Cox said: “When you talk about the Economic Empowerment Zone, part of the zone and the redefining of the Small Business Development Corporation (SMDC) has been to make it more relevant. The SMDC, for the last year or so, has been having some think tanks and work sessions to try and find out what the construction industry and small businesses wanted.

“Policies are not relevant unless the people who you are making the policies for have an input. So it was driven by the needs of clients. And also the fact that we have very much a construction boom, we can help in reducing the cost of doing business if we as a Ministry and a Government quango are able to provide value-added services it takes some of the pressure off these men and women who are involved in this industry.”

As she introduced the new service, Ms Cox said: “The aim is to expand the opportunities for small construction business owners. Such programmes provide administrative and book-keeping support to small businesses at a central location. This initiative however has expanded and enhanced the concept to use education and support services that introduce best practices to ensure our business owners remain at the cutting edge.”

In collaboration with Bermuda College’s Personal and Career Education programme and American Management Association the participants will take courses in finance and accounting and managerial leadership skills.

The 2005 Gross Domestic Product figures, published last month, showed that construction output increased by 21.3 percent. The industry was also the biggest generator of new jobs, as it added 264 new employees.

‘Business incubator’