APO Secretary-General Mari Amano visited Medellín, Colombia, for the first joint program with the Science and Technology Centre of Antioquia (CTA). The APO Training Course on the Development of Productivity Practitioners from 22 August to 2 September is an activity under the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the APO and CTA to conduct training for the development of CTA productivity practitioners and independent consultants in Medellín.

APO Secretary-General Amano and Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez Zuluaga during his visit for the APO Training Course on the Development of Productivity Practitioners in Medellin City, Colombia.

Under the MOU signed in December 2015, the APO will help develop competencies in promoting and applying productivity and quality management techniques to benefit organizations and industries. The course in Medellín will enable participants to identify, use, and explain approaches and tools while adopting an integrated framework for diagnosing productivity issues and devising and implementing solutions. The training modules are in a training-of-trainers format.

The APO and CTA will continue cooperation and exchanges to promote productivity and innovation under the general collaborative framework set out in the MOU with the support of the Mayor’s Office of Medellín through its International Cooperation Agency.

APO Secretary-General Amano visiting Industrias Ovelma to understand the Enplanta Program aimed at SME development conducted by the Centro de Ciencia y Tecnología de Antioquia supported by the Colombian government.