Nicaraguans Sent to Brazil for Training

    WASHINGTON, DC, April 11, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Schmidt Irmaos Footwear, a Brazilian manufacturer of women's leather shoes currently in the process of establishing operations in Nicaragua, has announced the initiation of the training process by sending the first group of Nicaraguan recruits to Brazil to learn about the company's practices.

Twenty-three employees, who have been divided into three groups, are scheduled to be trained at the company's headquarters in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The first group of seven workers arrived on April 9 and will be in the country for a month to prepare for their new positions as supervisors, trainers and mechanics. Some of the recruits are high school graduates and have experience working as supervisors in other manufacturing companies, others have studied mechanics and two are industrial engineers.

PRONicaragua, the official investment promotion agency of Nicaragua, contacted Schmidt Irmaos Footwear in late 2009, after the company expressed interest in exploring the investment opportunities in the region. CAFTA-DR, the free trade agreement between Central America, Dominican Republic and the U.S., was a key factor in the company's decision to invest in Nicaragua, as it will allow them to substantially increase their exports to the U.S. This investment demonstrates that Nicaragua continues to be a very competitive country when it comes to the attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI).

The company expects to launch operations in mid 2010 in the capital city of Managua, generating approximately 1,800 direct jobs by the end of 2011.

Schmidt Irmaos Footwear is a vertically-integrated company operating for 67 years and is based in the city of Campo Bom, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The company currently produces 4.5 million shoes per year and exports 70 percent of its production to the European market and 30 percent to the U.S.

PRONicaragua is the Nicaraguan Investment Promotion Agency, established in 2002. It is a non-profit, public-private institution whose mission is to generate economic growth and job creation in Nicaragua by attracting high-quality foreign direct investment. The agency provides complimentary support services to qualified investors seeking investment opportunities in our country. For further information, please contact us at (505) 2270-6400.

Website: http://pronicaragua.org

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