CLDP, in collaboration with USTR, will host 20 Salvadoran textiles experts on a Professional Development Opportunity led by 11 U.S. industry experts in St. Louis, MO; Columbia, MO; New York City, NY; and Washington, DC. The 20 Salvadoran participants will travel to one of the U.S. cities where the U.S. experts will engage them in consultations, job-shadowing, and capacity visits to textiles businesses and factories. Six Salvadoran experts will visit St. Louis and Columbia to consult with experts in innovation and supply chain management while four Salvadoran experts in New York City and four in Washington, DC, receive training on effective marketing strategies and the textiles and apparel provisions of the CAFTA-DR, respectively. Throughout the program, CLDP and USTR have focused programmatic efforts on the four identified areas of focus to increase the competitiveness of the Salvadoran textiles industry by increasing human capacity. To conclude the professional development opportunity, harmonize the material presented in the four areas of focus, and encourage the Salvadoran group to work together upon their return, all 20 Salvadoran participants will meet in St. Louis on for a Business Development course and final review and reflection with experts in all four areas. After the trainings, the 20 Salvadoran participants will return to El Salvador as a source of reference for their private sector and government colleagues of the textile industry.

CLDP, in collaboration with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, will host private textile industry representatives to present their Capstone Proposals to a U.S. delegation of textiles experts. These proposals summarize the technical capabilities and goals of the indivudal businesses, the delegation of experts will provide personalized feedback for enhancing the businesses' operations and developing strategies to fulfill the businesses' goals. Moreover, the proposals acted as the Salvdoran industry representatives' application for a mentorship visit to the U.S. where selected finalists collaborate with the U.S. experts in marketing, supply chain management, innovation, or CAFTA-DR textiles provisions. Participants of the mentorship program in the U.S. return to El Salvador as experts in their respective field to mentor their colleagues and create a source of institutional knowledge in the country. This program is part of a three-year project that aims to develop the textile industry in El Salvador by increasing human and institutional capacity.