After travelling around for thousands of kilometers, during nights in train, in small microbusses, in heat and snowstorms in Ukraine and training hundred of exporters, we realized that we are not enough. The need for export education was enormous, and we realized we needed to train export consultants to help the local companies. We understood that the donors had established tens of Business Support Centers in different regions but lacked qualified personnel in export. We had heard that Ukrainian consultants were exceptional in finding information about exports but shy in giving insight-based guidance to companies. We also understood they do not have time for lengthy master’s programs but need to learn export consultancy quickly. So we convinced our international trainers from export consultancy to share all the secrets with the Ukrainian export consultants.
To address this need, we created the Export Consultants Mastery program, an eight-month course designed to train certified export consultants. This program builds on the success of the preceding Train the Trainers program, which was ranked among the top ten innovative educational programs by the prestigious European ETF Innovative Training & Learning Award 2022 (out of 800 programs).
Two rounds and 120 successful graduates later, we are in the middle of the third round, with 60 participants stronger than ever from 10 different regions in the middle of the program. They never stop amazing us with the extraordinary challenges they solve during the program, helping Ukrainian companies globalize their export.
The program aims to produce highly qualified consultants who can provide insight-based guidance to companies looking to export. 40 Ukrainian SMEs have already received free consultations from the program’s participants, with 30 more scheduled in the next three months. Notably, 50% of them are female-led or female-managed, emphasizing our commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in business leadership.
The project is financially supported by the U.S. Department of State Office of the Assistance Coordinator for Europe and Eurasia under the 10th Round of the Development Cooperation Partnership (DCP) Program and Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), and supported by the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office (Ukraine) within the framework of the Diia.Business Ukrainian national project.
Contact project manager Kati Jarg (kati.jarg@visionest.institute) for more information about the program.