Development Program for Export Consultants in Ukraine

The Development Program for Export Consultants in Ukraine is an intensive educational initiative designed for Ukrainian consultants operating in both private and public sectors. The primary goal of this program is to elevate the quality and accessibility of export consultancy services across the country. Furthermore, it aims to establish or enhance a robust network of national consultants capable of effectively supporting Ukrainian businesses in their export endeavors.

The program was meticulously developed through a collaboration between the Visionest Institute (formerly Marketingi Instituut) and the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office of Ukraine. This partnership, alongside the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, ensured the curriculum was tailored to the specific needs and challenges of the Ukrainian export landscape.

Spanning from June 2020 to June 2021, the project involved a comprehensive approach that combined online learning with virtual workshops, a necessary adaptation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It included 7 educational modules, 6 two-day online workshops, regular status-check meetings, mentoring, and a final presentation defense day, plus an additional module.

A unique aspect of the program was its gamification approach, which utilized 60 real Ukrainian enterprises from various sectors as practical case studies for the educational process. Participants were organized into 10 teams, drawn from 13 different regions of Ukraine, encompassing both public and private sector professionals. This team-based learning facilitated a deeper understanding of business needs in export and helped build consulting capacity across different regions.

Key outcomes include the certification of 61 participants, representing 91% of all learners and 100% of the teams. A significant 80% of participants reported an improvement of over 50% in their knowledge. All participants found the tools provided during the 'Train the Trainers' program useful, with 34% already applying the knowledge and 66% planning to do so soon.

The program also demonstrated a positive impact on participants' business development. Specifically, 15% made their first sales of consulting services, while 34% increased existing sales. Furthermore, 47.5% expanded their client networks, with 14.8% securing new clients and 32.8% reaching preliminary agreements for cooperation.

A core objective was to build export consulting capacity throughout Ukraine and professionalize consulting services. Consequently, 30% of participants plan to start individual consulting or open a company, 26% aim to develop an existing consulting firm, and 28% intend to consult alongside their primary employment. This indicates that 84% of participants will continue in consulting services after the program.

Participant satisfaction was high, with trainers' qualification levels averaging 9.4 out of 10 points. Client feedback from the 60 involved companies was also overwhelmingly positive: 97% were satisfied with the consulting received, 100% valued the materials produced during the training, and 95% would recommend the services of the trained export consultants.

The overall impact projects included a planned average sales growth of 528,741 UAH for 2021 among participants. The program's success underscores its innovative methodology and its significant contribution to strengthening Ukraine's export ecosystem.

Учебная программа была разработана Институтом маркетинга (ныне Visionest Institute) и Офисом по развитию предпринимательства и экспорта Украины.