The Institute of Export’s acclaimed qualifications could soon be studied by a cohort of Estonian exporters.
As part of a European Union project to support exporters developing www.export markets and to boost existing export sales, the Estonian Marketingi Instituut is working with Enterprise Estonia to deliver educational qualifications to the country’s exporters.
Enterprise Estonia will work with 25 candidates from 25 companies to offer an e-learning programme using existing and proven courses from other countries. Qualifications offered by the Institute of Export (IOE) and the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) have been chosen as their content is best suited to Estonian exporters.
Successful applicants must meet strict criteria relating to their knowledge of English, average salary and their company’s export growth plans.
Participants from the Estonian companies will have mentors supporting them throughout the process and quarterly seminars to discuss how the knowledge acquired on their qualifications is relevant to them as exporters.
Kevin Shakespeare, Director of Education at the Institute of Export, recently visited Estonia as a guest of the Marketingi Instituut to discuss the educational opportunities and qualifications offered by the IOE.
Kevin said: “I was very warmly received throughout and had the opportunity to present the Institute and its education programme to over 60 Estonian exporters. What struck me was the enthusiasm of the exporters and their willingness to succeed.
“Opportunity wise, Estonia is well situated on the Baltic Sea, its people are known for their honesty, intelligence and hard work, with internet connections and connectivity of a very high standard. The challenges they face are perhaps similar to exporters in other countries – how to identify potential customers and determine the best means of targeting the customer with the right sales and product proposition. As part of the Eurozone there are some advantages in price transparency with some trading partners; when selling to some target markets however such as Scandinavia they will have to price with fluctuating currency exchange rates in mind.
“Those who take the IOE qualifications will acquire an in-depth view of all key exporting issues; from market selection to customer selection, together with the best means of selling into a foreign market and getting paid on time. The programme will also review how best to exploit sales opportunities, and look at the management of associated risks such as credit and currency risks as well as efficient legal practices including management of intellectual property. Additionally they will have access to networking opportunities and support for their export activities.”
The IOE expects to hear at the end of November whether it has been chosen to deliver its programme to Estonian exporters.
Explore our website pages for more information on the IOE’s training and qualifications. If you have a question, contact us.