35 Master Students and Export representatives are certified from a 9-week programme to offer consultancy services for businesses in Agri sector that want to export into high-value markets.

Tirana, 6th July 2021

Albanian businesses and exporters that are in need of skilled managers and workforce when dealing with exports, now have the chance to hire professionally trained export managers. With the support of RisiAlbania, a project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, 35 students from Agricultural University of Tirana received a tailored 9-week-long training on Export Management.

The training was provided by Koestinger Consulting, Austria aiming to develop job opportunities for young people at Albanian SMEs who want to increase their export business and need export knowledge and skills to be applied in their company. The official graduation and Certificate Awards Ceremony will take place on 6th of July 11.00h at the premises of the University of Agriculture, Tirana.

ExportStars Sustainable Export Manager specialization course is a 9 weeks online course focusing how to develop an export business strategically which makes it unique to other courses in the field teaching more about export operations. The program includes self-assessment tests, case studies, examinations and a capstone project and topics covered are market research, international trade compliance, export operations, sustainability in trade intercultural competences, marketing, export finance etc.

The aim of this program is educating participants in a very hands-on approach with real-life projects so that they can use their knowledge immediately in a position as export manager at an SME and driving the export business forward in Albanian SMEs. Having properly skilled workforce that are equipped with export management knowledge can be of high benefit for Albanian businesses that aim to tap into EU markets.

This current batch received support from some of the biggest Albanian agricultural trading companies. Their role was to assist the university students in overcoming a number of selected export challenges that were due as student’s final assignment. The goal of this cooperation with these companies is to increase the network between students and companies. Moreover, this tailored hands-on training increases the employability of young graduates within the sector of agri-business.