Participants of the tool "Business Connections" discussed ways to improve the project

On 12^th of September 2017 was held a meeting of the Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of NCE RK "Atameken" Tulemis Shotanov with participants of the tool "Business Connections". Ksenia Filimonova, the head of the Corporate Training Center of Kazakhstan-British University, and Elena Kuleshova, project manager of GIZ took part in the meeting.

In the course of the meeting, Tulemis Shotanov spoke about the training within the component “Business Connections”.

"The project consists of two stages. The first stage is free 3-week business trainings for professional development and training in modern methods of entrepreneurship, marketing, establishing business contacts with business partners. The second stage is a 4-week thematic business internship in Germany at similar-type enterprises and establishment of business ties with foreign partners on various issues", - Deputy Chairman of the Board of NCE RK "Atameken", said opening the meeting.

Tulemis Shotanov noted that the program is in very high demand.

 "We hope that the knowledge that is provided will help you to do business outside of Kazakhstan", - the speaker said.

He also added that in order to improve the tool, constant feedback is needed.

"We need feedback from you, what support measures are required, what you want to change. Second, I would like you to cascade the knowledge that you get", - Tulemis Shotanov added.

The speaker stressed that we live in a world where everything is tremendously changing. We are in the era of industrial economy.

"We know many examples of how our entrepreneurs, having traveled abroad, brought a positive experience. This suggests that the future is in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. The market is huge, it is very difficult to compete. The entrepreneur should be able to see a couple of steps forward", - Tulemis Shotanov stressed.

There are no free niches for an entrepreneur abroad, therefore, it is necessary to focus on the domestic market, the deputy chairman noted.

"Everything has been formed there for a long time. If you want to open a restaurant, you will understand that restaurants there work for generations. This field is free in our country", - Tulemis Shotanov believes.

Ksenia Filimonova, head of the Corporate Training Center of the Kazakh-British University, spoke about the participants of the component.

"At the moment, there is a great interest of entrepreneurs in training. 18 different business trainers from Russia and Germany, including Kazakhstani representatives are involved in the program. The project was conducted in 7 regions. It is planned to hold it in Uralsk, Shymkent and Kostanay", - Ksenia Filimonova announced.

Head of the Corporate Training Center of the Kazakh-British University stressed that they are open to opinions and comments.

The project manager of the company "GIZ" Elena Kuleshova added that the German side is willing to accept the groups.

"In 2016, a memorandum on the extension of training until 2019 was signed. Therefore, if not now, then in the future you have the opportunity to participate", - Elena Kuleshova addressed the business community.

Entrepreneurs actively participated in the discussion of the project. They asked the question about the need to expand the geography of the program.

"I came from Pavlodar, our city is industrial. If your project was implemented in our country, it would help many enterprises improve and develop their business", - the entrepreneur believes.

Shotanov has informed, that work in this direction continues. For example, the city of Uralsk was added only last year, the program did not initially include it.

The participants also said that they are not always able to solve legal issues and need help from NCE.

In turn, Deputy Chairman of the Board of NCE RK "Atameken" informed that 18 million people account for about 1 million 200 thousand business entities. However, there are only 20 consultants in each region. In this connection, it is necessary to switch to the online consultation mode. The entrepreneur must make an online request and find a step-by-step explanation of his question.

 "Let it be 100 consultants, but of the highest qualification. In addition, remote treatment will save them time", - Tulemis Shotanov said.

Participants also noted the need for information about land plots.

 

'All akimats were instructed to post information on the sites about detailed training plans, master plans and maps of availability of power capacities on the ground", - Tulemis Shotanov explained.

The final meeting was scheduled for November, further work will be carried out to improve the program.

Let's remind, the purpose of the Instrument is to provide support to small and medium-sized business entities operating in the priority sectors of the economy within the framework of the Program by establishing business ties with foreign partners with the support of international and foreign organizations.

For reference:

Within the framework of the fourth direction of the Single Business Support and Business Development Program "Business Roadmap 2020" approved by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 168 dated by 31^st of March 2015, the Damu Fund implemented the tool "Business Communication" from 2011 to 2015. According to this Resolution, since 2016, the Instrument operator is NCE RK “Atameken”, the authorized body responsible for the implementation of the Program, the MNE RK.

The tool consists of two stages:

The first stage includes three-week business trainings (2 weeks full-time and 1-week distance learning) in Kazakhstan aimed at training entrepreneurs to modern methods of entrepreneurship, marketing, writing business plans, finding business partners abroad and developing skills for establishing business contacts with them.

The second stage provides for a thematic business internship in Germany. During the four-week training period, participants have the opportunity to visit German companies of a similar profile, study specific management issues, establish individual business contacts on technology transfer issues, purchase equipment, supply goods, work and services, purchase franchises, establish joint ventures.

A participant does not pay for the flight from Kazakhstan to Germany and back, as well as for the accommodation. At the same time, participants pay for their own trip to the point of departure in Kazakhstan. In 2017, 43 people from the three groups were trained in Germany.

In total, 449 people passed the internship from 2011 to 2017, including 286 in Germany, and the remaining 163 in the United States. Since 2015, the internship in the US has been suspended. It should be noted that the number of participants sent for training to Germany depends on the quota for Kazakhstan issued by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy of Germany.