Course Introduction
Entrepreneurship and enterprise support programmes play a critical role in stimulating business creation, strengthening enterprise survival, generating employment, promoting innovation, and expanding economic opportunities. However, many entrepreneurship initiatives struggle to translate training, mentoring, grants, incubation, and business advisory services into sustainable commercial outcomes. Common challenges include weak programme design, limited understanding of entrepreneurial ecosystems, fragmented support services, inadequate access to finance, poor market linkages, and insufficient measurement of enterprise performance. This course provides a comprehensive framework for designing, managing, implementing, and evaluating entrepreneurship and enterprise support programmes that produce measurable and sustainable results.
The programme examines the complete lifecycle of entrepreneurship support, from ecosystem assessment and opportunity identification through programme design, participant selection, business development support, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and sustainability planning. Participants will learn how to assess entrepreneurial needs, segment beneficiaries, identify growth opportunities, and select appropriate interventions for aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups, early-stage businesses, established MSMEs, and growth-oriented enterprises. Emphasis is placed on aligning programme objectives with local market conditions, sector opportunities, institutional capacities, and the practical challenges entrepreneurs face when launching, operating, and expanding businesses.
A central component of the course focuses on designing effective enterprise support models. Participants will explore entrepreneurship training, business incubation, acceleration, mentoring, coaching, technical assistance, investment readiness, market access facilitation, and business development services. The programme examines how to combine these interventions into coherent support pathways rather than disconnected activities, ensuring that entrepreneurs receive appropriate assistance at different stages of business development. Participants will also learn to establish transparent beneficiary selection processes, assess business potential, tailor support to different enterprise needs, and develop referral systems connecting entrepreneurs to finance providers, investors, markets, technology partners, and specialized advisory services.
The course integrates advanced programme management practices with entrepreneurship ecosystem development, stakeholder coordination, partnership management, financial accountability, and results-based management. Participants will learn to develop programme theories of change, logical frameworks, implementation plans, budgets, procurement strategies, performance indicators, and risk management systems. The programme also addresses the management of incubators, accelerators, innovation hubs, enterprise development centres, entrepreneurship competitions, grant schemes, and business support facilities. Particular attention is given to governance, partner performance, resource allocation, value for money, safeguarding, fraud prevention, and ensuring that programme resources generate genuine additional benefits for participating enterprises and the wider economy.
Monitoring, evaluation, learning, and adaptive management are essential elements of effective entrepreneurship programme delivery. Participants will examine how to measure business creation, enterprise survival, revenue growth, job creation, productivity improvements, investment mobilization, market participation, and the quality of entrepreneurial support services. The course explores baseline assessments, performance dashboards, outcome tracking, contribution analysis, cost-effectiveness assessment, and longitudinal enterprise monitoring. Participants will also learn to distinguish between programme outputs, immediate business outcomes, and longer-term economic effects, using evidence to identify successful interventions, address underperformance, improve resource allocation, and strengthen accountability to funders, partners, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders.
The programme incorporates emerging developments in digital entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, fintech, e-commerce, innovation ecosystems, green enterprise development, and inclusive business growth. Participants will explore how digital platforms, AI-enabled advisory tools, data analytics, virtual incubation, and automated reporting can improve programme efficiency and entrepreneur support while addressing digital exclusion, cybersecurity, privacy, and responsible technology use. The course also considers approaches for supporting women entrepreneurs, youth-led businesses, underserved communities, and entrepreneurs operating in fragile or resource-constrained environments. Through practical case studies, programme design exercises, implementation simulations, and results measurement frameworks, participants will develop the capability to manage entrepreneurship and enterprise support programmes that strengthen entrepreneurial capacity, improve business performance, and contribute to sustainable economic development.
Duration
10 days
Who Should Attend
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Programme managers responsible for designing, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating entrepreneurship development and enterprise support initiatives.
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Project managers overseeing business development, start-up support, MSME growth, innovation, and employment creation programmes.
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Entrepreneurship development officers supporting aspiring entrepreneurs, early-stage businesses, and established enterprises.
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Managers of business incubators, accelerators, innovation hubs, enterprise development centres, and entrepreneurship support facilities.
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Government officials responsible for entrepreneurship policy implementation, MSME development, industrialization, and economic empowerment programmes.
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Development agency and donor-funded programme professionals managing entrepreneurship, enterprise competitiveness, and private sector development interventions.
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Business development service providers delivering enterprise diagnostics, business advisory services, mentoring, coaching, and technical assistance.
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Entrepreneurship trainers, coaches, mentors, and facilitators supporting business planning, financial management, marketing, and growth strategies.
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Grant managers and fund administrators overseeing entrepreneurship grants, innovation funds, start-up competitions, and matching grant programmes.
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Financial inclusion professionals working with microfinance institutions, banks, fintech providers, investors, and enterprise financing facilities.
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Investment readiness and investment promotion specialists connecting entrepreneurs with angel investors, venture capital, and other financing sources.
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Monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning professionals measuring entrepreneurship programme outcomes and enterprise performance.
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Corporate social responsibility and foundation programme managers implementing entrepreneurship, youth enterprise, and livelihood development initiatives.
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Women’s economic empowerment and youth employment specialists designing inclusive entrepreneurship support programmes.
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Innovation ecosystem coordinators building partnerships among universities, research institutions, private companies, investors, and business support organizations.
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Procurement, finance, compliance, and risk professionals supporting transparent and accountable programme implementation.
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Digital transformation professionals introducing e-commerce, AI-enabled business tools, fintech, and digital enterprise support solutions.
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Private sector engagement specialists developing partnerships with business associations, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, and industry networks.
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Economic development consultants advising governments, development partners, and institutions on entrepreneurship ecosystem strengthening.
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Senior professionals seeking advanced capabilities in programme governance, enterprise support delivery, performance measurement, and sustainability planning.
Course Objectives
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Develop advanced knowledge of entrepreneurship development, enterprise support models, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and programme management practices that promote sustainable business growth.
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Assess entrepreneurial ecosystems, beneficiary needs, market opportunities, institutional capacity, and business constraints to identify appropriate programme interventions.
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Design entrepreneurship support programmes with clear theories of change, logical frameworks, objectives, deliverables, performance indicators, and measurable enterprise outcomes.
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Develop integrated programme implementation plans covering activities, schedules, budgets, staffing, procurement, stakeholder responsibilities, and delivery milestones.
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Design and manage business incubation, acceleration, mentoring, coaching, entrepreneurship training, and business development service delivery models.
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Establish transparent beneficiary identification, eligibility assessment, selection, segmentation, and referral processes that match entrepreneurs with relevant support services.
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Apply effective financial management, grant administration, procurement, internal controls, compliance, and risk management procedures throughout programme implementation.
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Build partnerships with government institutions, financial service providers, investors, universities, business associations, private companies, and enterprise support organizations.
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Strengthen entrepreneurs’ access to finance, markets, technology, networks, business advisory services, and investment readiness opportunities through coordinated support interventions.
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Apply monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks to measure enterprise creation, business survival, revenue growth, job creation, investment mobilization, and programme effectiveness.
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Integrate gender equality, youth inclusion, disability inclusion, environmental sustainability, digital innovation, and responsible AI into entrepreneurship programme design and implementation.
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Develop sustainability, institutionalization, scaling, and continuous improvement strategies that preserve programme benefits and strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems beyond project completion.
Comprehensive Course Outline
Module 1: Foundations of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Support Programme Management
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Principles of entrepreneurship development, enterprise growth, innovation, job creation, economic empowerment, and sustainable private sector development.
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Characteristics and support requirements of aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups, microenterprises, established SMEs, and high-growth businesses.
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Roles of governments, development partners, universities, investors, financial institutions, business associations, and enterprise support organizations.
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Programme management principles covering lifecycle planning, governance, implementation coordination, resource management, performance measurement, and accountability.
Module 2: Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Assessment and Opportunity Identification
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Assessment of entrepreneurial ecosystems, including finance, markets, skills, infrastructure, regulation, networks, technology, and business support services.
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Identification of barriers affecting business formation, survival, competitiveness, innovation, formalization, and enterprise expansion.
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Application of stakeholder mapping, market research, enterprise surveys, ecosystem diagnostics, and institutional capacity assessments.
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Prioritization of sectors, target groups, geographic areas, and enterprise opportunities using market demand and development potential.
Module 3: Programme Design, Feasibility and Theory of Change
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Translation of entrepreneurship needs assessments into programme objectives, intervention logic, implementation approaches, and measurable development outcomes.
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Development of theories of change, logical frameworks, results chains, assumptions, risks, and impact pathways for enterprise support initiatives.
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Assessment of programme feasibility, institutional readiness, implementation capacity, resource requirements, beneficiary demand, and commercial relevance.
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Selection of appropriate delivery models using options analysis, evidence from previous interventions, stakeholder consultation, and value-for-money criteria.
Module 4: Entrepreneurship Training, Business Skills and Capacity Development
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Design of entrepreneurship curricula covering opportunity recognition, business modelling, customer validation, financial literacy, marketing, and operations.
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Development of practical learning approaches using simulations, business challenges, peer learning, action plans, and real-world enterprise assignments.
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Management of entrepreneurship trainers, facilitators, mentors, and technical specialists to ensure consistent quality and relevant learning outcomes.
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Assessment of knowledge acquisition, entrepreneurial competencies, business plan quality, behaviour change, and application of learning in business operations.
Module 5: Business Incubation, Acceleration and Enterprise Growth Support
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Design and management of incubation and acceleration models suited to early-stage businesses, innovative ventures, and growth-oriented SMEs.
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Development of structured enterprise support pathways covering diagnostics, mentoring, product validation, market entry, investment readiness, and scaling.
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Establishment of selection criteria, cohort management procedures, service standards, graduation requirements, and post-programme support arrangements.
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Measurement of incubator and accelerator performance through enterprise survival, revenue growth, employment, investment raised, and commercial milestones.
Module 6: Mentoring, Coaching and Business Development Services
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Design of enterprise advisory services covering business strategy, financial management, marketing, human resources, operations, and organizational development.
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Establishment of mentoring and coaching arrangements based on entrepreneur needs, business maturity, sector requirements, and growth objectives.
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Management of business development service providers through quality standards, service agreements, performance indicators, and beneficiary feedback mechanisms.
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Development of referral networks connecting entrepreneurs with specialized technical assistance, professional services, suppliers, buyers, and investment opportunities.
Module 7: Programme Planning, Budgeting and Resource Management
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Development of integrated work plans, implementation schedules, activity dependencies, staffing plans, milestones, and programme delivery calendars.
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Preparation of programme budgets, cost estimates, cash-flow forecasts, resource allocation plans, and expenditure monitoring arrangements.
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Establishment of project governance structures, decision-making responsibilities, coordination mechanisms, reporting schedules, and escalation procedures.
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Application of adaptive planning, variance analysis, corrective action, change control, and resource reallocation to address implementation challenges.
Module 8: Enterprise Finance, Grants and Investment Readiness
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Assessment of entrepreneurial financing needs, credit constraints, investment barriers, financial capability gaps, and enterprise funding requirements.
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Design and administration of start-up grants, matching grants, innovation funds, challenge funds, seed financing, and other enterprise support instruments.
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Development of investment readiness support covering financial projections, business valuation fundamentals, investor presentations, due diligence, and financial records.
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Management of grant eligibility, selection, agreements, milestone-based disbursements, expenditure verification, financial reporting, and compliance requirements.
Module 9: Partnership Management and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Coordination
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Identification and engagement of strategic partners across government, private sector, universities, investors, financial institutions, and business associations.
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Development of partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, shared objectives, service delivery arrangements, and accountability mechanisms.
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Coordination of entrepreneurship ecosystem activities to reduce duplication, strengthen referrals, improve service access, and leverage partner resources.
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Management of partner performance, stakeholder expectations, conflicts of interest, commercial confidentiality, and partnership sustainability.
Module 10: Market Access, Commercialization and Enterprise Growth
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Development of market research, customer validation, competitive analysis, market positioning, and commercial strategies for supported enterprises.
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Strengthening of MSME participation in value chains, corporate supply networks, public procurement, digital marketplaces, and export opportunities.
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Design of interventions supporting product development, quality assurance, branding, packaging, distribution, customer acquisition, and sales growth.
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Assessment of commercial outcomes through customer retention, revenue generation, market diversification, productivity improvements, and business expansion.
Module 11: Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Programme Performance
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Development of programme indicators, baseline assessments, targets, data collection protocols, reporting templates, and performance dashboards.
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Measurement of enterprise creation, survival rates, sales growth, job creation, business formalization, investment mobilization, and productivity improvements.
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Application of contribution analysis, outcome harvesting, cost-effectiveness assessment, comparison methods, and appropriate evaluation designs.
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Establishment of adaptive learning systems using participant feedback, enterprise performance data, implementation reviews, and evidence-based corrective action.
Module 12: Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Targeted Enterprise Support
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Integration of gender equality, youth inclusion, disability inclusion, and equitable access into programme targeting, design, delivery, and evaluation.
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Identification of barriers affecting women entrepreneurs, young business owners, rural enterprises, informal businesses, and underserved communities.
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Development of tailored support addressing finance access, market linkages, skills, mentorship, digital access, networks, and business infrastructure.
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Measurement of inclusive programme outcomes through disaggregated indicators covering enterprise ownership, employment quality, income, growth, and participation.
Module 13: Digital Entrepreneurship, AI and Innovation in Programme Delivery
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Application of digital platforms, e-commerce, mobile payments, cloud accounting, and digital marketing to strengthen entrepreneurial performance.
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Use of AI-enabled business diagnostics, automated advisory tools, market intelligence, business planning support, and enterprise performance analytics.
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Integration of digital learning platforms, virtual incubation, online mentoring, and remote programme management into enterprise support delivery.
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Management of cybersecurity, data protection, digital exclusion, responsible AI, algorithmic bias, and human oversight in entrepreneurship support systems.
Module 14: Risk Management, Financial Accountability and Programme Compliance
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Identification and management of operational, financial, market, regulatory, reputational, partner, safeguarding, and enterprise failure risks.
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Establishment of procurement procedures, financial controls, documentation standards, audit trails, fraud prevention, and transparent beneficiary selection.
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Management of conflicts of interest, grant misuse, misrepresentation, underperforming service providers, and weaknesses in programme oversight.
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Development of risk registers, compliance reviews, incident reporting, corrective action plans, and assurance mechanisms to protect programme integrity.
Module 15: Programme Sustainability, Scaling and Institutionalization
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Development of sustainability strategies that embed effective enterprise support services within local institutions, business networks, and market systems.
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Assessment of financial sustainability, operating models, cost recovery, partner ownership, and long-term demand for entrepreneurship services.
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Design of scaling and replication approaches that adapt successful interventions to new sectors, locations, enterprise segments, and institutional contexts.
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Establishment of exit strategies, post-programme support, alumni networks, partnership continuity, and mechanisms for preserving enterprise outcomes.
Module 16: Strategic Programme Leadership and Future Trends in Enterprise Support
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Application of portfolio management, strategic prioritization, performance reviews, resource optimization, and evidence-based programme leadership.
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Use of enterprise data, dashboards, predictive analytics, and digital reporting systems to improve management decisions and programme responsiveness.
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Examination of emerging models in venture building, embedded finance, innovation ecosystems, green entrepreneurship, circular economy enterprises, and digital business.
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Development of an actionable programme improvement roadmap covering governance, delivery quality, partnerships, impact measurement, sustainability, and organizational learning.
Training Approach
This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.
Tailor-Made Course
This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com Tel: +254 721 331 808
Training Venue
The training will be held at our Upskill Training Centre. We also offer training for a group (at a discount of 10% to 50%) at requested location all over the world. The Onsite course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, buffet lunch, airport transfers, Upskill gift package, and guided tour.
Visa application, travel expenses, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant
Certification
Participants will be issued with Upskill certificate upon completion of this course.
Airport Pickup and Accommodation
Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: training@upskilldevelopment.com, +254 721 331 808
Terms of Payment:
Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 3 working days before commencement of the training so as to enable us to prepare better.
