In 2015, IPP trained Vietnam’s first Certified Innovation Consultants who have thereafter worked in various roles ranging from consultants to entrepreneurs, executives and educators to spark innovation in established companies, build new ones and boost Entrepreneurship & Innovation (E&I) thinking and education in Vietnam.
To support the ongoing shift from aid to trade in Finland-Vietnam relations, IPP is launching the Vietnam Market Access and Partnership Program (VMAP) to support innovative Finnish companies to explore business opportunities in Vietnam and the broader Southeast Asian market. VMAP plans to bring in Vietnam 20 innovative Finnish companies or Finnish-led consortia from various sectors with assistance from IPP’s locally built resources for implementation of market studies, partner search and building of a Vietnam-related long-term project/strategy.
Therefore, IPP now calls for experienced Vietnamese business professionals to send Expressions of Interest for the second Training of Trainers Program for Innovation Consultants (TOT-IC) scheduled to run from September 2017 to January 2018. TOT-IC, once contracted and trained, will be mobilised as assigned resource to support Finnish companies participating in VMAP. The Program consists of one-month cost-free training, preparation, team building and co-creation for a remunerated three months hands-on work with Finnish companies participating in VMAP aimed to initiate partnerships and business creation between companies from Vietnam, Finland and beyond. IPP encourages IPP’s alumni and portfolio members to collaborate on this Call.
TOT-IC participants will be in charge of building and leading a local expert team to support their assigned company or companies in market access and partnership projects; helping them to find partners and strategic direction in Vietnam. The overall target of the program is to generate leading professionals for Vietnam’s future in cross-border innovation work and business creation.
This call for expression of interest has concluded.
The EoI guidelines can be downloaded from the link below. EoI documents should be emailed to info@ipp.vn.
Overview
TOT-IC is a four-month training and co-creation program designed to provide essential knowledge and skills development opportunities for professionals who will be engaged in business creation work; and to facilitate the building of long-term business partnerships between companies from Vietnam, Finland and beyond. TOT-IC is designed to provide core knowledge and skills to Vietnamese professionals who will be able to facilitate successful cross-border innovation projects for the benefit of the Vietnamese economy and innovation-led sustainable development. Under this program up to 20 seats will be awarded to the best eligible candidates from varying backgrounds, who are willing and able to commit to continuing the work on innovation activities and cross-border business creation in the long term.
Eligibility for the TOT-IC Program
An ideal candidate has 10-15 years of relevant work experience or at least five years of highly appropriate international work experience and a demonstrably relevant local network and international experience. Work experience from the private sector is appreciated. Previous experience in consulting, market access and partnership facilitation is of relevance. To be eligible, a candidate has to be fluent in English and Vietnamese, hold at minimum a relevant Bachelor’s degree from an accredited academic institution, and be a citizen of Vietnam. International university degrees are appreciated.
Time Requirements
TOT-IC is a part-time but intensive commitment during a period of four months, September 2017-January 2018. The program requires full-time participation in a 1-week bootcamp in September and in the 1-week inception of the Vietnam Market Access and Partnership Acceleration Program (VMAP), which invites 20 Finnish companies to Vietnam.
Benefits
Participants will take advantage of a unique learning and professional development journey. They will grow as cross-border business experts and facilitators and act as team leaders for local team members that will generate value for the international companies of VMAP and their future Vietnamese partners. Local teams hands-on project work is covered by IPP during the 3-month VMAP program based on local cost norms and according to the company’s VMAP project plan.
Expected Activities
The first month of the program focuses on building company-specific local resource teams, coaching the local team members and preparing for work with the company during the VMAP program. Experienced international business professionals will provide support and advice on preparation. Each TOT-IC participant will be assigned as project lead for one Finnish company project. The companies will have varying needs, and the target is to design the company-specific support package during the first month, in consultation with the company.
Finnish companies will kick-start in Vietnam during the week of October 23-28. During that week the companies will meet face-to-face with their assigned resource team and outline in detail the action plan for the VMAP period. Further engagement during VMAP between the Vietnamese team and the Finnish company will happen online and/or face-to-face based on the availability of the Finnish company to travel to Vietnam.