USAID'S COMPETITIVENESS PROJECT - USAID Macedonia

• Recruit additional UK buyers for samplings and buyer trips.
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT)
Macedonia’s ICT industry plays an increasingly important role in the economy. It is Macedonia’s fastest
growing sector, with some segments—software and IT services—achieving growth rates as high as 35% a year.
Employment in the sector continues to expand at an
average annual rate of 13%. That said, much of the
sector’s growth is focused on the domestic market,
and the sophistication of domestic services is
generally low. While a few companies stand out as
export‐ready—targeting opportunities in areas like
business process outsourcing (BPO), software
development and animation/entertainment content—
many do not offer globally competitive services, or
operate in segments that are well‐developed and saturated with competitors. Further growth of Macedonia’s
export‐oriented ICT market will require a significant increase in the availability of skilled ICT professionals, the
development of new competencies, services and products, and in many cases a change in mindset amongst
the sector to welcome strategic partnerships, new investment and new management practices.
MCP’s ICT component primarily focuses assistance to forward‐thinking Macedonian ICT firms interested in
investing in the professional and skills development of their workforce, with the hope of establishing a sector
better prepared to compete in tight global competition.
MCP ICT activities this quarter focused on project management training for ICT project managers, a skill set
that many employers say is missing.
Project Management for Professionals Certification Program
Key Activities Key Outcomes
• 45 professionals
trained in Project
Management
Professional (PMP)
program, out of which
25 IT specialists.
• $300,000 in exports via
fx3x
• 7 new internships in ICT
companies
• 4 new jobs in ICT
companies
Employers in the ICT and other knowledge‐based sectors within Macedonia have remarked on the need for
professional project managers, a gap which impacts their ability to compete globally. Project management
skills play an important role in managing multi‐task projects and critical to responding to the complex needs of
ICT export markets. They also have an impact on the quality of consulting services and other professional
services provided to companies in Macedonia.
Via the Workforce Development Component, MCP collaborated with GIZ and the ICT Chamber MASIT to
deliver a training program on Project Management for Professionals (PMP), which is regarded as one of the
most effective certification programs applied internationally for project management. Forty‐five trainees from
the ICT sector took part in the training out of which twenty five from the ICT sector. Thirty three professionals
have taken the exam and 16 got PMP certification in January.
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