Once in business, women entrepreneurs express a strong need for training in marketing, product quality, financial management and business planning. But access to this business and management training is limited. During the field visit, key informants suggested that the major MSE management skill development requirements of women are in the area of marketing, packaging, financial management, and dealing with financial institutions. Low awareness, high programme cost, limited customized training, and the poor reach of training services to women in rural communities are all issues of concern. The existing training programmes that are provided are referred to as basic, and key informants expressed a need for programmes specifically tailored to women in growth firms. Women entrepreneurs feel there is a need for follow-up interventions and customized programmes, delivered in a “just-in-time learning approach” (short interventions on specific topics), reaching women in all regions of the country.
Some user-pay training programmes are offered throughout the country, but in most cases, the cost of this training is an issue for women. Donor-supported NGOs reportedly offer training at low prices; however, key informants report that trainers often have low skill levels, especially in business growth strategies. Higher level training offered by organizations such as the University of Dar es Salaam is seen by many women as too expensive (the University’s three-day training programme costs US$250). Other organizations also offer programmes supported by donor funding, but these offerings, in many instances, are not customized to pre-identified learner needs and are centrally based in Dar es Salaam. Programmes scheduled over a five-day period are viewed as too much of a time commitment by most women entrepreneurs and do not usually provide follow-up support. Overall, key informants reported that women entrepreneurs have a low awareness of available training opportunities, and that reach to rural communities is an area of concern.
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