• Could you please tell us how you discovered the Bitove Family Entrepreneurship program?

We heard about the Bitove program on the website of Macedonia2025, after which we contacted Ms. Gordana, the program coordinator, and started the application procedure.

• What prompted you to apply to the Bitove Family Entrepreneurship Program in partnership with CESO SACO, and where did you see the need for having external consultancy in your company?

We were very interested in the concept of the program and we thought that external consultancy in the sector of Human Resources would be a great chance for our company to increase the level of work, adopt new programs and further develop the work of the HR sector.

• How would the Bitove Family Entrepreneurship Program increase the organizational capacity and improve the overall competitiveness of the company?

Because the program was in the field of human resources, we learned how to make a better selection of potential employees and how to improve relationships with current and future employees, with concrete examples and programs that we could apply in the future.

• Can you please outline three main benefits from the program that are readily applicable in the daily work of your business?

First, it was very useful to hear from the consultant, Virginia Aulin. The knowledge about the specific topic that she transferred was of great help. She was ready and willing to work with us, and improve many aspects of our work.

Second, we had a very productive month with meetings where we talked about recruitment processes, guidelines for interviews, the onboarding process, and Buddy programs.

At last, something that is applicable for us and we have started to use is the exit interview to which we pay special attention.

• Why should another Macedonian micro, small and medium enterprises apply to the Bitove Family Entrepreneurship Program?

Other MSMEs should apply to the Bitove program because it gives them the opportunity to hear from top-notch consultants. They can learn from their experience, learn about different contexts, and adapt the knowledge gained to Macedonian conditions of work. Macedonian enterprises should make use of the recommendations and experiences of the great consultants within their companies. 

• Information about the company

Cermat is a privately owned ice cream & frozen food company formed in 1995. In the last 25 years it constantly develops on the domestic market, but also makes great steps in international export, selling ice cream in more than twenty countries in Europe. Cermat continuously invests in the employees through capability building and its own academy established last year. By usage of external experts we try to collect and discuss international experience from experts in all necessary departments, and the project with Macedonia2025, helped us to increase the knowledge and development of the HR sector and procedures concerning HR practices.