Audit of the Department of Commerce"s special American business internship training program in the New Independent States

firms for 3-6 months. Over the period 2/92-7/93, USAID"s NIS Task Force has transferred some $2 million to the U.S. Department of Commerce to support a targeted 300 internships: 150 for business managers and 150 for scientists. To date, only 83 business managers and scientists have participated in the program. Commerce officials attribute the delays in the program to difficulties in identifying interns, matching them with U.S. businesses, and obtaining visas. Russia"s requirement that its citizens obtain new passports has also caused delays. All 14 interns interviewed during the audit spoke favorably of their experiences, but only half thought they would be able to apply their SABIT training. For example, internships for four of the interviewees had focused on training in truck maintenance and repair, which was clearly inappropriate for the interviewees, who were middle managers (one had worked for 25 years as an economist). Problems such as these with the relevance of training occurred because the training plans were prepared by the U.S. firms with little input from the interns. Also, no routine monitoring, exit interviews, or follow-up were performed. Further, the auditors believe the program"s activities were scattered and lacked focus. For example, it was unclear which business sectors were targeted by SABIT, and what specifically the scientists (who were not included in the original program design) were to achieve from their internships. Nor had minimum levels of English proficiency been established; 6 of the 14 participants interviewed had language difficulties during their internships. The audit recommended that more specific targets and timeframe be set for the program, that trainees have input into their training plans, and that monitoring and follow-up be conducted. Commerce officials generally disagreed with the audit"s findings, but are taking steps to improve monitoring and follow-up. The NIS Task Force, on the other hand, is in general agreement with the audit, but asserts that it is Commerce"s responsibility, not USAID"s, to address the audit recommendations. The auditors disagree.