Based on sessions at the Warehousing Education and Research Council’s (WERC) Annual Conference, the South Africa Production and Inventory Control Society’s Annual Conference and the APICS International Conference and Symposium, the following observations are provided concerning the current gap in talent availability in the supply chain management field.

As supply chain management continues to morph in the 21st century, new technical skills are required.

Ten years ago no one had considered the concept of an omni-channel approach. Fifteen years ago most of us were still grappling with how to posture our supply chain to support online sales, and no one knew what “big data” even meant.

Lean, Lean Sigma, Six Sigma, sales and operations planning, Design for Six Sigma, and sustainability were all relatively new to the supply chain management world at the turn of the century.

Today these concepts, along with change management and data analytics, are common place in our businesses.

To complicate matters, since it is still a relatively new concept, there is no clear cut career path for new entrants in the supply chain management industry. It is encouraging that several recent CEO hires came from operations and supply chain backgrounds, but even that does not provide a clear path for new hires in supply chain management positions.

The soft-skill talent gap

What skill sets do the new SCM graduates need? One attendee at a session during one of the conferences last year made an observation that:

We seem to be hiring graduates with skill sets, but they can’t play together in the sand box because they are lacking the soft skills.

These soft skills include “problem solving, communications, analytical skills and the ability to work in a team environment.”

Soft skills were an area of discussion, primarily from the industry representatives. The common theme seems to be “we can teach the company-specific areas, but we need employees with people skills.”

Attendees from academia at several of the sessions conducted believed that the graduates from business schools are “being taught too much technical/textbook solutions and not enough real world situations and case study analysis.”

The concern was also stated by many in the industry that graduates (both graduate level and undergraduate level) often leave school without fully understanding inventory management, storage principles or how to optimize the storage and flow of a facility.

How can we solve this at the post-secondary level?

There has to be industry-academia collaboration and partnerships. We are all in this together to forge the future of supply chain management.

What about industry involvement in the education process? The University of Pretoria in South Africa uses site visits to BMW, Woolworth, UTi, Imperial Logistics and Caterpillar to help the students see supply chain and operations management in action to provide real-world lessons.

One solution presented was to use a “Graduate Program with Industry” to help fill the gaps between what students are learning in the classroom with what the students need to know to be successful in the company.

Another solution is to give students group assignments that allow them to work on a company-specific challenge area without having to share “sensitive information” with the students.

This allows the students to research a problem for the company, diagnose the problem and then provide the company with recommendations for solutions. This type of project allows the students to think outside of the classroom while gaining some real world experience in a “consultant” role and getting to know about a company’s operations first hand.

The consensus of the attendees seemed to be that somewhere in the education process, graduates need to acquire some basic people skills and leadership skills so they are prepared to work as group leaders immediately after completing the company orientation.

Understanding “the what” and “why” of industry compliance

College graduates with supply chain or logistics degrees “need to understand compliance.” The discussion following this comment included OSHA, EPA, and pharmaceutical compliance issues, as well as international shipping compliance issues.

“This has to go past simply hearing about it. It has to include ‘the what’ and ‘the why’ for industry compliance.”

Several companies stated that universities and colleges should make the effort to bring industry representatives and case studies into the classrooms to provide real-world context.

While this is done at many of the schools contacted, there is still a gap here that seems to be an easy one to fill to the benefit of industry and students. This process should be linked to the corporate and school recruiting programs.

Focused, hands-on internships

The major companies in the focus groups discussed their internship programs, as it relates to training and finding quality employees to help fill the talent shortfall. One suggestion was to link the internship and recruiting process to succession planning. One company talked about their task-based internship program that ends with an outbrief on intern’s project and produces about a 90% hiring rate for the interns.

Another company detailed one internship project where they had the interns prepare a training video on facility activities, safety and facility signage requirements for use in their orientation programs.

Another program assigns each intern to an advisor/mentor throughout the program in order to ensure that the intern learns as much as possible during the internship.

Building the partnership between industry and academia

In order for education programs to meet the needs of industry and assist in bridging and filling the talent gaps in supply chain management, there has to be a partnership between industry and academia.

This has to be a beneficial, two-way, win-win situation. Industry needs to meet regularly with the academic communities in their area to let academia know where current shortfalls are in graduates.

Industry needs to volunteer to come into the classrooms to discuss what they are doing and how students can prepare for careers in industry operations. Academia has to reach out to local industries to gather information and share research.

It is essential that there be an ongoing collaboration and partnership between academia and industry if we are going to bridge this talent gap issue and keep our companies competitive and thriving.

Supply chain management is about relationships – and this partnership is no different. It is the responsibility of all parties – academia and industry – to work together, forge alliances and build relationships in order to ensure that graduates are prepared to face the realities of 21st century supply chain management jobs. It is key to training the next generation of supply chain leaders, as the current leaders face retirement.

This talent gap can be bridged, but only through joint efforts of industry and academia. What are you waiting for? Reach out to help make our industry better for the future.

The post Industry and education need to work together to train the next generation of supply chain workers appeared first on Trade Ready.

We have all seen the email, the “If we don’t get this item to this country NOW it is going to throw the whole project off!”

Then comes the slew of emails back and forth, and back again, regarding how the company is going to actually get the equipment moved, often including input from lawyers, about the steps needed to put the proper licenses in place.

Frequently, government export authorizations or licenses, taking weeks or months to secure, are the hold-up.

It doesn’t need to be this way.

Too often, companies train employees on trade compliance as if it is an annoying bundle of red tape that will inevitably hold up operations. Employees are taught that trade compliance is a hurdle they are forced to jump through once they are ready to get a job done.

This viewpoint is enforced by complicated policies replete with legal language that offer no hint to the reader about why he or she should care.

In reality, trade compliance does not have to hold up operations. The following steps will help you integrate trade compliance into everyday operational decisions. Trade compliance cannot be an afterthought that no one thinks about until it is too late.

By then, you will have people and equipment sitting around unused, costing you time and money.

1. Focus on why export control laws are in place.

Too often, export control laws are explained in legalese, citing regulation numbers and government agency definitions. While the law itself is important, it is also important to understand the big picture.

Are these laws in place just to make doing business more difficult for your company? Despite what some people might think, the answer is no.

These laws serve important purposes in national and international security.

Don’t lose sight of that and don’t let your operational personnel lose sight of it.

Policies that people believe in, where they can see the purpose behind them, are most likely to be followed instead of ignored.

2. Make export compliance part of the first steps in a project instead of the last.

Trade compliance should be part of a project discussion at the initial stages. It should be an item on the meeting minutes when projects are first being organized. While it is not always possible to anticipate export control issues, most of the time it is.

If the person responsible for exporting or re-exporting equipment is involved in project discussions early on, your company is less likely to be stuck with items sitting in a warehouse, waiting for the right licenses while operational personnel at the receiving end sit idle.

This saves your company time and money.

You can achieve this easily by training all of your operational personnel in the basics of trade compliance. This does not have to be an in-depth training program. It is as simple as making operational personnel aware of the questions they should be asking:

What is being shipped to where, and do we have the proper license in place?

Consider how much more efficient your operations would be if all personnel involved in a project knew to ask those questions. While those ultimately responsible for compliance will need to have a bigger window into the process, getting everyone on board goes a long way to improving your operational efficiency.

The thing is, everyone knows that they will have to manage trade compliance issues eventually. Make it something people are used to considering up front.

3. Make compliance with export control restrictions simple.

Above I boiled down export compliance into a sentence that operational personnel should be asking: what is being shipped to where and do we have the proper license in place? The truth behind this idea is that not everyone needs to know all the details.

If you are able to identify what is important to your audience and then remove the extraneous information, you are more likely to hold listeners’ attention. The chances are then better that the information that is being provided will stick.

Of course, it is easier to have everyone go through the same trade compliance course that includes the same information, relevant or not to that individual. It takes time to identify who needs to know what, but, once you do, the reward is that your training is actually effective.

4. Encourage communication between export compliance personnel and operational personnel.

No matter how hard you try to make it simple (there is always a catch!), the fact is that export control laws are complex and can be fraught with nuance. When you create “general” rules to make things simple, you must pair it with an open line of communication to raise questions when something complicated or out of the ordinary comes up.

You can facilitate two-way communication by starting the conversation. A monthly or quarterly email containing a few tips or updates from you to operational personnel goes far.

People will associate your name with export compliance so that when a question pops into their head, the thought “I should email …” accompanies it.

If you start getting more questions than you have time to answer (a good problem to have), designate someone to respond to questions when you are unable to. Questions are often repeated, and concern matters that can often be resolved with a simple records search.

Employing an individual, besides yourself – or whatever busy trade compliance officer is in charge of the program – who can quickly answer questions from operational personnel goes far in a world where business is often being done 24-hours a day.

You can also create a unique email address (e.g. tradecompliance@) that multiple people can access.

If someone in your company was asked about trade compliance, would your name pop into his or her head as the go-to-person?

5. Don’t shoot the messenger

No one likes to be the bearer of bad news. “Don’t shoot the messenger” is a phrase because it is a common instinct. You should strive for the opposite in your trade compliance program. Don’t be the last to know.

An “open door” policy that rewards people for coming forward with information, even if it is a kindly worded thank-you email, helps you to make sure that you know what is going on.

Yes, the consequences for trade and export law violations are severe and can amount to very bad news, but unless you are aware of mistakes being made, it is impossible to fix the gaps or misunderstandings within your compliance program.

Encourage people to report on every suspected violation, and follow up with the person who reported on the outcome. You will often find that operational personnel are overly careful, that they see potential violations where there are none.

By encouraging people to double-check with you, via reporting suspected violations, you are educating your personnel on what is and is not a violation and gaining a clearer picture of how trade compliance actually works within your company.

Which of these steps could save your business the most time and money? Anything else that would be worth mentioning?

The post 5 practical trade compliance steps that will save you time and money in global business appeared first on Trade Ready.

Abid Samdani, CITP|FIBP, is a Trade Commissioner Assistant with DFATD in Karachi, Pakistan.

With a passion for international trade and over ten years of practical experience, he is setting himself apart as an elite member of the global trade community.

From a free trade agreement to a presidential visit

Abid began his international trade career in February 2005, when he became a Commercial Assistant at the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Karachi.

The opportunities in joining the international trade field are huge. It offers the chance to be a constant learner, to work in a challenging environment, travel and to make a real impact on the company or organization for which we work.

One of his initial assignments was to supplement the Sri Lankan Mission’s operation to provide relief to areas in Sri Lanka hit by the tsunami in December 2004.

His core responsibilities included promoting awareness among the Pakistani business community about the free trade agreement signed between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, a task which had a major influence on the rest of his career.

“Just after joining the Sri Lanka Consulate in February, the Pakistan – Sri Lanka FTA came into force from June 2005. I was made responsible at the office for studying and communicating its basics to local businessmen. Later, I got myself so involved in the subject that it made me adopt international trade as a career.”

He was an important member of the team which organized and recruited 27 companies from Sri Lanka for the “My Karachi Exhibition 2007,” which resulted in several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and contracts being signed between various participating businesses.

Abid also operated the Sri Lankan visa section of the consulate for a couple of weeks, under supervision, when one of the visa officers was absent, and assisted with protocol and administration when then-Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Karachi in 2006.

“Providing ‘in-market’ support to visiting trade missions and delegates had been an integral part of my portfolio; varying from event planning/management to handling high level protocol services.  This multi-tasking has really helped me later in my career to professionally handle multiple tasks within time constraints.”

Scaling new international heights with DFATD

After over three years at the Consulate, Abid decided to join DFATD and begin his current position as a Trade Commissioner Assistant at the High Commission of Canada in Karachi.

“Working for DFATD as a Trade Commissioner Assistant was my dream, to work for one of the largest OECD economies, and with a highly globalized North American economy. It has given my career a new height of success and international exposure.”

“At the Karachi post, we deliver client-focused services to Canadian business that includes market intelligence, match making for business partners, promotion of B2B networks between Canadian clients and local contacts, and more.”

Two of Abid’s main areas of focus have been forestry and education, and he has worked to see impressive results in both areas.

One of my proudest accomplishments was assisting with the business ventures, events and marketing of Canadian forestry products to achieve an increase of approximately 20% of Canadian lumber to Pakistan.

These forestry products are then primarily used in construction and allied industries, like cabinets, floors, door framing and furniture.

In the realm of education, Abid has been working on a program called “Imagine” to create awareness for Canadian post-secondary institutions as desirable international study destinations for students, parents and consultants in Pakistan.

The program includes school presentations, participation in local education events, newspaper editorials, connecting with local education groups, and general advertising.

As a result, there has been a steady increase in the number of Pakistani students applying to, and enrolling at, Canadian universities and colleges.

Abid hopes that “the quality of a Canadian education will provide them with the tools they need to develop their full potential. The program is therefore intended to be a springboard that will help them fulfill their dreams and ambitions.”

He also has a diploma in computer science, and was able to help the entire Trade Commissioner Service by suggesting improvements to their new corporate CRM tool.

An unending thirst for knowledge

In 2010, two years after starting with DFATD, Abid began working on his Post-Graduate Diploma in Economics and Finance (PGDEF) from the University of Karachi. However, one educational program wasn’t enough for him.

“I took the FITT courses as a challenge as I was also completing my PGDEF from the University at the same time.”

Online FITT courses allowed me to study at my own pace and at my given time, and it allowed me to login from anywhere to study – which eventually resulted in completion of both study programs in the same duration.

On top of his other education, Abid is certain that studying international trade, specifically through FITT courses, has been a great asset to his career, and will continue to be going forward.

“The FITT courses gave me in-depth and current knowledge of international trade. It expanded my horizon to a new level, empowering me to research and think analytically before going ahead in international trade work, or any other field of life.”

Joining the international trade elite

Once Abid finished the courses, he was excited to apply for and receive the elite CITP®|FIBP® designation.

“I am honored to be affiliated with the most prestigious professional CITP|FIBP designation by FITT, the only credential of its kind that is industry proof of the highest level of cross-functional international trade expertise.”

Though he has only had his designation for a few months, Abid says he is already seeing benefits to his career, and is excited to see the directions it can take him in the future.

“The CITP designation will advance my career and build professional credibility in the field of global business. It will set me apart in the competitive international business industry because it’s proof that I possess the competencies global business experts have identified as being essential for a successful career in international trade.”

The post Abid Samdani, CITP|FIBP – Trade Commissioner Assistant appeared first on Trade Ready.

One of my favourite childhood movies was The Wizard of Oz. The classic American film, an adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, was an annual television event during the second half of the 20th century.

“The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with bright yellow brick,” said the Good Witch of the North.

“So you cannot miss it, and when you get to Oz, please do not be afraid, but tell Oz your story, child, and ask Oz to help you.”

Although the road is painted in bright glowing yellow, the road itself is not entirely straight. It is a very long one, running across vast landscapes until reaching its ultimate destination. Even though the majority of the road is polished and smooth, the road has areas where many bricks are broken or have been uprooted from their foundation.

Many people would wish to avoid such areas when it curves and swoops through dark abandoned forests and jungles, no doubt full of wild beasts:

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

My own personal road

When I look back on my own journey, the road that I followed looped by steep cliff edges, and was riddled with its share of missing bricks and potholes.

However, I would not trade it for anything.

That long and convoluted path has molded me into an agile advisor who is able to work in dynamic environments, with confidence that I can surmount any challenge in front of me.

On my last business trip in the Philippines, my boss reminded me that consultants wear many different hats. Despite my role as a lawyer, managing the legal aspects of my company’s global operations, he briefed me on how to read technical drawings of a rail design in preparation of an engineering meeting with the heads of two government departments.

The outlook I’ve had on my career hasn’t always been like this. Even though my motivation for pursuing a legal education was to become an international jet-setting lawyer (it’s less glamourous than it sounds), I struggled with finding an appropriate job during and after law school.

I stayed true to my interest in learning more about international business and enrolled in the FITTskills program to pursue the CITP designation. An overwhelming majority of my peers from law school were working and I was still in school, accumulating more debt. It was a dark period for me.

Suddenly the road turned a corner

However, my investment in the FITTskills program eventually paid off. I poured my passion into project work, studying long hours, networking to get my name out on the job market, and taking on extra-curricular activities to develop leadership skills.

In doing this, I made many social and financial sacrifices, but I kept my eye on the prize, which was to build a successful international career.

Eventually, my hard work began to pay off as I landed the coveted EDC-FITT Internship position at Canada’s export credit agency, EDC.

I also received the FITT Achievement Award in recognition of my community involvement and academic success in the FITT program.

My yellow brick road did not end there, though.

It winded through three different departments at EDC: business development, legal services and project finance. As the term of each contract came to an end, I stated a business case to support my transition to another team.

The multidisciplinary nature of my rotation in both customer facing and business support roles ultimately prepared me for my current job as Senior Consultant and Legal Counsel for CPCS. I provide legal advice to support the day-to-day operations of the international consulting firm.

On the transaction side, I advise on legal/regulatory reform to create enabling environments for public-private partnerships, and draft commercial agreements for public-private partnership projects.

This variety keeps me on my toes.

Meeting the Wizard

The lesson behind all of this, for all of you out there, aspiring to kick your career into full gear, is to be patient and open-minded to the opportunities that present themselves to you over time.

Occasionally, you may get lost in the woods, and the route back to the yellow brick road is acknowledging that you can change directions and leave with the knowledge that was gained in the process.

Life is organic and one experience builds upon another. When I was completing the FITT program, I certainly did not know that I was going to move to Canada’s capital to work for the Government of Canada, let alone continue on to work for a consulting firm in the infrastructure sector.

Research has shown that the majority of jobs are created through word of mouth and networking opportunities.

I certainly can attest to that, as I made contact with EDC employees at an event hosted by the Organization of Women in International Trade, following up with them by e-mail and phone, before landing an interview for the EDC-FITT Internship.

My current job flowed from an introduction to the Chairman of CPCS by a trusted colleague at EDC. Taking a genuine interest in getting to know new people and honing in on commonalities such as hobbies, where you studied, and so on, will help make networking a pleasant experience.

I will leave you with an anecdote from my EDC-FITT Internship days.

My business development manager at the time would always point out that I was wearing my “Dorothy shoes” whenever I came to work in my red heels with grosgrain bows on the front.

Dorothy’s ruby slippers were actually silver in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz book, and Hollywood only changed them to ruby red to take advantage of the new Technicolor used in the 1939 film.

Therefore, whether silver or red, put on your Dorothy shoes, take pride in crafting your own personal journey and follow the yellow brick road!

The post Following the Yellow Brick Road to a successful international career appeared first on Trade Ready.

This might sound familiar if you’ve ever brought a great idea into the office and heard, “Excellent idea! But there is no one in the office to do it.”

Suddenly your moment of great inspiration has turned into a lot of extra work you had not anticipated.

Stepping up to help other businesses

This is exactly what happened to me a few weeks ago. My organization (World Trade Centre Winnipeg) had been working for months on securing an international trade project to deliver some education modules on behalf of a government organization. The project concept continued to evolve from the time it was initialized to its final stages.

The end product was a two-day workshop for a group of Canadian small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) specializing in the IT sector.

Companies, it turns out, that were in different stages of seeking Research & Development project partnerships in the European Union (EU), and with widely diverse levels of international experience.

To make matters more complex, what had started off as an international boot camp for 6-8 companies eventually attracted 17 companies from across Canada.

Each company was very eager to make the event a worthwhile experience, since they were taking time off to attend the workshop, on top of the travel time to get to Winnipeg.

My organization’s role was to deliver the second day of the workshop, focused on how to do business in the European Union.

Preparing for the challenge with FITT courses and a lot of practice

At the time I presented the project concept to my organization months before, it had never dawned on me that the person tasked with delivering the workshop would be me.

This meant I would not only be responsible for delivering the presentation material on the day of the workshop, but also for developing and preparing the material.

There was no one else available in our office for the task.

Two weeks before the workshop I was handed a draft PowerPoint presentation covering five hours of teaching modules that I needed to prepare. My first instinct was that this was not possible. Fortunately, I soon discovered a silver lining.

As I flipped through the pages for the first time, I realized that I already knew most of the information to be covered. The FITT courses that I had recently completed covered a lot of the content I had to teach, and with a bit of ingenuity, I could probably get by.

But time was of the essence. As my workdays were packed with my other workload, I found myself preparing in the evenings and on the weekends.

Two weeks later, the deadline arrived.

We all know the feeling. Regardless of how many times you have given presentations, it is always a daunting task to speak in front of a large group of eager people; people expecting to absorb some knowledge from you.

About a minute before my first words to the group, while I was nervously getting ready, a little piece of magic happened. One of the participants came up to me, and after exchanging the usual morning greetings and admitting I felt a little nervous, he looked me straight in the eye and said:

“Just tell your story.”

Use your experiences and what you know to accomplish your goals

Well, that’s exactly what I did. As the five different modules were presented over the course of the day, I found I wove more and more of my personal experience into the content.

I realized that having gone to seven different schools in three different continents before my 20th birthday, speaking four languages, and starting my own international career in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and Uganda, I had a wealth of interesting experiences I could share with the group.

From the international financing of a coffee processing plant in Africa, to the complexities of transporting its cargo through jungle and war zones to reach chaotic ports and pirate infested seas, I was able to weave my experiences in memorable lessons as part of the module teachings.

I quickly realized that I did have a story to tell and many experiences to share.

I have lived and been educated in such diversity, and amongst so many different cultures. What seems completely natural to me, I found, is not always so obvious to others.

I talked about giving greetings and gifts, learning proper business etiquette and cultural protocol while developing an international business alliance. These are all important skills to master in order to develop a successful partnership.

I have had the opportunity to experience all of these in my previous career roles.

When my portion of the workshop was complete, I have to admit it turns out that being told “You will have to do it!” was a blessing in disguise. It led me down the road to what turned out to be a truly great experience. I ended up enjoying my teaching day and my colleagues now knew that I could deliver.

What opportunities do you have to “have to do something” new and exciting in your international trade career?

The post How I used storytelling to liven up a daunting international trade project appeared first on Trade Ready.

Illia Dumbadze is a Logistics Supervisor, overseeing smooth delivery of fresh products to the U.S., Canadian and Asian markets for Ocean Quality/Grieg Seafood in Vancouver, British Columbia.

A dedicated logistics professional with a passion for supply chain management and international trade, Illia has developed a wealth of experience in major international corporations around the world. He has worked in many countries in North America, the UK, Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) over the course of his seven year career in global trade.

A love of travel begins another successful global career

Illia first began his journey into the world of international trade while studying supply chain management and logistics at Pryazovskyi State Technical University (PSTU) in his hometown of Mariupol, Ukraine.

At the time, Illia knew he had an aptitude for logistics and planning, but it was upon discovering his love of travel that he first realized the opportunities available in an international trade career.

Illia studied diligently, earning first his Bachelor’s degree, and then a Master of Science degree in Logistics, Materials and Supply Chain Management from one of the top schools in the transport industry in Eastern Europe in 2011.

While completing his studies, he took on his first role in the manufacturing industry as Supply Chain Analyst for PJSC Azovmash. He held this position for two years before being promoted to Supply Chain Manager in 2010. During his five years at PJSC Azovmash, Illia had the opportunity to travel the world, attending international trade shows in the oil and gas industry, logistics and transportation.

These trade shows gave him access to important, influential people in the manufacturing and logistics industry, from CEO’s to Ministers of Transport in Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and other regions. These interactions had an impact on his career, giving him confidence, inspiration and ambition to continue his education and broaden his skill set.

Multitasking and ambition go hand-in-hand

Building on the upward trend of his career, Illia took on a part-time consulting role as a Manager Analyst, analyzing the market and providing recommendations to the CEO and Managing Directors of SoyuzKontakt-Trans, in Baku, Azerbaijan. He was the official representative in this capacity for Ukraine, the Baltic countries and the CIS regions.

You may think that this left little free time for Illia, but he still managed to earn his Business English Diploma from Shane Global in 2012. It was not long afterward that he decided to take his advanced knowledge in logistics and supply chain management global. As Illia says,

Sometimes there is a moment in your life when you have the feeling that it is a perfect time to make a change, and I got a Visa to Canada. I did not have to think about it for a long time, and my decision was absolutely right.

Recognizing the value of an international education

In 2013 Illia decided to pursue an International Trade education in North America, something that would require him to study in English for the first time. Fortunately, the SoyuzKontakt-Trans management team was behind his decision to grow his skill set, promising him a position upon his return to the region.

“The management of LLC SoyuzKontakt-Trans supports the initiative of our employee regarding improvement of his qualification in the field of international trade and logistics through the educational program “International Trade Diploma (FITT)” at the Canadian College, in Vancouver, Canada. After completing his educational program in Canada, we will appoint Mr. Dumbadze to a higher and more responsible position, as his training level will meet international standards of trade and logistics.”

Illia says FITT courses were the right choice to supplement his already impressive education.

FITT courses were the perfect conclusion to my background and finalizing my education process. While I was taking FITT courses, I got a clear picture how business and trade work in Canada. To be honest it was one of the biggest challenges in my life.

During his studies in Canada, Illia took on several different jobs, including Office Manager for Velocity Cars in Burnaby, Marketing Coordinator for Vancouver Today Education Services, and Customer Service Specialist at HyperWALLET Systems Inc.

Of his decision to come to Canada, Illia says,

“I always knew that Canada is the land of opportunities and you can get what you want if you work hard enough. There is a very good expression: “In business as in life – you do not get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate!” So far I can say that Canada was very good to me in every aspect of life.”

Channeling knowledge and experience into one big challenge

Nearing the completion of his FITT International Trade Diploma, Illia was offered the position of Logistics Supervisor for Ocean Quality, a division of Grieg Seafood, headquartered in Norway.

The company was just setting up their British Columbia offices in Vancouver in December 2014, and Illia was one of the first people hired for that location. He was tasked with coordinating shipments of fresh-farmed salmon to QO’s North American customers.

“When I started working for OQ it was a challenge for me – I’d never worked before in Canada in supply chain and with products which MUST BE delivered almost YESTERDAY! At the beginning it was unbelievably hectic and I spent 17-19 hours in the office just to make sure that everything went smoothly.”

For the first two and a half months I was the only person in the Logistics department and handling everything myself.

“In December we started with 2-3 trucks per week and reached a level of 30-40 per week at the peak of our harvesting. By the time the company hired a couple of people everything was established and organized.”

Illia is working hard to finalize some projects to optimize Ocean Quality’s supply chain, including saving money on shipping, improving the flow of goods, and reducing working hours in all areas from the farms to the warehouse and the main office.

“I found a perfect algorithm for this particular case and truly believe that I’ll successfully finish my project by the end of September.”

He also recently had the chance to travel with OQ to a company gathering in Switzerland and France.

“For a week we were traveling abroad, which was absolutely brilliant for my professional career and international experience. I’ve met all my colleagues from the Norwegian Office and some Sales representatives who are working in different countries including the USA, China, Japan, UK, and the rest of the EU.”

Getting an international reputation

Throughout all of his travel, networking and top notch job performance, Illia has built up an outstanding international reputation. His Managing Director at Ocean Quality said this about his time there.

Illia has demonstrated a strong work ethic, commitment to accuracy and organization and he has demonstrated his commitment to completing tasks.

In fact, in Illia’s work references, all of his employers cite his great work ethic, knowledge and enthusiasm, attention to detail and notably, his excellent sense of humor.

Yet Illia is still not done learning. In June, 2015 he earned his CITP|FIBP designation.

“After I successfully passed all of my FITT courses I decided to apply for CITP|FIBP designation because I wanted to show a commitment and achieve a status that can prove my knowledge and experience in this industry.”

“My goal is to learn as much as I can, and teach and help everybody – with real knowledge and not just what is written in a book. Everything I’ve done in my personal and professional life I’m very proud of, however, there is always a lot of room and potential to grow. My next step will be the CPIM Designation and a PhD in Transport and Logistics.”

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Damien Violante is a Product Purchaser and Team Leader with over 10 years of experience in the industrial field.

Over the duration of his career, he has worked in all areas of supply chain management in an industrial setting, developing expertise in sourcing, purchasing, supplier relationship management and negotiation in North America and Europe.

Among his major accomplishments, Damien has developed purchasing processes from the ground up for Siemens Transmission and Distribution in his native Grenoble, France, and helped coordinate a major project in Algeria. Despite his success in France, Damien has fallen in love with Canada and looks to take his career there in the future.

The industrial path to international trade

Though he may not have known it at the time, Damien’s journey in international trade actually began in 2004, when he graduated from Vaucanson University in Grenoble, France with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical and Industrial Technology.

He was hired on as Maintenance Team Leader that same year for STMicroelectronics, a semiconductor manufacturer, a position he held for 8 years. This role gave him a strong foundation in leadership and project management, and cemented his knowledge in industrial manufacturing.

During his tenure with STMicroelectronics he became interested in international processes. He found the time to earn his Master’s degree in Management, Specialized Purchasing in 2009 from the Institute d’Administration des Enterprises and his Masters in Purchasing Management, Supply Chain and Procurement from Grenoble Ecole de Management in 2011.

Forging a new path for a world-leading manufacturer

This led to a job offer with Siemens Energy, where he was tasked with developing a new purchasing process for high voltage portable power solutions. Damien’s knowledge base in international manufacturing and project management made him the perfect candidate to take ownership of the task.

He took full responsibility of commodity management, which involved a high proficiency in sourcing, qualification, negotiation, developing contracts, and managing supplier relations to their frequent trading partners in Africa and Eastern Europe.

The processes he was developing as the leader of the procurement department would soon come into play when an important project came to Siemens from Algeria.

Damien and his team were a key component to the project, supplying 30 electrical substations to the country over the course of a year. He was tasked with implementing a sourcing strategy for trailers that involved calculating total costs and looking for opportunities to save money.

The project was a resounding success, with Damien and his team contributing to a total savings of 300,000€ off the budget. He and his colleagues were gratefully recognized by Siemens’ management in the company newsletter.

Following opportunity all the way to Canada

Fresh off his success with Siemens Damien felt it was time for a new challenge. He took advantage of an opportunity to come to Canada with his wife and baby daughter, and study business English. As he studied, he took on a marketing internship position at the CCEL Canadian College of English Language.

It was at this time he discovered FITTskills courses at Canadian College in Vancouver and decided to further his education in international trade.

“I had an opportunity to study for my FITT Diploma in Vancouver. Over six months, I learned a lot of interesting material in my courses with some amazing teachers.”

Damien identified value in getting a North American certificate in trade on the international stage.

I think this diploma will be very valuable for me in the future because it is a North American Certificate that could give me great opportunities.

Another impressive quality he shares with many of his fellow international trade professionals is his ability to not only learn a new language, but study global trade in that new language. Of the experience he says,

“It was very interesting for me to learn in English. The way that North America teaches is totally different from Europe, and I was so happy to open my mind with this experience.”

Becoming an online entrepreneur

Damien enjoyed his time in Canada and it opened his eyes to a world of new possibilities. Damien went back to Grenoble in April 2015 and is now pursuing a new passion for e-commerce.

“I created several websites for garments and laptop accessories. I had to find my sources in Asia and I think it was a continuation of my love for international trade because I had to create a supply chain, deal with customs, and marketing. Today, I am working on a new project for organic garments for kids.”

Fully committing to Canada and international trade

He earned his CITP designation shortly after returning,

Earning my CITP|FIBP designation was, for me, an achievement. This title represents a wide range of knowledge and a very good asset for an employer.

“I decided to leave my country with my wife and my daughter (6 months) for this goal and it was, for us, an incredible experience.”

Damien and his family are looking for opportunities to return to Canada. Earning his CITP|FIBP designation may be the key to finding his dream international trade position in his new home country.

“We fell in love Canada, and I think that for the future, if I can come back in Canada, my CITP|FIBP designation will help me to find my footing with Canadian employers.”

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Big opportunities for exporters in Africa

There is no doubt that the continent of Africa is a land rich in opportunities for international businesses. With an abundance of natural resources, some of the world’s fastest growing economies, and booming demand for technological growth, it’s not hard to see why.

Yet it’s also plain why so many companies are hesitant to bring their business there. Africa is well-known for being as risky as it can be rewarding.

Corruption continues to be a rampant issue, on top of the risks associated with poverty and political instability. Yet, when New York Times Dealbook author Danny Hakim states that Africa is “a continent that foreign investors have long been wary of,” he then adds that “now that narrative is changing.”

What are the risks of doing business in Africa?

Anita Esslinger and Cara Dowling discuss the risks associated with doing business in Africa in their blog for Bryan Cave Attorneys as representative of markets “where corruption can be systemic and entrenched,” in part due to “dealing with governments or state owned or controlled entities, having regular contact with government officials, and depending on third parties.”

Exporters often come across a multitude of red flags spanning industries and African governments. But is that cause to abandon business development in Africa as impossible due to corporate ethics and anti-bribery regulation?

For companies of any size who are contemplating business investment in order to make major sales and earnings outside of traditional markets, Africa can look like an untapped treasure trove.

But business in Africa contains both tremendous upside and substantial risk.

Africa is very much a work in progress. We see signs, as demonstrated by the recent election in Nigeria, and calls for greater transparency throughout the continent. It’s clear that the citizenry is demanding more from its leaders, including greater access to education, goods and services, as well as work skills better suited to the demands of the growing global economy.

Western companies bring not only goods and services, they bring opportunity for local development. Thus, leaders are now left to choose between companies that want to “pay to play” which bring sub-standard product, versus those which bring long term opportunity but are not willing to “buy their way into the market.”

It looks like the awareness of those options among the local populous is causing a shift, even if we are not totally there yet.

Set the stage for business in Africa with thorough research

Sometimes the choice to invest needs to be carefully analyzed before committing resources, personnel or otherwise, to a country. Africa is in no way a homogeneous continent, and there are still some countries where corruption risk and opportunity are in plentiful supply.

I have seen this all too often, as business leaders who sit in their home-offices don’t understand the cultural and business nuances that distinguish one country from the next, not only in Africa, but on most continents.

Pay a visit to Africa, and one will quickly realize that Cairo, Lagos and Johannesburg might as well be on different continents. The cultural and societal differences could not be more pronounced. Treat them as “one continent, one market” and you are doomed to fail from the start.

Strengthen your business against corruption risks

Not every multinational has the financial resources to commit to the long term development needed to resist short term corrupt demands, as cash flows may dictate a faster return on investment.

Thus, when considering business strategy, organizations need to account for time lines, and realize the demands for bribes, especially small bribes, in the context of local procurement process, might abound.

To resist them, a long-term strategic plan, with incentives for front-line teams to match, need to be considered. If shorter return on investment is required, some parts of Africa should be avoided, so as not to be put in a position of greater risk once resources have been committed.

All too often multinationals commit resources in a country, and then start to see a proliferation of corrupt demands once a project is underway.

That has been my experience in many of these regions, and when that occurs, bribery becomes indexed to “not losing an existing gain” as opposed to winning a new opportunity.

How can you avoid this risk-reward scenario?

Get to know the market, through public reports and due diligence before putting your teams in harms way in such regions. The data is out there and quite accessible, so think about your appetite for long term return as opposed to short term gain, before committing and inserting a business team into such a country.

Be up front with local partners right from the start

So, with all of the risks especially third party exposure, is success possible? How can businesses remain compliant and successful when the requests for bribes are so ubiquitous?

Making the effort to engage with local companies as part of an effort to merge core values with local needs brings the opportunity for business development to each region. It gives businesses an opportunity to be up front about ethical business and messages, so there is no confusion once a project begins that bribery will not be a part of the process.

When local partners know that up front, there is less opportunity for risk later in the sales process.

Ok, so how?

Corruption thrives in an environment where there is a lack of manpower, skills, working systems and other serious governance challenges.

Indeed, in my experience, where I saw corruption (for the most part), I observed poorly trained procurement personnel who were tasked with executing procurement regulations that were deliberately confusing, include the requests for bribes into the procurement process.

Start by showing your commitment

Jonathan Berman, author of Success in Africa, points to companies like GE as examples who enjoyed success without compromising on their values. Jay Ireland, President and CEO, GE Africa, remarks,

“if you can be seen as a company engaged in the country’s long-term development, and explain the benefits you and your team bring to support that development, it shows real commitment. Most importantly, it shows that you’re here to stay.”

Sounds nice, but what does that mean in terms of business practice?

GE takes that process of engagement one step further by focusing their messaging not only on product benefits but on employment, economic development and building skills. And that goes beyond just its own workforce to benefit the national economy as a whole.

The takeaway is that participating in corruption just perpetuates it, but there is another way.

GE has found success in Africa by staying persistently and resiliently engaged in a way that, in the end, helps to create a better customer.

In Africa, partnerships mean collaboration

Perhaps Emerging Capital Partners (ECP) founder Tom Gibian best summarizes the potential of Africa,

You look at the numbers, you run through your analysis, and you simply conclude that Africa over time rewards honesty and punishes corruption.

And, as he adds, “maybe not in every single transaction, but over time.” Or, as Jeff Immelt, CEO of GE states: “If you want to be a good global company you have to know how to make money in a country for a country. If you don’t understand that, you’re never going to win.”

And your company doesn’t need to be as large as GE to play by the same rules.

Maybe we should look at his model of success and reflection that “Being in Africa doesn’t make us better in Africa. It makes us better everywhere.”

I think that statement is really worth elevating as it demonstrates that organizations can achieve business success in regions which have integrity issues by taking a long-term view of resource commitment, investment and return. When this occurs, not only is success well rewarded, it results in local development, power of example, and most importantly, sustainability.

Everyone in the organization, even those who are not part of the overseas team, can look with pride upon how strategy trumped corruption by a long-term business model and steady execution.

I have been in organizations where those pictures of front-line personnel shaking hands with local partners, in some of the least developed parts of the world, as frontier markets, hang proudly on the walls in the C-Suite.

Why not give it a try?

Would you consider doing business in Africa? If you have, what was the recipe for your success?

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