As we prepare for the start of a new school year, we want to celebrate the accomplishments of some of last year’s top students. We’re proud to present the 2018 FITT Educational Awards to these individuals, and are excited to see how their careers grow and evolve in the coming years.

Exciting plan to sell BBQ sauce in Germany wins International Sales Marketing Plan Award

The International Sales Marketing Plan Award is given each year to the student who received the highest grade for their marketing plan project. This year’s winner, Kayla Beck, CITP from Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), won the award for her project focusing on how Honey Bunny Inc. could export their Amazing Dads BBQ sauce product line to the German market.

She was very grateful for everyone who helped her along the way, and plans to continue excelling in her work with the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders Association.

“I felt extremely proud of myself and in disbelief that I achieved the highest mark of those plans submitted last year. My instructors at the Nova Scotia Community College – Truro Campus are amazing teachers and I have learned so much from them. Without them, I would have never been able to achieve this award. I would like to thank everyone that believed in me and supported me through my college journey, this one is dedicated to all of you.”

Leroy Lowe, CITP, the program coordinator at NSCC, was impressed with her accomplishment and excited to see how it’s already paying off in her career.

“We are very pleased to hear that Kayla has done so well. Her enthusiasm for international trade and her new knowledge and skills has translated into a new career. FITTskills courses have played an important role in her education, so it is great to see her now (as a program graduate) using those skills in her new job with the Nova Scotia Boat Builders Association.”

Winning the International Business Plan Award with a plan to sell dream catchers in Australia

Each year, FITT also awards the International Business Plan Award each year to the student who received the highest grade on their international business plan project. This year’s winner is from Seneca College.

“My team decided to be a marketing cooperative that teamed up with an Ojibwe tribe to see the feasibility of exporting high end dream catchers to Australia,” he explained. “What made our dream catchers stand out from competitors was the materials that were used, like precious metals, animal bones, and wood pieces. Attempting to cover the complete scope from production, transportation, importing and marketing to sell Australians was a challenging task but once all the pieces fell together, it all started to make sense. The analytics portion of determining the market share, production and product cost and current competition was the most interesting part of the project. It was even more interesting to find out that there are many Facebook groups and blogs in Australia devoted to dream catchers, which was very surprising!”

Winning the award was an unexpected reward for his hard work, but he now hopes to apply everything he learned during the project towards his career.

“I was very surprised to learn I had won this award to say the least. It definitely helped boost my confidence in my writing skills to find out about the award, but much of my success goes out to my teammates that worked on the project with me!”

Emiliano Introcaso, CITP and part-time faculty member for Seneca College, stated that “when I heard the news that he won this award, I was very happy to know that he won and that Seneca College was represented in this competition.”

Emiliano also emphasized how important the practical skills needed for this project are for international trade businesses looking for new employees, as they look for the right candidates.

“The skills he needed to excel in this project are extremely important for businesses across Canada. Thanks to all of the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that have been implemented over the last decade, our country is becoming a nation of diversified exporters that needs to have qualified individuals like him, navigating exports and import regulations to ensure Canadian goods and services reach global markets.”

Securing the FITT Achievement Award with top efforts in and out of the classroom

The FITT Achievement Award is unique because students are nominated for the award by others for their combination of community involvement and academic success. The winner is then selected by FITT’s awards committee.

The 2018 award was handed to Iuliia Kau of Fanshawe College for her excellence in the classroom and tireless efforts around sustainability in trade.

“I have a thirst for knowledge and I like to study and learn as much as I can, and then share this knowledge with my community. I bombarded my professors with questions, and never missed a class, because I wanted to know everything.”

With the support of Fanshawe, Iuliia began volunteering with two Canadian companies, Race Roster and Qtek Design, to improve their sustainability efforts. She then presented her findings at a London Chamber of Commerce event, which included many local business owners and representatives from EDC, BDC, Global Affairs Canada. Upon graduating, she was chosen by Fanshawe as a research assistant to help open an Ontario business which will produce sustainably made bags and sell them internationally.

“This business will help convert waste to produce fashion bags and invite newcomers (recent immigrant allophones) to participate in manufacturing them. I am truly inspired to become more involved in the community, reach out to those who are under-privileged, and to share my knowledge with those around us in order to make a positive change in our community and our world.”

Nord Mensah, CITP, who serves as coordinator for Iuliia’s program at Fanshawe College and was one of her professors, was excited to hear about her award.

“It is an amazing achievement for Iullia to be recognized by FITT as this year’s FITT Achievement Award recipient. Iullia has remained a consistently dedicated student throughout her academics, and emulates the characteristics expected of a consummate international trade professional. Her positivity, energy, and adventurous nature truly exemplify what Fanshawe expects from its international trade students.”

Iuliia was filled with both excitement and gratitude when she learned she had won the award.

“I was very happy and excited to receive this award. This result was achieved because my lovely professors and coordinators of Fanshawe College had squeezed out many valuable hours to teach me. Without Fanshawe College’s professors and coordinators, I could not have received it. This award belongs us – Fanshawe College and me. For me, this achievement is an absolute honour that I will cherish.”

Iuliia now plans to apply for her CITP designation, and would like to attain both an MBA and a Ph.D in international trade in the future.

Congratulations to all four winners of this year’s FITT Educational Awards, and we look forward to seeing the bright futures ahead of you!

The post Honouring the achievements of tomorrow’s business leaders: 2018 FITT Educational Award Winners appeared first on Trade Ready.

Born and raised in Mumbai, India, Dimple Gandhi’s path towards an international trade career started at a young age. Her father ran a logistics company for 25 years, and as she saw how much work he needed to do to keep his business going, she wanted to learn how to help him run and grow the business as well.

“I started understanding the business structure and day by day I was eager to learn more. After office hours, I used to ask several questions to my dad every day. I understood transportation is one of the most important factors in international trade, so I started focusing there, which helped me to better understand international trade as a whole and gain my own perspective.”

As she grew older, she decided to attend university to continue her education, learning more about international trade and its many requirements. Each summer during her program, she also worked as an intern at different manufacturing companies to gain further experience in accounting and then import/export management. As the daughter of a business owner, however, she faced significant challenges in dealing with her employers and co-workers.

“For three summers I worked for free, none of the companies paid me a single penny. My employers would tell me ‘you are here to learn’ or ‘you are the daughter of a businessman’, and my co-workers always saw me first and foremost as a ‘rich man’s daughter’. This was very frustrating. I was struggling to please everyone around me and sacrificing any break during the summer, but only hearing unwanted things from everyone around me.”

“I always wanted to be independent, and these three years of sacrifice and hard work changed my life and developed my self-confidence. I learned to always look on the bright side. There are 10,000 reasons to give up, so always eliminate all the excuses and replace those excuses with opportunities. Hard work pays off at right moment, so never give up.”

The balancing act of studying while working full-time

After completing her undergraduate degree, Dimple earned a full-time position at SRV Global Freight, a freight forwarding company, where her role was to negotiate contracts and pricing for ocean, rail and other importers. She also wanted to continue her studies, which led to a hectic 18 month period in her life.

“My goal was to enhance my knowledge and gain further insights into logistics and supply chain management, and to apply my theoretical knowledge in a practical environment. I enrolled for an 18 month diploma program where I worked Monday to Friday full time and then spent my weekends in school for more than 10 hours each day, which was difficult.”

“I still can’t believe I graduated from the program with an A, which was unbelievable. Balancing my study time and work time was important. I am grateful for my SRV Team, especially my Director, Mr. Rosario Dcruz, who supported and motivated me throughout my journey.”

After completing her diploma, she then set a new goal: to study abroad and continue her trade education. Moving to London, Ontario, Canada in 2017, she earned her diploma from Fanshawe College in international business management as well as the FITT Diploma in International Trade the following year.

“Moving abroad to achieve my goal was another achievement.”

The FITTskills courses helped me to sharpen and enhance my international trade knowledge. They have all the essential content and elements an individual should know before you enter any kind of market around the world.

I personally developed my research skills – there were so many aspects which I wasn’t aware of, and this training has all the minute things which are important for business.

Earning the CITP designation to open doors in the Canadian trade job market

By earning her FITT Diploma, Dimple fulfilled the educational requirements to apply for the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation and applied for the designation shortly after.

“Within 20 months, I decided to pursue my diploma, complete all of my exams and successfully complete my work experience. I worked hard and enhanced my knowledge as much as I could, so I think of this designation as a kind of reward for my enthusiasm towards this field.”

Learning that she had officially become a CITP was one of the proudest moments of her career to date.

“This feeling cannot be expressed, it’s such a proud moment for me and my Parents. This designation has proven that my three years of struggle during my undergrad was worth it. Sacrificing my social life for two years while working and studying has given me this. I’m thankful to my parents for motivating me at each stage of my learning, and my “never give up attitude” paid off.”

As she works to establish her career in Canada, she says that the CITP designation will open doors and help her earn the kind of position she is seeking.

This will help me to reach my goal and give me an opportunity to enter the global trade job market. Companies will know they can rely on my skills, knowledge and experience.

With all of the tools she needs to succeed in hand, Dimple has a bright future ahead of her and is poised to help any number of international trade businesses grow and excel in global markets.

The post Dimple Gandhi, CITP|FIBP – Logistics Professional appeared first on Trade Ready.

Being good at working closely with others as part of a team, travelling all over the world, and dealing with challenging, often unexpected problems are all characteristics of international trade professionals.

They’re also important qualities for those in the military, where Nord Mensah first began his career in international trade. Nord pursued his passions, enlisting in the Royal Canadian Navy a year after completing his degree at the University of Alberta, and eventually found a perfect fit in logistics.

“I began my career in international trade in December 2000, when I became a Logistics Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). At the time I was not aware of where my professional career might take me. However, I was very interested in business, international relations, and international trade. My career as an officer in the RCN allowed me to travel all over the world while negotiating contracts for goods and services to support both my ship and Canadian military operations overseas.

Perfecting the art of negotiations and closing deals at sea

The immense scale and complexity of the Canadian military’s logistical strategies provided a number of challenges Nord encountered that he never could have imagined before working there. Many of those came in the Middle East, where he spent a significant amount of time over the years.

“Having sailed in many of the world’s oceans, I fondly remember reconciling multiple invoices from foreign ports while transiting towards the Arabian Sea. The invoices were particularly challenging because I had to manage a total of three foreign languages before finally being able to verify all contracted work had been completed.”

As part of his responsibility to negotiate contracts, Nord took meetings with businesspeople all over the world. Over the years, he says one of the most important lessons he had to learn was to adjust his expectations regarding time management to fit with local norms.

“People around the world appreciate time differently, and all good negotiations begin with a clear understanding of how each party understands and employs time.”

In some cultures a five minute meeting is truly five minutes and may start two minutes early, while in another culture a five minute meeting is two hours, starts 45 minutes late, and involves dinner.

During Nord’s years of service, the Canadian mission in Afghanistan represented a major commitment of personnel and resources. This required vast numbers of logistical contracts and agreements to manage the needs of those stationed there.

Canada’s eventual military withdrawal from Afghanistan also presented a massive logistical undertaking, in which Nord played an important role. This work remains one of his proudest accomplishments to date.

“I was awarded a commendation by the Chief of the Defence Staff for my work and leadership in managing and eventually closing Canada’s military contracts in Afghanistan at the end of Canada’s combat mission in the country. The task entailed reconciling and terminating thousands of agreements over a period of six months.”

How the student became the teacher

Over the course of his naval career, Nord pursued several opportunities to further his education to meet his career goals. First, he earned his MBA in 2007 after two years of hard work and studying. The next year, he began his Ph.D in business administration, with a focus on management and operations.

In 2014, he not only completed his doctorate to earn his Ph.D, but also his Master’s of Defence Studies through RMC.

By 2016, with over 15 years of experience in logistics and four degrees to his name, he had built an exceptional career and accumulated a wealth of knowledge he could pass onto others.

With that in mind, he decided to take on a new opportunity as a full-time professor at Fanshawe College, one of FITT’s educational partners. He became heavily involved in the school’s international business management program, teaching courses on business administration, supply chain, logistics, finance, management, leadership and organizational design, as well as taking on design and supervising responsibilities for other courses.

In May 2017, he became the new coordinator for the program and continues his teaching responsibilities while ensuring all courses run smoothly. Shortly after, he applied for and earned his CITP®|FIBP® designation and is confident it will be highly beneficial to his work moving forward.

“I chose to apply for the CITP®|FIBP® designation because I wanted the formal recognition of my professional experience and education that is associated with the CITP®|FIBP® designation. Now as a post-secondary professor I can share the value of this credential, based on my experience, with my students and fellow faculty. I can now give them greater perspective and insight into international trade activities and opportunities.”

On a personal note, I am extremely proud of my CITP®|FIBP® designation. It is one of the most significant culminating accolades in my professional career.

As he continues to run the program there, we know he’ll do an exemplary job for students and faculty alike, fostering the next generation of trade professionals and guiding them towards a path for success.

The post Nord Mensah, CITP|FIBP – Professor and Program Coordinator appeared first on Trade Ready.

Representing the bright future of trade as Student of the Year

Satyajeet Kumar, Discovery Community College

The 2016 winner of the FITT-EDC Student of the Year award was presented to Satyajeet Kumar, a graduate of the International Trade Management program at Discovery Community College in British Colombia.

Satayjeet was awarded Student of the Year because he attained the highest-grade point average after completing all eight FITTskills courses.

The award was presented by staff from FITT’s strategic partner, Export Development Canada (EDC), who are thrilled with Satyajeet’s achievement.

“EDC is honoured to present the 2016 Student of the Year award to Satyajeet Kumar,” said Catherine Decaire, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for EDC.

“Satyajeet represents the bright future of international trade. Through his hard-work and determination, Satyajeet has shown he will go above and beyond to succeed. We whole-heartedly congratulate Satyajeet on his achievement.”

Satyajeet’s program coordinator at Discovery College, Fouad Menassa, was equally proud of his accolades.

“Discovery College and the International Trade Management program are proud of Satyajeet’s achievement. Following his enrollment into the program, Satyajeet proved he was an attentive and excellent student. We wish him success in the future.”

Receiving this prestigious recognition was something Satyajeet couldn’t wait to share with his family.

When I received the mail from FITT about Student of the Year, I was so surprised and was so happy because I was not expecting it. It was a proud moment for me, being able to say I am the Student of the Year. It really does make me and my family proud.

As he prepares for his future career, Satyajeet wants to use his skills to help members of his community live better lives.

“My career goal is to invest my time into setting up an IT infrastructure in the Canadian healthcare system, so I can help improve my community members’ lives.”

Exceptional plan to expand an audio company wins the International Marketing Plan Award

Russell Leith Yearwood, Vancouver Career College  

The International Marketing Plan award is given to the student who attains the highest grade for a completed marketing plan for the FITTskills International Marketing course. This year’s International Marketing Plan award winner is Russell Leith Yearwood from Vancouver Career College.

Russell’s project was a Trade Management Report, in which Russell created a foreign market expansion plan for a fictional company. Russell outlined how Zexer Audio, the fictional audio technology company Russell created, could expand their business into the U.S. market.

The assignment earned a grade of 98%, the highest in his cohort.

Irene Jeremic, head of International Business and Law Lecturer at Vancouver Career College, was highly impressed by her student’s achievement.

“The award is very humbling and our college is grateful for being able to change lives through education. The recognition not only validates our approach to learning through engagement and empowerment, but it also crowns Russell’s hard work at the college.”

Moving forward, Russell plans to keep busy, learning as much about international trade as he can.

“I am aiming to increase my knowledge in finance, gain further work experience in global investments, and then I aim to help foreign entrepreneurs invest and expand into Canada.”

International Business Plan Award winner stands out with baseball bat exports

James Amelotte, Algonquin College

The International Business Plan award is given to the student who has received the highest grade for submitting a completed business plan for the International Trade Management course in the 2016 academic year.

The winner of the International Business Plan award was James Amelotte from Algonquin College.

Norman Hotchkiss, program coordinator for the International Business Management program at Algonquin College, was proud of his student, but not surprised to hear of James’ achievement.

“It is fitting James won the Business Plan Award. As a baseball pitcher, he actually knows how to throw different pitches to different batters and is very familiar with targeting those pitches. Both are useful skills in writing a business plan, but it was his commitment to learning and improving that ultimately created his winning plan.”

Contrary to his professor’s reaction, James was in shock when he learned that he had won this award.

“When I first heard I had won the award, I was in disbelief. But now, after some time, I can truly say I am proud and honoured to be the recipient of this award after knowing how much time and effort had gone into the completion of my business plan.”

James developed a business plan focusing on exporting wooden baseball bats to the market of Venezuela. He chose Venezuela as his target market because of their professional baseball league and their geographical location in South America.

James plans to use his award as proof of his hard work and abilities as an international business professional. His ultimate goal is to secure a position with an international organization, which would allow him to work with people from all over the world.

FITT Achievement Award goes to talented student working to help Syrian refugees

Maysa Balout, Fanshawe College

The FITT Achievement Award is presented to the student who has shown a combination of community involvement and academic success. Selected by the awards committee, nominees are put forward by either themselves or their peers.

The FITT Achievement for 2016 was awarded to Maysa Balout from Fanshawe College. Maysa has gone above and beyond in her studies and to help her community.

Albert Knab, former coordinator of the International Business Management program at Fanshawe College, spoke highly of Maysa and her hard-work.

“Fanshawe College is very proud to consider Maysa Balout one of their alumni. It is no surprise Maysa’s professional and business skills are as outstanding as her academic performance. While studying at Fanshawe, she maintained a perfect GPA, worked with the Supply Chain Association, as well as volunteered with the London Muslim Mosque to help settle Syrian refugees into the community.”

“I am truly honoured and grateful for the award. I have gained additional confidence and speaking points to add to my resume, which is always a nice bonus!” Maysa says.

Moving forward, she sees the FITT Achievement Award being a great feather in her cap when job hunting and networking.

This award will be such an influential speaking point when going for interviews or business conferences. It will help advance me in my career by showing people I am serious about international trade.

Maysa was chosen, in part, due to her community work helping Syrian refugees establish themselves in her city.

“When the influx of refugees began, London, Ontario received a lot of them. I collected donations of clothes from friends and family and drove them to the donation centre for distribution to refugee families.”

Maysa’s dedication, to both her education and her community, is unique and balancing the two can be very difficult in a demanding academic year. Her ability to do just that made her the ideal winner of this year’s FITT Achievement award.

Congratulations to all of this years’ FITT Educational Award winners! We look forward to seeing you take the world of international trade by storm.

Please feel free to congratulate the winners and offer any helpful advice in the comments down below.

The post Tomorrow’s business leaders are achieving great things today! The 2016 FITT Educational Awards winners! appeared first on Trade Ready.

When Kristie Luk, CITP|FIBP first started her post-secondary education at the University of Windsor, she was looking at global options for her career path.

“As a student of international relations, I wanted a career where I would be able to be part of the big picture of business and government relations,” she remembers.

In her second year, she started a part-time job as a Release Clerk for DB Schenker, a major global supply chain and logistics company, at their Canadian border office in Windsor. With so many exciting challenges and opportunities in the industry, international trade grabbed her attention and became her long-term goal.

“I realized that international trade and global business is where I wanted to see myself grow and develop as a leader. The opportunities in trade are endless! There are so many different facets involved.”

After this positive experience, she encourages current students to broaden their horizons and skillsets by finding work in different areas of international trade, and see what they like best.

“Being able to have a balance between good grades in school and relevant work experience will really help propel you in the right direction – towards reaching your goals. My advice to young aspiring trade professionals is to be open-minded about the opportunities available in international business. You might yourself in a niche within trade that you never would have considered as an option for yourself!”

Winning awards and preparing for a bright future

After graduating from the University of Windsor in 2014, Kristie wanted to continue her international trade training, so she enrolled in FITT-accredited courses at Fanshawe College.

Over the next year, she excelled in her studies and won the FITT Achievement Award for her accomplishments both in the classroom and in her community. She says the program expanded her understanding of the international trade industry and is helping her see how everything fits together.

The FITT courses taken through Fanshawe’s International Business program were very helpful in developing a broader understanding of what international trade encompasses. It gave me the tools to think critically about the intricacies of trade and how each detail related back to the bigger picture.

As she began to see everything from a wider perspective, she also enjoyed studying international management. What was particularly rewarding was getting the chance to start putting all the lessons together in practical and applicable ways in her business plan project.

“My favourite course had to be International Trade Management. That course involved the research and creation of an international business plan. This comprehensive project gave me the opportunity to utilize all the other skills I acquired through the FITTskills program and apply them to create one finished product. This course and project demonstrated the reality of what businesses would have to go through to be prepared to delve into a new business venture.”

“I would definitely recommend the FITTskills courses to others interested in gaining a broad-spectrum perspective on global business and trade.”

Off to a good start in customs and compliance

Shortly after graduating, Kristie started working for Farrow, one of the biggest providers of customs and logistics solutions in Canada and the U.S. As a Quality Assurance Specialist, her role was part of a new team being put together, which she was excited to help get started.

“Being part of the team that built our new department at Farrow has been one of my most interesting projects so far. The team was created to improve internal quality and compliance in the company’s operational functions.”

Specializing in managing cases involving high-risk goods, she reviewed any items given this identification, prepared reports, assigned classifications to new items and reviewed new rulings and laws.

After over a year in the role, Kristie transitioned to a Trade Compliance Specialist position within the company. Her main role is now to advise clients and help them prepare customs compliance documentation as they ship goods across the Canada-U.S. border.

“In my new role, my team and I collaborate with the Consulting team within Farrow to work on various trade and customs compliance related projects for our clients. Other responsibilities include: work regarding compliance audits for CBSA, complex tariff classifications and preparation of advanced ruling requests on behalf of our clients for CBSA.”

Along with the new position, adding the CITP®|FIBP® designation to her list of credentials was a major career step. She hopes that it will prove her commitment to her work.

I am very proud to have joined the ranks of other CITP®|FIBP® members, since the designation is highly regarded for those working in global business and trade.

“By applying for and acquiring this designation, I have gained the acknowledgement of my skills, competencies and credibility as a trade professional. It represents to my peers and professional network that I have committed myself to a high degree of professionalism, integrity and continuous education. It also demonstrates my desire to ensure that my understanding and practice of international trade remains relevant and ethical.”

The post Kristie Luk, CITP|FIBP – Trade Compliance Specialist appeared first on Trade Ready.

At FITT, we love this time of year! It’s our distinct privilege to recognize the hardest-working, rising international business stars of the 2015-2016 academic year. These individuals have achieved great things, often against some steep odds, and proven that they have a bright future ahead of them in the field of global trade. Here are the winners of this year’s FITT Education Awards!

Student of the Year Award – Wendolin Lopez Rebaza, Discovery Community College

2015’s Student of the Year Award is awarded to Wendolin Lopez Rebaza, graduate of the International Trade Management and Logistics program at Discovery Community College in British Columbia.

Wendolin attained the highest overall grade point average after completing all eight FITTskills courses.

The Student of the Year award is presented by Export Development Canada (EDC), FITT’s strategic partner.

“We’re thrilled to present the Student of the Year Award, which recognizes academic excellence in the field of international business,” says Catherine Decarie, Senior Vice President Corporate Affairs, EDC.

Wendolin couldn’t be more pleased to receive the well-deserved accolades.

For me, it is an honour to be selected as Student of the Year, especially from respected trade organizations such as FITT and EDC. I really enjoyed taking the courses and want to thank FITT and EDC for this award!

She found the program challenging, but by going out of her comfort zone and maintaining a great attitude, she faced any stumbling blocks as opportunities to learn.

“The FITTskills program taught me a lot, especially the fact that successful international firms tend to be those that develop unique products or services, or adapt their offerings to different markets.”

Wendolin chose to study international trade as part of a family who has dedicated their lives to business. She hopes to apply what she learned in the FITTskills program to bring her family business’s products to new international markets.

“My motivation was, and still is, my family. They encourage me to be the best at everything that I do.”

She has her sights set on an office with a view at a large Canadian export corporation, in a role where she can represent Canada in global business deals all around the world.

“Wendolin is a landed immigrant from Peru. When she arrived in Canada with her family, she soon realized she needed a Canadian education to better her chances of finding employment and opted to enroll in Discovery Community College’s International Trade Management program. FITTskills courses such as Market Entry Strategy, International Trade Research, and International Trade Finance were of major help, enabling her to identify a niche market,” says Fouad Menassa, International Trade Program Manager at Discovery College.

Wendolin has subsequently entered into contracts with Canadian distributors, manufactures and logistics firms trading between Peru and Canada, with plans to expand within North America. She is presently in Peru for the launch of the first phase of her own business.

International Marketing Plan Award goes to an unstoppable hard worker

 International Marketing Plan Award – Tristen Militello, Algonquin College

The International Marketing Plan Award was given to Tristen Miletello for his project which achieved the highest grade, combined with the highest overall GPA, in the FITTskills International Marketing course.

Tristen submitted a remarkable assignment, demonstrating his ability to completely research and think critically about connecting a product, company and new international audience. The fact that he turned out such an impressive project was even more incredible given the technical challenge he faced only two weeks before it was due.

“My computer crashed, forcing me to restart my project within two weeks of the due date. I had already previously finished the assignment and was on to the editing stage!”

Completing the marketing plan was simply a relief! I felt so accomplished! Considering the extremely hard work and late nights I spent to hand it in on time, and to have the honour to receive an award from it, it’s an amazing feeling!

Tristen loved studying international trade, saying one of the major takeaways for him was to keep your mind open to opportunities, as they can arise in any situation.

“I chose to study international business because I had the wonderful opportunity to have Norman Hotchkiss as my professor for another course. He opened my eyes to the opportunities in international trade, and after attending his class I knew right away that this was the field for me.”

“I’m thrilled to receive this year’s International Marketing Plan Award! It’s an honour. I wanna give a big shout out to my Mom, family, professors at Algonquin College, Fahdi Said-Pehoua, and my friends for helping me accomplish this!”

“Tristen Militello is a very welcome new International Business student with a strong desire to achieve. Good job Tristen! Keep it up. I expect you will be a strong performer at the front of the class as you proceed through the program,” says Norman Lomow, Professor and Coordinator of International Business Programs at Algonquin College.

Tristen looks forward to a career where he can travel and work from anywhere in the world.

International Business Plan Award winner has a passion for helping businesses go global

International Business Plan Award – Ryan Thornton, Algonquin College

This year’s International Business Plan Award, awarded to the student who has received the highest grade for a completed business plan, combined with the highest GPA, goes to another Algonquin College student, Ryan Thornton.

Ryan chose to write his plan from the perspective of a Canadian software company expanding into an international market for the first time.

“One of the biggest challenges with this project was choosing the best location for this international expansion. After due consideration, I chose to expand into France. The company already had a presence in Europe, with a branch office in the UK. I decided that expanding within Europe would give them an advantage over other parts of the world that would be completely new to them. The company also has an office in Quebec, which could help to reduce problems associated with language barriers.”

Ryan decided to concentrate his education on international trade after his third semester enrolled in a more general business program at Algonquin College.

I enjoyed learning about international trade because it’s so prominent in today’s world. The courses taught me a lot of real world skills that are applicable in today’s workforce, such as the research required to take on an international expansion.

Ryan has taken on a sales role with a software firm and hopes to someday have the opportunity to act as a consultant for businesses looking to expand internationally.

“I’m very proud to have won the International Business Plan Award. Completing this project took a lot of hard work and getting the results that I did is extremely rewarding.”

“Ryan Thornton graduated with an advanced diploma in Business Administration, International Business Major. He did the college proud with his determination and focus.  He is an independent and overall strong performer and I expect great things from him as he enters the work force,” says Professor and Coordinator Norman Lomow.

Two community-minded students stand out from the crowd as strong leaders

FITT Achievement Award – Kristie Luk, Fanshawe College and Jose Recinos, Algonquin College

The FITT Achievement Award is awarded to a student who has shown notable combinations of community involvement and academic success. There are two very impressive winners this year.

Kristie Luk

Kristie fell in love with international trade because of the endless opportunities, and room for growth and exploration.

“Look at the way the world is evolving. Cross-border trade will never stop; it is the way of life,” she says.

“Kristie was an outstanding student who brought her work experience into the classroom, allowing other students to benefit from her insights. She modelled the dedication and diligence required to become the accomplished trade professional she is today,” says Albert Knab, Coordinator of the International Business Management Program at Fanshawe College.

Kristie says that FITTskills case studies helped put theory into perspective, providing insight into how certain concepts actually come into play in reality.

I also learned how to work in a team environment effectively with various personality types and working styles. This, I feel, very closely mirrors how working in groups outside of the classroom would be.

Kristie shared the skills she learned with her classmates, speaking to them about the importance of time management and communication when working with others who all have different priorities and responsibilities.

She hopes to continue sharing her knowledge and expertise in international trade by becoming a trade ambassador for Canada, and even a professor later in her career.

“I see myself in more consulting-type roles with opportunities to travel and meet with different business professionals interested in market growth through developing strategic partnerships.”

“I am truly grateful to have been recognized through this award for my accomplishments inside and outside of the classroom. It is a great honour to have been selected amongst so many other international trade professionals for this award.”

Jose Recinos

Jose has always been fascinated by the complexity of international trade.

“Global trade involves a wide variety of subjects such as politics, economy, business strategy, law and cultural diversity. I realized that in today’s fast pacing and dynamic business environment, improving my international management skills would be very beneficial,” Jose says.

He has channelled that fascination into an incredible amount of hard work and dedication, overcoming language barriers on top of the typical challenges of a demanding business program.

“I had never attended an exclusively English academic program, or written any papers or tests in English, so this was a challenge I had to overcome. I believe that I improved my written and communication skills and feel more confident than ever.”

I believe that in life, you’re always going to face challenges or roadblocks. If you want to distinguish yourself from the others, you need to be able to manage and respond cleverly to those challenges. It was critical for me to be really organized and to prioritise daily, weekly and monthly goals.

Jose says working on projects for the FITTskills program helped him gain real-world business experience.

“I picked an Ottawa-based clean tech company called Waterotor Inc. and I had the opportunity to meet with the CEO and work closely on the International Business Development and Marketing plan. I had to understand the business itself to be able to assess their challenges and opportunity. It was the best way to wrap up everything I learned through the program and adapt it to this real business case.”

He made an outstanding effort to share his experiences with his classmates.

“Jose Recinos is a new graduate of the Post Graduate International Business Management Graduate Certificate.  He is one of those students who come along rarely, with the natural ability to excel in anything he puts his mind to.  He is an overall achiever, a leader and a thinker. Jose will thrive as he begins his career at EDC as the 2016 FITT/EDC intern,” Norman Lomow explains.

“We were like a small family and I felt like we were very supportive of each other,” enthuses Jose.

He even brought his international business classmates together to play in a fundraising soccer tournament, raising money to help Syrian refugees.

“My objective is to be able to work, travel and experience as many different cultures and countries as possible. I definitely want to be able to give back to the community by promoting sports and education here in Canada, but also in Central America, specifically in my homeland country, El Salvador.”

Jose is looking forward to continuing to work with EDC as their 2016 FITT/EDC intern, and earning his elite CITP®|FIBP® designation.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners, and the outstanding graduates from FITTskills courses all over the world. We look forward to hearing about your future global trade successes!

Feel free to congratulate this outstanding group yourself and add your tips and advice for the graduates in the comments below!

The post Meet tomorrow’s global business leaders: FITT Educational Award Winners 2015 appeared first on Trade Ready.

“Innovation is the central issue in economic prosperity,” stated Harvard professor Dr. Michael Porter, and years ago I heard Dr. Jennifer Blanke, a senior WEF economist, tell a group of business, academic and government leaders, “Innovation is a critical, critical issue for Canada.”

She suggested that Canada’s innovation performance could be improved with more collaborative business-education partnerships.

Working with SMEs to foster innovative global business tendencies in students

Given my career experience in international business, and my role teaching international business and innovation, I have tried to facilitate partnerships with local SMEs that export.

The objective has been to capitalize on students’ enthusiasm and international connections to enable them to gain valuable experiential learning opportunities while simultaneously providing the SMEs with global business opportunities and creative innovative input from up-and-coming young talent.

The results have been promising.

Assigning pairs of students with the responsibility of gathering research for a real SME regarding potential customers and competitors in previously unknown international markets is experiential learning that has brought benefits to all stakeholders.

The students had to be open-minded and resourceful to gather the intelligence. Then, they had to analyze the data and develop alternative action plans for the SME.

‘The market and competitive intelligence supplied by the Fanshawe International Business Management students has contributed to our new strategic plan and our ambitious growth targets in Europe and international markets,’ said Chris Jones-Harris Co-Chief Executive Officer, Jones Packaging Inc.

London-based Jones Packaging was one of our first SME-partners. Jones bought a small distributor of compliance packaging materials for multi-dose prescriptions based in the United Kingdom in 2005.

The company’s primary clients are pharmacies, and our project analyzed rapidly changing channel developments across Europe and around the world, the role of government legislation and regulations, and packaging requirements from country to country.

As part of the collaboration with Jones Packaging, the students were able to identify the emergence of attractive pan-European customer opportunities, which Chris mentioned was important and timely for the company.

Students gathered detailed research on over 15 countries, and helped Jones Packaging refine and focus its marketing efforts.

“We also learned about an innovative competitive development in Scandinavia,” says Chris. “Subsequently, we have invested in three new positions and are excited about profitable growth opportunities in Europe.”

The value of the program for Jones Packaging has been clear.

‘The hands-on, applied nature of the    Fanshawe College student research projects for FITT provided practical, real-life learning opportunities for the students, and real value for our business.’

How we can prevent the stifling of innovation

It is difficult to influence policy in a world of silos and hierarchies. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that our current education system may actually be having a negative impact on students’ ability to be creative and design innovative solutions.

Sir Ken Robinson’s presentation on ‘How schools kill creativity’ is one of the most watched TED talks of all time.

While teaching a course entitled Creativity and Innovation in Business, students were encouraged to investigate several different techniques to enhance their creativity. The class picked topics of interest and applied tools such as the Six Hats process for creative problem-solving formulated by Edward Bono, Mind Maps, a diagram used to visually outline information, Is – Is Not Tool and the Lotus Blossom technique to visually represent interconnected ideas branching out from a central idea or theme.

Amazingly, there were a number of students that were surprised to identify and discover their own styles of learning and innovating.

The majority of students were completely focused on ‘the right answer’ with little interest in exploring alternatives or seeking creative solutions. This perhaps reflects the increasing use of standardized tests and automated grading which essentially rewards process-oriented efforts to ‘study for the test’.

Consequently, I’ve added interactive exercises to the global business courses I teach to help foster innovation among the students. They investigate Michael Porter’s work on innovation and clusters as well as social innovation and open innovation. Students begin to realize the importance of looking for innovative solutions from outside of one company, and even trying to apply innovative techniques from other industries.

I also encourage students to experiment with various types of problem-solving/brainstorming techniques, including Synectics, Appreciative Inquiry and the World Café. These processes all involve a positive approach, seeking input from diverse perspectives and using a moderator to encourage participation by all stakeholders. These techniques were an important factor in many of the most important achievements in my career in global marketing and community-building.

Business professionals in virtually any industry can generate innovative solutions by testing one of these techniques and inviting participation from non-traditional perspectives.

Taking innovative learning into the workplace

Students are then required to apply the new innovative global business tools they developed and recommend creative marketing solutions for real businesses using social media and other e-marketing strategies.

Students have applied this learning to succeed in interviews, to prepare impressive case studies—which a number of firms are beginning to use as part of their selection process—and to succeed in the workplace.

Angela Davidson, MBA, Ec.D. is a graduate of the FITT-accredited program at Fanshawe College. She was recently promoted to Economic Development Officer for the City of Niagara Falls, and she is a prime example of how these tools can be used with great success to help young professionals in the real world, and subsequently help the companies and organizations for which they work.

“I am now working with medium and large businesses in Niagara Falls, and it’s definitely an exciting change,” says Angela. “

My work in the International Business Program is really paying off now!

Angela says the experiential learning at Fanshawe helped her to develop the capability to conceptualize different business models, work with B2B and B2C clients in a variety of industries, and help them identify emerging trends, opportunities and alliances.

Angela provides assistance to existing or prospective businesses and development projects in Niagara Falls such as; real estate and site selection inquiries from international companies looking to expand in Niagara, export market development with local Niagara companies looking to sell products world-wide, as well as consulting on expansion, retention and investment in new equipment with local and foreign-owned companies to assist them in their growth and business success.

Innovation soft skills

Most recently, I’ve been exploring alternative grassroots solutions for innovation with collaborative partners.

Johann Wong, founder of LondonInnovation Centre Inc., and I have discussed a vision to help create an ‘innovation education’ leader. This will offer integrated innovation curriculum and internship/apprenticeship opportunities to graduate ‘innovation-ready’ students who exceed the expectations of employers.

Johann is a respected colleague, serial entrepreneur and founder of LondonInnovation—a non-profit focused on the human elements that make change occur. Its vision is to ‘advance prosperity by fostering cultures of sustainable innovation’, through assessment tools, co-working space, e-learning and networking. By developing a collaborative network of individuals with complementary skills in digital marketing, international business, finance and other disciplines, there has already been progress to operating as an incubator to provide support to young entrepreneurial start-ups, as well as serving as an accelerator to emerging businesses.

Johann and I believe there is potential to add ‘innovation soft skills’ to other courses and programs. Most people think of innovation in terms of technology, social and business model.

Innovation soft skills focus on the human elements or soft skills that drive innovation, such as a person’s preferences toward risk and change, and their values and how well they know themselves.

This also includes their ability to integrate this self-knowledge into their relationships with other people and the innovation process.

Long term, we hope to explore certification with leading associations specializing in ‘innovation’ and/or international trade.

The capacity for human or sustainable innovation can be further enhanced by collaboratively working on social innovation projects and technology innovation in the private sector.

There is an opportunity for educational institutions to partner with other complementary partners to develop sustainable innovation and create competitive advantage.

The future of innovation in international trade

Innovation is an extremely important concept in a business environment. It is one element that secures the future of any organization, however many companies only generate resolutions by innovating when dealing with work problems and opportunities.

I believe innovation is going to be vital as current global organizations seek longevity and dynamic ideas as well as individuals who can to take them into the future.

What other ideas do you have for building a more innovative global business workforce for the future of the international trade industry?

The post How we can raise a generation of innovation-ready global business graduates appeared first on Trade Ready.

More often than not though, small and medium-sized enterprises don’t have extra funding to spend on costly foreign market research, which significantly limits their expansion opportunities and makes growth more risky.

However, delayed decision-making can force businesses out of the market entirely, and there are effective cost-efficient ways to do the market research you’ll need to make good business growth decisions.

1. Do your research before you start your market research

Before you even start gathering information, it’s necessary to understand how the market works, where products come from, and how customers are buying them.

In many countries such as Canada, businesses that consider establishing their presence in certain areas can benefit from various government incentives, such as free target market research.

Together with Marilia Brasil, my peer from Fanshawe College’s FITT-accredited International Business Management program, I was offered the opportunity to assist the London Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) with such research back in 2014. We were invited to conduct a market feasibility study for a European manufacturer of medical disposables seeking expansion opportunities abroad.

The European medical device market is highly saturated; the competition is fierce and companies have to look for new opportunities globally. For this reason, LEDC’s client was assessing their chances to reach North America.

For the European client, quality of information and thoroughness of research were supposed to determine the viability of their investments into the new venture. The reliability of data and precision in estimates were crucial for the company’s economic well-being and global reputation.

As a newcomer to Canada who has been lucky enough not to need any medical help in the past, I was not familiar with the specifics of the Canadian health care system, not to mention the system in the U.S. For this reason, I had to do the research for my personal understanding before I could start discussing the project with stakeholders.

2. Know the product, know the company and know the industry

First, it was important to understand the current state of the industry and the main factors that could influence the business. Second, advisors who’re educated on a subject matter convey confidence to the client and are able to deliver sound consultation advice. Finally, the first stage of research teaches you how to ask the right questions in order to discover vital information and focus on the most relevant business problems.

Ask your client for as many details about their business as you can.

[Tweet “No one understands your client’s industry better than your client does.”]

This will help you identify solutions to your client’s pain-points.

At the initial meeting with LEDC, my partner and I tried to learn as much as possible about the company and objectives of both parties. The main goal of the company was to validate the potential of the North American market, and to identify which of the two countries—Canada or the U.S.—is more suitable for their new venture in terms of risks and benefits.

Predictably, there were many questions at the early stage, and the European enterprise was very responsive to all inquiries. But because the client was still in Europe, all of our communication was virtual. Luckily, once you adjust to the time difference, there are now technologies which allow you to exchange information almost instantly.

Once we had everything clarified, it was time to plan the project.

3. Just as you segment a market, segment your market research into manageable pieces

Marilia and I developed a detailed project scope to cover all aspects important to the client’s business and to inform both LEDC and the company about anticipated milestones of the research.

We broke down the project into several general sections grouped by country, product category and specific area of study. In that way, it was easy to divide responsibilities, organize the data, and present it in a logical way that would be convenient for the client to read.

After receiving the client’s approval, we started gathering data.

4. Most of the time, you need several sources of information to confirm the reliability of your data

Due to time and money constraints, we collected information from publicly available secondary sources. We were very sensitive about the reliability and relevance of the data, and we tried to verify everything we collected through several sources.

In today’s information economy, most industry data can be easily accessed by the general public via the Internet, printed media, periodic publications, yearbooks, etc. Because the main goal of European manufacturer at that point was to test the viability of new market entry, it was acceptable to rely on secondary sources.

Nevertheless, existing data is often outdated, generic or not able to answer all questions that interest organizations. When companies need to make complex business decisions, develop a detailed action plan or launch innovative products in new markets, the cost and time needed to conduct quality primary research is justified, and moreover, required for the success of a venture.

5. Choose visuals over text to present your foreign market research

It’s much easier for the majority of readers to understand charts, diagrams, infographics and tables rather than countless paragraphs.

Therefore, our final report was well-structured and supported by various visuals to represent the data. It contained relevant information about political, economic, social and technological environments, as well as market size, customer segments, distribution channels and the competition in both Canada and the U.S.

The client was particularly impressed with recent market trend lines and promising projections presented in coloured bar charts. Without visual demonstration, the significance of this information would have been lost among words.

6. There is no single approach to international market research that fits all

Research for each industry is different; each company within the same industry is different; and each project for the same company is different.

Based on our research, we concluded that the Canadian market seemed to be a more suitable option for the company’s medical device products.

While the Canadian market is about ten times smaller, the business environment in the U.S. is characterized with extremely high levels of competition coming from large multinational corporations that have a broad range of products and established control over existing distribution channels. Additionally, imperfect health care, complicated reimbursement systems and slower market-growth in the U.S. create significant barriers for new market participants to enter.

Canada, on the other hand, has one of the most developed heath care systems among peer countries. Competition here isn’t as intense, and there are many distributors open to cooperation with new manufacturers. Sadly, the number of ill people in Canada is growing very quickly, resulting in a growing demand for medical products.

Furthermore, geographic and cultural proximity permits businesses to operate in the U.S. market from Canadian business locations.

7. Follow up your market research with actionable plans

After the client was given time to review our research, we connected for a video conference call and delivered a short summary of our findings with some practical recommendations and a list of potential business contacts.

Our presentation was well received and was followed by an active discussion. Subsequently, a representative from the European firm expressed their intention to discuss possible cooperation with LEDC.

The outcomes of our joint work were beneficial to everyone:

• The European client received access to inside information necessary for making important business decisions;
• LEDC was able to show and grow London’s economic potential, and to connect qualified graduates with a foreign business;
• My colleague and I received a unique opportunity to get our feet wet and to add some Canadian work to our set of achievements.

Finally, it’s important to remember that market research is not a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. Companies that adopt such mindset are able to anticipate future industry trends and satisfy their customers’ needs before they can even realize they have those needs.

Continuing market research also helps to identify potential business problems and new opportunities, set achievable goals, and generally make well-informed decisions that align with market demand and provide competitive advantage.

As a result, these organizations become the most innovative and successful in their field.

Businesses should decide whether to have an internal department dedicated to market monitoring, to outsource such services to reputable consulting firms, or to have a combination of both. This decision is usually affected by an industry type, company size, existing needs, and resources available.

How do you approach market research in your organization?

The post 7 important tips for the success of every foreign market research project appeared first on Trade Ready.

I have had a passion for learning foreign languages since childhood, and I enjoy travelling, meeting people from different places, and learning about their cultures and traditions.

At one point in my life, while I was a Market Analyst in a dynamic international business consulting company in Eastern Europe, I felt I was lacking knowledge and understanding of international business specifics outside of that region of the world.

[Tweet “I decided to fill in this gap with education, and perhaps some work experience abroad.”]

Filling gaps to reach my international trade career objectives

The FITT-accredited International Business Management program offered through Fanshawe College seemed to be a perfect fit for me.

First, its curriculum covered all the topics that I required for my career development. Second, I was tempted with the idea of receiving professional credentials from FITT along with my college diploma.

During the transition period I rushed through all stages of culture shock. In the first month everything was new and fascinating: new food, colourful and diverse culture, and great people. Every time total strangers greeted me on the street with the most sincere smile, it made me feel welcomed and inspired!

Ironically, I then started to feel overwhelmed and frustrated for the same reasons: new food, unfamiliar culture, and a lack of personal communication and close friends.

Once the school year started, I realized that there was simply no time for being homesick. Together with the very high workload, our curriculum was so catching that I dove into studying from the start and quickly adjusted to my new routine.

A global trade learning experience that exceeded my expectations

The program was very multicultural and enabled us as students to build strong cultural-competency and sensitivity while working on various group assignments. The program brought together more than 40 students from around the world: India, China, Western Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and of course Canada.  Where can you gain more knowledge on international business culture than from actual foreign professionals?

The program also supplied us with a toolbox for each stage of the international business life cycle.

This includes analysis of market fitness and choosing the proper market entry strategy, to managing marketing and legal aspects, finance and logistics.

Not only do the FITTskills textbooks cover valuable and up-to-date concepts of international business, but as students, we also had the chance to work on a number of realistic projects on topics such as international trade research, business planning, financial planning and marketing planning.

Coming from the Ukraine—a civil law country—the Legal Aspects of International Trade course was something that I required to augment my skills. It helped me become knowledgeable about regulatory specifics in common law and international business relations.

The International Trade Finance course helped me to expand my vision of international financial markets and the various tools available for cross-border transactions.

My previous role as a market analyst involved consulting with businesses that were seeking growth, either internationally or locally. They were very limited in terms of resources, and they were operating in a highly unfavourable business environment with practically no access to project or trade financing.

With my newly acquired knowledge, I know I would now be able to provide quality advice on some of the instruments that are available to such organizations abroad.

Applying my new international trade skills in the real world

After the first semester, several students in the program who demonstrated their dedication and achieved the highest GPAs were invited to apply their skills to real business situations. Being one of them, I volunteered to conduct a market feasibility study for a European medical device manufacturer seeking expansion into the North American market.

My research was structured based on two projects, including one based specifically on international trade research, and the other on international business planning. These projects were required in order to finish the FITT-accredited program and earn the FITT Diploma in International Trade.

Working on the study provided meaningful industry insights, demonstrated the real advantages of Canada over the U.S. as a viable market, and offered practical recommendations for possible market-entry and partnership opportunities.

This experience prepared me and gave me the skills to be able to gather, analyze and interpret data through primary and secondary research. It also gave me the skills to develop concrete recommendations for practically any industry.

A helping hand to guide my career in the right direction

In addition to this, the program’s teaching staff had their own incredible international business experience and perspectives, which they shared willingly. The personal and professional support we received from the professors was limitless.

With a genuine interest in international market research, there were many times when I turned for advice to my International Trade Research and International Trade Management professor and mentor, Murray Morgan.

In order to complete an international trade research project I was working on for a waste management solution company, I was expected to do primary research in the target market. I initially attempted to conduct primary research several times through various questionnaires and surveys.

However, the response rates were too low to draw conclusions. When I expressed my concerns to Professor Morgan, he pointed out that it was not so much about the instrument itself; but rather it was about asking the right questions to the right people.

Instead of addressing my survey to administrative offices in targeted organizations, I invested a great deal of time to obtain direct contact with people who were related to custodial services or facility management. The outcome was amazing! I received answers from most of the respondents within hours, and I was able to confirm my preliminary conclusions.

Professor Morgan’s natural talent for teaching and remarkable work experience motivated me to continue my career path in international business. Even after graduation, he has supported and guided me in my career development and he continues to help me build my professional network in Canada.

For this purpose, I am planning to work towards my CITP®|FIBP® designation. I believe that this will give me more credibility and exposure to the community of international trade professionals, and will truly unlock my potential.

Looking forward to my growth opportunities in international trade research

In the international market research field, I see myself providing practical business development consulting to internationally focused companies that are exploring new horizons.

Since I am now more educated on different aspects of international business management, I will be able to look at my future research projects from a totally different and broader angle.

I think this will enable me to become a more insightful specialist.

In this world where information quickly becomes obsolete, being able to transform data into intelligence and draw practical business recommendations is a valuable skill that I’m glad I possess!

The post How I unlocked my career potential in international market research appeared first on Trade Ready.

Albert Knab is an International Business Professor at Fanshawe College’s Lawrence Kinlin School of Business in London, Ontario.

After traveling the world for nearly two decades selling specialized agricultural equipment and functional foods on five different continents, he decided to make a return to academic life.  He now coordinates the college’s FITT-accredited International Business Management Program, and has been doing so for the last seven years.

In this role, I believe it’s important to model and value the students’ work and effort by obtaining the same designation they aspire to earn.

He chose to apply for the CITP®|FIBP® because he wants to be a model for his students.

Albert has an impressive range of knowledge and real-world experiences in almost every area of international trade. He has conducted market research and developed market entry strategies for countries in North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Europe. He has created marketing and sales strategies for a wide range of products in a variety of markets, and he has developed and negotiated contracts and ensured compliance for trade deals around the world. Albert has also managed the financial side of trade.

“I have successfully negotiated and executed payment and credit facilities for all of the international trades I’ve completed,” he says.

Now that Albert is back in the classroom, he works very hard to give his students not only an international-focused education, but also international experiences.

“One of my goals is to enable students to take a semester at one of our European partner universities in equivalent International Business Management Programs,” he says. “We hope to negotiate agreements that will allow European students to earn FITT credits as well, thus making the learning experience itself international.”

In the past year, Albert developed and delivered a paper at the Oxford Humanitarian Innovation Project on the utility of using MOOCs to create new knowledge about sustainable “Necessity Entrepreneurship” in the developing world.  He says follow-up work will likely include the UNHCR and UNIDO, and providing input on their livelihoods/entrepreneurship training programs.

“I hope some of my students will also decide to enter the international not-for-profit and NGO world as a career in international trade,” he says.  “I say this first because these organizations are massive transnational corporations that require all of the skills of a CITP, and second because of the valuable nature of the work they do.”

Albert has had close ties with FITT over the years, delivering the accredited courses as well as FITT’s Going Global series of introductory workshops. He also assisted with our International Trade Sector study, and is now an educational representative for our ongoing International Competency Standards project.

I truly enjoy working with FITT because it fills an immense professional void in a very focused and extremely effective way.

“I hope that I can continue to add value to the organization and the CITP designation for some time to come.”

The post Albert Knab, CITP│FIBP — International Business Management Professor/Coordinator appeared first on Trade Ready.