As Ifeyinwa Egboka completed her Bachelor’s degree in economics in Nigeria, she knew that she wanted to pursue a career in international trade.

“I was interested in the industry because I have a passion to grow business ventures and help others create new markets,” she explains.

Soon after graduating, she started her first job in client services with Diamond Bank, with a primary focus on helping clients determine their financial needs and develop growth plans. She also developed a marketing campaign to increase awareness for the bank’s e-banking and mobile platforms, to ensure customers could meet their banking needs on the go as well.

A year later, she moved to Zenith Bank, where she continued to work with clients on a daily basis. Her responsibilities expanded to offering in-depth analysis and recommendations to their business strategy, and to serving as an advisor to clients on the dynamics of their international trade transactions.

Getting to see individual companies achieve the success they had hoped for with her help remains a notable career highlight.

“Every story is exciting, but one that stands out is when I was able to identify an opportunity for a client in the abattoir manufacturing business and opened up a massive market for them in West Africa. It was a win for all involved: the manufacturer, the clients, the immediate host community and the government.”

Moving thousands of miles to continue her studies and career development

As Ifeyinwa progressed in her career, she realized staying on top of the latest changes and adopting a continuous learning mindset was a priority to her.

“The world is a dynamic place! Things change all the time. Don’t assume you know the market or region too well. Always keep abreast of the changes even if they are coming thick and fast.”

Wanting to continue her education in Canada, Ifeyinwa moved to Toronto and completed the FITT courses through Seneca College’s international business management graduate certificate program. Finding the training helpful to her career, the program also spurred an interest in adding trade certification to her resume.

“One of the courses on offer as part of my program at Seneca was international trade and logistics. I realized that this was I had mostly spent my career doing before deciding to further my studies in Canada.

I checked out the relevant certification and decided that I would love to acquire the CITP|FIBP certification.

Immediately after completing her graduate certificate and earning her FITT Diploma in International Trade, she applied for the designation and is now proud to have earned the CITP|FIBP.

“When I found out I’d officially earned it, I felt elated and great. I am still exploring the advantages and privileges that the certification comes with, and I hope it play a big positive role in my future.”

Now working as a Fraud Officer for the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) in the GTA, she is helping to keep client accounts safe from fraudulent activity and working to identify and eliminate fraudulent actions or trends.

With her career now established in Canada and her CITP certification, we look forward to seeing what she accomplishes next.

The post CITP Spotlight: Ifeyinwa Egboka, CITP|FIBP – Fraud Officer appeared first on Trade Ready.

Kellen Spence, now an Account Manager with the Erb Group in Kitchener, Ontario, got his start in international trade while working in manufacturing and quality control at BlackBerry.

“I have always been interested in international trade and global supply chains. I worked for BlackBerry after high school and I watched the supply chain gradually become global, and then the manufacturing activities were outsourced to foreign markets as well. It was at that time I decided to jump straight into the international trade industry.”

After nearly five years there, Kellen accepted a new position with Farrow, one of North America’s largest logistics, customs broker and compliance companies, as a Customs Release Agent. In this role, he worked with clients to facilitate the release of their goods from customs, ensured all shipping and customs documents were completed and filed properly, and dealt directly with CBSA to solve any client issues.

As his responsibilities evolved, he then took on a new Business Development Analyst position. He helped research and prospect qualified leads, analyzed client activities to find new ways to assist, built relationships with new clients to meet their logistics needs.

Since evolving job responsibilities are increasingly common, trade continues to change at a rapid rate and resources are available, he recommends other trade professionals in a similar situation do everything possible to stay up to date however possible.

“Read! Consume as much industry content as you can get your hands on. With the advent of Youtube and other video recording platforms, I now watch as much industry related content as I can as well.”

Applying his skillset to a diverse set of logistics experiences

Over the past few years, Kellen has tackled a varied set of challenges within the logistics industry. When he first started with the Erb Group, his current employer, he worked with truckers to ensure their manifests and other documents were accurate, plan shipments based on availability, and assist them in other ways, including speaking to CBSA and CPB on their behalf regarding border crossings and compliance questions.

As an Account Manager, he now works with clients to find the best solutions to their specific opportunities and problems, and foster productive long-term business relationships with a multitude of companies.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to work on a couple of projects with a large fair trade retailer based in southern Ontario,” he explained to illustrate the kind of projects he works on. “Combining my passion for global trade and fair trade has by far been the best story to come of my career so far.”

As he worked with clients, he wanted to expand his knowledge into other areas of international trade and maximize his potential opportunities, so he took the FITTskills courses online.

FITTskills was a great experience and has given me the knowledge needed to leverage my career and develop brand new opportunities.

“I enjoyed the International Trade Finance course the most. Understanding different insurances and financial instruments that can be used to mitigate and eliminate risk is an area not usually explored within the logistics industry. It allowed me to bridge the gap between the finance and logistics business functions.”

Matching experience with the education and credentials to back it up

Once he completed all six FITTskills courses to earn his FITT Diploma, Kellen successfully applied to become a CITP (Certified International Trade Professional) to prove his competency and skills in global trade and continue to help his company achieve their goals.

“I feel extremely optimistic about the potential opportunities that the CITP designation will bring in my career. I plan to help my company build brand new services and solutions that focus on global markets. I strongly believe that the CITP designation is my platform to achieve this.”

His CITP designation, along with his other credentials, experience and education, now serve as a point of pride as he continues to make new strides in his career.

“I’m most proud of the diverse experience and education that I’ve gathered so far in my career. Having the opportunity to work in customs brokerage, international freight forwarding, and trucking has allowed me to package that knowledge along with my Certified Customs Specialist designation, an advanced certificate in freight forwarding from the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association, and now the CITP designation. I now have an excellent hand of knowledge cards to play as my career progresses.”

The post Kellen Spence, CITP|FIBP – Account Manager appeared first on Trade Ready.

Karmesh Patel first became interested in international trade during childhood. His interest was twofold, as he was fascinated by trade’s importance to both the global economy and international development.

“Growing up, I was always passionate to learn about importing and exporting and how the world economy relies on international trade. I also strongly believe that before the rapid development of technology that we see today, it was the international movement of goods and people that helped spread international culture and language. When you look into history, many civilizations were developed near oceans and international borders, since they were able to capitalize on transportation of goods and people.”

To pursue this interest as a career path, he earned his Bachelors of Commerce from Ryerson University, with a specialization in global management studies. During his studies, he worked on projects that gave him his first experience of what exporting companies have to deal with on a daily basis, and won a Global Citizen award from the school for his accomplishments both in the classroom and the community. After finishing his degree, he then also earned a post-graduate certificate in international development from Humber College.

Moving halfway around the world to pursue his career goals

Once he completed his studies, Karmesh wanted to improve his knowledge of international business and cultures, and decided the best way to do so would be to gain international experience. To do so, he accepted a position as Program Manager with the TATU Project, based on Moshi, Tanzania.

The organization’s focus is sustainable development in rural communities in northern Tanzania. His responsibilities mainly involved managing project finances, social business projects and the transport of goods to the rural communities he worked with. The final of these responsibilities led to one of the most memorable stories of his career to date.

“One of the major bridges we crossed on a regular basis was under construction and we were faced with a big challenge, because we needed to transport bulk goods to the community. Given that we were not provided with a concrete time frame for when the bridge would be repaired, and that we couldn’t purchase too much food in bulk, because of spoilage, we had to make some critical decisions.”

“Luckily, during the construction of the main bridge, the local administrative government built a small temporary bridge for the purpose of walking or driving via motorcycle only. When we spoke to local officials about our dilemma, local youth overheard and offered to help transport bulk bags of goods via motorcycle, since the overall goal was to help keep the local community and its businesses operating. Due to our bridge dilemma, we decided to work with the local youth to transport goods to our community stakeholders.”

“I really like this story because it shows you how community support and collaboration and help overcome any obstacle.”

Learning online at his own pace to further his career in international trade

Still passionate about international trade, he began taking the FITTskills online courses to continue learning about the industry, earn his FITT Diploma and expand his career options.

“I had a wonderful experience taking the FITTskills courses. The FITTskills courses all provided highly detailed information and really helped me further understand each area of international trade. They are perfect for anyone who is interested in gaining a broad-spectrum perspective about international trade and business. I found the material in the Global Value Chain and International Sales and Marketing courses really helped me excel in my Program Manager role with the TATU Project.”

His favourite course, International Market Entry Strategies, was also helpful for his current work and in helping him plan to make a career dream come true.

“I found learning about the research and analysis required to choose the most advantageous market entry strategy to be very fascinating. This course demonstrated the reality of what international businesses have to go through to be prepared for a new business venture.”

“Another key reason why this was my favourite course is that it has always been my goal to be part of a foreign direct investment team/organization implementing a greenfield investment in a foreign market. This course provided detailed information and helped me gain knowledge on how I can make this dream come true one day.”

Joining the Livingston team and the CITP community

Early in 2018, shortly before earning his FITT Diploma, Karmesh began his current job as a Cross Border Agent with Livingston International, one of North America’s biggest customs broker and freight forwarding companies. His responsibilities include processing electronic manifests, resolving shipment issues with CBSA (Canadian Border Services Agency) and CPB (U.S. Customs Border Protection), and ensuring shipments are in compliance with all relevant rules and regulations.

He says his role has helped him develop a better understanding of North America’s international trade traffic. His FITTskills training has also been helpful in settling into the role.

“I found that the Feasibility of International Trade course really helped me, as the course provide in-depth knowledge of creating an export plan and clearly explained import/export procedures.”

Wanting to prove himself to his clients and employer, Karmesh also successfully applied for the CITP®|FIBP® designation. He is optimistic it will help him stand out from the crowd, as well as learn from and connect with others.

“I chose to apply for the CITP designation because I wanted to join the CITP community, meet fellow designation holders and learn from some of the industry’s elite. As a young international trade professional, the designation also provides me with a further level of credibility for my employers and clients. I foresee my CITP designation playing a major role in assuring employers and clients of my credibility in international trade and business.”

With the credibility the CITP designation provides, I know I am one step closer of achieving my long term goal to implement a greenfield investment in a foreign market. I also foresee the CITP designation helping me start my own international business to help small agriculture business owners in developing countries.

The post Karmesh Patel, CITP|FIBP – Cross Border Agent appeared first on Trade Ready.

For Andreina Figuera, moving to Panama with her family at age 15 was an important catalyst in her future career choice.

“My interest in trade and international business started at a very early age. I have always wanted to know how it worked and how the world was connected. This curiosity deepened when I first visited the Panama Canal.”

Remaining in Panama for her education, she then completed her Bachelor’s degree in International Commerce at the Inter American University of Panama.

“This educational experience allowed me to understand that this field requires specialized human resources in foreign trade. I learned about the operational tasks of foreign trade, such as international quotations, adjusting to customer requirements, export and import logistics, issuance and control of documentation, calculation of export and import costs, market surveys, strategic business plans and development of intercultural relations.”

Partway through her program, she started working as an international trade assistant with her current employer, which deals in selling heavy mining and construction equipment.

Initially, this was a helpful way for her to put the theoretical knowledge she was acquiring in school into practical use, further improving her skills. As time went on, her responsibilities expanded and she helped her company expand into new Latin American markets, building a wide series of contacts and learning more about tariff barriers, free trade agreements and the legal and intercultural aspects of trade.

Taking her education to the next level

When Andreina completed her degree in 2013, she knew that it would not be the end of her education. Since then, she has also completed her graduate diploma in senior management in 2016 and her MBA, with a focus on finance, in 2017.

“As a young and dynamic professional, I was very interested in pursuing my continuing education and keeping up to date with the demands that the market presented. The desire to continue advancing professionally and to gather the necessary skills for decision making and to achieve an effective management greatly inspired me to take on post graduate studies in senior management.”

“Completing my MBA also allowed me to have a macro and microeconomic vision of trade. This helped me develop into an agent with deep knowledge in business management, and gave me management skills I needed to make assertive and rational decisions, contributing to my continuing development and progress in the personal and professional field.”

In 2018, she also added the FITT Diploma in International Trade to her educational achievements, earning it via a combination of FITT’s Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process and the online courses.

“The FITTskills online courses gave me the opportunity to validate what I have learned during my work experience. It was a great experience to take these courses with a reputable and recognized organization, and it is very helpful for professionals in the field to share experience and increase their knowledge.”

Expanding partnership opportunities, new international branches and the Panama Canal itself

During this time her work responsibilities also evolved, and she now works as an international sales executive and commercial representative. This role include everything from helping companies with their business plans and marketing strategies to representing them in trade shows and fairs, negotiating and closing sales deals and managing the legal and administrative aspects of those deals.

One of her greatest professional victories was as part of a team assessing the opportunity to open a new company branch in different Latin American countries, which turned out to be a successful venture.

“After extensive market research and cautious analysis of the political risks, tax requirements, legal framework and more, we decided to open a branch there. I was responsible for defining specific import strategies with different custom agents that would be fiscally optimal and meet all legal requirements, as well as how to best manage our various intercultural relationships in the market.”

She also played an important role in negotiating and managing a new strategic alliance with another leading company in the heavy equipment industry, which helped her expand their sales significantly in different countries within South and North America.

“During different partnership experiences, I’ve been able to negotiate the agreement and manage the logistics, as well as rigorously monitor any commercial issues crossing borders.”

In another career highlight, she played an important role in a team to buy equipment that had originally been manufactured for the use on the Panama Canal expansion project.

“In this process, I had the opportunity to work directly on the contract negotiation for the exclusive international marketing and sales of said equipment. It was especially exciting for me because I think the Panama Canal is one of the greatest engineering masterpieces in the world. The canal changed the world’s transport system, not only because crossing it was the fastest and most effective way compared to the traditional routes of Chile, Africa or the Suez Canal in Egypt, but also because it contributes in a cost reduction of 7% to 17% per shipping container, according to the calculations realized by several logistic operators at that moment.”

Her new challenge is helping her company break into the Canadian market. She is currently working in Montreal as part of a larger strategy to build contacts and attract new business there.

She also decided to spread her knowledge and experience to the next generation, and is now teaching business related subjects at a reputable college in Montreal. She believes that when teaching blends experience with knowledge, it makes a real difference in education.

In 2018, she furthermore became an author on TradeReady, writing the article Are you ready to export? 8 golden rules for success in a new market.

Cementing her expertise with the trade certification to back up her skills

With nine years of experience, the ability to communicate in three languages (Spanish, Portuguese and English), experience visiting over 15 countries throughout Latin America, North America and Europe, and a wide network of professional contacts, in both commercial and educational sectors, Andreina has already built up an impressive resume in international trade.

Her Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation is now the latest addition to that resume, which she is proud of and recommends to other professionals looking to get ahead in the industry.

“The challenges and the constant changes worldwide encourage me to continue getting prepared and staying up to date, which is why I was motivated to obtain the CITP®|FIBP® certification. My aim was to validate my capacity and experience, and to acquire more credibility through commitment and interest in the business of international trade.”

“This designation gives exposure for professionals to advance in their careers, as it heightens their profile and which will definitely open new doors to them.”

The post Andreina Figuera, CITP|FIBP – International Sales Executive appeared first on Trade Ready.

The Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) is collaborating with The Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) International, to support the advancement of women and the professional growth of OWIT members with expert trade training, resources and certification.

OWIT is a non-profit, professional organization that provides access to networking, education and professional development opportunities for more than 2,000 men and women in over 20 countries in all continents worldwide.

FITT and OWIT are working together to boost their members global trade competencies, professional growth and business opportunities. OWIT members will enjoy access to global trade training from FITT at an exclusive member-only price, as well as benefits such as networking, international business resources and the opportunity to obtain their professional global trade certification, the official CITP®|FIBP® designation.

The Forum for International Trade Training, FITT

The Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing international business training, resources and professional certification to individuals and businesses.

Whether you’re looking to grow your business, invest in personal development for your employees, or meet your own personal career goals, the right training and certification can help you enhance your knowledge and credibility, stand out from the competition and take advantage of opportunities.

Endorsed by and in collaboration with Export Development Canada (EDC), FITT provides training courses that give you the world’s most up-to-date, industry-validated global trade information available. The courses are created with the help of many experts working in the global trade industry, to ensure all material is tailored to help you develop the practical skills and competencies you need to succeed in meeting the everyday demands of international business.

FITT’s online courses and workshops enable you to pursue your self-directed training whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you. Target the global trade topics that matter most to you or your business or complete all of the courses and earn your CITP (Certified International Trade Professional) designation.

FITT’s international business training programs and professional designation (CITP®|FIBP®) have become the standard of excellence for global trade professionals across Canada and around the world.

What is the CITP?

The CITP®|FIBP®, the world’s 1st professional designation for international business professionals is recognized worldwide as the mark of highest competence in global trade. The CITP designation helps professionals enhance their skills, knowledge and credibility in all aspects of international business.

Who is the CITP for? Professionals in all different stages of their careers, including business owners, experienced executives, and anyone who is just starting out or already working in international business can benefit from certification that officially validates their professional competency.

Endorsed by the World Trade Centers Association and the Government of Canada, the CITP®|FIBP® designation is held by global trade professionals in over 40 countries and growing.

The benefits of joining OWIT

OWIT offers webinars, conferences, networking opportunities as well as resources where members can find speakers, consultants and advisors on international business and trade.

Some of the most rewarding benefits of OWIT membership come from participation in the networking, educational, and professional growth opportunities available through a local OWIT chapter. Members can take advantage of a broad range of opportunities to advance their professional and personal growth. Events organized by chapters reflect the diversity and range of chapter locations and members’ interests.

You can become a member of OWIT by joining an existing local chapter, the ‘virtual chapter’, or by starting your own chapter. The option to join the ‘virtual chapter’ works well for individuals who do not have access to a local OWIT chapter where they reside or work.

Once you join your local OWIT chapter, or the virtual chapter, you automatically become a member of OWIT International, giving you access to the OWIT International network.

Join or learn more about OWIT.

The post FITT and OWIT International team up to support the advancement of women in international trade appeared first on Trade Ready.

For most people, an understanding of the importance of international trade is something that develops during their post-secondary education or in their career. For Gordon Zhang, however, it was something that developed at a young age as his parents run a food manufacturing company in China, and exporting forms the majority of their revenue.

As he grew older, he decided he wanted to take on a greater role in the business. He also wanted to improve his English and knowledge of Western culture so he could do more business in North America and Europe. In order to do both, he decided to move to Canada to pursue his studies and earned his degree in economics from the University of New Brunswick.

After graduating, Gordon took on various roles that allowed him to build his sales, business development and finance skills, and moved to the Vancouver area. In 2016, he earned his current role of International Sales Manager at Bestmaker Food, and has been thriving there ever since.

Within one year, I achieved over 6 Million RMB in sales. I helped to build relationships with a lot big name wholesalers, such as Dole, Rewe (a German supermarket chain), Walmart in Central America, and Dollarama in Canada.

I also translated all production logs, documents, audit reports and other related information from the factory to English, so that buyers have greater understanding of our practices and confidence in our factory.”

“I developed procedures within the factory to build up a folder for each client, and keep conversation records, sales records, clients’ comments and feedback, their preferences and special requirements, etc. on file. Now we are able to track down our history with every client, and we know how to continuously improve our relationships with them. We can also build better production plans based on their purchase schedules.”

Building practical skills and knowledge to excel in his role

While in Vancouver in 2016, he attended an event where he first learned about FITT.

“I joined a Meetup event where international trade professionals met to share information and ideas, as well as invite experts from the tax sector, EDC, and other fields to give speeches. I was told the events are sponsored co-organized by FITT, so I looked it up.”

He soon began the FITTskills online courses, and found them to be highly beneficial in developing the everyday skills he needed to improve his job performance, particularly in regards to finance.

“The first fundamental piece of knowledge that I learned from the FITTskills courses was Incoterms® and trade terms. I was told about FOB, CFR, etc. at work, but I didn’t know the inside differences and the risks tied with them. The courses allowed me to learn more about these terms and apply them correctly at work. It also allows me to use some Incoterms that were new to me and that are not frequently used to promote sales.”

“I enjoyed every course, and my favorite one was International Trade Finance. It not only taught me how to mitigate risks and how to use financial tools in trade, but also showed me how to solve payment issues through contracts and negotiations. Most importantly, it provided me with the method to build financial plans in the short term and long term for international business. This is extremely important to our factory since we are operating at a very tight profit margin with very tight cash flow, and having healthy cash inflow and outflow is very important.”

I would recommend FITT’s courses to others, no matter if you are new to this field or an experienced professional.

The excitement of travelling and working with others around the world

Much of Gordon’s schedule each day is based around when his various clients around the world are awake and on business hours, so he can metaphorically cover most of the globe in just a few hours.

“In the morning, I go to the office and check my emails first, because a lot clients are working and emailing in China during the evening there. After that, I will have a plan on what to do that morning and know whether I need to send a new production plan to the workshop, follow up on the status of any previous orders or ask suppliers for price updates on raw materials.”

“After talking with workshop managers and checking production, I will go back to office in the afternoon to call some domesgtic clients or those in Asia and Russia. Most countries in Asia and East Europe are coming to their morning and the start of the work day by then, so it is time for me to ask for their purchase plans, give them market updates, etc., and make records of our conversations.”

He also travels frequently for events worldwide and attended over a dozen fairs worldwide in 2017, including ANUGA Cologne, SIAL Paris, GULFOOD Dubai, FISPAL Brazil, Fancy Food New York, PLMA Amsterdam, PLMA Chicago, and the Canton Fair. Before any events of this scale, he usually spends the week before leaving working on posters, preparing samples, and connecting with clients or potential customers who will also attend.

One of his favourite stories also involves travel, when a rabbi in his 80s came to his company’s factory from Israel to supervise productions of orders from a Jewish company. Since his travel was during Passover, he had brought his own supply of bread and certain fruits, which proved to be a learning experience for Gordon about Jewish culture and Passover.

Despite his advanced age, his stamina and ability to continue without rest also astounded him.

“He flew about 8 hours from Israel to Shanghai and started working right away, even after suffering through a five hour domestic connection flight delay. After one week at our factory, he went to another factory for another four days. He said that he would fly back to Israel and have a break for around two weeks, but after that, he was going to fly again to Thailand to check some more productions!”

Advancing his career with the CITP®|FIBP® designation

After completing all of the FITTskills online courses to earn his FITT Diploma, Gordon successfully applied for the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation in April 2018.

“FITT’s education helped me to build comprehensive knowledge in international trade. The network of many international trade experts from different industries, backgrounds and cultures will help me in my career, and I am very excited about receiving the designation!”

Having the designation will definitely help me to grow my business.

“With another several years of experience, learning, and networking, I would like to open an international trade consulting business, to provide advice to others using what I learned from the FITTskills courses and from fellow CITPs and others in the FITT community.”

With this credential in hand, a growing career and a firm vision for his future goals, Gordon is ready to take on any challenge that comes his way.

The post Gordon Zhang, CITP|FIBP – International Sales Manager appeared first on Trade Ready.

Starting today, EDC and FITT have launched their first collaborative online training product, a powerful tool for Canada’s next generation of trade leaders.

It’s called EDC-FITT International Trade Training – a digital platform that offers courses and workshops for exporters new to the game, thinking about getting into it or looking to deepen their expertise.

Back in October, EDC announced a five-year collaboration with the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) with the goal of making international trade knowledge more accessible to professionals. EDC-FITT Training, now live and open for registration, is the first product of this partnership.

“Empowering global business professionals to be high performers through practical, industry standard-based training has long been one of FITT’s main missions,” says FITT President and CEO Caroline Tompkins. “EDC is a natural ally in building professional success in international markets. Teaming up with EDC to launch EDC-FITT International Trade Training is a wonderful opportunity to bring this world-leading training to more professionals.”

Online learning offers flexibility, allowing you to take the courses and workshops in any order and at any time that is convenient for you. The available course subjects accommodate all aspects of international business, teaching valuable, practical skills that can be used right away to advance careers and business success.

The EDC-FITT International Trade Training digital platform provides a new, easy-to-navigate place to take advantage of the complete FITTskills program. It will serve as a central hub for the latest training and resources for all global business professionals who want to be high performers and take their careers to new heights.

The post World-leading EDC-FITT International Trade Training launches today! appeared first on Trade Ready.

I also found that business students ran into many of the same problems, even though one may expect them to have learned about international business in detail. I was surprised to find out that, while many undergraduate business programs have courses in international commerce, they typically serve more as high-level introductions than detailed, practical instructions on how to succeed in the global marketplace.

When I discovered the FITTskills program, I appreciated that it is designed as a practical how-to guide for professionals in international trade.

The online courses move beyond theory and are designed for practitioners. The course textbooks often include checklists of what needs to be done in any given business scenario.

As a result, I decided to complete the FITTskills program as an undergraduate student, and I found it to be incredibly beneficial as a supplement to my existing studies. FITTskills brought the economic concepts I learned to life, provided the details and practical step-by-step instructions I was looking for, and gave me a sense of the real problems and opportunities that businesses face.

While many people wait until they’re already in the workplace to take training like this, I believe that students too, not just professionals, should take the FITTskills program.

FITTskills helped me get a job

Completing the FITTskills program while I was a student required multi-tasking and time management skills. Furthermore, I had to pay for the FITTskills courses, in addition to my regular tuition payments.

However, it was well worth it. I saw it as an investment (of time and money) in my future, which has now paid off. I’m new in my career, at just 24, but I firmly believe the program helped me become more competitive in the job market and get my first post-university job.

When I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts at the University of Windsor, I applied to an opening at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, the leading think-tank on Canada-Asia relations. When I applied, I was nervous because I only had a Bachelor’s degree—I assumed most applicants would have a Master’s degree or other qualifications. Nonetheless, I was grateful to be hired on.

While many factors went into my successful application, the FITTskills program was a major benefit.

The project I was to work on dealt with export promotion to Asia, and I touted the FITTskills program (and particularly the International Market Entry Strategies course) several times in my interview. FITTskills added something to my resume that most other applicants did not have. In an ultra-competitive jobs market, every extra qualification can set you apart.

FITTskills helped me build my career – and will help you too

The FITTskills program is great for professionals who are mid-career and want to re-focus their attention on international markets. However, I wanted to focus my attention on international markets from the beginning of my career. Having the background knowledge from the FITTskills program gave me a running start, and the opportunity to enter my career with a practical understanding of international business from the beginning. This benefited me when I entered the world of global trade—but it will also benefit me if I enter domestic markets too.

Students today, as I did, graduate in an international world—their careers are impacted by global forces. Understanding the minutiae of international business at the beginning can be incredibly helpful, and can play an important part in getting your first job.

The post Practical training was the competitive edge I needed to land my first job in international trade. It can be yours too. appeared first on Trade Ready.

Though trade wasn’t initially on Katherine’s radar, working in a role with an international focus had been her goal from the very start. It was this goal that facilitated her transition to the world of trade, shifting her career path in an exciting new direction.

“I hadn’t considered trade at the start of my career. During my studies in International Development at the University of Ottawa, I worked in a student placement at the Canadian Council on Africa. It was a great fit because of my interest in international work, but more importantly it was my first introduction to the world of trade and its role in promoting sustainable economic growth. Since then, most of my roles have revolved around this idea of bridging international trade and development.”

After graduating, Katherine held several positions in the Canadian government, including the Africa Bureau of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, and served 6 months in Nepal working on landmine issues and livelihood programmes in local communities.

In 2014, Katherine returned to the world of trade by joining TFO Canada (Trade Facilitation Office of Canada) as a Project Officer in their Trade Information Services team. TFO Canada’s mission is to reduce poverty by helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries export to Canada. Building the export capacity of SME producers helps to spur economic growth and development in local communities, so the role was a natural fit for Katherine, combining her interests in international development and trade.

“In the field of international development, you need to have an area of focus and technical skills to show what specific value you can offer. I chose to specialize in international trade, which has opened a lot of doors for me.”

Katherine (far right) Meeting with TFO Canada’s Advisory Council of trade representatives from developing countries.

Getting a clearer picture of the mechanics of trade

As part of her specialization in trade, Katherine decided to take the FITTskills courses. The experience not only expanded her knowledge, but also helped her to think about trade in new ways, improving her ability to help clients worldwide.

“When I joined TFO Canada, I knew that I needed to learn more about trade in order to better serve our clients in developing countries. I was able to take the FITTskills courses online, which enabled me to go through the material while I was working full-time.”

While some training programs are more theoretical, the FITTskills courses gave me real insight into the nuts and bolts of how trade actually gets done.

“I gained a much clearer picture of how goods move through a supply chain, how trade transactions are financed, and what risks and challenges businesses face internationally. I was able to speak with more confidence using a trade vocabulary.”

“The International Trade Finance course was my favourite because it was the topic I knew the least about. Finance was something I had taken for granted, without really thinking about its impact on trade transactions. Thinking about payment terms, liabilities, bills of lading, and all the other complexities of trade finance is critical, especially because access to credit is one of the main obstacles to trade for the SMEs I am working with. I was able to apply what I learned right away.”

Katherine was sponsored for two FITTskills courses by OWIT Ottawa (Organization of Women in International Trade), through a partnership with FITT and Export Development Canada to promote trade training amongst women in Canada. She is now a member of OWIT Lake Geneva, where she coordinates high-level panels, events, and receptions with UN, NGOs, private sector and women’s groups.

Helping businesses succeed in Canada

Since completing the FITTskills courses, Katherine has been able to apply what she learned to better serve SMEs from developing countries. A project she had a particularly strong impact on was producing a Guide on Exporting to Canada as well as conducting market research on key sectors for TFO Canada’s clients. She also supported TFO Canada’s export capacity building programmes, including developing training materials for workshops in the field and hosting SMEs at Canadian trade shows.

“Trade shows are where the magic happens. It is a real ‘all hands on deck’ experience, with our staff at TFO Canada supporting companies with logistics, booth displays, product selection, and matchmaking with potential buyers in Canada. The goal is both to familiarize companies with the Canadian market, and to provide real business leads based on where the Canadian market is moving.”

A transatlantic move to the United Nations

In 2016, Katherine moved to Geneva, Switzerland to complete her MBA at the University of Geneva in a programme specialized in International Organizations. Shortly after beginning this program, she applied for her elite Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation.

Having the designation is an easy way to show that I have skills, knowledge and expertise in international trade. It adds business credibility to the work I do in development, because companies know that I understand their business and the day-to-day challenges they face.

“I am also seeing the designation listed as a preferred qualification in job postings, so it is well recognized in today’s competitive job market.”

Katherine hiking the Swiss Alps to the famous Matterhorn (Toblerone) mountain.

While completing her MBA program, Katherine joined the International Labour Organization (a United Nations agency) working on monitoring and evaluation for a factory training programme in developing countries. To date, the programme has reached over 1,100 SMEs and 270,000 managers and workers with trainings to improve business competitiveness and working conditions.

“SME training is a pre-cursor to exporting and participating in global value chains. It’s becoming more competitive than ever to do business internationally, and global buyers are putting pressure on their suppliers to improve both productivity and labour standards. SMEs need to make sure they’re ready to meet those expectations.”

“We’re helping SMEs to modernize and improve their business and management practices, as well as ensuring that workers have a voice in the company and can contribute positively to improvements. A lot of what we do focuses on improving manager-worker relationships and creating shared benefits through decent work in SME factories.”

As she continues to deepen her trade expertise in this rewarding direction, Katherine looks forward to helping more SMEs, especially women-owned businesses, to develop the knowledge and management skills needed to excel in in global markets.

The post Katherine McGregor, CITP|FIBP – SME Development, International Labour Organization appeared first on Trade Ready.

The challenges of e-commerce are becoming easier to overcome due to the increasing familiarity with it in many markets as well as advancements in the online shopping ecosystem. Be that as it may, there are still issues requiring research and thought when setting up an e-commerce operation.

Some of the challenges posed by e-commerce have been outlined in the updated 7th edition of the FITTskills International Sales and Marketing course.

1. Distrust in the security and privacy of online transactions

Companies that establish e-commerce operations face several security risks, including:

• Denial of service: These attacks stop authorized users from accessing a website, resulting in reduced functioning of the website or its complete
• Unauthorized access to sensitive information: Hackers can obtain intellectual property and alter it, destroy it, or steal it to sell to a competitor.
• Malicious alterations to websites: Hackers have been known to alter website content to negatively impact a company’s reputation or to direct customers to competing websites when they click on a link.
• Theft of customer information: Many cases have arisen where customer credit card details, addresses, and other personal information have been stolen for criminal
• Damage to computer networks: Viruses and worm attacks can seriously affect a company’s
• Creation of counterfeit sites: Fake websites can now be created easily and at little cost to the fraudsters. These sites look identical to the authentic versions and can cause serious damage to company valuations and reputations.

To deal with these risks, companies must establish various levels of e-commerce security.

Authentication systems, such as usernames and passwords, are a basic level of control to help ensure only authorized employees have access to the website or customer information. Firewalls prevent external users from gaining access to information held on company computers, while intrusion detection software can provide an early warning for hacking attacks.

2. Viruses, malware and online attacks

As well as the financial losses, companies can also suffer a loss of reputation or market share. Companies could also open themselves up to face criminal charges.  Companies must follow government guidelines as to the level of e-commerce security and privacy they must implement.

If an attack occurs, and these guidelines have not been adhered to, a company can be prosecuted.

Viruses, Trojan horses, and worms are malicious software programs designed to damage computers in some manner. Viruses and worms infect a computer, replicate, and spread. Trojan horses are malicious programs hidden in what appears to be reputable or helpful software downloaded onto a computer. Attacks by these types of malicious programs can have serious consequences, including:

• Deletion of company data, or inability to access data
• Recording of keystrokes made by an authorized user, enabling theft of passwords and usernames
• Hijacking of the computer system
• Forwarding viruses to customer and partner computers

Companies must ensure all computers have firewall and virus protection. Employees should also be advised to not download unauthorized programs or documents from the Internet. It is also advisable to avoid opening email attachments unless the employee is expecting the named attachment to be sent to them. Companies should also make backups of essential data and store them on external drives, in cloud storage, or with reputable data storage companies.

3. Payment options and reliability

While some customers still have concerns about security and the privacy of information over the Internet, the advancement of new privacy and financial e-commerce security technologies have calmed many such fears. In addition, the expansion of connectivity bandwidth and the availability of high-seed downloads is continuing to revolutionize the sales and distribution of digital products and services.

To gain the confidence of customers, companies offer alternative payment methods so customers can select the option which makes them feel most comfortable.

Numerous online payment mechanisms exist today. PayPal is a highly subscribed service, promising secure payment in multiple currencies. Wire transfers and pre-paid accounts are other secure payment methods often offered to customers.

Companies can use other approaches to instill trust in customers both during the early stages of the decision-making process and after a sale. Trust can be built by providing efficient and reliable services that meet customer needs. For example, Tesco (a U.K.-based food retailer) has an online food shopping service. Customers can log onto the Tesco website, select their groceries and when they would like the items delivered to their home. For working customers who have little free time, this convenience often outweighs the need to personally select fruit, vegetables, and meat. And if customers are satisfied with the quality of the products delivered, they will become repeat customers.

When e-commerce operations follow an omnichannel approach, they are wise to implement fraud management efforts across channels. In doing so, they can quickly detect and address suspicious activities, no matter where and how they occur. In so doing, they offer a more secure shopping experience.

4. Complexity, uncertainty, and fraud

The O.E.C.D. Observer published a spotlight on the digital economy in 2016. The article addresses the untapped potential of e-commerce. Across the 35-member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (O.E.C.D.), half of all consumers made an online purchase in 2014, but 75% of those consumers connect to the Internet daily.

This is reason to conclude there is untapped potential, particularly for cross-border e-commerce.

To illustrate, only 15% of consumers in the E.U. shop online from another E.U. Member States. The O.E.C.D. considers the reasons why the full capacity of digital consumption has still not been reached despite improved consumer access to goods and services at competitive prices due to the Internet and mobile technology.

The O.E.C.D. notes “online shoppers complain about complexity and uncertainty about delivery for instance, or dispute resolution, and can be victims of misleading or fraudulent business practices. And improvements in business transparency, such as who to contact when a problem occurs with a good or a service, don’t often extend to improved disclosures about how personal data may be collected and used by businesses online. Although consumers now have more tools to help police market conduct, the role of well-equipped consumer watchdog authorities, like the French D.G.C.C.R.F., remains essential to enhance trust in the digital marketplace.”

Has your organization had to overcome technical hurtles in order to offer a smooth e-commerce experience? Tell us about it in the comments down below.  

The post How to protect against 4 e-commerce security challenges appeared first on Trade Ready.