I studied German and Croatian before I even finished primary school, and I later became convinced and determined that this would be the path I would take for my undergraduate studies and my future career.

Getting started in global business

One of my first jobs was working in the R&D department of a large international leather company serving markets in Europe, Canada and the United States.

One of the principal customers was Adidas, based in Germany. I was eager, excited and looked forward to the opportunity, but I also quickly learned that working in a department with all men was a whole new challenge. Let me just say that I perfected the art of making coffee.

In spite of that, I also gained many initial experiences in compliance, manufacturing, international patent submissions and international project management.

Going global for export training and career development

In the late nineties I moved from Slovenia to Canada. Growing up with a Canadian mother and having a grandmother living in Canada, I always knew that my life path would lead me here, and I decided to pursue my education at St. Clair College in Windsor, ON.

After learning about the college’s Forum for International Trade Training (FITT)-accredited program and FITT’s CITP®|FIBP® designation, I enrolled without hesitation.

Many recognize the importance of having a professional designation, but most associate it with engineering, accounting or finance. When I learned about the CITP®|FIBP® designation and how relevant it is to international trade, I knew that I wanted to become one.

I obtained my international business and marketing diplomas from St. Clair College, transferred my credits to FITT, and when I applied for the CITP®|FIBP® I earned it without issue because of my previous international business experience. This was a meaningful achievement for me.

After that, I completed two undergraduate degrees at the University of Windsor, including a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours Business Administration) and a BA Honours Modern Languages with Spanish. I chose Spanish in particular because of my passion for the language, as well as a desire to eventually do more business in Spanish-speaking countries.

I then continued my graduate studies in the U.S. at Wayne State University in Detroit, where I obtained my MBA. Due to my extensive education in international business and international business consulting, I had a lot of freedom in terms of course selection during my MBA studies, and I decided to focus on logistics and management.

Currently, at the University of West of England in UK, I am working on my PhD dissertation, focusing on the Panama Canal expansion in the context of the global supply chain.

Soon after earning my MBA, I got an opportunity to teach at the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business, and at St. Clair College. I felt great sense of accomplishment and empowerment, but also a sense of responsibility coming back to teach at the school where I was taught.

Building my career in international trade

Some of the rewarding positions and projects that have helped me build my career are the consulting work I’ve done for small businesses in Windsor-Essex area, teaching at University of Windsor and St. Clair College, and especially having the opportunity to work on the program design for the Border Management and International Trade Certificate.

I realize how much I have benefited from being exposed to various cultures and business practices at all levels throughout my career, and I translated that knowledge and experience into the program initiative.

An educational partnership between CBI and FITT

I joined the Cross-Border Institute (CBI) at the start of 2014, and I was trusted with the task of creating a workshop that would address the needs of cross-border trade and management.

One of the challenges that Windsor is facing is a high unemployment-rate. Unfortunately, Windsor now has the highest rate in all of Canada.

This fact, along with the city’s advantageous location—the busiest border crossing in North America, where about 25 percent of all Canadian road-trade passes—and the gap that the FITT-Mercer report identified in 2013 in terms of the skills needed in international trade, presented me with a natural fit.

There was an opportunity to put the FITTskills international trade training program in place at CBI to address all aspects at once.

The result is a flexible, student-centred learning program and environment that addresses the needs of working professionals looking for a way to advance their careers in global business.

It is also a great solution for college and university students and graduates looking to gain a complimentary skill-set and the knowledge needed to succeed in international trade.

My goals and expectations for the program

I am hopeful that while helping to shape export careers, the program will set an example of collaboration and flexibility in learning. I think that the most meaningful experience is that the students in the program have the opportunity to interact with professionals and students from all walks of life, which enriches their learning and makes the program authentic and current.

It was a great pleasure and honour working with the wonderful people at FITT, especially Silvia Baptista, Manager, Product & Service Delivery, and at CBI with Dr. Bill Anderson, Director and Marta Leardi-Anderson, Executive Director.

We’re so pleased to include the University of Windsor and the Cross Border Institute among the wonderful educational institutions that deliver our FITTskills international trade program.

“It has been a pleasure working with Renata and her team, and we’re proud to have her among the ranks of our elite CITP®|FIBP®s,” said Silvia

What I would say to someone thinking about registering for the program at CBI

This program is based on aligning the needs of professionals and individuals seeking to advance their knowledge with an integrative learning approach developed with industry, government and academia. This unique program is accredited by CBI, FITT and the University of Windsor under the umbrella of the Centre for Inter-Faculty Programs (IFP).

You will gain insight and knowledge about how borders and international trade relate and what needs to happen for successful international growth from an organizational perspective. At the same time you will put yourself on the path toward earning the professional Certified International Trade Professional (CITP®|FIBP®) designation.

The post How I’m helping shape export careers with Windsor’s Cross Border Institute and FITT appeared first on Trade Ready.

Early in 2014, we began our International Competency Standards (ICS) project with the goal of creating world-class industry standards and defining exactly what it takes to outperform the competition in global trade.

Hundreds of international trade professionals are taking part in various focus groups across Canada. We even have global business experts from other countries participating in this first-of-its-kind initiative.

We’re excited to announce that, in an effort to continue moving toward world standards in international trade, FITT has collaborated with the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOExIT) UK to cross-accredit both organizations’ international trade credentials.

Individuals who earn FITT credentials can now also apply for IOExIT’s equivalent credentials and vice versa, with a few exceptions.

We’re confident this new collaboration will build on our ICS project efforts, and help to further consolidate trade training standards in Canada, the UK, and globally.

We are very proud to be working with FITT, one of the only organisations we have found currently committed to the quality that we aspire to here in the United Kingdom

says Lesley Batchelor OBE, Director General of the IOExIT. “We hope that this is the start of many collaborations that will bring a standard and recognition of the value of studying world trade and getting it right!”

Setting the standard for international trade training

FITT and the IOExIT are world leaders in providing quality international trade training, developed by-business for-business. Both are committed to equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today’s competitive integrative marketplace.

IOExIT was established in the UK back in 1935 after a period of heavy recession to support economic recovery by increasing exports in goods and services. FITT was later established in 1992 to support Canadian business growth through global trade. FITT’s teaching models were originally modelled after what FITT-founder Dieter Hollweck saw organizations like IOExIT doing in Europe at the time.

“FITT and IOExIT are committed to ensuring quality international trade programs and credentials,” says Caroline Tompkins, CITP®|FIBP®, FITT President.

Strengthening trade competencies internationally will benefit not only individuals but also their employers, and ultimately the world economy.

Strengthening international trade ties

Silvia Baptista, FITT’s Manager of Product and Service Delivery, has been working hard with IOExIT staff throughout the extensive process of mapping the qualifications that both organisations have developed and maintain.

“The cross-accreditation process has been well worth the effort,” she says. “This collaboration will only increase the global visibility of credential-holders from both organizations, and it will further us all on the path toward creating a globally recognized set of international business standards.”

Silvia would also like to thank FITT’s Certification and Accreditation Committee for their support in approving the cross-accreditation.

CETA has set the stage for enhanced trade and investment between Canada, the UK and the rest of the 27 EU member-states. Collaborations like this will further equip trade professionals with the skills to ease trade between our countries, in addition to creating international growth and more global career opportunities.

The post Canada and the UK take the lead in creating global international business standards appeared first on Trade Ready.

Everyone was prepared to sign on the dotted line; Ted could see the balloons and champagne in the next room. But all of a sudden, one of the representatives mediating the contract came in abruptly.

“I’m sorry, we want 25 percent off your price,” he said.

Ted cast a look at his colleagues. With a nod to each other, they rose and gathered up their paperwork.

Testing the limits during international business negotiations

Ted turned to the rep. “Thank you very much, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you. We’re leaving tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock, if you want to discuss this further, that’s fine.”

Ted and his colleagues left.

An hour later, they got a frenzied phone call from the company retracting their statement; they wanted to sign the contract. Ted knew immediately what had happened; the Chinese businessmen had been testing him. They wanted to make sure that Ted wouldn’t sell for less than originally negotiated.

By refusing to budge, Ted had passed the test. Later, Ted’s team popped the bottle of champagne and all laughed about it.

It all started with a simple passion to work overseas

Ted Benson has over forty years of experience in international trade. He has learned through trial and error, time and again, the skills he needs to be successful in the industry.

In his spare time, he also marks course projects for the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT), and is helping compile an international business glossary for FITT.

 Participate in the International Competency Standards Project

After graduating with a degree in geology, Ted started his career as a pilot in the air force, and had the opportunity to do some international programs. Later on, he found his calling in negotiating contracts for the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), on behalf of Canadian companies.

Ted’s passion for Asian culture, coupled with his contracting experience, earned him a spot as a Trade Commissioner for the Foreign Service in Beijing. From there, he did exchange postings in Shanghai, Bangkok and Hanoi before returning to Canada and the CCC years later.

It was then that he saw the shortage in global trade skills.

Because I mark exams, I have to be current on my skills and knowledge. I see skills that are lacking, and incorrect impressions from those who currently work in this industry.

Learning from a ‘not so friendly’ pricing strategy

He recalls a Canadian company he worked with that would typically use penetration pricing as a way to enter a new market. The company was headstrong and their product had value. However, their Chinese counterparts had an expression: ‘Friendship Pricing’.

The Chinese company insisted that because they had such a large market, the Canadian company could give them a really good deal and the size of the market would more than make up for the lower margins the Canadian company might receive. The Canadian company, eager to tap into such a large market, agreed.

But because the Canadian company had agreed to the low ‘friendship price’ once, when they returned to do business in the future, the Chinese company made it a rule to start at that fixed price, and wager down from there.

Needless to say, it didn’t end well, and the Canadian company earned little to no profit.

Ted has specialized in large-scale sales in Asia for years, and through all his experience he has developed the skills to avoid such massive mistakes.

Attention to detail and cultural competencies are vital to success

Some years ago, a colleague of Ted’s worked with a Canadian company that had signed a contract with another company based in Shanghai— but the goods were late getting to China.

This kind of mistake could cost a company thousands of dollars. The Canadian company’s one reprieve? The company in Shanghai had forgotten to put a Liquidated Damages clause in their contract.

The Shanghai company argued that even though it wasn’t written in the contract, the intent of their agreement was a penalty for late delivery of the goods. Therefore, the Canadian company would have to pay the fee.

The Canadian company firmly stated that they operated on the basis of what was in the contract. The Shanghai company, enraged, argued all the way to the airport.

Ultimately, the contents of the contract were legally binding.

The Canadian company had been lucky, but many companies would have had to pay penalty fees.

You have to know every aspect of drafting a contract. You have to know that 70 percent of letters of credit are invalid in most cases, and that for every day you’re late delivering your goods to the buyer, a Liquidated Damages fee could be charged. Educate yourself on these terms; develop those skills.

But it isn’t just sales and negotiating competencies that can make or break your global trade deals. Culture and language skills are also crucial to success in foreign markets.

Years ago, Ted was enjoying his breakfast in a hotel in Beijing, and his competitors were sitting nearby. They hadn’t recognized him, as he was new, and they were speaking openly about their strategy in Chinese.

Ted listened carefully, and then raced back to his team to relay all the information he had gleaned. He knew how important his language skills were, right then. He currently speaks Mandarin, French, Thai, Spanish and a social amount of Vietnamese.

Skills development is key to building a global business career

While working in Vancouver for the CCC, Ted took the FITTskills courses and found that the comprehensive international trade skills he developed were essential to his job. He then went on to teach the FITT courses in British Columbia, and eventually became a project marker.

Ted believes that in addition to taking international trade courses to hone the skills needed for global business, the job profiles being developed through FITT’s ICS project will also be necessary to ensure global trade professionals are fully equipped to do their jobs.

The ICS job profiles will identify which skills are needed to do the jobs core to international trade. This will enable practitioners to build on their existing skills through professional development, and it will ensure students are learning the skills they need to begin their global business careers with the tools to succeed.

There is an absolute demand for these competency profiles. You can’t play tennis unless you know how to hold the racket, right? You have to have the skills.

What does Ted think is ultimately the key to success in global business?

“Enthusiasm is so important,” he says. “You have to enjoy the multi-cultural experience, be persistent, determined and focused on the objective.”

Are you interested in participating in our International Competency Standards Project? Join international trade experts from all over the world. Come be a part of setting world-class industry standards and defining exactly what it takes to compete in international business!

I want to participate!

The post Why skills development is vital to the growth of your global trade career appeared first on Trade Ready.

Below are a few new media technologies that I found helpful in my past projects. As a caveat, you cannot rely on new media technologies alone. You still need to conduct primary research, talk to potential customers and suppliers, conduct in-market visits to your target markets, and potentially hire a local market research firm or consultant to further validate the identified market opportunities.

Connect with subject matter experts and other key contacts

LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking service with around 250+ million members globally (and still growing). The membership includes C-level executives, business owners, and subject-matter experts across various sectors.

This networking site enables you to search and connect with professionals who can provide key insights, share on-the-ground market developments and nuances, and offer validation of market opportunities that you are assessing.  

In 2012, I had to examine emerging markets in Southeast Asia. On top of the traditional market research tools, I found LinkedIn very helpful in this process.

Another feature of LinkedIn that I find very useful is the community groups. You can search and join groups that are relevant to the trade and investment opportunities you are validating.

By interacting with community group members, you can exchange ideas, learn meaningful perspectives, share market insights, and identify and validate market opportunities.

Also, the community groups can be a great source of market information.

Below is an example of a message I’ve gotten on LinkedIn from a senior executive whose organization was interested in expanding into Asia.
“I am looking to establish an Asian office in either Singapore or Hong Kong to offer our FX and International payments services for companies importing and exporting from Asia to North America. We will also look at JV’s with existing financial services companies in Singapore.”
By interacting with this decision-maker, I was able to learn firsthand the factors that motivated this company to look at the Asian market.

About.me is a social networking and directory site. This site can be used to connect with subject-matter experts who can provide insight and validation of the trade and investment opportunities you are interested in.

Worky is a global online professional network with members in 136 countries.  Similar to LinkedIn, Worky enables you to connect with experts who can help with the market opportunities you are trying to validate.

Live Ninja provides you with a convenient way to find and book chat sessions with experts, gurus, intellects, and specialists on anything you want to learn.

Keep up-to-date with on-the-ground market developments

In today’s global economy, change is constant.

You need to continually monitor your target market’s external environment and track changes, which may affect the attractiveness and viability of the trade and investment opportunities you are examining or pursuing.

Below are new media tools you can use to help track information in real-time.

Online Media Tracking

These tools will enable you to find the most timely, relevant and actionable news and information available on the Internet. All you need to do is program the tool to track issues that are pertinent to your internationalization activities, such as changes in legislation, market demand, market conditions and competitor developments. Once the tracking system picks up any new information online, the system will send you an alert.

Canada just concluded the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) with South Korea in March 2014.  As an international trade professional with a focus on the Asian markets, it is prudent to keep abreast of the CKFTA and monitor key market developments, trade and investment opportunities, and trends between the Canadian and South Korean markets.

Having a media tracking alert for the CKFTA has enabled me to track key developments including the Canadian Meat Council’s perspectives on how the Canada’s pork producers can benefit from the CKFTA and sectors in British Columbia that will benefit from the CKFTA, which include the forestry, natural gas, seafood, and agri-foods.

Free Media Tracking Tools

• Google Alerts

Comprehensive and For-Fee Media Tracking Tools

• Ciscion — Media Monitoring
• Infomart — Media Monitoring
• Meltwater Group — Meltwater News Monitoring Service
• Vocus

Blogs, publication hubs, and fnformation portals

Through blogs, publication hubs, and information portals, I am able to receive key market insights and analysis on various Asian markets.

China is now the world’s second largest economy and Canada’s second export market. As an example, the World Economic Forum’s blog provides great links and articles regarding China’s urban development initiatives and economic activity. The posts help me to identify geographic areas and sectors, which can provide trade and investment opportunities for Canadian companies.

Here are a few blogs, publication hubs and information portals I’d recommend:

• Asian Development Bank (ADB) – Blog
• Deliotte – Global Portal
• Ernst and Young (EY) – Industry Insights
• HSBC – Global Connections
• International Trade Center – International Trade Forum
• McKinsey & Company – Insights and Publications 
• World Bank – Publications and Blog Section
• The World Economic Forum – Blog Section
• Trade Ready Blog – Blog
• Scribd is a digital library featuring the world’s largest collection of e-books, written works, and user-uploaded content. An example of content you can access through Scribd includes the ASEAN ICT Master Plan 2015, which provides readers with an overview of the regions ICT developments and opportunities.
• Slideshare enables users to easily upload, share, and search presentations, infographics, documents, videos, PDFs and webinars.

New media technologies have been extremely helpful in my past projects, especially in the assessment of foreign markets, identification and validation of trade and investment opportunities, international business development, and strategy development. I hope new media technologies can benefit you and your internationalization activities the way it did for me.

Share your experience! How do you use new media technologies to help you identify trade opportunities?

The post How to use new media technologies to identify trade opportunities in Asia appeared first on Trade Ready.

Zeeshanali Fazal is an Underwriter and Advisor of Financial Guarantees at Export Development Canada (EDC) in Montreal, Quebec. He was born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he spent his childhood. Zeeshanali moved to Pakistan in the early 1990s, and by the late 1990s he moved to Canada where he completed his high school, CEGEP and university education in finance.

Zeeshanali began at EDC in August of 2009 as an Underwriter in the Undergraduate Rotational Program with assignments to the Accounts Receivable Insurance, Contract Insurance and Bonding and Small Business Financing teams. In 2011, he transitioned into his current position.

His role as Underwriter and Advisor of Financial Guarantees is to work with Canadian exporters to assess and mitigate the financial and non-financial risks of their international trade transactions. He feels a duty to his clients to not only assess the best steps to help them grow in international markets, but also to advise them of the challenges and pitfalls involved in entering new global markets.

Zeeshanali began his journey to the CITP│FIBP designation through the FITTskills program. He says the program gave him the opportunity to see the complete picture of the complexities of international trade.

The FITTskills program is not just about learning through books and writing exams. In fact, it also gives us access to a network of respected individuals working through globalization and helping grow international trade, and a platform to seek help, share knowledge and ask for expert advice!

He says that from trade regulations to the cultural aspects of international trade and the various financial systems, FITT prepares candidates to think of the various risks and challenges. It also helps people mitigate the risk of loss and surprises.

Zeeshanali is passionate and committed to helping his client-companies enter foreign markets, and feels the designation increases his credibility.

The CITP|FIBP designation builds the fundamentals of international trade and gives me added confidence in my consulting role. When clients see the designation, they have increased faith in the discussions, and every word has more weight.

Zeeshanali is eager and enthusiastic about his global trade future, and feels like his designation acts as a reinforcement of his interest in his career in international trade.

“FITTskills and my designation have built a strong foundation of international trade concepts that will play a vital role as I help customers through various stages of contract negotiations, and structure contracts that are not only financially feasible but also take into account the various challenges of international trade.”

The post Zeeshanali Fazal, CITP│FIBP — Underwriter and Advisor of Financial Guarantees appeared first on Trade Ready.

From a financial point of view, a transaction may prove unrealistic if the cost of entering a market is too high, the competition is grueling, or the price the company needs to charge in the new market is not competitive.

A transaction is not viable if the resulting sales generate losses or cannot adequately support the cost of doing business.

Make sure your products retain their value

An importer needs to be sure that the product remains of interest to themselves or their potential customers after factoring in all the landing costs (all costs associated with the delivery of the goods to the country of destination), the packaging and the expense of any up-front travel and due diligence.

An exporter must ensure acceptable and timely returns from international business activities in proportion to the associated costs and risks.

A transaction that cannot be completed at a profit, or one that is not compatible with the criteria and objectives of both the exporter and the importer, could harm domestic operations and may even threaten the long-term survival of the company.

For an exporter, the decision to enter a new market may stem from a marketing plan based on solid market-research or may be the result of a reactive response to an unsolicited request. In some sectors, notably knowledge-based industries, exporting may be a competitive imperative undertaken on the first day of operations.

Regardless of the driver, financials must remain ‘top of mind’ in planning a foray into international markets.

For exporters:

Once a company has decided to export, and before shipping any goods, it must do the following:

• ensure that the transaction is viable;
• determine the export cost; and
• determine the optimum sales price.

For importers:

For an importer, dealing with a new supplier may be as simple as switching companies they deal with in the same country. Nevertheless, dealing with a whole set of new variables and any long-term arrangement will require:

• quality testing;
• researching the optimum shipping method or logistics provider;
• fully understanding the full cost when goods arrive at their factory or warehouse; and, if the product is to be sold domestically,
• understanding what the required markup should be to meet profit criteria or to be competitive with other local suppliers.

As an importer or an exporter, what other tips do you have to protect your activities and create the best environment for profit?

The post The basics of global trade transactions for your imports and exports appeared first on Trade Ready.

“Learning that way is very expensive, and can sometimes be deadly for your business,” says Dieter, FITT’s founding father. “But everybody had an international trade horror story back then!”

FITT’s founding father

Dieter, who was born in Germany and immigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba with his family when he was 12 years old, has always had an international perspective on everything he does.

He began working as a summer student for the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) in Manitoba in 1970. He moved on to work for Burroughs (Unysis), and then for General General Electric on line-system computers for a year before returning to the TCS for another four years, two of which were spent in the United Kingdom.

In 1977 he moved on to work for Beam International selling central vacuum systems to about 40 countries and nearly 1000 dealers all over the world. This overlapped with the launch of his company Overseas Projects—which was associated with the United Trading Group—from 1980 to 2010.

Through all his experience, Dieter understood that the mishaps and misfortunes that occur during global trade can never entirely be avoided, but he kept coming back to the same notion of, ‘there ought to be a better way to learn’!

Bringing great minds together to improve on international trade training

In the 70’s he began forming ideas and putting together a concept in his head for delivering trade training. His ideas flowed from everything he’d been exposed to in companies and organizations around the world, such as the British Institute of Exports, the World Trade Centers Association and other international export training groups. Knowing that more can be accomplished with many minds, he began discussing his ideas and brainstorming with friends and colleagues.

“Dieter and I would have coffee every Sunday morning at the Ottawa Bagel Shop when FITT was just a concept in his head,” says John Treleaven, CITP and current FITT Board Member.

He kept reflecting back on things he wished he’d known when he started doing international trade, and that got him thinking about why there wasn’t some sort of training program available to people who have this passion to work in a round world. Well, that’s what led to FITT.

In the late 80’s, Dieter and Alf Chaiton, a politically-connected contact and friend who’d become involved in Dieter’s concept, approached the Canadian Chamber of Commerce to become a sponsor for what would soon be the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT). From the Chamber office in Ottawa, and with the support of Tom Reid and Tim Page, President and Vice-President of the Chamber at that time respectively, a whole army of individuals began forming a project concept for the budding new organization. This army included members of the Canadian Council of Trading Houses—of which Dieter was Co-Chair—and the Canadian Export Association.

Laying the foundations for practical training in global trade

They knew from the beginning that training people for international business wasn’t a completely new idea. Apprenticeship programs had been in place and thriving in companies across Europe and other parts of the world for centuries.

They began by conducting an assessment of the current international trade environment in Canada, with collaboration from the Canadian Export Association and the Canadian Council of Trading Houses.

Dieter and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce were then introduced to the Canadian German Embassy in Montreal by Tim Page, where they learned more about the extensive training and apprenticeship programs in Germany.

Encouraged by Mike Reshitnyk with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (previously DFAIT), and funded by Mike’s division, they then began an assessment of what was and  wasn’t working in Europe in terms of global business training. They collaborated with the Canadian German Embassy, the British Institute of Exports, and the World Trade Centre in London.

The study was completed in 1991, and it further convinced them of the need for a trade training organization and program in Canada. This, of course, would require more funding.  Up to this point, most of the manpower involved in this international trade project was voluntary, and Dieter allocated what time and resources he could. It was a stroke of luck that they were introduced to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada’s (now ESDC) Sector Council Program (SCP).

Building an exemplary international trade training organization

The SCP funded projects that supported the development of labour market information, national occupational standards, and certification and accreditation regimes in Canada. Its main goal was to address skills shortages in strategic sectors of the economy.

Applying for the program was a challenge at first because it quickly became apparent that international trade is not a sector, but rather it crosses all sectors. Working with Judith Moses and Collette Tremblais—HRSDC employees at the time—the problem became the solution. They were able to apply for the program as a cross-sectoral initiative, and bingo. In 1992 they received the necessary funding to incorporate and develop into an international trade training organization, and were ready to start creating the world’s most comprehensive body of global business intelligence. But first they needed a great name!

Dieter put a lot of thought into what a person needs to work international trade industry, including mental and physical FITness. However, he also knew that the organization he was helping create was about training. It was about collecting resources and connections from all over the world, and creating a forum for trade experts to learn and share their knowledge.

“I was taking a shower one day and the Forum for International Trade Training or FITT came to me,” he says. “People thought it was a bit quirky at first, but it was translatable, copy-writable and trade-markable and it really stuck. There have been discussions about that name over the years, but 22 years later it still stands!”

Creating a comprehensive body of global business knowledge

FITT’s first official project was no small task. With a three-year deadline, they took the challenge to develop the entire FITTskills body of knowledge. Each section of the program went out to tender separately to ensure that every topic was created by the most qualified experts. All of the knowledge had to be researched, reviewed, referenced and compiled into a usable database of content. That collection of content needed to be functional and malleable to ensure instructors could provide the best possible training to produce competent international business professionals.

“There were some tight deadlines in the beginning, and it was pretty grueling at times,” says Dieter. “Just like when you’re running a marathon, those last five miles are all mental. You aren’t doing it because your body wants you to, you’re doing it because your mind refuses to give up.”

Jan Fedorowicz and Josef Jurkovic, who both worked for Paradigm in Ottawa, were huge players in helping put together the body of knowledge.

“The idea was that if anything changes in the industry, because it’s fast and always changing, we would easily be able to update our body of knowledge,” says Dieter. “We wanted to be able to section it up into chunks, deliver it in chunks, and delete and change chunks as needed.”

Jan, Josef and many other international professionals helped to make this happen.

FITT was also an early adopter of all things technology for publishing, says Dieter.

“The idea of ‘on-line’ multi-media delivery was never far away from our ‘just-in-time’ development concept,” says Dieter, “but alas, YouTube and the World Wide Web with all its delivery magic were still just around the corner.”

Expert international trade professionals delivering expert training

By 1993 they had created the entire FITT body of knowledge, and it was time to start delivering training to individuals across Canada. In the beginning, it was decided that they’d offer the program by partnering with colleges and universities across the country. This would increase their reach and help educational institutions add a much needed international element to their existing business programs.

That year they brought together about 25 learning institutions from across Canada to meet in Ottawa at the Chateau Laurier. FITT presented the new FITTskills program and pitched their ideas for implementation. The intention was to get everyone to commit to delivering the pilot program that fall. The questions and discussions continued throughout the day until finally someone made a decision.

“The Dean of Business from Ryerson was the first guy to stand up that day and say, ‘this makes sense. I’m going to do this, and so should you all.’” Says Dieter.

And that’s how the FITTskills program launched in educational institutions across Canada.

In the beginning, FITT assisted their partner institutions in finding instructors who had real-world international business experience, says Dieter.

Our focus with FITTskills was always to bring in the masters who have the experiential knowledge, but to give them all the content they need from our FITT body of knowledge to structure their presentations and teach effectively. They aren’t just telling war stories, they’re also going through all of the practical content and covering everything from A-Z.

FITTskills courses, whether online or in the classroom, are still taught to this day by experienced industry veterans using an evolution of that body of knowledge.

FITT is growing along with our community of international trade professionals

Over the years FITT has grown with new faces and new projects meant to address skills and knowledge gaps in the international trade industry, and to prepare businesses for success in global markets. The Certified International Trade Professional (CITP|FIBP) designation was launched in 1998—the first of its kind in the world. FITT began accrediting other international business programs in 2001, and by 2007 FITT was recognized and endorsed by NASBITE and the World Trade Centers Association.

The FITTskills international trade training program, and accredited versions of the program, have spread and are being offered in countries from the United States, to Colombia, and even over in Iraq. The online courses have spread FITT training even further to individuals around the world.

As a part of our community you are now part of this incredible journey through these past decades. Tell us why you chose FITT. How did you hear about us? Do you think FITT has been helpful toward your growth in global trade? How?

“We didn’t re-invent the wheel, we just repackaged it,” says Dieter. “People respect teachings from international experts, and if you can transfer their knowledge, skills and perhaps the right business connections on to the next generation, then you’ve done a great thing!”

The post The story of how it all began for us, the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) appeared first on Trade Ready.

Jingjing Xu is a Market Intelligence Specialist for Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP), and has been in the international business field for a number of years. She’s been actively involved in assisting Saskatchewan exporters with their international marketing efforts by providing information on international-focused trade policy, regulations, industry trends, competitive intelligence analysis, market entry strategy development and general export counseling services. Her expertise is in the agri-food and agri-processing industries.

“International trade has been an intriguing career goal for me, as my background and upbringing are in an overseas country, but I received my university degree in Canada,” says Jingjing, who grew up in Changsha, China. “Since graduating, I have been involved in working with Canadian exporting businesses.”

Jingjing enjoys working and sharing her market research findings with her clients, and the diversity of businesses she works with enables her to learn various industries, such as mining and technology. She enjoys the opportunities she has to interview foreign Trade Commissioners, domestic and overseas industry professionals and government agencies to get the first-hand market information.

Earning the CITP designation is a stepping stone into international trade and business. I embrace the opportunities through networking and the challenges that arise with achieving this globally recognized designation to get more involved in furthering international trade in the Canadian importing and exporting field.

Jingjing’s versatility has been demonstrated by her involvement in several international events on trade development and direct marketing, including Canada’s Farm Progress Show, FHC China in Shanghai, and international trade conference and Asia Trade conferences that were held or attended by her organization.

“The FITT courses offered me a learning system that has helped combine my work experience and my international trade knowledge,” she says, “and the courses gave me opportunities to strengthening my comprehension of international business in a manner conducive to full-time employment.”

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Have you ever wondered why international trade jobs aren’t more widely recognized and standardized as occupations? Us too, so we’ve decided to take action to change that. As far as we know, this is something that has never been done before by anyone else in the world!

“International trade has historically been viewed as just an extension of the activities that are performed during the course of business,” says Caroline Tompkins, CITP, President at FITT.

But as we very well know, the international trade industry involves countless stand-alone occupations that require specialized knowledge and skills.

Classifying and standardizing international trade jobs, as well as the specific skills and knowledge needed to perform these jobs competently, will make it easier for employers to match qualified candidates to their human-resource gaps. And not only will professionals have an easier time sourcing jobs specific to their individual qualifications, they’ll have standard occupational titles to use to simplify the search process. Approaching international trade like this from a human resources standpoint is a necessary shift because trade is conducted between trade-capable people, not countries or governments.

The roles and responsibilities involved in doing trade across borders are often folded into other jobs and professional classifications, resulting in some confusion about occupational titles, skills requirements and overall human resource needs.

Over the next 15 months—with the project leadership of Kathryn Ohashi, FITT’s new Manager of Product & Service Development—we’ll be developing National Occupational Standards (NOS) for up to 50 jobs core to international trade. Kathryn previously worked as a project manager on a number of NOS for early childhood education, as well as on updating those NOS several years later. It was the first time those occupations had been clearly defined and standardized, and it has since led to a higher level of consistency and more clearly defined skills and standards within early childhood education. The same will be done for international trade.

“NOS describe what a person in a particular occupation needs to know and be able to do to be considered capable in a specific occupation,” says Kathryn. “NOS are written by people who are directly employed in the occupations, with the assistance of facilitators, as opposed to being written by researchers. This helps to ensure accuracy and currency.”

FITT will be developing international trade NOS with the help of a committee of experts from across Canada. Members of the committee will have global connections and a breadth of knowledge and experience in international trade from a practical, policy and educational standpoint. The project will be carried out in two phases. The first phase will be the completion of the NOS, and the second will involve updates to FITT’s body of international trade knowledge.

This initiative is going to affect everyone who works in international trade, says Caroline. That includes individual global business professionals, SMEs, import-export service providers, students, government, associations and even educators.

Once we’ve created a benchmark for defining the jobs core to international trade, it will be easier to evaluate performance and growth in the industry. Educators will know what they need to teach to create work-ready graduates. Employers will know which skills their employees need in order to do their jobs competently, and in which areas they should encourage professional development. As a whole the industry will slowly start closing labour gaps, and it will also be in a better position to track the knowledge and skills evolution of occupations vital to its success.

“The NOS initiative is also going to help us make updates and improvements to our international trade training at FITT,” says Caroline. “We’ll be determining the most relevant skills and knowledge for working in international business today and in the coming years, which will help us tailor our FITTskills courses as well as continue to build on the high standards of educational requirements for our elite Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation.”

Ultimately, the NOS initiative is going to enable us at FITT to continue helping international trade professionals and SMEs thrive in global business, which is what we love to do most! And although this initiative is starting in Canada, we’ll be creating a global precedent that can be used by businesses and business professionals around the world.

With all of the recent international trade agreements coming into play, the international trade industry is becoming more vital to the Canadian and global economy than ever before.

By ensuring we have a well-trained, highly specialized and sufficiently equipped workforce to man that industry and the industries it supports, we can make sure we’re prepared to compete and collaborate in world markets.

Stay tuned for more updates on this initiative as it unfolds, and subscribe to our Trade Ready blog to receive updates on this and other exciting projects that will change how global trade jobs are viewed and performed across the business landscape.

The post Taking leadership in international trade as a career, not just an activity appeared first on Trade Ready.

“Personally I´ve been associated with FITT for 20 years, starting from the time I was an instructor and program designer,” says David Robillard, President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico. “Since that time, FITT has become Canada´s premiere institute for international trade training. CanChammx is pleased to be associated with FITT, and I am sure many of our members will benefit from the opportunity to participate in the FITTskills program.”

CanChammx announced the partnership yesterday in Mexico City at its first major event of the year, “Economic Perspectives”. The event looked at the overall economic outlook for North America and Mexico for 2014, and gave attendees tips and advice for how to be successful entrepreneurs. Export Development Canada’s (EDC) Vice-President and Chief Economist, Peter G. Hall attended the event as an expert speaker.

CanChammx members who are interested in taking advantage of our new partnership by registering for FITTskills international trade courses can contact FITTskills@canchammx.com for details on how to get started.

“We’re looking forward to working with CanChammx to offer its Members this opportunity to build on their international trade knowledge and skills,” says Caroline Tompkins, CITP, President of FITT. “We’re thrilled to continue expanding our network of global business professionals into Latin America, as we’re currently already offering training through institutions in Colombia in addition to our online program. We hope Canchammx Members will use this opportunity to begin working toward the elite Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation.”

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