What is FITTskills?
FITTskills is a proven curriculum of valuable, practical courses on how to conduct trade in the global marketplace. Compiled and developed by international trade practitioners who are experts in their field, the courses in the program can be taken individually or as a comprehensive program. Each course addresses essential topics within the context of global trade and is followed by an assessment.
6th Edition - Successful completion of the eight FITTskills courses, or equivalency thereof, leads to a Diploma of International Trade from FITT and satisfies the educational requirement for the FITT – CITP designation.
Edition 7.2 - Successful completion of the six FITTskills courses, or equivalency thereof, leads to a Diploma of International Trade from FITT and satisfies the educational requirement for the FITT – CITP designation.
What competencies does FITTskills provide?
FITTskills courses are designed to provide participants with specific competencies in international trade. The FITTskills program standards and learning objectives are clearly defined and consistently applied in the global marketplace. Upon successful completion of each course, participants will have mastered the essential learning objectives. Upon successful completion of all courses or equivalency thereof, participants will have gained the competencies that are required to be considered proficient in international trade.
What are the courses that make up the FITT program?
6th Edition:
- Global Business Environment
- International Marketing
- International Trade Finance
- Global Supply Chain Management
- Market Entry Strategies
- International Trade Research
- Legal Aspects of International Trade
- International Trade Management
Edition 7.2:
- Feasibility of International Trade
- International Market Entry Strategies
- Global Value Chain
- Products and Services for a Global Market
- International Trade Finance
- International Sales and Marketing
What led to the development of FITTskills?
FITTskills arose from an acute need for greater skills development among Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) making the transition from domestic to global markets. Many SMEs had difficulty implementing a global strategy, because of an inability to secure financing, insufficient planning, and a lack of overall skills and knowledge among their staff and management.
Who is FITTskills designed for?
- Individuals who are new to importing or exporting and serious about exploring global market opportunities.
- Companies that are planning on expanding operations to global markets and want to start off on the right foot.
- Business professionals or managers who want to improve their expertise in international trade.
- Export and import service providers who want to gain insight into the environment in which their clients or customers operate.
What will individuals know when they complete FITTskills?
How to:
- Develop and optimize an export strategy.
- Make export costing, pricing, product, promotion and distribution policies.
- Develop and implement an effective export-marketing plan.
- Decide on the right course of action for financing export deals.
- Analyze a balance sheet and income statement of potential buyers/suppliers.
- Develop an effective income and expenditure budget for the export department.
- Make policies regarding the management of personnel, both at home and abroad.
Should the FITTskills courses be taken in a specific order?
6th Edition:
FITT strongly recommends that students start with Global Business Environment, because it provides an overview of the entire FITTskills curriculum.
International Marketing, International Trade Finance, Global Supply Chain Management, Market Entry Strategies, International Trade Research and Legal Aspects of International Trade can be taken in any order. It is highly recommended that the other seven courses be completed prior to taking International Trade Management.
Edition 7.2:
FITT strongly recommends that students start with Feasibility of International Trade, because it provides an overview of the entire FITTskills curriculum.
International Market Entry Strategies, Products and Services for a Global Market, Global Value Chain and International Trade Finance can be taken in any order. It is highly recommended that the other five courses be completed prior to taking International Sales and Marketing.
How can students provide feedback on a course?
Each year FITT conducts a Participant Survey seeking student feedback on their FITTskills training and the training materials.