“Global Affairs Canada was a founding partner of the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT) and has worked closely with FITT since its creation. FITT provides export skills training to employees of the department’s Trade Commissioner Service, in Canada and abroad. This training enhances our ability to provide high-quality services to Canadian companies looking to export their products and services.

Trade Commissioners who complete FITT courses gain an in-depth understanding of exporting from a business perspective. They learn how to identify the right markets and strategies, assess risks and navigate issues including localization, financing challenges, insurance, foreign exchange, sales and marketing. FITT covers the full export journey, from the Canadian plant floor to the foreign client’s facility, manufacturing plant or warehouse. The wide range of modules available, developed and updated by acknowledged experts in their fields, allow our employees to fill in the gaps in their knowledge, confident that they are learning from the best available resources. FITT’s Certified International Trade Professional designation has been earned by nearly 250 Trade Commissioners working around the world, and signals their expertise and commitment to professional development.

This training helps Trade Commissioners combine an understanding of the Canadian export business with their expertise in the local markets where they are based. That broad perspective allows us to provide practical, informed support to Canadian companies as they enter and grow in international markets, and succeed on the global stage.”

- Trade Commissioner Service (TCS)

"FITT has been a critical training partner for EDC because FITTskills gives our employees practical, well-rounded knowledge across the key areas of international trade, from market entry and finance to logistics, compliance, sales and global value chains. That broader perspective helps our teams better understand the complex challenges exporters face and provide more informed, practical support. 

The CITP designation adds recognized validation of that expertise, strengthening both employee credibility and the confidence Canadian businesses can place in the guidance they receive. Through FITT’s training and certification and our broader collaboration, we’ve built a longstanding partnership focused on strengthening trade capability within EDC and across Canada’s exporter community."

- Export Development Canada

"Helping Canadian companies pursue international opportunities requires more than exposure to new markets. They need the knowledge and practical tools to make informed decisions and move forward with confidence. 

FITT helped NGen address that need through customized training designed around the realities of international business. For participating companies, the training provided practical guidance on areas such as market entry strategy, positioning, partnerships and planning. For our own team, FITT also provided foundational international trade training to build stronger internal capability. 

The value of that training continues beyond the initiative itself. The knowledge gained has given both companies and professionals a stronger understanding of what it takes to pursue international growth successfully, with practical insights they can continue to apply to real business decisions." 

- NGen

"Supporting businesses as they expand into international markets requires more than knowledge of individual trade processes, it requires a broad understanding of how market strategy, finance, logistics, sales, compliance, and business development come together. That is why WTC Vancouver has invested in FITTskills training and professional development for our team. FITT provides practical, comprehensive knowledge that strengthens our ability to understand the challenges businesses face at different stages of their international growth journey and have more informed, strategic conversations with the companies we support. The value extends beyond the classroom. Having team members pursue FITT training and earn the CITP designation strengthens our organization’s professional capabilities and credibility, while giving our clients greater confidence that they are receiving guidance grounded in recognized international trade expertise. For World Trade Centre Vancouver, developing our people is an investment in the businesses we serve. The stronger our team’s trade knowledge and capabilities, the better equipped we are to help Canadian companies navigate complexity, identify opportunities, and succeed in global markets."

- World Trade Centre Vancouver

"FITT worked with us to deliver a focused, one-day training experience for Hamilton businesses. 

The customized format made complex international trade topics accessible and relevant, giving participants practical considerations they could apply as they explored opportunities beyond the Canadian market. FITT was responsive throughout the planning process and worked with us to ensure the content, format and delivery aligned with what we wanted businesses to take away from the session. 

For us, the value was in being able to bring credible, specialized trade knowledge directly to Hamilton companies in a format that was practical, targeted and easy to engage with."

- City of Hamilton 

The CITP designation adds recognized validation of that expertise. For us, investing in FITTskills and the CITP means building a team that is better equipped to help Saskatchewan companies make stronger decisions and compete more effectively in international markets."

- Saskatchewan Trade & Export Partnership

"At World Trade Centre Winnipeg, we believe the people supporting Manitoba businesses in global markets need the same strong foundation in international trade that we encourage companies to build themselves. That’s why we invest in FITTskills training for our own team and value having CITPs on staff. 

FITTskills gives our employees practical knowledge they can apply when helping businesses assess opportunities, build export plans, understand risk and compliance, and make better-informed decisions before entering new markets. The CITP designation provides recognized validation of that expertise. 

We saw the same need across Manitoba’s business community. Rather than having companies learn international trade through costly trial and error, we wanted to make structured, practical training more accessible. Becoming a FITTskills delivery partner allows us to help more Manitoba professionals build those capabilities and, for those who want to go further, create a pathway toward the CITP designation. 

Ultimately, this supports a broader vision for WTC Winnipeg: skilling up Manitoba for international trade. By strengthening trade knowledge and expertise within our own team and across the business community, we are helping build the capacity Manitoba needs to compete, diversify, and grow in global markets."

- World Trade Centre Winnipeg

“At Global Trinidad & Tobago, building the capacity of our local business community is an important part of helping companies compete successfully in international markets. FITTskills supports that objective by providing practical, comprehensive training across the key areas of international trade. 

We have worked with FITT in a number of ways, including FITTskills training for our employees and delivering scholarships that have enabled local professionals to earn the FITT Certificate in International Trade. 

The program’s value lies in helping participants understand how the different elements of international trade work together, from market entry and international marketing to trade finance, logistics and global value chains on a practical level. 

That broader perspective is valuable to the professionals taking the training and to the exporters they support. Strengthening trade capability across our business community helps build a stronger ecosystem for companies looking to enter and grow in international markets. 

FITT has been a valuable training partner in supporting that capacity-building work.” 

- Global Trinidad and Tobago