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THE PATH TO CITP Your guide to becoming a Certified International Trade Professional

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TABLE OF CONTENTS The Path to CITP___________________________ 01 Why should I be a CITP?______________________ 01 Is CITP for me?_ ____________________________ 01 How do I become a CITP?_ ___________________ 01 Does my existing experience/education count?_ ___ 01 Where do I begin?___________________________ 01 Select Your Track____________________________ 02 Tracking chart_ _____________________________ 02 FITTskills Courses __________________________ 03 Conferring global competitive advantage_ ________ 03 Eight courses, one comprehensive program_______ 03 Transferring credits_ _________________________ 03 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition___ 04 Exempting you from FITTskills course requirements__ 04 Portfolio preparation and submission____________ 04 Portfolio assessment_________________________ 04 Professional Exam_ __________________________ 04 Challenging for credit_________________________ 04

CITP Executive Path_ _______________________ 05 Application preparation and submission_ _________ 05 Application assessment_______________________ 05 Application approval_ ________________________ 05 CITP Designation___________________________ 06 CITP Standards of Ethical Conduct______________ 06 Maintaining the CITP designation_ ______________ 06 Start on the path to the CITP designation now____ 06 About FITT_________________________________ 07

THE PATH TO CITP Why should I be a CITP? If you aspire to or already work in international trade, the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) designation is for you. As a CITP, you will be recognized by employers, colleagues, and clients as a professional whose competencies in international trade are of the highest standard, and you will have the credential to prove it. You will have knowledge and skills that will provide you with a personal competitive advantage in international markets and in your place of work. Is CITP for me? Just as global trade activities are multi-faceted, so too is the CITP designation. Marketing, law, finance, logistics—the CITP designation can reflect specialization in many areas. CITPs apply their professional skills in a wide array of organizations, from small- and medium- size enterprises, to large manufacturing concerns, to the public sector, and associations. What they all have in common is that their organizations are active in global trade—and recognize the value of knowledge in this highly competitive sphere.

How do I become a CITP? To qualify for the CITP designation, you must have international trade experience and successfully complete the FITTskills program.You can take FITTskills courses at FITT partner learning institutions close to you, learning first-hand from seasoned international trade professionals. Or you can use FITTskills Online to learn at your own pace, on your own schedule, and from any location in the world. Does my existing experience/education count? Prior experience and learning do count in the CITP designation process. Participants can obtain exemptions from FITTskills course requirements through FITT’s Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process, which provides credit for previous work experience and/or education. Professionals can also obtain the CITP designation through the Executive Path which recognizes senior professionals in the international trade sector who have demonstrated their competence in and commitment to the profession. Where do I begin? To begin your pursuit of the CITP designation, select the track—Education or Advanced—that best suits you.

Guide to the CITP Designation 1

SELECT YOUR TRACK

Classroom/Online Learning

Advanced Track

Must achieve 8 FITTskills course credits.

Accredited Institutions**

Delivery Partners*

To begin your pursuit of the CITP, select the track that best fits your work or academic experience.

Educational Track

Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)

Executive Path

Portfolio Assessment

Submission of Application to CAC

FITTskills exam x 8

Challenge Exam

Professional Exam***

Approval

FITT Diploma

+ 1 year experience

CITP * Students at Delivery Partner institutions write the FITTskills examinations.

** Institutions that have had their international course(s) or program accredited by FITT as meeting some or all of the CITP competencies.

*** If you have achieved 6 FITTskills course credits and written 2 FITTskills exams or projects, you will be exempt from writing the Professional Exam.

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FITTskills COURSES Conferring global competitive advantage Based on best practices and focused on the real world of global trade, FITTskills courses provide you with the core competencies you will need to succeed in international business. Eight courses, one comprehensive program There are eight FITTskills courses in all, each requiring approximately 45 hours of classroom instruction. Completion of all eight earns you the FITT Diploma in International Trade— and is the essential educational requirement for the CITP designation. Some courses require that you write an examination E , others that you submit a project P . Global Business Environment A comprehensive course that provides insight into the ethical, cultural, and technological contexts in which international trade takes place. E International Marketing Targeting and attracting customers in foreign markets. P International Trade Finance Financing international trade ventures and structuring international trade deals. E Global Supply Chain Management The critical logistical interplay of moving products to market.

International Market Entry Strategies Charting a path to international markets. E International Trade Research Understanding your international target markets. P Legal Aspects of International Trade Management perspective on the legal implications of expansion into global markets. E International Trade Management Planning and managing international trade activities for competitive advantage. P Transferring credits If you have successfully completed a course that has been deemed equivalent to a FITTskills course at an accredited institution, you are eligible to transfer credit(s) to FITT and gain advanced standing towards the educational requirements of the CITP designation. For a list of accredited institutions and courses, visit www.fitt.ca/educationalpartners.htm

E

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PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION Exempting you from FITTskills course requirements If you have international trade work experience or relevant education, you can obtain exemptions from/credit for FITTskills course requirements through FITT’s Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) process. Portfolio preparation and submission The key requirement is the submission of a portfolio demonstrating your knowledge, your work experience, and your prior learning in international trade. Should you choose to pursue this route, FITT will provide you with a Portfolio Development Guide which outlines all portfolio content and presentation requirements. Portfolio assessment Once submitted, your portfolio will be reviewed by the FITT Certification and Accreditation Committee (CAC)—a group of qualified, unbiased international trade practitioners appointed by FITT. They will evaluate your portfolio based on FITT’s competency standards, and you will be advised of your assessment. If the credit(s) you apply for are not granted,

the CAC will indicate why—including whether you need to furnish additional information or require additional learning and/or experience to meet the competency standards. Professional Exam If you have achieved seven or eight educational credits through accredited courses or portfolio assessment, you will be required to successfully complete the Professional Examination before qualifying for the FITT Diploma in International Trade. The Professional Examination is a closed-book examination. There is no mark assigned, simply a pass or fail grade. Challenging for credit You can challenge for a FITTskills course credit any time and anywhere, without taking the course in class or online. Once you register for a FITTskills Challenge Exam, you will be provided with the relevant FITTskills textbook and a sample exam.You will have up to six weeks to complete the exam for the course in question.

Guide to the CITP Designation 4

CITP EXECUTIVE PATH The Executive Path towards obtaining the CITP designation targets highly experienced professionals (10+ years) who have clearly achieved success in the field of international trade. It recognizes senior professionals in the international trade sector who have demonstrated their competence in and commitment to the profession over a great number of years. In order to qualify for the CITP under the Executive Path, you must provide: evidence of leadership and/or management in either the practical or policy areas of international trade; or oversight experience associated with an organizations’ international trade activity. Application preparation and submission The key requirements are: the submission of a two-page cover letter demonstrating your understanding of how your work experience relates to the CITP Competencies, and attesting to the accuracy of the information provided; a comprehensive CV; and two letters of endorsement/recommendation from CITPs.

Application approval Upon approval by the CAC, you will sign a document attesting your commitment to: 1 Adhering to the CITP Standards of Ethical Conduct 1. 2 Agreement to meeting annual professional 2.  development activities 3 Payment for annual CITP dues 3. 4 B 4.  eing an ambassador of FITT and the CITP – this requirement involves: • Use of the CITP on business cards, email signatures, correspondence, by-lines, etc. ; • Encouraging and supporting, through time and/or financially, the pursuit of the CITP designation by employees; • Use of “CITP” or “CITP Candidate” preferred in job opportunity announcements; • Supporting employee attendance at FITT national and regional events; • Highlighting the value of the designation whenever possible.

Application assessment The Certification and Accreditation Committee (CAC) reviews your cover letter, CV, and endorsement/recommendation letters to determine approval/denial/or whether more information is required.

Guide to the CITP Designation 5

THE CITP DESIGNATION Successful completion of either the Educational or Advanced Track leads to the FITT Diploma in International Trade. Add a year of professional experience and REQUIRED membership in FITT and you will be designated as a CITP, with all the attendant rights and privileges. These include:

• Use of the internationally recognized CITP designation; • Membership in an elite group of international trade practitioners;

Maintaining the CITP designation Maintaining your CITP designation requires that you remain a member in good standing by paying your annual FITT membership dues. CITPs are likewise encouraged to undertake up to 30 hours of professional development per year. Start on the path to CITP designation now If the CITP designation is right for you, visit FITT online for complete details on how to get started and where to find the FITT Educational Partners nearest you.

www.fitt.ca

• Annual CITP meeting and regional events; • Professional development opportunities like Harvard ManageMentor 10; • Promotional support for international trade professionals; • Monthly members’ e-newsletter; • Discounts on FITT and partner products and services; • Goinglobal.com. CITP Standards of Ethical Conduct CITPs are required to comply with basic concepts of competency and integrity detailed in the CITP Standards of Ethical Conduct. These fully articulated standards provide a guideline for CITP professional conduct in terms of responsibilities to individuals, organizations, the community, society, our profession, as well as conflict of interest.

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ABOUT FITT

FITT equips individuals and businesses with the skills they need to succeed in today’s competitive global marketplace. An international trade training and professional certification authority—and the leading membership-based organization of its kind in the world—FITT sets the standards and designs the training programs leading to the professional designation, Certified International Trade Professional (CITP). Centred on international trade best practices and delivered by a broad network of educational partners, FITT’s highly regarded training programs impart knowledge and practical skills that trade practitioners can apply immediately—providing competitive advantage and elevating their position in world markets. FITT and CITP: strengthening your hand in international trade.

Guide to the CITP Designation 7

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