Wednesday, April 4, 2012

International Business College Programs Offer Global Perspective

Importer/exporters, customs brokers, foreign investment analysts, logistics/transportation managers, commercial bank officers and international development officers — these are some of the job titles that graduates of the Centennial College International business college program go on to obtain. “The program is partially successful because of the representation of the various communities we have here,” says professor and program coordinator Shanks Seetharam. “It’s a bit of melting pop, where several languages are spoken and it’s definitely an example of real life being imitated.”

Seetharam is correct. The international business realm is all about connecting the different parts of the globe together and exchanging goods. Let’s take a closer look at some of the job options before we explore the benefits of attending the International Business School program at Centennial College. A customs broker, for example, must prepare and compile all the documents required by the government for discharge of foreign cargo at domestic ports or airports. He or she is also the middleman between importers, merchant shipping companies, airlines, railroads, trucking companies and the government Customs service. On the other hand, an import/export worker deals with all business transactions that take place between companies in foreign nations and firms in Canada. The transactions that importers deal with involve bringing raw materials or finished products into Canada. Export workers send goods or raw materials from Canada to foreign markets. Some workers handle both import and export agreements. The duties of import and export workers vary depending on the situation.

Centennial College’s international business college program (officially known as Business Administration – International Business) takes three years to complete and results in an Ontario College Advanced Diploma. The offering proves its reliability off the bat by being affiliated with the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association, i.e. Canada, and the Forum for International Trade Training. In addition, graduates may be eligible for the Certified International Trade Professional (CITP) Designation, in accordance with the process prescribed by the Forum for International Trade Training (FITT). This will incur costs in addition to the regular tuition. Qualified graduates may also be eligible to participate in an articulated program with selected universities, institutes and professional associations. These partnerships allow graduates to apply academic credit towards further study and include Athabasca University, Royal Roads University, Ryerson University, University of Lethbridge, Griffith University, Davenport University and Northwood University.

While in the international business college program, students participate in a first-year curriculum that is shared with other business offerings. This is done so that students have a chance to see if another specialization may appeal to them. If they choose to continue in
the international business school, they will gain specialized expertise in areas such as international trade law, finance, sales and marketing. Specific courses include: Economics for Business & Management, World Systems: History, Geopolitics & Culture, International Business Planning, International Trade and Commercial Law, and more.

The International Business program also offers hands-on experience through its industry project. This component will allow students to work in a team for a small business or major company.

To apply, students must present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. In addition, they must have completed the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and the Math 11C, M or U, or 12C or U, or skills assessment, or equivalent. Students will be placed in the appropriate English and math levels based on skills assessment results. Possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the international business college program.

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