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.