A leading international freight management company in Sheffield has backed a nationally accredited course to help boost exports from the city region.
512 (Sheffield) Ltd, based at the Sheffield International Freight Terminal (SH-I-F-T), is sponsor of the International Trade Operations and Procedures (ITOPS) qualification.
The training is offered by the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce (EMC), along with professional trainer Steve Townsley of Fidelities Training.
A practical four-day course, ITOPS covers administration procedures, documentation, customs, legal requirements, dispatch and shipping, and payments; the five main elements of exporting.
Training and support is provided by SH-I-F-T and 512, and allows the students to visit the international terminal on Grange Mill Lane to experience real life exporting scenarios as a freight forwarder. It includes the often overlooked HMRC compliances when trading internationally.
ITOPS is accredited by the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) and the course runs at different stages throughout the year.
Karen Mosley, head of business development at 512, said: “We are delighted to give our backing to this nationally accredited qualification, which aims to improve the skills of staff in key areas of international trade.
“By raising the standards and understanding of exports, staff will feel more confident and help increase a business’s competitive edge in markets around the world.
“Allowing them to visit SH-I-F-T offers students the chance to enjoy a hands-on experience and see each stage of the exporting process. This support will give exporting from the Sheffield City Region and Derbyshire a significant boost and help kick-start the local economy.”
Julie Whiting, international trade training and services manager at EMC, added: “Difficult trading conditions and increasing global competition mean that it’s more important than ever for staff to acquire and continually update their skills in order for businesses to thrive and prosper.
“ITOPS is one of the most practical and relevant qualifications designed to prove that candidates have the necessary skills to accurately operate the administration procedures in an international trade environment – whether that of a manufacturer, supplier or freight forwarder.
“EMC is delighted to announce that the ITOPS programme is now BCC Accredited which means that successful candidates will also receive the BCC Foundation Award in International Trade.”
Professional trainer Steve Townsley said: “The continued success of the ITOPS award can be attributed to the fact that it combines all of the necessary skills an administrator needs to be able to operate professionally in an export or import office or as a freight forwarder.
“It is an immensely practical programme designed to ensure delegates learn the skills necessary to meet all of the legal requirements for trading internationally in a very cost-effective way – and apply these skills back in the workplace.
“Through inter-active workshops, placement with 512 and airport and ships visits, the programme is relevant, interesting and good fun! It’s a programme that pays for itself over and over again.”
512 offer a full range of export and import services to businesses. It manages up to 600 export consignments a day to thousands of locations around the world, providing support with airfreight, seafreight, courier, trailer documentation and insurance.
For more information about 512 (Sheffield) Ltd visit www.5-1-2.com or follow on Twitter @512Sheff and for more detail about the Sheffield International Freight Terminal visit www.sh-i-f-t.co.uk or follow on Twitter @freightshuttle.
For more information about the International Trade Operations and Procedures (ITOPS) qualification visit www.dncc.co.uk/training.
