The ITOPS Award
BACKGROUND:-
The ITOPS award has been established for over 21 years and over 1600 candidates have achieved the qualification.
This includes exporters and importers, freight-forwarders and Chambers of Commerce staff. Candidates that attend the programme include export and import administrators, warehouse staff, those working in finance, and export sales staff. They range from new employees through to senior managers.
The experience levels of those achieving the qualification range from beginners with very basic knowledge through to senior-level management staff.
It is a short-term qualification usually made up of eight half-day workshops one to to weeks apart. These are delivered on-line by Zoom. The content of the workshops is described in the attached document. From September 2026 there will be other flexible training options - "in house", fast-track and even 1:1 options
There is also a month after this in which candidates are required to collect evidence – for the workplace (e.g. documents they have produced or checked when received from other parties) and from simulations and exercises to prove understanding of international trade – not just from the job they do but for the industry in general.
The award is held in high esteem – so much so that is has the bonus of achieving TWO nationally-recognised awards (The ITOPS award and the BCC Foundation Certificate in International Trade).
BENEFITS:-
There is no examination that needs to be passed to achieve the award – it is based on the assessment and verification of evidence of practical skills/knowledge and excercises presented by candidates.
The evidence provided needs to prove it can be applied at a practical within their own workplace and that candidates can operate at a very high professional level when moving goods internationally – especially regarding Custom’s compliance and the need to operate cost-effectively.
Candidates have proven many times over how much they have saved their companies – the current record is £250,000 for a Barnsley company.
Simply put, the candidate must be able to prove they can DO the job they are employed to do!
To help candidates achieve this, all the trainers, assessors and verification team have many years of “hands-on” current, practical experience – underpinned with relevant, formal qualifications.
All of us at Fidelitas and at our partner Chamber at East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, are there to give on-going support to candidates throughout the whole programme. No candidate is left without the support and mentoring skills of the ITOPS team. The candidates are supported by up to ten senior industry professionals and all have their own dedicated mentor and assessor.
The drop-out rate is incredibly low and the highest quality references can be readily provided!
COST:-
There is a standard cost across the UK - £2585.00 (excl.VAT) per candidate. This cost includes everything – eight workshops, assessment, verification, support/mentoring certification. We can often offer additional FOC practical training to enhance the learning experience. (e.g. placement with forwarders).
This compares very favourably with other international trade programmes on offer.
