Businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire aiming to grow through overseas trade can take advantage of a training programme to upskill their staff.

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Fidelitas Training to offer a programme to take staff to the next level of skills and knowledge.

Fidelitas Training owner, Stephen Townsley, grew up in the Coventry and Warwickshire area but now lives in Germany and delivers the eight-module International Trade Operations & Procedures (ITOPS) course alongside a range of professionals with experience in the sector.

Completion of the course, which is based on the practical, real-life demands of international trade, leads to a double certificated qualification from ITOPS and the British Chambers of Commerce. It also gives those who complete it the confidence to grow and develop their exporting and importing markets and to then look to enhance their skills further with additional training.

The Chamber is currently signing up the first cohort of professionals to take part in the course, which will start in October. They will work through a range of workshops that include customs and excise processes, how to move goods, payments and procedures, including how to maintain profitability. The sessions are interactive, flexible and support people in how to do the job, including on how to react if something goes wrong.

Stephen said: “I am delighted to have agreed this partnership to deliver training to Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce members. Although we are based in Germany, I know the Coventry and Warwickshire area very well so this is a bit like ITOPS is coming home for me.

“The importance of international trade to any regional economy is huge so it’s vitally important that we get more and more businesses doing it. They can reach out for support but it’s also important to have members of the team who are skilled and trained in how to operate in the real world of international trade. That’s what we provide. The sessions are fun, interactive and practical – and they are delivered by people who have experience of trading overseas, which is important.”

Adele Dodds, of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: ““International trade is something that we’d encourage businesses of all sizes and sectors to look at and we’re really pleased to be able to bring this new, practical programme to members to help them in doing that.

“We’re in the process of signing up our first cohort so I’d urge any businesses interested to get in touch straight away to be part of the first programme.”

For more information or to sign up, please email adeled@cw-chamber.co.uk or call 024 7665 4321.

Please find out what other support is available to your business by calling Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub on 0300 060 3747 or visiting https://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk