The International Trade Secretary, MP has announced the world’s first
training programme to recruit tomorrow’s trade negotiators.
The two-year scheme, which pays £30,561 per annum, includes
placements with the UK’s expert trade negotiating teams working
on future trade agreements with partners including the United
States and Australia, as well as the teams supporting UK
companies to export their goods and services, and a six-month
international placement in one of DIT’s 127 international
offices.
Unlike traditional graduate schemes, no qualifications are needed
to sign up to the programme, with the majority of candidates
expected to be school leavers aged 18 or over, people switching
careers or those looking to work in government for the first
time.
The scheme is intended to develop the UK’s talent pool of trade
policy and promotion experts, as the UK prepares to leave the EU
and implement an independent trade policy for the first time in
40 years.
Launching the scheme, International Trade Secretary MP said:
“For decades, people didn’t look at trade as a viable career
option. Now, the International Trade Development Programme will
make a career in trade policy and promotion not only viable but
highly desirable.
“A whole generation will be equipped with these vital skills,
charged with driving our export and investment performance,
securing market access deals for our businesses and promoting the
UK’s prosperity.
“My vision is that anyone joining the scheme will be able to
enjoy their whole career at DIT, building skills and experience
across the department to eventually take on one of our
highest-ranking and most prestigious roles as HM Trade
Commissioners.”
Applications are open until 4 August at readytotrade.co.uk.
This announcement is part of DIT’s continuing commitment to open
up new career and expertise opportunities in trade policy and
promotion. Last year, launched the National Trade Academy
Programme which has run in parallel with the Board of Trade
across the UK, giving higher education students unique
opportunities to learn about doing business internationally from
British entrepreneurs and trade experts.
This year, the National Trade Academy Programme is open to
16-18-year-olds for the first time with three Summer Schools in
Edinburgh, Bristol and Birmingham. The Schools include trade
simulation games to encourage students to think about the
challenges and opportunities facing exporters, insights from
successful exporters and an exporting challenge.
DIT’s Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser Crawford Falconer said:
“This is a great opportunity to show young people that there is a
whole range of careers in trade and, for the first time, DIT is
opening up these opportunities.
“I look forward to working with some of these young people when
they become entrepreneurs, exporters and even trade experts in my
team.”
