WITA Academy

The mission of the WITA Academy™ is to provide trade education and career development opportunities in international trade to individuals across the United States and around the world. By expanding the network, the WITA Academy™ builds a stronger and more dynamic trade community.

The WITA Academy™ is a program of the Washington International Trade Foundation. Through its programs, the WITA Academy is committed to strengthening the trade community by bringing together a broad range of perspectives and creating opportunities for engagement amongst the trade community. Expanding access to education and professional development ensures the continued growth and success of the trade community, shaping the future of trade policy.

The WITA Academy is actively partnering with colleges and universities across the United States to host programs for students interested in exploring careers in international trade policy.

Through the Pathways to Opportunity™ program, we introduce students to the diversity of career opportunities available in the field of international trade, providing insights into roles they may not have previously considered. This initiative fosters the next generation of trade policy professionals, broadening perspectives and cultivating the best and brightest talent for future trade policymakers.

For more information on Career Development by the WITA Academy, click here.

The WITA Academy runs this specialized Pathways to Opportunity™ program to introduce law students and undergraduates to the field of international trade law. Participants gain insights into career opportunities through discussions with professionals from law firms, the private sector, government, and other trade organizations. This initiative connects emerging legal talent with experienced professionals, offering various pathways to explore roles in trade law and fostering networks within international trade policy and law.

For more information about the Trade and Law Series by the WITA Academy, click here to learn more.

Since 2008, WITA has hosted its signature Intensive Trade Seminar™ in conjunction with the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. The ITS is geared toward individuals seeking a career in trade policy; to people new to the field of trade policy, and those in the business of international trade.

Building off WITA’s successful Intensive Trade Seminar model, the WITA Academy creates bespoke International Intensive Trade Seminars in partnership with Embassies and Ministries around the world. The International ITS can be conducted virtually or in-person, drawing on WITA’s vast global network of trade professionals to teach the sessions. Previous international programming has been focused on WTO and Africa. Other programs include Europe and China.

For more information on Trade Education & Capacity Building by the WITA Academy, click here.

In partnership with Young Trade Professionals™, the WITA Academy relaunched its “Trade on the Hill” series. These briefings for Congressional staff provide updates on trade issues facing their constituencies and the country. Sessions feature experts who can teach Congressional staff about issues such as Trade Promotion Authority, Tariff Policy, Trade Law, Free Trade Agreements & Negotiations, etc.

For more information on Trade on the Hill by the WITA Academy, click here.

Interns gain valuable exposure to the global trade community, Washington’s political environment, and international trade policy. They develop key professional skills, including office operations, event coordination, and networking, while deepening their understanding of trade policy. Support for the WITA Academy enables the program to have paid opportunities, ensuring accessibility to a broad range of talented applicants and fostering a diverse pipeline of future trade professionals.

To learn more about the WITA Internship Program, click here.

The WITA Academy Fellowship provides early-career professionals with a one-year paid opportunity, running from July to July, to develop management and leadership skills within WITA. Fellows mentor and guide WITA interns under the direction of WITA leadership and take on a leadership role with Young Trade Professionals. This immersive experience connects Fellows to Washington’s trade policy community and global trade professionals, with the ultimate goal of integrating them into the broader trade community as future leaders.

To learn more about the WITA Academy Fellowship Program, click here.

The WITA Academy is proud to partner with Content Enablers, a global leader in online trade compliance training, to offer best-in-class trade compliance training in the areas of export controls, sanctions, import controls, security, and anti-corruption. Courses are available on-demand and include a certificate of completion from respected academic institutions such as the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University and the UK’s Institute of Export and International Trade (IOE&IT). Courses include a full year of course access and regulatory updates as well as included Compliance Continued elements such as webinar series, training vignettes, case studies, and more.

The WITA Academy is proud to partner with Policyware, which provides short courses (called Deep Dives) into cutting edge public policy issues affecting international trade and investment. Each Deep Dive is taught by experts from top universities and think tanks, including from the Brookings Institution, Yale University, Berkeley Law School and University College London, to name a few. Examples of Policyware Deep Dives include Governing Digital Trade and Global Data Flows, Developments in International Investment Policy, Labor Standards and Human Rights in Global Supply Chains, China Digital Governance, Development in Global Privacy Law and Policy, and Climate Change and its Implications for International Trade. Students who enroll in Policyware Deep Dives are typically public policy professionals. Previous students have come from industry, from Ministries of foreign affairs, international trade, and USAID, as well as from international organizations such as the World Bank and from civil society and large philanthropies. Click here to get more information.