The mission of the WITA Academy™ is to make trade education and career opportunities in international trade accessible to communities in the United States and around the world, and to make the trade community itself more diverse and inclusive.

The WITA Academy™ is a program of the Washington International Trade Foundation. Through the work of the WITA Academy, the Foundation is expanding what the term “inclusive” means to WITA and the trade community at large. Having diverse points of view on trade means one thing but having a diverse and inclusive trade community means another.

The WITA Academy’s Pathways to Opportunity™ program is increasing diversity and inclusion in the trade community by partnering with universities to educate students on jobs and career opportunities in international trade.

The WITA Academy partners with colleges and universities to host programs for students interested in a career in international trade. The Academy hopes to expand the Pathways to Opportunity program to more underrepresented communities around the United States. The Pathways to Opportunity program also undertakes sector-specific sessions to highlight trade-related career opportunities in fields such as agriculture, technology, textiles and apparel, and international finance, among other sectors.

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

In addition to programming for undergraduates, the WITA Academy will host a series of programs on Careers in International Trade & Law. 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.

Over the past 10 years, WITA has hosted over 300 students and recent grads as part of the WITA Internship Program. WITA interns learn about the global trade community, the Washington political environment, and the substance of international trade. They also learn valuable office skills, and about event management, professional networking, and careers in international trade. With support, the Academy will be able to make this Washington experience more accessible to applicants from diverse backgrounds.

The Foundation funds a one-year paid Fellowship within WITA to build skills and develop management experience. The WITA Fellow helps guide and lead the work of WITA interns, with the guidance of the WITA leadership. Fellows also have the opportunity to serve in a leadership role with WITA’s Young Trade Professionals affiliate.

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.