Chapter 2: Importance of International Business
2.5 PREPARING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL WORKPLACE
Pg 66-70
Since international trade is so important to our economy, the government has designed
programs for today’s youth with exchange programs. Students learn about new cultures,
get work experience, and see how international firms operate. This experience is often
beneficial for getting employed after high school.
With today’s increasing technology, you don’t even have to leave Canada to be involved
in international business. Many Canadian companies look for employers with
international business knowledge. (Example: distributors who supply products to other
countries)
Getting Experience Abroad
Gaining international work experience gives you many benefits:
-experience in how other cultures do business
-knowledge of the world’s resources and global economy
-improve multi-cultural communications
-acquire business skills on a global level.
-gain confidence in dealing with other cultures
Dr. Alex Murray, a professor at Laurier University, believes before traveling abroad, you
should see how knowledgeable you are in respect to other cultures.
-Can you adapt to doing things differently?
-Are you willing to experience new customs and culture?
-Can you respect people with different values than your own?
There are now many university programs that allow students to gain international
business experience. For example, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency offers
internship programs with companies to university students in the Atlantic Provinces.
The goal of programs such as this one is to give new people entering the work force an
opportunity to prepare to do international business. Students are often asked to do
research, investigate competitors, pricing, tax laws, and conduct interviews with firms.
Dierdre Evans had the opportunity to do one of these programs. She claims having
hands on experience in the company, doing market research, was much more beneficial
than doing case studies at the University.
Some Canadian high schools offer exchange programs with other countries. Our school
offers Canadian students to go to other countries and we also host students from
foreign countries.
Lindsay Slessor was in an exchange program that placed her with a job in a foreign
company as well, where she helped the owner set up web pages.
Through this experience she gained independence, confidence, and figured out what
she wanted to do after high school. She went to Humber College for multimedia studies.
Getting Experience at Home
Although experience in a foreign country can be helpful for someone interested in going
into international business, you can also do a lot of research at home and find out about
international jobs in the international business area. Resources for research could
include:
-The school or public library for books in the business section.
-Newspapers and the news on television to look for articles posted in the business
section or in ads on the television.
-Anyone in the business industry.
-Community organizations, like the local chamber of commerce.
-Internet web sites of international companies that describe their foreign job openings.
There are ways to gain experience and improve your business skills in international
affairs and business without leaving Canada. You can join an international organization
or committee and volunteer to work with refugees in Canada. You can take postsecondary courses in international business, politics or contemporary cultural history
Knowledge & Skills for International Business
To be successful in a career in international business, you will have to make changes to
your everyday life, learning how to communicate with and respect other cultures.
Increasing your knowledge:
-Understand and respect other cultures
-Have strong spoken and written language skills
-Knowing a second language is very useful
Refining your skills:
-Learn how to problem- solve
-Learn to use critical thinking
-Show leadership qualities
-Learn to clearly communicate a message
-Learn to negotiate and resolve conflicts
These abilities will come in very handy while doing international business. They will help
you think quickly in new situations and will help you communicate affectively.
According to the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers, your
international skills inventory should include the following:
-General traits: enjoy change, have a sense of adventure, desire to seek out changes,
be open minded, patient and curious.
-Adaptation and coping skills: be emotionally stable and have the ability to deal with
stress, know how to deal with culture shock (feelings felt towards a new environment),
have a sense of humor and know yourself.
-Intercultural Communications skills and traits: be tolerant and sensitive to others,
have good listening/observation skills, understand/use non-verbal communication and
know a second language.
-Overseas work effectiveness skills: independence and self-discipline, experience in
training people, resourcefulness, versatility and persistence.
You will need a good general education to work in international business. Also, postsecondary studies in anthropology, English, foreign languages, geography, history,
math, psychology and sociology will help in this area.
Many Canadian post-secondary institutions now offer specific business programs.
Some examples of these institutions are:
-Grant MacEwan College in Alberta (Asia -Pacific Management, Bachelor of applied
International Business)
-Humber College in Toronto works with organizations to offer certificates geared to
specific areas of international business, like the International Freight Forwarding
Certificate.
-Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario offers both
undergraduate courses and graduate programs in international business.
-Faculty of Business at the University of Victoria, B.C., which offers international
exchange programs