VOCATIONAL BACHELOR’S DEGREE: CAREERS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Study track: International Technical Sales Representative for Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises and Industries
This one-year Vocational Bachelor’s course is taught through a work-study programme that trains students to become future supervisors and operations’ managers in international trade within the specific context of small and medium-scale industries (in French: PMI).
Under a sales executive or CEO’s supervision, graduates from this course must possess skills including:
- Managing the restrictions and opportunities resulting from changes in trade exchanges.
- Analysing international markets and organising a strategic and commercial update system.
- Implementing and/or improving customer service, becoming the interface between customers and companies’ production divisions.
- Leading a commercial development project and ensuring communication with production agents.
- Selling and buying on different markets and/or facilitating communication between customers and suppliers in English or a different foreign language.
- Managing intercultural differences and specific business customs and practices.
- Promoting a company or product in writing and through oral presentations, both in French and in another language.
- Using different methods to help small and medium-scale industries (PMI in French) in order promote their development both in France and internationally.
- Integrating new information and communication technologies in everyday business practices.
- Dealing with customs and international regulations.
- Head of exports,
- Export zone manager,
- Export assistant,
- Export account management,
- Market manager,
- Sedentary export technical sales representatives,
- Assistants for forwarders, export departments and purchasing departments,
- Export sales representatives,
Course content:
General and technical training: 441 hours as part of a work-study programme
Adapting to the international trade environment
Contemporary strategic challenges / International economy / Managing cultural differences / Interpersonal relationships / Expression and communication / English (LV1) / Second foreign language (LV2).
Knowing the company and its environment
Challenges surrounding small or medium-scale industries and enterprises (SME) / International marketing / Market analysis and assessment / International trade law / Financial management / International purchasing and logistics / Computing.
Extending professional knowledge: company development within its market
International canvassing / International trade negotiation/ Sales and purchasing techniques for international trade.
Tools for business relationships
Telemarketing / Buyer-supplier relationship management / Project management / Business intelligence
Exams: Continuous assessment / Assessment by the company / Projects
How is the course structured?
Work-study programme:
A 12-month work-study programme (October to September), including 13 weeks training at the IUT and/or the Languedoc-Roussillon UIMM training centre (classes) and 34 weeks working for a company (internship/professional activities/projects).
Work-study schedule: alternating between 1 week in class and 3 weeks with the company.
At least 25% of the course is taught by visiting professionals, with the rest of the classes being covered by university professors.
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What is the professional integration rate for this course?
At least 2 out of 3 graduates are offered an open-ended job contract by our partner companies.
Fields and careers accessible to our TCI graduates
Prospective fields: all industrial sectors where small and medium-scale industries are present.
Prospective careers:
- Head of exports,
- Export zone manager,
- Export assistant,
- Export account management,
- Sales administration manager
- Sedentary export technical sales representatives,
- Assistants for forwarders, export departments and purchasing departments,
- Export sales representatives,