Member Lookup

“Making of a true Logistics Professional”

The Academy of International Trade and Transport (AITT) is the training arm of the Sri Lanka Freight Forwarders’ Association (SLFFA). It is a body endorsed by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and the International Federation of Freight Forwarding Associations (FIATA). The Institute classes are conducted at the FCCISL - Training Center ' at No. 53, Vauxhall Lane, Colombo -02, Sri Lanka.

AITT came into being as a result of the Executive Committee of SLFFA, in 2007, recognising the importance of having skilled and trained professionals to handle the various intricacies of this vital industry.

The establishment of an industry-backed fully pledged training academy was primarily to address the key issue of dwindling number of professional freight forwarders in the country and also to upgrade freight forwarding to a profession that is treated on par with others such as engineering, architecture and insurance.

The vision of AITT is to elevate the image of The Freight Forwarder to a level in which he is recognised and respected in society as that of other professionals such as doctors and engineers.

On the 3rd of March,2011, a collaboration was agreed between SLFFA -AITT and Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Sri-Lanka (FCCISL) and both managements signed a MoU to develop and promote Professional Capacity Building Programs (PCB) towards the process of developing knowledge and industry skills to increase effectiveness in job performance and productivity in the transportation, logistics and supply chain sectors in Sri Lanka. AITT-FCCISL will be conducting the respective training programs through its regional training network centers in the country.

International Support & Guidance

"Thinking Globally and Acting Locally"

All AITT courses are conducted by a panel of highly competent industry professionals & academics who have undergone training of trainer programmes (TOT) of UNESCAP and FIATA.

A Star is Born

"AITT - The Launch"

The first-ever Certificate Course titled “International Transport and Logistics” was launched in July 2007, with a batch of 35 students, from the industry, as well as from amongst major exporting companies. The course has since gained immense popularity, and whenever applications for a new batch of students are called, the positions are filled in no time.

Method of teaching adopted at AITT is aimed at creating an understanding and appreciation of the broad concepts in transport and logistics and then focus on practical applications of these concepts specifically targeting an enhanced performance.

Primary mode of interaction with students has been by way of

• Classroom lectures

• Assignments and field work

• Group work

• Final written examination (Both essay and multiple choices)

From the feedback the Institute has been receiving, the students find the above teaching methods challenging as well as interesting.

The Logistics and Supply Chain Industry is the lifeblood of any economy and road-map to competitiveness in globalization - EDUCATOR MAGAZINE – By Peter Barbut CMILT

(For more information contact-4795319/0777-776652)

The field of logistics and supply chain management is diverse. The future of the industry is bright in ever expanding globalization of manufacturing and sourcing of goods and technologies , that will be taking place due to ever demanding costs of products by the markets. Sri Lanka is well position to plug into the growth in global and regional trade for the Indian sub-continent region, being next door to India one of the largest manufacturing economies and consumer market. The multi-disciplinary nature of Logistics and Supply Chain Management programmes today offered by universities, institutes and academies provides management graduates with an edge to compete successfully in many industries.

Candidates can look forward to challenging career opportunities in industry-specific domains or those that cut across many industries. These can fit many job descriptions such as logistics/transport/shipping manager, inventory control and materialist specialist, supply chain manager, warehousing manager, port/airport manager, trade pricing specialist, import/export manager, procurement manager, channel sales manager and customer logistics analyst.

There are two paths-ways, one can get an entry to this industry, by following an academic path (Graduate programme in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, MBA in International Trade and Logistics) and join the industry and which still needs to undergo an apprentice period to learn the skills which is highly required to perform in real life situations to overcome the challenges and solutions that are demanded by the market.

The other is to join the industry and undergo an apprenticeship period of leaning the skills to perform services on an international environment and take-up professional courses as you start to gain practical exposure, like learning foundation aspects of the industry, followed by a certificate and diploma and higher diploma courses which will enhance your knowledge easily as you have already been exposed to the required level of skills on the practical side, the 2^nd option one can say would in actual fact develop a much faster level of acquiring professional standards in one self with this combination of experience and skill to be further enhanced with an academic study path.

Both learning approaches can be considered fruitful and constructive pathways for new comers to this industry.

Today in the post war- era of Sri Lanka, with the building of several ports and airports infrastructure, the logistics industry will have several opportunities for employment of professionals which the country needs to have in-order to successfully managed these investments for the nation.

The Academic Programmes on Offer

"Global Knowledge...Local Needs"

Following Courses are currently on offer at our academy.

• Certificate course for beginners (School Leavers) in International Trade and Transport
• Certificate Course in International Trade & Transport
• Advanced Certificate Course in Port Management and port operations
• Advanced Certificate Course in Customs & Border Control (Exports/Imports Procedures)
• FIATA - Diploma in Freight Forwarding
• Supply Chain Management, SCM-Pro Certification programme conducted in collaboration with ' Supply-Chain-Asia-Academy, in Singapore.
• AITT regularly conducts seminars, workshops to the trade & industry on freight transportation & logistics related subjects.

For more details please contact AITT on 4795319 or 0777-776652.