Education & Training

As the first Swiss qualification providing quality assurance for continuing education and training, this is a landmark for SUISSENÉGOCE. The certification was obtained after an in-depth evaluation process and an in-house audit, to ensure that our methods are fully transparent and in accordance with its standards.

This certification is a mark of recognition of the high quality of SUISSENÉGOCE Academy's education and training programmes.

Education and training are essential pillars in ensuring the continued competitiveness of commodity trading, shipping and trade finance companies. SUISSENÉGOCE Academy offers a range of programmes to suit students from a variety of backgrounds, including professional training programmes, academic education in conjunction with the University of Geneva and academic research.

These programmes uniquely cover all commodities and activities along the commodity value chain, serving the evolving needs of SUISSENÉGOCE members and making Switzerland a leading training hub and talent pool in commodity trading and an industry talent pool.

Acquire expertise directly from the industry's specialists

Training has become a priority for anyone aspiring to work in the commodity trading industry. Not only does the activity involve a growing number of actors, but the activities along the commodity value chain increasingly require specialised knowledge.

Learning on the job as was commonly the case up to the early 2000s has become very difficult. With Switzerland's growing role as a global trading hub, SUISSENÉGOCE has worked together with its members to develop a complete training and education offering.

Whether you are still at University, already work in the industry or wish to acquire expertise in the fields of international trade, commodity finance or shipping, our programmes will help you develop professionally.

All of our programmes are taught in English by some of the industry's leading experts.

We take pride in bringing the very best to our students. SUISSENÉGOCE takes great care into selecting the well-known and respected specialists to deliver our courses.

Thanks to their direct involvement with some of the leading commodity trading, shipping and trade finance companies, our speakers and teachers prepare our students for real life situations and help them acquire the skill set to succeed in this fast-paced environment.

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Finding new talents is one of the biggest challenges to keeping commodity trading companies and related services in Switzerland. Over the past 20 years on-the-job training was sufficient to fill the needs. But today, an increasing number of companies are competing for the same profiles, making it difficult to grow the business.

SUISSENÉGOCE has developed its suite of education and training programmes as a solution to these problems. At the same time, it creates an opportunity to generate many new high-level jobs and ensures that the local workforce keeps pace with the latest industry best practices, thereby maintaining Switzerland as a center of excellence.

In 2008 SUISSENÉGOCE (formerly GTSA) set up two academic programmes in partnership with the University of Geneva. The Master in international trading was created for Bachelor students, while professionals with a minimum of three years of experience could join an executive Diploma programme.

Besides an academic offering, SUISSENÉGOCE has developed professional training programmes specifically designed for young people looking to acquire practical skills. In particular, our Operator's Certificate has attracted over 100 students since its creation, many of whom have gone on to establish successfully careers.

Build a great career

Traders are only one of the links in a long chain, many people with different profiles work around them. Without teamwork, nothing would be possible.

Moving cargo from a producing country to a consuming one requires the participation of several experts to minimise the operational and financial risks at each stage of the voyage of the goods.

Recently, these tasks have become more complex and specialised, making it very difficult to learn on the job, as was commonly the case up to the early 2000s.

The graphics below indicate key positions in a trading house, providing a view of what a wide range of career opportunities is on offer. Other professions exist and still more will emerge as the commodity trading industry constantly adapts to its evolving environment.

Build a career (PDF)