Certified Business Administrator (IHK)

In the continuing education course to become a Certified Trade Specialist (IHK), you learn comprehensive business management knowledge and management skills that are essential for career advancement in the trade sector. The course is divided into mandatory and elective areas of activity, so that individual interests and experiences can be taken into account.

In the mandatory areas of activity, you acquire knowledge in business management and control, including the creation of a business plan, financial decisions, and risk and environmental management. Furthermore, skills in leadership, human resources management, communication and cooperation are taught, which are necessary to support employee selection processes and carry out training measures. In the area of trade marketing, you learn to analyze market trends, implement marketing strategies and take into account competition law regulations. In addition, the management of procurement and logistics processes is deepened, including the control of goods and data flows and the consideration of economic and ecological aspects.

The elective part allows you to deepen in specific areas such as sales control, trade logistics, purchasing or foreign trade. This enables a specialization that is tailored to personal interests and career goals.

A big advantage of this continuing education is the career perspective that opens up for graduates. With the degree, you can take on positions in middle management, such as department, branch or sales management. These positions are usually associated with better pay and were traditionally often only open to academics. The Trade Specialist degree is considered equivalent to an academic bachelor's degree, which underlines its attractiveness.

You should have an interest in business administration topics as well as leadership and management tasks. The continuing education offers a solid foundation for you to advance your career in trade by combining practical and theoretical knowledge and promoting strategic thinking.

• Company management and control: You evaluate forms, requirements, opportunities and risks of entrepreneurial self-employment and create a business plan.
• Leadership, personnel management, communication and cooperation: You apply leadership methods and self-management techniques, participate in personnel selection, and conduct vocational training and qualification measures.
• Retail marketing: You evaluate trade and market-relevant developments, use marketing measures in a goal-oriented manner, review results and initiate change processes considering competition law regulations.
• Procurement and logistics: You manage and optimize procurement, warehousing and logistics processes considering interfaces, e-procurement and terms policy.
• Sales management: You evaluate sales and assortment strategies, plan and analyze space optimization measures and implement them considering customer needs.
• Retail logistics: You plan, manage and optimize elements of the logistics chain, negotiate contract terms and award orders considering operational framework conditions.
• Purchasing: You develop purchasing strategies, implement assortment strategies and further develop them.
• Foreign trade: You initiate foreign trade transactions and evaluate foreign trade risks.
• Learning and working methodology, presentation: You present purposefully and methodically and apply learning and work techniques professionally.