International freight forwarding (international logistics) companies and related industries in Guangxi, as well as relevant educational institutions in Guangxi:

According to the notice from the China International Freight Forwarders Association, the 2016 nationwide training and examination for professional certificates for international freight forwarding practitioners has officially commenced. We hereby provide the following notification regarding this year’s training and examination arrangements and work requirements for the Guangxi examination area:

I. Eligibility Requirements

Individuals with a high school education or above, or those with some practical experience in international freight forwarding, or those who have undergone training in international freight forwarding and are eager to pursue a career in this field.

II. Organize Training

For candidates participating in the training, each training and examination center shall systematically provide training and pre-exam guidance to examinees in accordance with the requirements of the examination syllabus, ensuring both sufficient training time and high-quality instruction. Each training center may also adopt flexible approaches tailored to the individual conditions and professional levels of the candidates.

The Guangxi examination district has entrusted participating institutions to organize training courses on their own. According to regulations, any institution approved by the China International Freight Forwarders Association, possessing training qualifications, and having qualified instructors is eligible to host such courses. Currently, Guangxi has three such institutions: Guangxi International Business Vocational and Technical College, Guangxi Vocational and Technical College, and Guangxi Transportation Vocational and Technical College. Other institutions must submit an application and obtain approval before they can organize training courses.

III. Examination Method

Grouped questions, partitioned organization, and closed-book examination. The exam paper consists of objective-type questions; candidates must use a 2B pencil to fill in their selected answers on the answer sheet according to the instructions for marking the answer sheet.

IV. Application Requirements and Fee Standards

1. Registration period:

From 8:00 on April 1, 2016, to 17:00 on August 26, the online registration system of the freight forwarding training and examination center will be open to the public.

2. Registration methods, confirmation procedures, and fee standards:

Candidates should register online through the website of the China International Freight Forwarders Association (www.cifa.org.cn) or the Freight Forwarding Training and Examination Center website (www.coscoqmc.com.cn, bottom left corner) to access the “Freight Forwarding Training and Examination Center.” (Please read the “Notes for Candidates” posted on the website carefully when filling out the application form.) Candidates who fail to complete online registration by the deadline will not be permitted to take the exam.

During the application period, after successfully registering online, candidates should bring the following three documents to the Guangxi International Freight Forwarding Association to complete the qualification confirmation and payment procedures: ① The candidate’s own ID card (original and a photocopy); ② Educational certificate or proof of professional experience (original and a photocopy); ③ The “Application Form for the Professional Certification Training Examination for International Freight Forwarding Positions” downloaded from the online registration system (upload a photo online—color, with a white background, and conforming to passport photo specifications). While completing the confirmation procedures, candidates should also collect the “Main Admission Ticket.” Candidates not taking the make-up exam must register for both subjects simultaneously.

The examination registration fee is set at 80 yuan per subject, totaling 160 yuan for two subjects. Once the confirmation procedures have been completed, the examination fee will not be refunded under any circumstances—neither for those who fail to take the exam for any reason nor for those who do not pass the exam. Candidates who register online but fail to complete the qualification confirmation within the specified deadline will not be permitted to take the exam.

All candidates are requested to log onto the Freight Forwarding Training and Examination Center website from 8:00 on September 7 to 8:00 on October 23 to download and print their “Supplementary Admission Tickets” themselves. During the examination, candidates must bring both the primary and supplementary admission tickets as well as their identification cards.

For other matters, candidates are requested to keep an eye on the information posted on the website of the Training and Examination Center of the China International Freight Forwarders Association.

V. Examination Time, Subjects, Textbooks, and Examination Instructions

1. Exam time:

October 23, 2016 (Sunday). Afternoon:

13:30–15:30, Theory and Practice of International Freight Forwarding;

16:00–17:30, Professional English for International Freight Forwarding (including English documentation);

Candidates taking the single-subject make-up exam will take the exam simultaneously with the corresponding subject.

2. Examination Subjects and Textbooks:

The exam consists of two subjects:

(1) Theory and Practice of International Freight Forwarding (including: Introduction to International Freight Forwarding, Theory and Practice of International Sea Freight Forwarding, Theory and Practice of International Air Freight Forwarding, Theory and Practice of International Land Freight Forwarding and Multimodal Transport).

The textbook selected is “Special Textbook for the National Training and Examination of Professionals in the International Freight Forwarding Industry,” compiled by the China International Freight Forwarders Association and published by China Business Press, and comes in two sets:

The first set is: “Theory and Practice of International Freight Forwarding” (2012 edition). (This set is a concise, abridged edition, with content streamlined to suit those who already have some knowledge and experience in freight forwarding. It is available for purchase from the association.)

The other set includes: “An Introduction to International Freight Forwarding” (2010 edition); “Theory and Practice of International Sea Freight Forwarding” (2010 edition); “Theory and Practice of International Air Freight Forwarding” (2010 edition); and “Theory and Practice of International Land Freight Forwarding and Multimodal Transport” (2010 edition). (This set serves as a professional study textbook, suitable for those participating in training programs, as well as individuals with no prior experience in freight forwarding or those not currently working in the industry. It is available for purchase from the association.)

Please download the exam syllabus (2015 edition) from the Peikao Center website.

(2) Professional English for International Freight Forwarding (including English documentation).

The textbook selected is “Professional English for International Freight Forwarding,” the official training and examination material for practitioners in the national international freight forwarding industry, compiled by the China International Freight Forwarders Association and published by the China Business Press (2015 edition).

Exam syllabus (2015 edition)—please download it from the exam center’s website.

(3) Grading criteria: Each of the two subjects has a maximum score of 100 points, and a passing score of 60 points. Only those who pass both subjects are eligible to obtain the Certificate. If a candidate fails one of the two subjects, they will be allowed to take a make-up exam in the following year (with only one opportunity for a make-up exam). Once the candidate passes the make-up exam, they will be awarded the Certificate.

(4) Examination Venue: Guangxi International Business Vocational and Technical College (No. 168, University East Road, Nanning City).

(5) Notes for Test-Taking.

1. Be sure to bring the “three certificates” into the examination room—namely, your ID card, primary certificate, and secondary certificate—none of which can be missing.

2. Examination supplies: 2B pencils, erasers, water-based pens, etc.;

3. Strictly abide by examination rules and discipline, and absolutely prohibit cheating. As a general rule, mobile phones are not allowed in the examination room; those who have already brought their phones must place them in the designated location as required before the exam begins.

6. Collect the certificate

One month after the exam results are announced, please call this examination district (Guangxi International Freight Forwarding Association, 0771-2109302) to confirm that your certificate has arrived and then come to collect it.

VII. Relevant Matters and Requirements:

1. Leaders from Guangxi’s international freight forwarding, logistics, and related industries should adopt a strategic perspective centered on building a talent-driven business, place great importance on the annual professional certification training and examination for freight forwarding practitioners, coordinate to effectively address the conflict between employee training, examinations, and daily business operations, and scientifically schedule exams in a way that does not interfere with work.

2. Given the current challenges in arranging employment for college graduates in China, we encourage graduates to take advantage of opportunities and obtain an additional professional certification—each extra certification opens up another avenue for employment. In recent years, the number of college graduates in Guangxi taking and passing professional certification exams for freight forwarding practitioners has been increasing, and a significant number have successfully obtained these certifications, thereby greatly broadening their employment prospects.

3. Candidates who have already registered and completed the confirmation procedures must arrive at the examination venue on time. (Candidates from prefectural-level cities can take the early morning bus on the same day and arrive in Nanning by noon without needing to stay overnight. Candidates from Nanning city should also be aware of traffic congestion within the city and make absolutely sure not to be late and enter the examination room on time.)

Guangxi Examination District Contacts: Liao Jianjun, Huang Yanyan. Contact Numbers: 13377188389, 0771-2109302.

Guangxi International Freight Forwarding Association Address: Rooms 505 and 507, West Building, Business Hall Compound, No. 137 Qixing Road, Nanning City