Wholesale and Foreign Trade Management

• If you do not already hold a residence permit for Hong Kong, for example because you are not already living there with your family, you must be at least 18 years old by the start of the training programme
• You have at least a German Fachhochschulreife, Abitur or an equivalent school-leaving qualification, such as the IB or A Levels
• You have a good command of both German and English
• You are interested in business, commercial processes and international trade, particularly wholesale and foreign trade as well as areas such as industry, logistics and the international movement of goods
• You enjoy working as part of a team, are flexible and able to adapt quickly to new tasks and markets
• You have strong communication skills

Vocational School (Theory)

• You attend the German Business School
• The school is headed by a director appointed on behalf of the German Federal Government
• Classes take place 1.5 days per week
• The language of instruction is German
• Tuition fees are HK$50,000 per year (as of the 2025–2026 academic year)

Company (Practical Training)

• You gain practical experience in companies operating in areas such as:
• English is the main language used in the workplace
• You work in the company 3.5 days per week
• Your training follows a defined training framework, which sets out the required content and structure of the programme

The training allowance is:

• 1st year: HK$8,000 per month
• 2nd year: HK$9,000 per month

A qualification in wholesale and foreign trade management opens up a wide range of career opportunities across different areas of the industry. These include:

• Purchasing and Procurement: You select goods and services, identify suitable suppliers, and negotiate prices and contracts
• Sales: You market products and services and support customers in a B2B environment
• Logistics and Supply Chain Management: You plan and coordinate transport, warehousing and delivery processes across the entire value chain
• Foreign Trade and International Business: You organise import and export processes and manage trading activities across international markets
• Product Management and Marketing: You support the development of new products and help position them successfully in the market

Typical areas of employment include:

• Import and export companies
• Wholesale businesses
• Industrial and manufacturing companies
• Logistics and transport companies
• Service providers
• Commercial agencies and trading representatives

Applications are submitted directly to German Industry and Commerce Hong Kong. The required application form is available online during the application period.

• Your application documents:
  You submit a cover letter and a CV in English. You will also need to provide your Abitur certificate, or your three most recent school reports, as well as any internship certificates you may have.
• Multiple applications:
  You may apply for one or several vocational training programmes at the same time.
• Application period:
  The application process opens every year in December. The deadline is 28 February for programmes starting on 1 September of the same year.
• Review of applications:
  Your application is first reviewed by GIC and is then forwarded to the participating training companies.
• Selection by companies:
  The companies select their trainees independently and will contact you directly if they are interested in your application.
• Decision and timeline:
  The final hiring decision is made by the individual companies. Depending on the company, the selection process may continue until late June or early July.
• Notification:
  If your application is unsuccessful, GIC will inform you by the end of July at the latest.