Education has always been one of the most important things NAFTZ does.

Whether someone is learning the fundamentals of the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones program for the first time, working toward a professional credential, or keeping pace with an increasingly complex trade and regulatory environment, our responsibility is the same: provide education that is accurate, practical, relevant, and worthy of the trust our members and credential holders place in it.

That means our educational programs and credentials cannot stand still.

Over the coming months, the NAFTZ Accreditation Committee will launch three focused subcommittees to take a deeper look at several areas that will be important to the future of NAFTZ education.

The first will examine third-party continuing education for CZS and AZS credential holders. Our goal is to make it easier for credential holders to receive credit for high-quality education offered outside NAFTZ while maintaining appropriate standards. One of the concepts the group will develop is a process through which education providers can have programs approved in advance for CZS and AZS continuing education credit. This should create greater flexibility for credential holders in reaching their required continuing education units for renewal.

A second group will focus on Fundamentals of FTZs content and instructor development. Fundamentals is often someone’s first substantial introduction to the U.S. FTZ program, and we want that experience to be as practical, consistent, and useful as possible. The group will look at opportunities to strengthen course content through case studies, real-world examples, exercises, and other applied learning tools. It will also develop a Train-the-Trainer framework to help us recruit, prepare, and support the next generation of Fundamentals instructors.

This Fundamentals work will include attention to our self-paced online learners. NAFTZ partners with NCBFAA on the CZS program, and our online Fundamentals content is delivered through NCBFAA’s learning management system, so improvements to that experience will require thoughtful coordination between our organizations.

The third will be a strategic review of the AZS credential. We have an opportunity to more clearly define what an Accredited Zone Specialist should represent and to build a credential that demonstrates meaningful advanced knowledge, experience, judgment, and competency. The group will explore a shared advanced core along with specialization pathways recognizing the very different expertise required of grantee professionals and those responsible for FTZ administration and operations. Service providers whose work crosses those areas may ultimately qualify in one or both.

The work of these new subcommittees is significant. And we need key individuals helping us do it.

If you have a passion for professional education, credentialing, workforce development, or simply making sure the next generation of FTZ professionals has the strongest possible educational foundation, I hope you will consider volunteering. To volunteer, click here to be redirected to our Serve on a Committee form to express your interest.

We are particularly interested in hearing from current CZS and AZS holders, as well as current and former Fundamentals instructors. But we also want perspectives from grantees, operators, users, service providers, employers, recent learners, and others who can bring practical experience and thoughtful ideas to the table.

These will be working subcommittees, generally meeting at least monthly while their projects are underway. Each will have a clear assignment and will report through the Accreditation Committee as recommendations are developed for Board approval.

NAFTZ has grown considerably, and so has the breadth and complexity of the education our community needs. This is our opportunity to make sure the programs and credentials supporting that community grow with it.

If one of these areas speaks to you, I hope you’ll raise your hand. We would value your experience, your ideas, and your help shaping what comes next.