The Global Trade Mission (GTM) is an innovative, hands-on learning experience preparing Southeast Michigan high school students to participate in the global economy by simulating an international trade mission. Participating students worked in cross-district, cross-county teams to create a product and global business plan which was presented to a panel of business experts. For the first time, GTM was held in two counties!
The Oakland County GTM took place on February 28, 29 and March 1, 2008, at Oakland Community College in Auburn Hills.
The Macomb County GTM took place on April 3-5, 2008, at the Macomb Educational Service Center, 44001 Garfield Road in Clinton Township.
Planning has begun for GTM 2009 which will include students from Genesee, Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.
The GTM is patterned from the national model of the Virtual Trade Mission and is designed to immerse students in an authentic business experience that allows collaboration with a diverse team to respond quickly and professionally to a global business challenge.
Through a partnership with Automation Alley, Macomb Intermediate School District, Oakland Schools and Oakland Community College, approximately 200 students at each location from Genesee, Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties worked in teams to respond to realistic Trade Challenges developed in cooperation with area companies. Students incorporated research from Web-based pre-learning modules, Internet and business/industry resources gathered on-site, and face-to-face communication with experts from business and trade. With the assistance of the U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, videoconferences were scheduled with global experts from Argentina, Brazil, Peru and South Africa for real-time interaction between teams and their potential markets.
Over the course of the program, students:
- Learned skills for global citizenship
- Developed business solutions to Trade Challenges using the tools and information of the global marketplace
- Worked hand-in-hand with business and trade experts
- Explored emerging careers in Southeast Michigan
- Cultivated team dynamics skills to work effectively across diverse
backgrounds
- Assumed corporate roles to guide their work strategy and business
presentation
Overall, the Automation Alley GTM offers students a complete and potentially life-changing experience. They will have the opportunity to think, act and produce results just like business professionals and acquire the skills necessary to respond to the realities of today's flat world. Since 1999, more than 1,400 students have participated in GTM.
To view a short video created by Integration Systems Management for GTM, click here.
Information regarding GTM includes:
GTM Event Description
Student Project Topics
Macomb Daily Newspaper Article-student published
Automation Alley GTM Macomb Agenda 2008
Automation Alley GTM Oakland Agenda 2008
To learn more about Automation Alley's Global Trade Mission, please contact Alysia Green, Project Coordinator at 248-457-3215 or by e-mail at greena@automationalley.com.
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