WCO elevates Customs online training on a global scale
Totara award winner for Best Use of Integrations
The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an independent intergovernmental body dedicated to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Customs administrations. Representing 186 Customs authorities and managing approximately 98% of global trade, the WCO sets international standards, fosters cooperation, and builds capacity to facilitate legitimate trade, ensure fair revenue collection, and protect society.
The Challenge
WCO needed to meet two distinct but interconnected learning needs:
Deliver high-quality, free online training to Customs officials from its Member administrations through its CLiKC! platform.
Simultaneously sell online training to private sector professionals and academic institutions via the WCO Academy.
The challenge was to deliver both from a single learning environment—while ensuring that security-sensitive, enforcement-related courses remained accessible only to authorized Customs officers.
A shared backend was essential. It reduced administrative burden while maintaining strict security protocols. The system needed to intelligently manage access rights, so enforcement content remained restricted, while still providing a smooth and cohesive learning experience for all users.
The Solution
To meet these challenges, WCO needed a cost-effective, scalable solution that ensured uninterrupted learning for Members while unlocking a revenue-generating model for the private sector and academia—all within a unified ecosystem.
To bridge the gap between internal and external training, UP learning implemented a dual-environment system that integrated Totara (CLiKC!) and WordPress-WooCommerce (WCO Academy) into a seamless, centralized solution. This allowed Customs officers to continue their structured online training, while offering the private sector and academia an intuitive e-commerce experience.
Multi-tenant Totara for WCO Members
For Members, UP learning delivered a multi-tenant Totara instance, enabling each administration to have its own dedicated learning space within a shared structure. This preserved centralized governance while giving local teams the flexibility to manage their own content.
In 2024, a pilot was launched with one Member administration. The impact was immediate—active learners surged from 250 to nearly 3,000. Within months, 30 online courses were made available in that tenant space. The administration also reported significant expected cost savings by shifting more training to a blended format, reducing the need for on-site delivery.
E-Commerce Integration for Commercial Learning
On the commercial side, integrating a WordPress-WooCommerce storefront revolutionized WCO’s training delivery. Courses could be selectively synced from Totara to the WCO Academy catalog, allowing users to browse, purchase, and begin training with minimal friction.
The system supported:
Single course purchases
Bundled packages
Subscription-based access
Bulk purchasing for companies with learner assignment tools
Automated Enrollment and Payments
A key feature was the full automation of the enrollment and payment process. With Stripe integration, users could register, pay, and gain access to their course instantly. A secure SSO connection with CLiKC! ensured that learners were enrolled in the right course without manual intervention. Academy users were granted limited access, ensuring enforcement-related content remained exclusive to Customs officers.
Seamless Integration with No Disruption
What made the solution especially effective was its ability to maintain the integrity of WCO’s learning infrastructure. The addition of the e-commerce layer did not disrupt existing training for Members—instead, it extended WCO’s reach to new audiences without compromising security or usability.
The Results
WCO has successfully transformed its digital learning strategy into a future-proof, integrated model that serves both public and private audiences.
Quote from a Customs and Trade Compliance Consultant: “Investing in knowledge is investing in success. The WCO Academy empowers professionals with the skills and confidence to navigate the complexities of global trade while staying fully compliant.”
For Members
Scalable, multilingual platform with dedicated learning spaces
Offline mobile learning via a custom-branded Totara app (5,043 downloads to date)
Dramatic growth in engagement during pilot: from 250 to 3,000+ active users
30 courses launched in the pilot tenant
Blended learning adoption expected to reduce on-site training costs
For the Private Sector & Academia
Fully automated course purchasing and enrollment
Flexible purchase options: single, bundle, subscription, or bulk
Seamless learner experience through integrated e-commerce and SSO
Enhanced revenue generation through a streamlined commercial offering
Cumulative Impact
170,895 total course completions
5,043 Totara app downloads
Representing 186 Customs administrations, covering 98% of global trade
The WCO now leads the way in digital Customs training—delivering secure, scalable, and multilingual learning to its Members, while opening up new opportunities for the global trade community through commercial learning.
“I encourage all Customs officers to take advantage of the flexibility offered by CLiKC!, allowing them to learn conveniently and at their own pace. Upon completing each course and passing the final assessment, participants receive a personalized certificate signed by the WCO Secretary General.”
East African Revenue Authority,
Senior Customs Officer
