new competencies and
innovations in logistics

Logistics professional training courses have become more popular in Hungary recently. The motivation of people is mostly to get a certificate that is appreciated on the labour market. Employers need 'ready-for-use' professionals. These 250-300 hours OKJ (nationally accredited) courses allow training in both theoretical and practical knowledge.

The main players of this type of innovation are:

• Companies who "send" people to learn. Their expectations: relative short training courses (saving of time), practical knowledge. They prefer knowledge that is of specific use for the company.
• Training organisation. They offer the courses. Most of them do not have enough teaching staff to cover all topics of the course.
• Optional: Subcontractor trainer (sometimes organisation or entrepreneur). They complement missing elements in the course. They use case studies to develop problem sensitivity. They develop the corresponding training material, but also video productions.
• Participant: They come to learn and to get the certificate. They share the time and costs with the employer. Their own contribution can range from 0% to 100% in terms of time and costs. Participants include employees of companies such as Philips, Flextronics, Audi and SMEs.

The steps of the process:

1. Creating the group of students.
2. Learning the expectations of participants and sending organisations.
3. Choosing cases that fit:
   • training content,
   • employers processes,
   • participants interests,
   • technical opportunities.
4. Company visits and producing the video material. Recording of:
   • processes,
   • facilities, equipments,
   • reports.
5. Video production. Very simple, no difficult editing, only removing of technically wrong parts. The video can be produced by either the training organisation or a subcontractor.
6. Using the videos during the training. Discussions.

1. Videos make text book examples real. Students can be sure to study how processes are going in reality. It gives a level of self-confidence.
2. Discussions - advantage-disadvantage analysis - of different cases develop their decision making abilities in logistics related problems.

1. Time and labour consuming.
2. Some companies are reluctant (confidential information; messy, disorganised environment, .). However, in the past eight years only two companies turned the request down. Many companies were willing to co-operate: Thifim Bt., Graboplast, Philips, Flextronics, Herend Porcelan Manufacture, Precon, Slider (IBM), Audi Motor Hungary, Tesco, Royal Brinkers, Grundfos, Raablager, GM, Locarno and DTM. What helps to persuade them to co-operate is to show similar cases.

The benefits of this kind of teaching/learning are:

• Real, fresh case studies, strong practical side of training.
• Cases from the participants' own company.
• More interesting classes.
• Creates a good interaction between the training providers, teaching staff and customers (including employers and employees).
• Cases can be re-used.

• Real, state of the art examples.
• Group discussions.
• Good company relationship.
• Continuing improvement of the training material.