new competencies and
innovations in logistics

Dekra Academy is a very large training company with training centres for several directions in professional sectors in Germany. The initiative to start Dekra came from the car industry. At the end of the seventies, when there were many construction faults in cars in Germany and many accidents. Dekra developed a training course for technical controlling of constructed cars.

The logistics training centre is located in Munich. At the end of the eighties the demands of companies for workers increased. Companies were asking for more quality. In and around Munich there was a great demand from companies for logistics workers.

The reasons for the initiative to build Dekra logistics were to meet the needs of the market and to train unemployed for logistics functions. The target groups for these training courses are very broad. Dekra focuses on unemployed, no specific educational diplomas are required, both sexes, 18-55 years, all nationalities. The only demanded competence is that they have to be able to read and write the German language sufficiently. The unemployed mainly come from a job centre or social service department, but they may also come to Dekra on their own initiative. The training centre is also used for the training of employees.

For the unemployed the costs will always be paid by another agency. This could be the job centre. When the participant has finished his training at DEKRA, he can work, for example, as a forklift driver.

In May 2003 Dekra developed a new learning method: P.R.O.F.I. ("Praxisnah, Rationell, Offen, Flexibel, Individuell"). The introduction of this method was a decision of the director of Dekra training centre logistics and a trainer there. It is a new method for self-responsible learning. The simulation of the warehouse activities of Dekra is an important element of the P.R.O.F.I. method.

P.R.O.F.I. is a new learning method developed by Dekra. This programme wants to reach "Lust im Lernen". They want to stimulate joy and motivation in learning. P.R.O.F.I. stands for:

• Praxisnah (practical): The participant strongly guides his own learning. When he needs help an experienced trainer is available to help him. An important (very practical) element of the training is the participation in a simulated warehouse.
• Rationell (rational): The participant only follows the training elements that are important for his future job.
• Offen (open): The participant can begin his training anytime he wants (no fixed entrance dates).
• Flexibel (flexible): The training will be customised, by only including modules which are needed and relevant.
• Individuell (individual): The participant can determine his own speed of learning.

When an unemployed comes to DEKRA, they are trying to find out several points:

• What are his skills?
• What are his future prospects?
• For what kind of job is he suited?

The P.R.O.F.I. programme is suitable for all kinds of training programmes. The difference with other learning programmes is that with this programme every participant is treated according to his individual needs.

There are two methods developed to follow a training course:

• TCSL: Training Center fur Selbstorganisiertes Lernen (training centre for self-organised learning) (Theory).
• TCLog: raining Center Logistik (training centre logistics) (Practice).

In most cases a participant follows a combination of these two different methods. For example theoretic lessons about forklifts (technical, safety, rules) and a practical training and tests to learn driving a forklift. The training for forklift driver is for example divided in 2/3 practice and 1/3 theory. In this training, the participants learn the following:

• Inbound process of goods.
• Order picking.
• Goods receiving (documents).
• Expedition of goods.
• Value added logistics.
• Outbound process of goods.

The TCSL training course of Dekra is a form of E-learning. The participant works individually in a classroom with a lot of computers, while other participants do the same. In this room there is one teacher. The teacher helps the participant if he has a specific question about something in his training course. A disadvantage of a lot of e-learning programmes is that there is no teacher. You have to do it by yourself. At Dekra E-learning is in combination with a teacher.

Examples of these training courses are:

• IT-courses (Word, Excel etc.)
• Several logistic modules (expedition, warehouse logistics, purchasing, languages)

If the participant finishes the training with a sufficient result, he will get an acknowledged certificate, handed out by Dekra.

The other way is to follow a training course via TCLog. These training courses take place at a practical simulation centre. In the practical centre Dekra uses a WMS system. Dekra simulates a mini-warehouse. Dekra has developed a concept with five firms. These firms are part of a total logistics chain. There is a supplier of raw materials and there are several production firms. They have to deliver each other. It is not necessary to use all five firms. With this simulation it becomes clear to what extent participants work together in a correct way. In the mini-warehouse physical logistics functions as well as the more administrative functions are simulated.

In this simulation the participant works with "meccano". Advantage of the use of this material is that the participant learns to work with technical elements that are also found in practice. Another advantage is that in a relatively small warehouse several thousands of different articles can be placed. There is also an option to make products "customer specific". This means that some kinds of assembly of meccano parts has to be carried out (example of VAL). All articles are connected with an EAN-code. Therefore all articles can be found in the WMS.

After the training course, participants of Dekra academy find their job in the warehouses of logistics companies, in the expedition department of a logistic company and other industrial companies. Most participants find work in the region (Munich, Munich Airport, Region Bayern).

Most people who come to Dekra are unemployed, but there is also a possibility that a company sends workers to follow a particular training course. When a potential participant of Dekra comes from a company, the company pays the costs. DEKRA always contacts the companies to discuss the performance of these workers. The warehouse can also be adapted to specific demands of companies. The warehouse simulation can be changed in a warehouse with:

• a fixed location system for the articles;
• a free location system for the articles;
• several warehouse management systems;
• at several places scanners (entrance, exit);
• a manual administration of the articles;
• order demands from several companies through e-mail;
• order demands from several companies via the Internet.

Dekra has made a number of job descriptions for the simulation of functions in the warehouse. Examples of jobs are:

• Worker inbound process.
• Warehouse worker (order picking, forklift driver).

Several new developments in these types of functions are included in the simulation, e.g. a WMS-system, Barcode scanning, ISO-rules and teamwork.

In the past German people were, according to a pedagogical worker at Dekra, very punctual and reliable. However, now this is changing. The youth does not show that type of behaviour anymore. The programme brings back the punctuality and the reliability by giving the trainee much responsibility. For example, nobody checks the break time, it is his own responsibility to take a break and to come back on time. Only if a person is back from his break late every time, the participant has to explain this to the trainer.

Most of the people never really learned how to learn. Most unemployed also have a lack of motivation. This is sometimes a problem for Dekra. Participants often do not have good memories of a school environment. By working in a practical context/simulation, the environment is different from school. In this type of training the trainee guides his own learning, which increases the "grip" on learning and therefore the self-confidence. The participants are responsible for their own actions, but if there are any problems the pedagogical worker of Dekra intervenes. She talks with the participant and tries to solve the problem.

Dekra Akademi is one of the largest training centres in Germany. About 1,100 unemployed are trained here each year. A thousand of them found a job afterwards.

At this moment it is not possible to say if the new learning method will become a success. It was developed in May 2003. That is too early for anyone to give a reliable analysis of the results of this learning programme. The first results, however, seem to be very positive in terms of very motivated participants.

Dekra logistics has started with a new learning method ("Profi"), which is strongly individualised and flexible. The trainees, often unemployed, can flow in at several moments, and the contents and speed of training is very individualised. The training courses have two important elements:

• TCSL: Training Center fur Selbstorganisiertes Lernen (training centre for self-organised learning) (Theory). Trainees guide their own training, which increases the feeling of responsibility as well as self-confidence. E-learning is used in combination with a teacher for support.
• TCLog: Training Center Logistik (training centre logistics) (Practice). In this centre trainees "work" in a realistic simulated warehouse.

The participant can choose between the two different types of training courses or for a combination of the two.