new competencies and
innovations in logistics

Logistics is now firmly established as a key issue on most corporate agendas in today's global market place. It is having a revolutionary impact on industry as management becomes more aware of its potential and is arguably the most vital task facing all organisations. For business success, organisations urgently require knowledgeable and highly trained logistics professionals. However companies are experiencing a serious skills shortage when attempting to recruit logistics staff. In a recent survey among Logistics managers at 15 of Ireland's leading electronic companies, 54% of those surveyed highlighted the shortage of skilled qualified logisticians as the single most serious problem facing the manufacturing, distribution and logistics industries.

A strong economy and the rapid pace of change within business, has resulted in a shortage of people with the necessary skills in logistics companies operations. Such is the pace of change in the world at large that logistics managers and their staff find that their skills are outdated so quickly that they need to be constantly updating their competences. Many companies wishing to up-skill their own employees are finding that there is a glaring lack of structured Logistics training available. In particular:

• Certificate and Diploma courses
• Courses accredited by a professional body in the Logistics field
• Courses designed specifically for people employed in the Logistics disciplines
• Courses designed to improve the individual's and the organisation's performance

The Institute of Logistics and Transport is dedicated to bridging this competency gap and to raising the competency level among Logistics personnel. It is in response to this serious competency gap, that this course was developed. In the modern world, everybody has various pressures and time commitments. The demands placed on people at work, from family, and from other recreational and voluntary pursuits have precipitated the requirement for flexible learning. This course can be taken at one's own pace and in one's own time.

The course is delivered on interactive multimedia CD-ROM. It is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Ireland. A Certificate in Logistics is awarded to the successful participants by the Institute. This certificate is internationally recognised. It gives professional recognition to those currently involved in Logistics and offers an opportunity to those who wish to pursue a career in the field of logistics. The course is targeted at junior and middle level staff who are involved in the broad field of logistics related functions and who wish to gain formal training in logistics concepts and practice. Participants include employees working in roles such as logistic planning, logistic controllers and assistants, warehouse team leaders, supervisors and operatives.

Tutorial support is provided through phone/e-mail contact with the Institute. Questions on course material are routed through to the course tutors who in turn respond to participants. On-line examination is available. The development of the course was funded exclusively by the Institute.

The course content as structured on the CD-ROM:

• Lesson 1. Introduction to logistics
• Lesson 2. Transport
• Lesson 3. Forecasting logistics requirements
• Lesson 4. Inventory policy decisions
• Lesson 5. Production scheduling decisions
• Lesson 6. Procurement decisions
• Lesson 7. Outsourced supply chain
• Lesson 8. Distribution management
• Lesson 9. Logistics customer service

The course has two examinable components:

• Participants must satisfactorily complete 3 assessments during the course.
• On successful completion of assignments the participants sit a three hour written examination.

Each participant receives a CD-ROM and a course manual. The CD-ROM is designed so that the participant must complete the assessment at the end of each lesson in order to progress to the next session. For example, in order to progress to lesson four one must successfully pass lesson one, two and three by achieving a pass rate of sixty per cent in each. Many of the exercises and interactions presented throughout the course also require completion before the participant can progress.

Course Manual

The course manual is a supplement to the CD-ROM. It provides more detail on a number of the topics and concepts covered in the CD-ROM. Participants are examined on the content in both the manual and the CD-ROM.

On completion of the course, the participants will have gained competences in the following areas:

1. Understand all the logistics and transport terms that are used in the day to day operation of logistics and transport processes.
2. Understand the purpose of logistics within the organisation, and its importance to the success of the organisation.
3. Understand the interaction and interdependence of each individual logistics function.
4. Be able to propose ways in which the logistics process could be improved.
5. Be able to assess the logistics strategy of the organisation.
6. Understand the transport function and its importance to logistics.

The conversion of learning material into the interactive format took a lot more time than planned.

Also some technical difficulty was experienced in relation to the lack of compatibility between the various participants' PC's. - this related to differences in configuration. This was overcome by adjusting settings on participant's own PC's.

In certain cases, participants while wishing to take this interactive course, did not have personal access to a PC. This was solved through the provision by employers of access to computer facilities either at the work station or in a training room.

The course has not been completely finished by all participants yet. The results to date have been very positive - this is reflected in participants' feedback. Participants in the main have found the programme to be very beneficial to their work. A number have already indicated that they wish to pursue their studies further to Diploma level. Some participants have experienced some difficulty in applying certain mathematical formulae that have been covered on the course.

The Institute is currently exploring the possibility of using CD-ROM and the internet as a means of providing further programmes, either on a stand alone basis, or on a blended learning basis, i.e. is supported by a combination of formal instructor led training and tutorial support.

The CD-ROM based programme has been sold to individuals on request in Australia, the USA and Bahrain. In the future there is a potential for marketing the programme on a wider basis throughout the English speaking world.