Logistics is an interdisciplinary, transnational field of knowledge which brings together institutions and their employees from various areas of knowledge and skills. One should realize the disproportions in the content-related competence (specialist knowledge and logistics skills) and linguistic competence (using a foreign language as a tool for communication) demonstrated by logistics professionals in many countries. The purpose of this project is to enable the development of language skills of logistics employees and trainees to the greatest number of people. This goal will be achieved by deploying an innovative two-step methodology for enhancing vocational competence in logistics. The first pillar of the proposed solution will be specialist language courses dedicated to logistics (language courses). The second pillar will be specialist vocational courses in logistics aimed at expanding industry-specific knowledge and skills, and further developing the target group’s linguistic competence (specialist logistics courses in foreign languages). The idea underlying this solution is a widely-acknowledged method called Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), which consists in integrating the learning of logistics vocabulary and issues along with language structures. The target group consists of logistics professionals and trainees. According to pilot studies, two-thirds of companies appreciate the importance of fluency in using a foreign language. Over half of respondents are aware of major gaps in vocational competence exhibited by both their employees and the applicants for logistics positions. A strong knowledge of foreign languages is becoming a standard in the field of logistics and in the light of the above logistics employees or aspiring employees should be provided with the relevant background (as foreign language skills have become the threshold competence, crucial for finding employment). The strength of the project consortium lies in the selection of partners and in the competencies they demonstrate. The consortium is partnered by „standard” language schools which offer also specialist vocational courses in foreign languages and by standard vocational schools delivering industry-specific courses in logistics, also in languages other than the mother tongue of the country they are based in. Such a configuration is conducive to the synergy of language and vocational competencies. Each partner (school) has wide access to the target group within reach now and in the future. The quality of the project results is guaranteed first of all by the strong competencies of the consortium partners. Secondly, other entities (business partners cooperating with consortium partners) will be engaged in developing and implementing the project output (involved in the cooperation with the partners). It will ensure that the final products will address the actual and practical requirements of the market. With consultations taking place at each project stage the final product will be perfected in every detail and will usher in a new quality in its field (the procedure will be realized in keeping with the SCRUM methodology). A well-thought and efficient dissemination strategy will be put in place. It will consist of three major stages: initiation, product development and product dissemination. Dedicated dissemination tools will be put to use at each stage: project website, the websites of the partners, social networking services, the press, electronic newsletter, mailing and a series of organized meetings (events). One of the major project strengths is a large-scale dissemination campaign involving 300 people from 4 countries (Poland, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom). This campaign will be launched mainly in the third year of the project after finishing touches have been put to all the project outputs – specialist language courses and specialist logistics courses. The project results will provide an opportunity for enhancing logistics competencies of the people in each partner country, as social problems know no geographic boundaries, they are faced in each and every country, even though their scale might be different. Another strength of this project is that it brings subcontracting to a minimum, as is shown in the project budget. The bulk of the project tasks fall within the competencies of the project partners, which ensures the reliability and quality of produced output. Only those tasks falling outside of the scope of the competencies and skills of the partners will be delegated to external contractors (to maintain the quality of the project and its results).
The 'Logistics Language Open Training' - LLOT project was carried out in 2015-2018 by a consortium whose leader was the Higher School of Logistics based in Poznań. The aim of the LLOT project was to provide tools for the improvement of language competences among people working in the logistics sector or studying to work in logstics sector. The LLOT consortium was consist of four partners: - speakeasy Berlin GmbH - Language school from Berlin (Germany) specializing in teaching foreign languages including German with special emphasis on specialist language (eg for industry). In the project responsible for the development of the German language course and the location of the contents of the logistics courses; - Globalnet sp. O.o. - language school from Poznan (Poland) specializing in teaching foreign languages and creating interactive language courses. Responsible in the project for devloping the Polish and English language courses and coordinating the development of e-learning language courses; - CIS SCUOLA PER LA GESTIONE D'IMPRESA SOCIETA CONSORTILE A RESPONSABILITA LIMITATA - a training organization (offering training for industry and logistics) from Reggio Emilia (Italy). CIS has a language school in organizational structure. In the LLOT project responsible for the development of the Italian language course, creating an e-learning platform and location of the content of logistics courses; - Jamieson-Ball Ltd - language school from London (Great Britain) responsible in the LLOT project for methodological supervision over the development of the English language course. The consortium leader was Poznan School of Logistics, responsible not only for the coordination of project activities but also for the development of logistics courses (content and implementation). The project mainly focused on: - developing of intellectual outputs, - dissemination of the project outcomes, - project management. The SCRUM methodology was used to develop the results of intellectual outputs. The SCRUM methodology allows incremental development of solutions. In the case of LLOT, it consisted in creating a part of the course content, developing graphic parts of this course, creating e-learning lessons and testing. In the field of dissemination, the partners reported to the coordinator: the concept of organizing dissemination evnts, channels used to disseminate project outcomes and the effects of dissemination meetings. Project management tools such as milestones, Gant's charts, cost-rising curves, and quality reports were used in project management. The project management has three management areas: project quality management, time management and financial management. The LLOT project was innovative due to the set of didactic methods used and the definition and two-stage implementation of the CLIL method for the purpose of training language competences in logistics. CLIL in the LLOT project is teaching English on the basis of logistic texts. It was assumed that language courses (for PL, EN, DE, IT languages) would prepare for B2 language level. The LLOT project has 6 results: - O1 - content of the e-learning language course (PL, EN, DE, IT) - O2 - e-learning language course (PL, EN, DE, IT) - O3 - e-learning logistics course: Transport management (PL, EN, DE, IT) - O4 - e-learning logistics course: Supply chain management (PL, EN, DE, IT) - O5 - e-learning logistics course: Warehouse management (PL, EN, DE, IT) - O6 - e-learning platform (PL, EN, DE, IT) The language course consists of four language courses: English, German, Polish and Italian. Language courses have been developed based on logistic vocabulary. Logistics courses (in each language version) consist of 30 lessons (each lesson corresponds to 2 hours in contact classes). Each course is divided into four modules. Each module ended with a testing test. The e-learning platform has three roles: - informing about the LLOT project, - a platform that allows you to manage language courses, - a platform that allows you to manage the content of logistics courses. All results of the LLOT project are one integral educational tool specialized in language skills development for the logistics industry. The project and its outputs have helped to improve language skills among employees of the logistics sector and people educating in this area. Knowledge of foreign languages is particularly important in the logistics industry, which is caused by the globalization of the economy and the need to move goods. From the beginning of the project, the llot.eu platform has recorded a total of over 2,284,000 views with over 187,000 session (data from Google Analitics). As at 31/08/2018, the number of registered users on the platform llot.eu amounted to 1624 users and was still growing. In total, on the platform llot.eu 938 users passed the final tests of logistics and business courses in a language other than the language given as their native language.