Evaluation studies of the Slovene educational system executed during the 1999 and 2009 revealed that VET in logistics is not enough career-oriented, not enought innovative and not enough focused on the development of competences and skills required by the logistics industry. EU and slovenian logistics industry need a workforce, which will be able to respond to developments and rapid technological changes. Changes of VET in logistics are therefore necessary. In order to address the above mentioned problem, the consortium of ten partners was developed. The applicant organisation is Faculty of maritime studies and transport from University of Ljubljana and the partner organisations are Fondazione istituto sui transport e la logistica from Piacenza, Association pour le developpement de la formation professionnelle dansles transport from Paris, Sveuciliste v Zagrebu, Fakultet prometnih znanosti, Šolski center Nova Gorica, Šolski center Celje, Srednja poklicna in strokovna sola Bežigrad v Ljubljani, Istituto di Istruzione Secondaria Superiore "A.Berenini" from Fidenza and I.I.S."D'ARCO-D'ESTE" from Mantova. The aim of the consortium is firstly to analyse the curricula of secondary schools in logistics belonging to the 4th and 5th EQF level in order to identify weaknesses. This will be done during the first activity of the project. During the second activity the training programme will be proposed in order to address the weaknesses. To evaluate the training programe the summer logistics school (SLS) will be organized for VET teachers and students. SLS will be focused on work-based lerning, using innovative teaching techniques (case studies, distance learning, simulations games etc.) and up-to-date tools and software solutions that VET institutions in logistics often don't have. The SLS will facilitate the achievement of relevant and high quality skills and competences of all participants. New methods and approaches of teaching will also be promoted, which will give opportunity for professional development of VET teachers in the local as well as in the regional dimensions. The SLS will be focused on the learning through the use of attractive and up-to-date information communication technologies and software solutions that are frequently used in the logistics industry. Special attention will be given not only to topics and tailored skills that are most frequently requested by the logistics industry but also to skills that will be more frequently required in the future. Students need to be skilled for the successful career in the modern knowledge-based society and teachers need to be able to offer them required skills.
CONTEXT/BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT: Slovene educational system (in general) cannot compete with educational systems in other EU and third countries due to following reasons: 1. Inadequate competences and skills of teachers. 2. Inability to transfer knowledge to actual firms' needs. 3. Limited use of teaching methods in the teaching process. 4. Limited use of innovative information communication technologies in the teaching process. Weaknesses of Vocational Education Training (VET) in logistics are beside mentioned facts also: •Not enough career-oriented curricula to respond on employers' requirements. •Not enough practical oriented curricula to respond on rapid technological changes. VET in logistics is, therefore, not attractive and it is difficult to enter the job market. Reasons for above mentioned facts in VET in logistics are: 1. Insufficient qualified teachers and trainers in VET. 2. VET schools in logistics are not equipped with up to date tools and technology. 3. Curricula in VET is not harmonized with requirements of today and tomorrow. 4. Lack of trainings that offer up to date and targeted logistics skills. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the project is: 1. to foster the quality of human resources in logistics, 2. to build up the capacity of VET institutions in logistics (EQF Level 4), 3. to enhance the quality and relevance of VET in logistics (EQF Level 4), 4. to start promoting the reform of VET in logistics in Slovenia and the partner countries. 5. modernization of curricula in VET in logistics (up to date curricula, innovative teaching methods). NUMBER AND TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: 1. 10 partners (4 main partners and 6 VET schools in logistics and transport (2 from Italy, 3 from Slovenia, 1 from Croatia). Main partners are: University in Ljubljana, the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport (FPP) is an integral part of the University of Ljubljana, an education and training institution engaged in scientific and research work, primarily in the fields of logistics and maritime studies. The Institute for Transport and Logistics (ITL) is a research institute in the fields of mobility, transport & logistics. The French Transport Federation Union, the AFT is the organisation responsible for the development of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the Transport and Logistics industry. Its mission is to work for companies covered by the French national collective agreement for road transport (passengers/ goods) and related activities such as logistics and forwarding, as well as industrial and commercial companies with their own means of transport (private - or own-account - transport). The Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, established in 1984, is a faculty of the University of Zagreb, and the leading high education as well as scientific and research institution in the field of transport and traffic engineering in Croatia. 2. French, Slovene and Croatian Ministries for Education. 3. 49 logistics companies, producers and retailers. 4. One secondary school from Spain (Institut de Vic, Spain: 4 students and 1 teacher), one secondary school from Italy (ITIS, Italy: 4 students), one school from Croatia Srednja Škola Zlatar (CR) (1 teacher) and one sceondary school from France LPO Broceliande (F) (2 teachers). ACTIVITIES: To reach above mentioned goals, a four-step approach was used: 1. In the first step a SWOT analysis of the current curricula and training methods of VET in logistics and transport in the project countries (Slovenia, Italy, France and Croatia was made. Then, the satisfaction of the transport and logistics industry (49 companies) with students who graduate from VET in logistics and transport was analysed, and the current and future needs of the transport and logistics industry were identified. 2. Based on the results of the first two steps, a training programme was developed for students and teachers of VET (5 training modules). 3. In the last step of the project these TMs were tested through a six-day summer logistics school (Portorož, Slovenia, 9th-14th September. RESULTS: Results of the 1st activity: - SWOT analysis of the secondary school curricula, - semi-structured interviews template, - results of semi-structured interviews conducted with 49 experts from the logistics and transport industry. - 5 Training Modules (TM). Results of the 2nd activity: - Units related to the five qualifications of the TMs identified in the first activity of the SLS project. - Detailed lesson plans for each TM. - VET Level 4 in Logistics and Transport – a Training Handbook. Results of the 3rd activity: - VET Level 4 in Logistics and Transport – a Teaching material. - 9 evlauation templates. - Results of the evaluation of the project and SLS. Result impact secondary schools in VET of transport and logistics (students, teachers, management), Ministries of Education responsible for VET in logistics, logistics industry and logistics training organisations.