Includ-ed, red europea de educación inclusiva

Summary

Postal services and especially courier services environment consists one of the most developing and demanding business sectors in the urban transport services. The main characteristics of these services include the increased complexity in transport planning and execution, as well as the provision of high quality services to the customers. Courier companies deal with a varying and large number of customers that need to be served each day and, therefore, planning and execution of routes consists one of the most crucial logistics operations. The operational cost of planning and execution of routes and quality of the provided services is significantly affected by the human factor.

Consequently, the development and use of an integrated learning program for postal and courier personnel seems to be vital, in order for the courier companies to adopt best practices and methods for the planning, execution and monitoring of the transportation work, aiming at the further development of the personnel resulting in the improvement of customer service.

The project is addressed to courier services employees who are involved in the task of routing planning (dispatchers) and execution (postmen) and it includes the development of an innovative training application- in the form of a “simulation” game- through which the employees will be trained at the handling of their route- scheduled and dynamic/ ad hoc itineraries (through appropriate scenarios)- and will assimilate the methodologies of best routing and evaluation of their performance.

The project team of the proposed learning program structure was designed and implemented in order to accommodate specialists and experts in the postal/ courier training - learning area (KEK ELTA), appropriate users of the proposed learning program (ELTA SA, ELTA Courier SA, RomaniaPost, Hungary Post), as well as a scientific institution with important expertise in the transportation sector in order to ensure the scientific, theoretical, educational and technical requirements of the project (University of the Aegean - Design, Operations & Production Systems Lab).

The project led to the creation of a modern, innovative and flexible training framework, for the evolution and the development of skills adapted to the postal companies’ continuously changing and more demanding needs, particularly in the courier services field.

Project object:

The main objective of the project was to design and implement an innovative learning project addressing to courier services employees who are involved in the task of routing planning (dispatchers) and execution (postmen) aiming to advance business knowledge in the area of express and courier postal services.

The project culminated with the development of an innovative training application in the form of a computer-based “simulation” game through which the employees were trained at: a) the efficient design of pickup and delivery routes, b) the scheduling of dynamic / ad hoc itineraries through appropriate scenarios and, c)assimilation of algorithms and techniques of optimal routing and evaluation of their performance.

The training material designed in an employee-oriented logic aiming to familiarize them with advanced methodologies and IT technologies interestingly enhancing inclusion for aged, not highly-educated personnel or people with disabilities and learning difficulties.

Methodology

At the beginning of the project a survey was contacted aiming at identifying needs and expectations of each project partner and at establishing a common ground for the project. The survey focused in four major areas:

• a. partner business profiling (infrastructure, services, market attributes),
• b. partner operations (courier operations, network organization, resources) and
• c. partner training and education level (IT, logistics, operations management, foreign languages),
• d. employees profile and skills (demographics, job positions, education level)
•  

The survey supported the identification of employees’ requirements: collection of employees perceptions about training needs, importance, methodology, expectations

The major findings from the survey are as follows:

• > Similarity in market characteristics and service attributes
• > High degree of competition
• > Commonalities in customer types (83% companies)
• > Commonalities in organization of operations network
• > Low IT maturity
• > Differences in management of dynamic requirements and incidents
• > Educational background (mostly secondary education level – high school)
• > Need for special training
•  

The survey also identified several operation-related topics:

• > Importance of routing (customer service, time-consuming, crisis management) for coordinators
• > Good knowledge on operations / Lack of knowledge on optimal routing and IT tools
• > Good sense of the dynamic nature of courier operations
• > Need for integration of courier business/mail operations within the Logistics context
• > Need for familiarization with modern IT technologies
•  

The methodology formulated in the project is based on the transfer of scientific knowledge on optimization theories to logistics practitioners (dispatchers for the specific case) by selecting, filtering and simplifying scientific optimization algorithms transforming them into comprehensible study material for trainees who are not familiar with mathematical models. Furthermore, the material is enhanced by embedding it into a custom vehicle routing simulation application developed especially to serve the particular aims of the training syllabus.

The course structure adopted is based on Collin's cognitive-based instruction model as follows:

Theoretical training --> Modeling --> Coaching --> Gradually reduce support --> Trainees describe reasoning --> Trainees compare solutions with experts --> Exploration --> Evaluation --> Repetition

Target

COURIEL project benefits the following stakeholders:

1. Courier,Express and Parcel companies who wish to

• > enhance operations personnel knowledge towards systematic thinking and decisión-making in distribution routing operations
• > motivate personnel towards new technologies for optimization and automation
• > invest in combined use of employees experience-based knowledge and scientific methodologies
• > benchmark knowledge, attitudes and response in critical contexts
• > evaluate with fairness knoeldege for advancement to managerial positions

1.  
2. Vocational training organizations who deal with

• > Enhancement employees knowledge in modern IT technologies
• > Lifelong learning
• > Incorporate businss knowledge in educational context
• > Modernize training methods
•  

3. Employees

• > Enhancing social inclusion for elderly personnes who is non-IT literate and has low scientific knowledge
• > Promoting knowledge for non-experienced persons with disabilites to carry out complex tasks without having previous on-the-job experience
• > Specific employees who wish to retain and advance their knowledge thorough a continuous learning …
• > Employees who wish to test their knowledge and skills
• > Wishing to retain their knowledge
•  

4. Researchers

• > In the area of lifelong learning research for comprehensive assisting training material
• > Material enhancing learning curve

Good practice innovations

The project led to the creation of a modern, innovative and flexible training framework, for the evolution and the development of skills adapted to the postal companies’ continuously changing and more demanding needs, particularly in the courier services field.

Good practice achievements

The major achievements of the project are summarized as follows:

• > Definition of a common research and training framework for all postal business partners
• > Simplification of advanced mathematical concepts and algorithmic thinking
• > Multi-lingual / multi-cultural
• > Motivation of trainees especially within a computerized environment
•  

These achievements are materialized with the following products:

• > Development of an innovative interactive courier routing emulation tool
• > Design of a complete and comprehensive syllabus of a training course
• > Formulation of a repetitive "train-the-trainers" methodology (Professional trainers à head distribution coordinators/managers à expert employees (future coordinators)
• > Development of multi-language training material
• > Support self-training and reusability
•  

TRAINING MATERIAL: The development of training material through this WP, aims at enhancing the trainees’ theoretical background in various issues regarding the logistics’ procedures (with emphasis to transportation). The basic chapters include:

• > Logistics – Concepts & Characteristics
• > Postal Logistics
• > Courier/ Express Logistics
• > Routing & Scheduling
• > Reporting & Evaluation
• > IT in Postal / Express Routing Procedures
•  

The overview of the syllabus is as follows:

Syllabus details (pilot run)

• > Duration: 6 hours per day (3 days)
• > Dates:
• 28 - 30/04/2010 – Greece [Train the Trainers]
• 12 - 14/05/2010 – Greece
• 02 - 04/06/2010 – Romania
• 09 - 11/06/2010 – Hungary
• > Language: Hungarian / Romanian / Greek
• > Participants: 15 – 20 couriers and dispatchers (per partner)
• > Context
• > Lectures & Lab Sessions
• > Q&A sessions

Project partners and other stakeholders

Hellenic Post (ELTA) S.A. www.elta.gr

Vocational and Training Center of Hellenic Post S.A. (KEK ELTA S.A) / Coordinator   www.kek-elta.gr

Hellenic Post Employees Union (POST) www.postnet.gr

Hellenic Post Courier Services (ELTA Courier) S.A. www.elta-courier.gr

University of the Aegean – Design, Operations & Production Systems Lab (DeOPSys) http://labs.fme.aegean.gr/deopsys/

Magyar Posta www.posta.hu

Romanian Post www.posta-romana.ro

Good practice testimonial

Postal partners were asked to provide their experience from the project. The results of their answers are summarized as follows:

Experiences of the COURIEL project and their future usability

1. > Training material and knowledge acquired

The training material on logistics was educationally well-organised and structured at a high level, which aided the Hungarian participants in the Project in bringing their individual logistics knowledge of varying depth into a uniform level.

The acquisition and incorporation of the information was well served by route planning problems formulated and presented through specific practical examples (experiences) based on these sound theoretical foundations and methods of alternative solutions.

The route planning software simulation complementing the theory introduced playful learning alongside the presentation of specific practical suitability, stimulating more and more attempts and practical performance. Through this the planning practice with an individual approach was raised to a higher level.

The information provided for participants at the training at the same time promoted sustaining the need for continuous learning.

2. > Usability of knowledge acquired in practice
3.  

In the course of day-to-day work:

• > The information received represents a considerable aid in solving logistics problems
• > By ranking and thoroughly weighing segments affecting costs, more advantageous solutions can be chosen:
• - for regular mail routes and
• - for organising extraordinary freight.
•  

In re-planning the system for parcel delivery/courier service in a zone:

• > With the help of the information learnt a more efficient and better quality supply system can be developed.
• > Exact solutions can often replace intuitive planning.

The information acquired in the course of the Project work may aid the reorganisation of Magyar Posta’s parcel delivery system to a great extent (use of PDA technology, and simultaneously with this route optimisation) in the following areas:

• > Re-planning the parcel delivery system of certain towns,
• > Defining the order of service for mail pick-ups from business premises,
• > Optimising the postal local route system,
• > Planning emptying mail boxes in major cities
•  

Based on the unanimous opinion of the participants the Project’s realisation can be deemed very useful. Apart from day-to-day work (operation) the Project has also provided us with useful information for intended major developments.

We wish to express our thanks once again to all the partners participating in the Project, and in particular to the Greek coordinator, for the creation, implementation and coordination of the Project, as well as the involvement of Magyar Posta in the programme.

Evaluation

Upon the project completion an extensive survey between trained employees from all levels showed the following:

• Course evolution: Low losses from 1st to 2nd phase of training (train-the-trainers à train-the-trainees)
• >80% of trainees rated highly the overall interest and the practical implications
• >90% of trainees rated highly the methodology
• >95% of trainees rated highly the resources (material and HR)
• >65% rated highly the perceived overall benefits
• >85% rated highly the material and methodology used
• >90% rated highly the importance and benefits from COURIEL emulation SW
• > 80-90% of the trainers evaluated highly the self-training, interactivity, experimentation, emulation and multimedia characteristics of the training course
•  

The same survey yielded the results about the benefits from COURIEL:

1. Personnel skills improvement
   • > Career evolution in courier operations
   • > Attractive and user-friendly education methodology
   • > Simplified adoption of scientific and IT disciplines
2. Overall improvement of daily routine operations
   • > Better contingency planning and crisis management
   • > Knowledge diffusion 
   • > Tool for personnel evaluation
3. Training
   • > Development of material for systematic education
   • > Acceleration of induction process for new staff
   • > Encouraging self-training and self-evaluation