Enhancement of Skills in Retail Erasmus Project

Project Title

Enhancement of Skills in Retail

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Open and distance learning; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Recognition, transparency, certification

Project Summary

The Food Retailers Association (GDP) with Category Retailing Association (KMD) and the project partners designed “Enhancement of Skills in Retail” Project in order to create standardized online vocational education and publicity for the industry as a way to raise awareness for the employment opportunities. The project web site http://www.e-learnretail.org and the European Union Moodle training platform as a web site http://pergel.boun.edu.tr/ were adopted for Retail Vocational Training.

The initial cooperative communications have been made through several channels depending on the location of the partners. Meetings were held and correspondences have been carried out with the partners in principle agreed on. All partners have wide audiences, networks and communicative skills and means to disseminate the project results. The workshops and meetings were held where brainstorming and planning was done by vocational education and human resources professionals of leading sector companies where the following conclusions were assessed;
*Fundamental Retail Training curriculum needs to be renewed and standardized nation-wide
*A Fundamental Retail Training content should be developed, that has to be compatible with distance learning
*The Fundamental Retail Training should be sustainable, updatable, extendable, configurable when needed, where needed
*Dissemination of the Retailing Training is great importance, both as traditional and distance learning.
*Fundamental Retail Training should be recognized as a requirement for all blue-collars.
*Members of both associations, who participated to the ‘Standards of Retail Sector’ workshops organized by Mesleki Yeterlilik Kurumu (Vocational Qualifications Authority), concluded a consensus on the adoption of vocational training standards and professional qualifications.
*Blue-collar (store staff) need to be trained tested and certified within the framework of improved standards.
*Exams/tests at the end of the trainings should be designed as accessible and common.
*Certificate of Proficiency should be recognized nationally/internationally and ease the employment.

Implementation of this project is based on the intention of partners to strengthen their cooperation in the framework of the vocational trainings and skill enhancement in retail sector, through addressing the issues and challenges limiting the employability.
– Promotion of employment of young and women in the retail sector;
– Standardization of Vocational Retail Training
– Elimination of financial and time-consuming burden of retraining
– Extend the accessibility of the vocational trainings to all
– Upgrade vocational training to the European level, therefore support the social and commercial mobility and understanding
– Cultural dialog amongst partners and participators
– Develop team-work in international level amongst partners and participators
– Improved internationalized perspective

There are five main outcomes of this project:

1) FORMATION OF THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION MODULES FOR RETAIL : The education modules formed within the framework of the Project under the following titles:
a) Basic Information
b) Customer Relations
c) Sales
d) Cash Procedures
e) Supply-Chain
f) Regulations
g) Self-evaluation Test
h) Glossary

The sample modules are attached at Appendix to the project report and all of the modules could be seen on the training platform as a web site http://pergel.boun.edu.tr/

2) SWOT ANALYSIS: In order to ensure the benefit of retail sector employees from a broad participation education platform and to get the highest efficiency from the Project, the strong aspects, weak aspects, possible opportunities and threats of the Project will be analyzed.

3) FORMATION OF THE ONLINE EDUCATION SYSTEM: The online education system was formed within the framework of the Project on the web site http://pergel.boun.edu.tr/
It was structured by Boğaziçi University which was among the Project partners at the same time. The online education system show compliance with both EU and Turkey vocational compliance criteria in addition to being easily accessible. The European Union Moodle training platform as a web site http://pergel.boun.edu.tr/ were adopted for Retail Vocational Training.

4) PREPARATION OF THE QUESTION PACKAGES AND EXAMINATION SYSTEM: At the end of each module, there are quizes regarding the relevant subject with which the students will strengthen what they have learnt.

5) EFFECT ANALYSIS: Effect analysis was made as to assess the development of the retail sector employees and the reflections of this development on the sector as a result of this Project. It was expected that the Project deliverables and reports will enlighten the future studies of project partners.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 280187,96 Eur

Project Coordinator

GIDA PERAKENDECILERI DERNEGI & Country: TR

Project Partners

• MEHMET ALI BUYUKHANLI MESLEKI VE TEKNIK ANADOLU LISESI
• Kauppiaitten Kauppaoppilaitos Oy
• Berufskolleg an der Lindenstraße
• KATEGORI MAGAZACILIGI DERNEGI
• Uyum Gida ve Iht Mad San ve Tic A.S
• BOGAZICI UNIVERSITESI
• MS Istanbul Ic ve Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi