The conference, which is an annual summary of the assistance that WSL offers to teachers educating in the professions of “Logistics Technician” and “Freight Forwarding Technician,” aims to improve logistics education in secondary schools. The Forum is held as part of a nationwide innovative cooperation program with secondary schools. Several years ago, WSL came to the aid of teachers who were almost overnight faced with the fact of teaching logistics subjects previously unknown to them. There were no textbooks or teaching aids on the market. The Poznań School of Logistics not only launched postgraduate studies for teachers, but the university’s lecturers, together with employees of the Institute of Logistics and Warehousing, wrote textbooks for students and regularly help in gathering materials useful for conducting classes, and thanks to partnership agreements with leading companies in the country, WSL provides the opportunity to see logistics in practice.
Over 230 teachers attended this year’s Teachers’ Forum. The meeting was led by the Chancellor of the Poznań School of Logistics, Assoc. Prof. Ireneusz Fechner. After a brief summary of the university’s cooperation with secondary schools and the progress of postgraduate studies, he explained the difficulties associated with introducing changes to the curriculum, which were proposed by participants during last year’s Teachers’ Forum.
– Improving the logistics education program in schools is beneficial for all parties. Employers are looking for employees with secondary vocational education. Teachers will perform their work more efficiently, students will be better logistics technicians and freight forwarding technicians, and in the future, perhaps students of the Poznań School of Logistics – said Assoc. Prof. Ireneusz Fechner – I promise that we will knock on the doors of all ministries that can help us improve education in logistics professions – he added.
Next, Wojciech Zalewski, WSL press spokesperson, introduced the functioning of the website for secondary schools (www.szkolysrednie.wsl.com.pl) and encouraged Forum participants to increase their activity on the platform. – You can not only exchange experiences but also teaching aids – he encouraged, while showing what needs to be done to upload a given file to the site. Marek Stanisławski from the District Team No. 3 of Technical and General Schools in Oświęcim was also awarded for his greatest commitment to updating information on the communication platform for teachers.
Izabela Świtalska presented the conclusions drawn after the two stages of the 1st National Logistics Olympiad. Which region performed best, which issues caused the most difficulty for students, and what to do so that schools can prepare even better for organizing the next stages of the Olympiad next year – these are just some of the questions she answered. And although the final of this year’s competition will not take place until March 20th, Chancellor Assoc. Prof. Ireneusz Fechner has already invited teachers to cooperate in creating topics for the second edition.
A significant stir among the participants was caused by the presentation of Tomasz Janiak, who deals with textbooks for students and teachers of secondary schools. The Head of the Publishing Department of the Institute of Logistics and Warehousing not only presented publications that will appear on the bookstore market any moment now but also promised that all items that have enjoyed the greatest interest so far will be reissued.
Robert Pawlak from L-Systems introduced the concept of the Educational Platform of the Freight Forwarding, Logistics, and Warehousing Laboratory. – We want to build a coherent curriculum that shows students how IT logistics systems (iScala, Ventage, ITMS, and ELISE) support company operations – he explained. – Students will have the opportunity to discuss specific problems of a virtual company based on professional software reflecting a real business environment – added the founder of L-Systems.
The Forum was also attended by representatives of logistics companies: Magdalena Mrówka from DHL, Arleta Witalewska and Michał Musielak from Panopa Logistik Polska, Wojciech Rajkowski from SKK, and Tomasz Grabiak from Logzact. In addition to presenting their company’s activities, each of them outlined the requirements placed on job candidates.
Media patronage over the event was provided by: “Logistyka” magazine, “Polska Gazeta Transportowa”, “Logistyka a jakość”, “Transport i Spedycja”, “Nowoczesny Magazyn”, the logistyka.net.pl portal, Epoznan.pl, Kariera.com.pl, Studentnews.pl, e-Fakty, Radio Planeta, and WTK television.