The regulatory changes which led to the liberalization of the EU Postal Market and increased competition in the provision of high-quality and diversified mail, parcel and financial services have led postal operators: a) to adapt to a customer-oriented model aiming at providing positive customer experience and attaining high quality of service. b) to focus on the development of human resources, by transforming traditional skills and knowledge into new, enhanced competencies. The projects’ overall objective is the provision of an attractive and modern training framework aiming at: - highlighting the necessity for recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies in customer service operations - enhancing and certifies employees’ professional assets and thus safeguarding their job positions - improving the perceived service experience of customers and citizens - providing a complete, integrated and configurable training toolkit - identifying ways for generalization of project outcomes to relevant sectors The project brings together ten partners from six sectors and six countries: - E-Learning systems developer (GR): project leader- e-learning expert - Postal Operators (GR,CY,RO): source for the identification of training needs, target group of beneficiaries - VET institutions (GR,FR): development of professional training programs - HR and business experts (PT,GR): consultation on human-centric orientation of the developed scenarios, experiential training related to the business continuity aspects - Certification body (GR): certification-related tasks (i.e. certification system, tools, methodologies) - NGO (LV): consultancy in the field of training and competence building Key activities The project will evolve through a coherent set of activities, corresponding to relevant expected project outputs: - Research on training needs for customer service (Research tools and methodologies, Training needs for customer service – Research results) - Training curricula for customer service (Development of Curricula, Development of Certification System) - Training Toolkit for customer service (Webinars for knowledge refresh, Training Scenarios, Experiential training) - 3D-based training system for customer service (3D game system with certification level, Evaluation toolkit) The training and certification system will be applied in the Postal Operators through the following 3 interdependent Activities: - Experiential training - Webinar for refresh of knowledge - Scenario-based training in 3D environment Finally, a set of activities have been planned to increase multiplying effects of the project outcomes: - Project launching conference for external interested parties (companies, governmental bodies, institutions, trade unions etc.) - Progress overview conference aiming at collecting feedback from stakeholders - Certification Ceremonies (RO,CY,GR) aiming at motivating postal employees for further participation - Project closure conference, which has central role in the dissemination activities plan and is expected to bring multiplication effects. - e-Workshops Methodology: - Analysis of training needs (literature research, original research (questionnaires, interviews) and group decision making sessions based on Nominal Group Technique). Results will be analyzed with the use of formal qualitative and quantitative statistical techniques. - Development of training curricula: The experts will adapt the generic training material to specific postal employees’ training needs, they will identify potential gaps in the literature and will develop new material. The certification method will comply with ISO and ECVET standards. - Development of training toolkit. The design of: (a) training scenarios based on KEK ELTA’s Competencies Workbooks methodologies, (b) webinars for knowledge “refresh” and guidance exploiting e-learning authoring and multimedia tools through a prototyping approach and (c) experiential learning scenarios for experimental or control groups - 3D learning environment. Simulation of a post office workplace, multiple participants as avatars, predefined role playing educational scenarios. Dissemination strategy aims at communicating the project results to the widest possible reach through various channels. It is expected that the project will have high impact initially at national level and in particular in the participating countries. It is estimated that 500 Post Office employees in 3 different EU Countries will participate in the first launch of the program (GR/CY/RO). The outcomes will also be diffused to other EU countries and the impact is expected to be realized in several other external stakeholders and training professionals capitalizing on: - the architecture, the methodology and the applications developed - the potential of self-assessment of desirable competencies - the utilisation of the properties of the 3D virtual application.