JTL goes to school – Our new vocational school project to promote the next generation of eCommerce professionals
For the first time, JTL has launched a nationwide cooperation project with vocational schools: Under the name JTL macht Schule, we are providing participating schools with a diverse and largely free service package designed to help raise training standards in the apprenticeship profession of merchant in eCommerce. In this blog post, you can find out how the project idea came about, what JTL’s service package includes and who can participate in the project:
New apprenticeship - new challenges
Since August 2018, school leavers have been able to train to become an eCommerce clerk. According to the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB ), this is a response to the growing importance of online business. During the three-year course, trainees receive dual training in a company and at a vocational college. The response was more than positive: with almost 1,400 contracts concluded for the first current training year 2018/19 alone, many media outlets spoke of a “rush” that far exceeded expectations in terms of applicant numbers.
One man’s joy, another man’s sorrow, was also evident in this case. While the trainees were eagerly awaiting the summer of 2018 and the start of their apprenticeship, the vocational schools were unsure about the technical standards in particular. Which software and hardware would guarantee the smoothest possible processes and at the same time enable practical teaching?
A project idea is born
As a software company in the online business sector, we naturally followed the introduction of the new apprenticeship in eCommerce closely. The desire quickly arose to provide targeted support to the vocational schools concerned.
No sooner said than done! Several of our departments set about transforming the vague “support plan” into a concrete concept. To ensure that JTL macht Schule is geared as closely as possible to the needs of vocational schools and creates tangible added value for them, we sought discussions with educators at an early stage. It became clear that they need support on very different levels. They said that simply providing software free of charge would not be enough for them.
Many teachers described the technical know-how that they felt was needed to ensure smooth and modern teaching as the great spectre. We therefore wanted to provide support, particularly in the areas of technical advice and training. In short, we put together a comprehensive service package to help the vocational schools with their new tasks in the best possible way before, during and after the start of training.
Long-term cooperation and comprehensive support
The current project plan covers the following five phases and provides for cooperation over a longer period of time:
Step 1: Get to know We present our software and our service package to interested schools. If they decide to work with us, our technology professionals then create the conditions for us to set up a school together.
Step 2: Create a concept Which technical solution is the right one for the respective school and its training methodology? We create an individual and customized technology concept.
Step 3: Carry out training Perfect preparation for teachers: Before the training starts, our experts teach all the necessary basics for using the JTL software in an intensive small group training course.
Step 4: Prepare lessons Vocational schools are not left to their own devices when it comes to lessons either. Together with them, we plan lesson content that is geared towards professional practice or supplement concrete learning situations with demo databases or imports, for example.
Start of training
Step 5: Support lessons We are on hand as an experienced contact partner for participating schools throughout all learning areas. We are also happy to establish contacts in our nationwide “JTL macht Schule” network to encourage the exchange of experiences.
Our service package for vocational schools
Our comprehensive service package, which we make available to the participating vocational schools, includes in detail
Free software, modules and demo databases
Free store hosting
Heavily discounted remote desktop hosting
Technical support and advice
Content support for learning situations
Joint development of learning materials
Benefits for teachers and students
Of course, it’s not just the teachers who benefit from JTL macht Schule. Students also have an advantage in the future job market if they are already familiar with a software solution that is one of the most widely used in Germany. Thomas Lisson, Managing Director of JTL, sums it up as follows:
With JTL macht Schule, the students are quickly equipped for their everyday work as prospective online retailers – because many of their future employers already use JTL software.
Another advantage: all JTL software products are documented in detail in the comprehensive JTL-Guide. Even after the end of lessons, students can look up individual functions and features online at any time, for example to prepare specifically for their final exams.
How the login for JTL macht Schule works
In order to keep the bureaucratic hurdles and thus the workload for the vocational schools low, a short login via form and registration in our customer center are sufficient.
All vocational schools located in Germany that teach the apprenticeship occupation of businesswoman / businessman in eCommerce can take part.
Incidentally, we are currently working hard to make all training content available as video material for our partner schools – structured according to the curriculum. This means that important topics can be viewed again at any time.
Would you like to find out more about JTL macht Schule? The button below will take you to the project website, where you will find lots more information and a contact form if you have any questions.
