Innovation in Colombia’s Transport & Logistics trainings and teaching approaches

For the past year, CINOP has been working together with STC International and Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA) in Colombia in the “Responsive, innovative and inclusive vocational training for Colombia, addressing recent developments in transport and logistics” project. This project is a refresher course and builds further upon previous good collaborations between the partners.

SENA is the main TVET provider in Colombia and plays a crucial role in skills development and employment in the whole country. Regularly updating knowledge and skills of SENA staff is key for this TVET provider to continuously improve their training offer. The main objective of this project is to improve the relevance, quality, and inclusivity of SENA’s education and training. STC International and CINOP offered various modules to instructors and managers of SENA. These modules are divided in three main topics: 1) technical expertise in transport and logistics, and 2) innovative and pandemic-proof didactical approaches, 3) cooperation between SENA and industry and civil society with a focus on rural and marginalized areas.

Where STC International brings in their expertise in technical topics within the fields of transport and logistics, CINOP contributes by offering knowledge and skills in activating (online) didactical approaches and industry cooperation programmes.

 CINOP offered the following training modules in the project:

• Online Teaching Didactics: because of the COVID-19 pandemic, education changed worldwide. It brought challenges to the sector, but also promising opportunities, such as the development of stronger online training. Instructors of SENA worked on preparing and offering structured online training. Amongst others they experimented with the use of helpful online tools, various (interactive and motivating) working forms for students, and methods for 21^st century skills in an online environment.
• Teaching Methods and Evaluations in the 21^st century: today’s rapidly changing societies and economies require continuous updating of knowledge and skills in education and training. Instructors, students, and professionals need to constantly (re-)learn. In this training, the SENA instructors worked on activating teaching and learning methods that motivate students and prepares them for direct use of 21^st century skills in the labor market. The instructors practiced with various teaching methods such as Activating Competency-based Learning Methods, Problem-Based Learning (PBL) methods, and gained new skills in innovative teaching approaches.
• Industry Cooperation: the main objectives of vocational training are to prepare people for employment and update qualifications. Therefore, it is essential that SENA and its teaching and management staff have close relationships with the economic sectors, associations, and companies for which they are preparing their students. In order to ensure education is inclusive to all (promoting employment and economic integration of vulnerable groups) it is also necessary to coordinate with civil society organisations that support these groups. In this module, we worked on strengthening and diversifying active cooperation between SENA and representatives of industry and civil society, thereby contributing to improving labor market matching and employment opportunities. Topics that were covered included the conditions for cooperation with industry, types of partnerships, planning for cooperation, and visits of industry and civil society organisations.

This project is part of the Orange Knowledge Programme, financed by the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and managed by Nuffic. The Programme focuses on international cooperation in Technical Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education.