Transforming Port Logistics Education with Port Virtual Lab: Escola Europea and STC Group Join Forces

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[Barcelona, 05 September 2023] – The Escola Europea is proud to announce its strategic partnership with STC Group to further enhance and expand its Port Virtual Lab (PVL) training platform, revolutionizing education in the port logistics sector. STC Group, a renowned training provider in and around the port of Rotterdam, brings its wealth of recognition to the innovative training solution.

The upcoming course is set to begin in November 2023, offering participants a unique opportunity to enhance their logistics skills. This comprehensive training programme will span nine weeks, with sessions scheduled every Wednesday, providing a convenient and immersive learning experience for the international pool of participants.

Port Virtual Lab is an innovative and comprehensive platform that offers cutting-edge technological and educational tools. Serving as an online logistics lab, it provides international trade, logistics, and transport students and professionals with the opportunity to simulate real-life operations and access a wide range of tools to enhance their knowledge and skills.

The platform includes 23 simulated companies within a digital port community system. Notably, the pilot freight forwarder module has been perfected with the support of Click&Cargo, enabling near-real-life operation simulations of import and export operations. The PVL training programme spans over 9 days, offering interactive training modules and hands-on operations. The simulation is designed to provide participants with real-life contracts and up-to-date information, ensuring a dynamic and immersive learning experience.

What is Port Virtual Lab?

In 2020, Escola Europea initiated a tender to partner with a software company, aiming to develop an Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) as the backbone of its virtual training model. This vision led to the birth of Port Virtual Lab, a platform that replicates a real-life port community, enabling course participants to immerse themselves in a controlled yet authentic environment and conduct simulated international trade operations.

Participants in Port Virtual Lab courses assume various roles within the extensive range of companies created for the platform, covering the entire supply chain. These roles include those in freight forwarding, shipping, airlines, road transport, railway companies, and port terminals. Plans are underway to further enrich the simulation by adding more supply chain actors, enhancing users’ experiences.

Benefits of Simulation in Training Endeavors

The initial phases of the YEP MED project identified critical skills gaps in the transport market, particularly in areas such as environmental sustainability, international relations, digitalization, and port logistics operations. To address these gaps, it was essential to ensure that graduates were well-prepared for the challenges of the industry.

Virtual simulators prove to be ideal for this purpose, offering several advantages:

  • Real-time Practice: Trainees can practice operations without market risks.
  • Scenario Diversity: Various real-life scenarios enable effective problem-solving.
  • Sustainable Logistics Chains: The platform allows for the testing of different transport combinations, prioritizing sustainability or speed as required.

Exceptional educational offerings are pivotal in preparing young jobseekers for rapidly changing industries. Simulators and virtual realities play a crucial role in helping young professionals gain experience and confidence. PVL has been a significant step in the development of such training tools in the Mediterranean region, and this collaboration marks the platform’s extension further in Europe and beyond. In the most recent course, participants rated the platform with an impressive score of 4.94 out of a maximum of 5 – highlighting the effectiveness of Port Virtual Lab in enhancing participants’ logistics skills.

Undoubtedly, the platform’s impact will extend to other regions worldwide and will continue to leave a lasting mark even after the project’s completion in 2023.

“I think that this has been a very useful activity, as it allowed us to put into practice the concepts taught throughout our Masters” – Anna Berenguer i Dasquens (University of Barcelona)

For more information about Port Virtual Lab and the partnership between Escola Europea and STC Group, please contact Orlando Reveco at the Escola Europea (international@escolaeuropea.eu).