Students plug into e-learning platform

An increasing need for e-learning has led the School of Shipping to develop its own platform to harness this new method of studying for anyone who wishes to further their knowledge in the freight industry. According to the School’s Jacqui Merrington, this method of learning meets all the requirements of learnerships from the Transport Seta (Teta) and is proving to be a very successful way for people to study. “As our lives get busier and busier, more people are embracing eLearning,” she said. It is already being used to facilitate training of existing learnerships as well as for private students wishing to study via computer rather than in a lecture-based situation. Learners can earn credits towards a National Certificate in Freight Forwarding (NQF Level 3 and NQF Level 4). “Through e-learning students study at their own pace from a computer at their desk or from home,” said Merrington. “There are built-in checks that indicate when assignments are due and alerts for employers if learners or students are experiencing difficulties. It is a very efficient way of studying in today’s modern and fastpaced environment.” According to Merrington, the School’s courses are all aimed at land-based shipping functions such as import clerks, export clerks, clearing and forwarding agents, freight clerks and entry clerks. “We also offer in-house training to companies where we put together tailor-made courses according to the company’s specifications on a full- or part-time basis. CAPTION Jacqui Merrington … aimed at land-based shipping functions.