BEST Institute for vocational training and personal training GmbH

On Line Training Needs Assessment

The food industry is one of the largest and most important manufacturing sectors in Europe. For professionals in this sector, it is crucial to constantly assess the training needs of employees in order to remain competitive. This is especially true for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). However, in contrast to large companies, SMEs often lack access to professional training needs assessment tools and may therefore not able to adjust as fast to changing demands and markets as their competitors.

eTNA aims at enhancing the knowledge of professionals in the food industry sector across the European Union by transferring a Training Needs Assessment (TNA) methodology to SMEs. Based on competitive intelligence (CI) and innovative online tools, the TNA methodology enables SMEs to assess training needs with regard to standards in the professional sector and gain knowledge about training resources available in Europe. Possessing a TNA tool is crucial, as the trend towards homogenization of qualifications at European level is becoming a reality.

In the starting phase of the project, the project partnership is going to select a sample of SMEs in the European agro-food industry. They are going to be provided with the eTNA tool, which is an online tool on training needs assessment. It contains information on three levels and will:

  • highlight training gaps in relation to specific on-the-job skills and competences in the given sub-sectors
  • deliver national learning resources and local programs
  • detect unmatched competences

eTNA will work as a platform enabling professionals and companies to design their own career plans in regard to job improvement, job change and job promotion.

EU-Program: LLP, Leonardo da Vinci TOI
Coordination: Club de Marketing La Rioja (ESP)
Contact: Karin Kronika
Duration: October 2010 – May 2012
Website: www.etnaproject.eu
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.