Logicearth Appointed to Develop and Deliver Innovative Training Platform for Irish Government

Logicearth Learning Services, a division of The Creative Engagement Group, has been appointed by CILT Skillnet in Republic of Ireland to develop and deliver an innovative, mobile-first training programme: Clear Customs, providing support for Irish business to deal with increased Brexit customs requirements.

Currently, 90,000 Irish companies import from or export to or through the UK every year. Delays at customs can result in disruption to both business and customers. Taking steps now to train key staff on how to effectively complete a customs declaration, will help businesses pre-empt Brexit-related customs challenges

What’s more, it is estimated that the quantity of declarations completed every year in Ireland will increase from 1.7m to 20m+ in the event of a no-deal Brexit, or a Brexit deal which results in additional requirements. 

As such, there is a pressing need to develop a significantly increased number of individuals with customs intermediary and customs clearance skills who can operate as agents on behalf of businesses. 

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD said: “It is clear businesses are facing a range of challenges this year in light of Covid and Brexit.

“There is a Clear Customs mobile app and virtual classroom sessions, to provide an engaging and impactful learning experience for businesses. We are calling on business owners to avail of this free training as part of the Government’s Brexit Readiness Action Plan and ensure their businesses are prepared for the new customs requirements from January 1st, 2021.”

Clear Customs is a free, virtual training programme, funded by Skillnet Ireland, which offers customs training to intermediaries and businesses which frequently trade with or through the UK.

Eoin McDonnell, Head of Learning Innovation at Logicearth said, “The Clear Customs mobile learning app we have delivered is an important part of the Irish national strategy to manage the impact of Brexit. The UK’s departure creates a sudden barrier to trade and disrupts the day-to-day work up to 90,000 Irish businesses.

“This hybrid training programme will boost the in-house customs capacity for Irish businesses that frequently trade with the UK, by offering immediate and free training in how to make customs declarations effectively.”

When CILT Skillnet approached Logicearth Learning Services in late 2019, it had already been running a successful face-to-face programme. The challenge was to rapidly scale this whilst maintaining the high quality achieved thus far.

The resulting, hybrid learning programme combines the best of live delivery by skilled trainers and the best of digital on-demand content. All of this is delivered in a bespoke, mobile learning app - available for Apple and Android phones - that sits in the pocket of each learner. This is a very novel approach for a government training initiative, with the hybrid solution offering both live classrooms and on-demand content.

To design and develop the solution, Logicearth worked with Teach on Mars, a French learning technology provider, and Radii, a software development agency based in Dublin, to create a seamless journey for learners – from applying for the programme, to downloading the app, and participating in interactive online classrooms whilst enjoying on-demand learning.

Moreover, with the global pandemic accelerating the digital transformation curve, and with many workforces finding themselves working remotely, the strategic decision to change from physical, face-to-face delivery to digital technologies has become particularly relevant. 

Logicearth’s Eoin McDonnell adds: “This is a genuine innovation in workforce training. We believe that mobile is where people truly engage. We can sit at our desks for long hours managing tasks like emails, spreadsheets and conference calls. However, when we truly engage in learning, our personal devices are what we turn to. Mobile as a medium reaches out across demographics.” 

With the app launching in September, the aim is to have successfully trained thousands by the end of this year and thousands more in 2021, thereby supporting many individuals and organisations in these challenging times.