January 12, 2004

IGA LAUNCHES ON-LINE TRAINING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

CHICAGO, IL - IGA announced today the launch of its online training certification program. Currently the E-learning program offers classes leading to certification in three entry-level job positions, including an introductory “Welcome” course and courses devoted to grocery stocker, courtesy clerk and cashier. Information is transmitted to the students through auditory and visual components, which include interactive charts, department layouts and text. Course content provides information about the supermarket industry, basic retailer operations and key responsibilities for each position.

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A high rate of employee turnover is an issue that has plagued the grocery industry for years. According to New Ideas for Retaining Store Employees, a study conducted for Coca-Cola Retailing by Blake Frank of the University of Dallas, the annual cost of employee turnover in the supermarket industry exceeds the entire industry’s annual profit by more than 40 percent. Also, half of all new hourly hires terminate their employment within the first 97 days.

With statistics like these surfacing at an alarming rate, IGA began searching for a means to solve this industry-wide problem. As a result, extensive time and resources have been devoted to the development of a training program that will equip personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to reduce employee turnover and promote safe and efficient business practices.

In January of 2004, some 13 years after IGA executives first began to explore the idea of a worldwide retailer training program, the IGA Institute came into full fruition. What was once a radical concept has now become a reality. Today, students of the Institute receive a comprehensive approach to training that includes formal classes, such as the Supermarket Operations Class to be held in March; access to online training manuals; and the Institute’s newest addition — innovative, language-specific online certification programs.

Paulo Goelzer, Ph.D.

“We’re at the cutting edge with career development Web-based application,” said Paulo Goelzer, Ph.D., president of IGA Institute. “As soon as new information is ready, the site is instantly updated, overcoming the problem of outdated CD-ROMs or printed manuals. The online training manual makes it easy to train associates in any part of the world. This associate self-service program allows study at home or at the store, and always at their own pace. They can log on and off at will and never lose data.”

Currently the E-learning program offers classes in three entry-level job positions, including an introductory “Welcome” course and courses devoted to grocery stocker, courtesy clerk and cashier. Information is transmitted to the students through auditory and visual components, which include interactive charts, department layouts and text. Course content provides information about the supermarket industry, basic retailer operations and key responsibilities for each position.

Once the content is reviewed, students are asked to take a post test.

When a student provides an incorrect answer to a question, the comprehensive tutorial returns to the section that merits further review and instruction. The questions are then presented again in a different order and sequence. Students must receive a score of 80 percent or higher to success-fully complete the course. Their efforts are rewarded with a specialized certificate of achievement.

“These courses are designed to give employees the credentials required to perform in many levels of the store,” Goelzer said. “We want to give students every opportunity to learn the material and advance to the next level of training. Eventually, associates will be able to become certified in every position, all the way up to store manager. The certificates become concrete proof of your associates’ competencies and their merits for promotion. Web-based training is a valuable way to empower your management and associates to develop their skills and perform at higher levels,” Goelzer said.

With a longstanding company focus on education, it’s no surprise that IGA is behind one of the industry’s more innovative approaches to training. “Our founder, J. Frank Grimes, believed that there’s only one cash register, and it is activated by satisfied customers,” said Dr. Thomas Haggai, IGA chairman and CEO. “He felt then as we do now … through education, we can make each IGA Supermarket the best place to shop and the best place to work.”

Thanks to the hard work of the IGA Institute team, the E-learning program is paving the way for retail training in the 21st century.

Advantages to IGA’s Online Training Program

For the Learner:
Personalized Training. The E-learning program’s interactive process allows students to focus attention on areas specific to their training needs. Students also work at their own pace, which is directly linked to higher levels of information retention.
Accessibility, Flexibility, and Convenience. Students may log on to the E-learning program anywhere they have Internet access, which means training can be accomplished on the job or at home. With no time constraint on the courses, students may engage in coursework whenever they have time available. Thanks to a bookmarking capability, students can stop in the middle of a section and come back later exactly where they left off.
Timely Information. The E-learning program is instantly updated as soon as new information becomes available, ensuring students receive the most accurate and timely training materials available.
Progress Assessment. Working in cooperation with Generation21, a software-development company focused on the transmission of knowledge, IGA has created an E-learning program that allows students to track their progress throughout the training process.
Increased Job Satisfaction. Students of IGA Institute’s E-learning program gain confidence through the acquisition and retention of knowledge. The specialized certificate students obtain upon completion of courses serves as tangible evidence of their accomplishment.

For the Retailer:
Increased Retention. IGA’s E-learning program provides an exciting, interactive forum that is conducive to long-term employee retention. The need to minimize turnover is important in our industry.
Consistent and Accurate Content Provided at a Reduced Cost per Student. IGA’s instant updates ensure students receive the best training possible without the continual purchase of expensive training materials. The online approach allows students to complete courses on location, saving costly travel expenditures.
Reduced Training Time. Applications within the program quickly reinforce correct responses and direct the students to those areas in which more study is needed, saving valuable training time for necessary content.

IGA, the only global supermarketer based in the United States, is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 36 distribution companies and more the 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA ranks in the top 10 in world food supermarketing. IGA has operations in 48 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.

For Information Contact
Ashley M. Page 773-772-5724