The impacts of the coronavirus stretch across the globe and include many far-reaching effects on supply chains.
Fort Myers-based supply chain services firm Allyn International Services Inc., with that in mind, is making some of its expertise available to the public. The firm, with 23 locations worldwide and $32 million in revenue in 2018, is offering four of its online courses about introductory supply chain training for free through April 19. Â
Allyn Operational Training and Customer Service Leader Deirdre Trevett tells Coffee Talk the online training has been available internally for employees for the last three or four years, but the firm decided to make the training available to everyone in the wake of the coronavirus. “We have medical professionals, grocery store workers, gas station attendants, everyone doing their part to keep everyone safe,” she says. “It’s a small thing we can do to help others.”
The four free courses cover different supply chain topics — introduction to documents, introduction to transport modes, introduction to customs classification and Incoterms (International Commercial Terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce) 2020 changes from 2010. Allyn also has a free logistics learning game on its website that gives players a chance to learn about transport modes.
Allyn expects a variety of people to use the resources, from individuals new to the supply chain industry who want to learn more to clients the firm works with to employees at similar companies. Allyn, for instance, asks all of its employees to take the courses within the first year of their employment.
The interactive courses include text, visuals, audio and knowledge checks. The company has been building its catalog of courses since 2016. “We’re constantly looking at what team members need to learn,” says Trevett. “We think they’re a good resource.” Â
