Two years ago GS1 New Zealand – previously known as EAN New Zealand – introduced a world first, a distance learning course in the GS1 System. This is the system best known to printers through the pesky bar codes required on any package or label that will eventually be scanned at some retail checkout.
Long taken for granted within the industry, these have taken on a special significance in recent years since the grocery industry began enforcing strict technical correctness on bar codes. Manufacturers sending supermarkets products whose bar codes don’t carry a GS1 certificate of compliance, called a verification report, risk having the products rejected until they are repackaged or relabelled. Current suggestions that the major hardware retailers are considering the same quality requirements mean that bar code quality is an issue that isn’t going to go away.
GS1’s certificate course is delivered by two means, an Internet-based electronic learning course run from the organisation’s Head Office in Brussels and a hard copy study manual sent to the student from Wellington. Each is divided into seven components at the end of which a self-administered test is taken.
The interactive e-learning programme automatically marks and scores the tests and the paper versions are sent to GS1’s office for marking. On successful completion of both sets of tests the student receives a certificate from Brussels marking completion of the basic course and GS1 New Zealand awards the Certificate in Automatic Data Capture Standards. The completed GS1 course, which is recognised by NZQA may then be credited towards the Diploma in Print Management.
“We see the course as a valuable addition to the range of training options for the print industry,” says GS1 Chief Executive Dr Peter Stevens. “Bar code non-compliance can cost manufacturers big money in relabelling costs or product rejection. Printers who can assure customers that any bar codes they produce will be absolutely correct enjoy a serious marketing advantage.” Stevens says that the e learning course is used by most GS1 organisations world wide in inducting their own staff and the greater depth of learning introduced by the additional material provided through GS1 New Zealand means that a course graduate becomes the in-house bar code expert for his or her employer. And of course the individual has the knowledge for life.
At $650 plus GST the course appears more expensive than the standard diploma papers but there are no providers’ charges to pay or books to buy so the actual outlay is similar to or less than the cost of other diploma courses. (Peter Stevens suggests that the cost be weighed against the cost of rerunning a big print job because nobody knew enough about bar code standards to realise there was a problem with the bar code on it).
Keen students will finish the course in a few weeks of study at times of their own choosing. If their employer allows them time to study at work they might do even better. Tim Doherty, GS1 New Zealand’s most recent appointee, crammed the whole course into five days.
