With over 1,500 stores, SPAR is the second largest grocery chain in Austria, with a turnover of over €5 billion annually. SPAR has over 34,000 employees, making it the biggest private employer in Austria. SPAR is also the largest provider of apprenticeships in Austria, taking on approximately 900 trainees each year.

SPAR Chief Executive, Gerhard Drexel, recognises the importance of certifying the company's trainees: "We do not only want to invest in our human resources, but also set a standard with our training". As part of the company's policy of standards in education and training, ECDL was selected as SPAR's ICT skills' certification standard for employees.

Approximately 700 staff take part in SPAR's programme of ECDL training and certification each year. Maria Ossberger, head of the company's apprenticeship programme, says that the feedback from trainees has been overwhelmingly positive, and has resulted in a measurable improvement in their working day: "The young people tell us that the PC training is essential in making their daily job lives easier". According to Ms Ossberger, computer skills training is a prerequisite for employees seeking to rise to the management structure of the organisation: "A special internal training lasting several weeks forms the basis for a career in the SPAR organisation up to management level".

ICT-skilled and certified employees provide numerous benefits to an organisation. Academic and industry studies have shown that a workforce certified in ICT skills enables organisations to use technology more effectively, leading to gains in productivity and competitiveness. In a crowded and ultra-competitive industry such as the retail sector, the gains in productivity offered by an ICT-skilled workforce provide a measurable competitive advantage.

To learn more about SPAR's programme of ECDL certification for its staff, click here.