YEAR 1, 2, & 3 COURSES

The Cold Chain Institute features classes focusing on best practices in the refrigerated warehousing and logistics industries. Learn more about the Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3 curriculum/courses below.

Year 1 Curriculum

ACCESSING YOUR GCCA RESOURCES

Identify GCCA and GCCF programs and services.

Match GCCA member benefits such as technical guides to industry-specific use cases.

Use the GCCA website to access the online community, inquiry service and Scientific Advisory Council."

AMMONIA SAFETY

Describe the health effects of ammonia exposure.

List the initial first aid protocols for ammonia exposure.

Define the physical and chemical characteristics of ammonia that affect safety and its use as a refrigerant."

BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS

Analyze their writing skills to find areas that need improvement.

Identify the benefits of professional writing style.

Compose an employee performance review with all the necessary content.

CARRIER RELATIONSHIPS

Define the carrier's priorities when doing business with a warehouse customer/partner.

Modify their business operations attract new carrier partnerships.

Outline clear expectations for partnering with trucking companies.

Resolve common conflicts with between warehouse and carrier partners.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Identify the eleven difficult customer types.

Describe ten ways to handle disagreements effectively with both coworkers and customers.

Create a plan to engage with customers on a regular basis.

CUSTOMER SERVICE ESSENTIALS

Explain the importance of delivering excellent customer service to the maintenance and growth of your company's customer base.

Analyze potential solutions to customer complaints.

Resolve customer complaints to restore customer satisfaction.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING

Define "Emergency Action Plan" and "Emergency Response Plan."

Identify the key components of each plan.

Match the appropriate level of training for each warehouse employee role.

Compare the advantages and disadvantages of using in-house or outside emergency response services.

FINANCE 101

Define the difference between finance and accounting

Review accounting terms and apply them to daily life

Explain how day-to-day operations can have a direct impact on your business profitability

FOOD SAFETY: HACCP, STF, GFSI

Comprehend the implications of food regulations on your job

Distinguish food quality from food safety.

Identify food safety requirements for the public refrigerated warehouse industry.

FUNDAMENTALS OF FOOD STORAGE AND PRESERVATION

Describe the effect of freezing and frozen storage on the quality of food products.

Identify the factors that influence shelf-life.

Recognize the effect of temperature on chemical reaction rates.

Use the GCCF Commodity Storage Manual to access commodity-specific requirements.

JOB SAFETY ANALYSIS

Describe the role OSHA plays in third-party logistics operations.

Explain the importance of Job Safety Analyses (JSAs).

Describe the five-step Job Safety Analysis procedure.

Conduct a Job Safety Analysis.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Differentiate various leadership styles.

Use personalized strategies to drive commitment and initiative.

Adapt their personal style to yield collaborative, interdependent, and supportive teams.

RISK MANAGEMENT: WAREHOUSE EXPOSURE

Identify the basic exposures of loss to a public refrigerated warehouse.

Analyze various loss prevention techniques currently in use by warehouse operators.

SUPPLY CHAIN BASICS

Define the term “cold chain."

Explain the role that you and your company play in temperature-controlled logistics.

Summarize the cold chain industry's role in the domestic and international food markets.

TRANSPORTATION & WAREHOUSING

Identify ways public refrigerated warehouses are becoming involved in the transportation function.

Recognize opportunities for the warehouse to assist carriers.

Predict the effect of the latest trends on transportation companies, shippers, and receivers.

TRANSPORTATION BASICS

Understand the role of temperature control in cold chain transportation.

Identify transportation modes.

Learn the basics of a reefer unit.

Understand the basics and importance of pre-cooling a trailer.

Differentiate between primary operational and business differences of asset vs. non-asset transportation
companies.

WAREHOUSE OPERATION ESSENTIALS

Describe the ways the public refrigerated warehouse industry is changing.

Compare procedures in your warehouse to those used in other facilities.

Outline the steps involved in handling controlled-temperature products.

Year 2 Curriculum

BUDGETING AND FINANCIAL CONTROLS

Explain the budgeting process.

Recognize the components and interaction of a Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Statement.

Calculate cash flow for a given period.

Apply a cost-benefit analysis technique for securing the approval of a project.

CUSTOMER RECALL SIMULATION

Describe the process of a recall.

Identify the 3PL warehouse’s responsibilities during a recall.

Conduct an effective mock recall.

CYBER SECURITY (TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS)

Identify current technology and information systems used in the Cold Storage industry.

Recognize threats and vulnerabilities to commonly used systems.

Develop strategies to identify and prevent cyber-attacks.

DATAFLOW AND FREIGHT DOCUMENTATION

Understand different types of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

Identify different standardized EDI formats.

Learn the benefits and drawbacks of EDI.

EMPLOYEE TRAINING FOR SAFETY

Define your role as a safety leader.

Apply strategies for providing and reinforcing safety feedback.

Identify techniques for value-added safety training.

FEEDBACK AND COACHING

Define what effective coaching looks like in a workplace/management environment.

Differentiate the importance of positive feedback from feedback for growth.

Apply techniques for delivering employee-specific feedback.

FOOD SAFETY IN THE MODERN WAREHOUSE (FSMA AND SANITATION AUDITING)

Defend the reasons for conducting a sanitation audit.

Recognize critical conditions that would prevent an “excellent” audit grade.

Analyze their warehouse’s sanitation procedures for weaknesses.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND THE COLD CHAIN

Explain the structure of the international cold chain.

Define common maritime industry nomenclature.

Analyze the impact of government agencies on international business.

INTRODUCTION TO WAREHOUSE LAW

Interpret the "reasonable care" standard.

Differentiate between negotiable and non-negotiable warehouse receipts.

Identify strategies to maximize the enforcement of terms and conditions.

MANAGING AND MOTIVATING HUMAN PERFORMANCE

Relate employee performance to personal and operational success.

Identify best practices for annual goal setting.

Summarize frameworks for measuring and evaluating employee performance.

REFRIGERATION AND ENERGY

Define energy demand.

List the systems and employee roles that have the greatest influence on energy use in your facility.

Describe the components of an energy management strategy.

Analyze their warehouse facility energy management program.

SANITARY TRANSPORTATION OF FOOD

Understand the STF rule and why it is important.

Describe the benefits of being Cold Carrier Certified.

Learn the sanitary best practices of refrigerated transportation.

Year 3 Curriculum

ANALYZING REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS

List the core components of a refrigeration system.

Match system components with facility specifications for maximum efficiency.

Use favorable electrical rates to control operating costs.

Evaluate low-cost facility modifications that will have the greatest impact on energy use.

BEST PRACTICES IN FOOD TEMPERING, CHILLING AND FREEZING

Match different commodities to their appropriate temperature ranges for storage.

Define processes for changing temperature zones.

Use the Cost and Time to Freeze Calculator to calculate the most efficient storage conditions.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Summarize an integrated approach to business development.

Define the customer's priorities when doing business with a third-party logistics provider.

List practical strategies for protecting and improving sales margins.

Construct business agreements that are mutually agreeable to all parties.

BUSINESS PLANNING & FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING

Recognize opportunities to control expenses and increase profits within their operation.

Utilize a cost-benefit analysis.

Create a business plan to justify capital expenditures.

CASE STUDIES IN WAREHOUSE LAW

Distinguish between specific and general lines.

Explain the pitfalls of customer-prepared agreements.

Given a case study, predict potential legal issues and suggest actions to reduce the liability of a warehouse.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Recognize the effects of change on employees, customers, and other stakeholders.

Identify healthy responses to change.

Describe the forces causing organizational change and the implications for the organization.

CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Identify proper protocols for responding to fires, ammonia leaks, natural disasters and other emergencies.

Evaluate existing plans to protect employee safety.

EMPLOYMENT BEST PRACTICES AND LIABILITIES

Identify two areas in the Employment Life Cycle that expose a company to discrimination claims.

Distinguish behaviors that could be considered sexual harassment.

Recommend strategies to minimize risk exposure.

MANAGING LABOR RELATIONS

Understand the essential regulations and principles of labor relations in cold storage supply chains.

Master strategies for effective labor management in cold storage, including conflict resolution and workforce engagement.

REGULATIONS AND YOUR JOB

Outline the expectations of the inspector upon arrival.

List actions that can be taken to assist the inspector.

Prepare a facility for inspection by implementing daily protocols.

TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY IN WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT

Identify current and emerging technological trends in cold storage operations.

Compare costs and operational savings of new technologies to conventional equipment and processes.

Given a specific use case, select cost-effective technologies that improve productivity and efficiency.

WAREHOUSE/TRANSPORTATION SECURITY

List security threats facing public refrigerated warehouses.

Identify strategies to minimize security risks and damage.

Devise a documentation procedure to satisfy customers and regulatory requirements.