Digitization accompanies current social developments on various levels. Most common is the change of market place due to digital technologies. Buying and selling, advertising and promoting, communication and interaction are constantly developing, the sector of e-commerce and online marketing is rapidly growing.

According to the Green Paper launched by the European Commission “Towards an integrated European market for card, internet and mobile payments”, the number of online shoppers in Europe is forecast to increase from 141 to 190 million between 2009 and 2020 with the average spent by each buyer increasing from EUR 500/year to EUR 600/year.

In accordance, traditional commerce and marketing are continuously challenged and new methods emerge. That is why the industry demands professionals in the field of e-commerce and online marketing. Consequently a number of trainings are offered by different institutions.

Unfortunately, these trainings yet lack pan-European convergence and do not necessarily meet the job market needs or reduce the skills shortage. This is where e-COMMA steps in. e-COMMA was an international project supported by the EU between 2015 and 2018. It was funded in the programme "Erasmus +". Its full title is: "e-COMMA - Identification and definition of emerging eCommece and Online-Marketing job profiles", agreement no. 2015-1-PL01-KA202-016959.

In e-COMMA, we identified five relevant job roles that determine knowledge, skills and competences. This was done by intense field and desk research. In order to meet the real market needs, a number of small and medium sized enterprises throughout Europe were involved in this process. The relevant knowledge, skills and competences were recognized and we developed five job roles. These job roles will accord with the European norm EN-16234-1:2016 that takes into account sector-specific competences. The norm includes eight reference levels that can be described in terms of learning outcomes. The set of competences in combination with the reference levels allows the description of precise job roles. These roles can easily be validated and thus gain transparency. The inclusion of the norm in the end allows to present precise and comparable job roles that apply throughout Europe.

These job roles were the basis for the development of appropriate trainings. The learners were invited to gain qualifications that are accepted throughout Europe and that clearly display the knowledge, skills and competences that were acquired. The trainings  consisted of so-called blended learning units. This means that different teaching methods are carefully combined. The learners started with online seminars and tests that they mainly prepared autonomously. The online course was accompanied by face-to-face training. Here the learners prepared case studies and strengthened their competences in group works.

This approach leads to the comparison and acceptance of vocational qualifications throughout Europe and also meets current industrial needs. The main results, e.g. the job roles and the training guidelines and teaching material are available online.