ALERT 20 — TRAINING

If you have visited us before, you would know that Alert focuses on the human element in the maritime industry. In this program we are going to consider three of the most important human element issues, namely education, training and career development. When it comes to the recruitment and training of seafarers, ship operators should adopt best industry standards and ensure that seafarers receive the training they need to carry out their duties.

They must also be regularly updated, tested and drilled through various programs. The people involved in the front line of the shipping operations ashore must also be properly trained, adequately experienced, skilled and competent. But then so must be the tutors - it is essential that maritime college lecturers are properly qualified to teach the competencies for which they are employed to teach. They need to have the up-to-date understanding of the new technologies aboard ships and, of course, knowledge of the modern day ship operations. One of the problems today is that a gap sometimes exists between available skill levels and what the ship industry requires from the seafarers, which is why there is a need for the company to step in the training.

Shore-based company training can be provided at in-house institutes and during annual seminars. On-job training can be conducted by auditing and training superintendents who can then ensure that any shore comments can be rectified through education and training. This video supplements the corresponding Alert Issue 20.