COLLEGE PROVIDES VITAL SKILLS BOOST FOR UK MARINE INDUSTRY

South Tyneside College is boosting skills in the field of marine engineering with a unique workshop training course, developed in conjunction with the Merchant Navy Training Board (MNTB) and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The Machine Workshop Skills Programme, which is now in its third year, was developed to meet full MNTB and MCA requirements for personnel who have trained in other non-marine disciplines to complete the UK Certificate of Competency examinations. It is intended to update existing skills, ensuring that students are able to make full use of all mechanical equipment needed to operate a vessel at sea.

Prospective entrants to the course take part in a one week ‘Skills Test programme, which identifies their existing abilities and those which need to be developed further. This helps to determine whether a student needs to take the entire course, or just the modules that are needed to improve his or her skills to the required standard.

Geoff Hudson, deputy head of faculty for Marine & Mechanical Engineering, explains: British regulations for seafarers state that all personnel must be fully competent in a number of areas before they can complete the Certificate of Competency. These include the use of various tooling machines, such as the lathe, and the ability to operate and maintain a diesel engine, as well as fault-finding skills.

The regulations make absolute sense when you consider that it may be necessary to maintain and repair complex mechanical machinery when you are thousands of miles from the nearest spare parts. For this reason, we have worked closely with marine agencies to develop this course, which brings training up to full UK Merchant Navy requirements. Entry is at the sole discretion of the MCA, with students enrolling from all around the world."

One such student is Noriko Yakushiji, a Japanese fourth engineer, who recently joined Global Marine, a company that requires full MCA approved qualifications for officers on its British-flagged vessels. Noriko signed up with South Tyneside College after the course was recommended by a number of friends who were also former students.

She said: I have always worked for Japanese companies in the past, so this course is very useful to bring my existing qualifications up to the standards of the MCA. When I qualify, I will be able to move on to the full Certificate of Competency and carry forward my career at sea."

Further details of all courses available from South Tyneside College can be obtained by calling the Information Centre on +44 (0) 191 427 3900 or online at www.stc.ac.uk.

ENDS