Imec focuses on training to counter officer shortage

Source:Mgnet

THE London-based International Maritime Employers Committee (IMEC) is set to greatly increase its involvement in training following a survey among its members, who operate open-registry ships under International Transport Workers' Federation agreements.

The “mini survey” was conducted by a working group which held three meetings: in Cyprus, London and Manila. The group reviewed of the scale of the officer shortage and found that the shortage is “acute and escalating”. It estimates that low retention rates meant IMEC members would have to recruit about 10% of its officers from other companies.

After reviewing of recruitment and training initiatives in most of the major labour supply countries the working group decided that the problems were not simply a matter of numbers. Rather, in some countries the problem was more a matter of fundamental weaknesses in the tertiary education system and in the quality of available maritime training.”

Among countries with particular problems the Philippines is taking an annual intake of about 18,000 cadets into its training colleges but only about 4,000 become officers. Of the rest some get STCW qualifications but can't initially get officer jobs and so go to sea as ratings. After a short time they are no longer capable of serving as officers without refresher training. Others complete their college training but cannot get berths as cadets and therefore cannot get the sea time they need for STCW certificates. They also go to sea as ratings.

Among a number of recommendations the working group says enhanced/upgraded cadet training should be provided in the Philippines through a dedicated IMEC training course to overcome fundamental problems with the existing quality of training. According to the working group this could form part of an existing scheme, such as that run by the Norwegian Shipowners Association, or as a standalone IMEC course. The financial support could be provided by the International Maritime Training Trust.

Some of the funding for new training projects will be met by using unspent welfare fund money while the need to allocate more money to training is also an element of current negotiations at the International Maritime Forum.