Marine Ireland Industry Network (MIIN) is to host the 'Blue Skills and Training in the Marine & Maritime Industry' which will be an Online (Zoom) event held on Tuesday, 30 August (12:00-1300hrs)

The MIIN Virtual Event is to create opportunities for growth and has been organised as a follow up to research commissioned by the Marine Institute and delivered by Flagship Management around marine internships and work placements.

The main findings of this report will be presented, followed by insights from Green Skillsnet on the opportunities and training needs in the Offshore Wind industry, as well as a unique look into the new marine traineeships set-up in the Donegal region.

Training providers from the MIIN Directory will also showcase their available courses.

For further details of the event schedule click here and for a link to register free of charge.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, T.D. was at the Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club Marina, Ringsend on the River Liffey today, to present scholarship certificates to the first cohort of students completing the inaugural Irish Nautical Trust Marine Skills & Technology scholarship programme.

As Afloat previously reported, the scholarship was launched in October 2021 as part of the Google Employment Task Force. Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, provided €300,000 to the Irish Nautical Trust to develop a community-based environment maritime training programme aimed at educating local unemployed people and school leavers on the environment. The funding supports access for 30 students to obtain a certified level of maritime skills and enable them to gain sustainable employment in the marine industry. Today, nine students have been awarded certificates with four of the nine already having secured employment.

Speaking at today’s event, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, T.D. said,“I am delighted to be here today to recognise the Maritime Skills & Technology programmes’ early achievements. The employment opportunities this programme provides to the students will play a key role in building a brighter future not just for the students but also the wider community. Already four participants from the first cohort have been successful in achieving employment and I look forward to hearing more in the future on the progress of this important programme.”

Shane Nolan, Managing Director, New Business, Google Ireland, said, “Today is about recognising the importance of programmes like the Irish Nautical Trust, Maritime Skills & Technology programme in the community. At Google Ireland, we are committed to supporting our local community and working closely with them to address challenges they face. The Irish Nautical Trust is also an integral member of our Employment Task Force in the local community enabling us to share our digital expertise and experience with our neighbours and the wider Docklands community. We see the opportunity that embracing new skills provides for greater employment opportunities. I look forward to working with our partners, building new pilot projects such as this one and reaching more job seekers.”

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe T.D. (centre) today presented scholarship certificates to the first students to complete the inaugural Irish Nautical Trust Marine Skills & Technology scholarship programme, supported by Google.org at the Poolbeg Yacht & Boat Club Ringsend, Dublin, alongside Shane Nolan (right), Director of New Business Sales at Google, Teresa Weafer (left), Head of Community Engagement at Google and Jimmy Murray, (far left) Course Director at the Irish Nautical Trust, with scholarship students & recipients Philip Murphy (left of centre), Frank Hopkins (right of centre) and Cathriona Walsh (far right). Photo: Naoise Culhane

Jimmy Murray, Course Director, said, “We need people with skills to maintain our state's investment in bridges, walls, rivers, canals and ports. The many contractors that will help expand our community and port environment and biosphere will require skilled people with the added richness of technology. This programme is designed to provide these very skills being taught through this pilot project. I would like to thank our main sponsor for the Maritime Skills Programme, Google .Org.

I also wish to acknowledge the support from Covanta Dublin and Dublin Port Company for their contributions, in giving their time, resources and knowledge and to commend them in recognising the value and opportunity this project will bring to the Docklands community. I would also like to congratulate our participants who received awards today.” 

Students participating in the Marine Skills and Technology scholarship programme will receive:

• Maritime skills training
• Digital support programme focused on technology skills on the river
• Access to employment opportunities through dedicated maritime services

UKSA is launching a new Port Operative Apprenticeship Programme, due to start this summer, as it expands its maritime career pathways.

Isle of Wight based charity, UKSA, has designed the programme to give young people the opportunity to start on the maritime career ladder in a vital port operative role which allows businesses and organisations to deliver cargo on time and within a safe environment. The course will provide students with all the necessary skills, knowledge, and qualifications to carry out port operative duties safely and competently whilst being trained by industry-leading instructors working at UKSA.

In conjunction with the launch, UKSA is looking for interested port operators and employers to get in touch with the aim to forge partnerships for the apprenticeship programme to offer students Government funded work placements.

Starting August 2022, apprentices will undertake initial training at UKSA’s all-inclusive four-acre waterside academy in Cowes, before embarking on 12 months of work-related training. Following this, apprentices will be ready to carry out port operative duties and work on board any type and size of moored or anchored vessel in a port.

Ben Willows, CEO of UKSA said: “Adding the Port Operative Apprenticeship alongside UKSA’s current Workboat Apprenticeship Programme further cements our commitment to providing training pathways that create exciting and more crucially, long-term maritime careers opportunities. It’s a fantastic opportunity for young people to take advantage of with the aim of securing them gainful employment with one of the many fantastic operators we have in the port sector.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to urge any local port operators and businesses to get in touch if they would like to partner with us for the apprenticeship programme to provide vital work placements as part of the course.”

During the course, apprentices will gain qualifications in RYA Powerboat Level 2, a certificate in RYA Marine Radio Short Range and Elementary First Aid. The skills achieved during the training include control vehicle movements, hazards, types of plant and equipment, different types of port operation and UK handled cargo, the importance of commercial principles and how to work safely and professionally. UKSA also has the flexibility on this programme to add on other training modules including STCW dependent on the employers’ specific requirements to make the training a bespoke experience.

Apprentices must be aged 18 and over to attend the course but require no previous experience. Apprentices without a level 1 English and Maths must achieve this and take the test for level 2 prior to taking their end-point assessment.

#MarineNotice - Marine Notice No 6 of 2017 from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) advises that anyone undertaking maritime training in Ireland should ensure that any course leading to certification is approved by and complies with the statutory certification issued by the competent authority.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is the competent authority for the approval of statutory maritime training in Ireland under both EU and Irish law. The Marine Survey Office of the DTTAS carries out this function on behalf of the minister.

Specifically, IMO STCW courses (including short courses) carried out in Ireland may only be approved by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. Candidates for seafarer and fisher certification should be aware that the DTTAS will only accept certificates issued by training providers approved by the competent authority for training carried out in Ireland.

EU mutual recognition applies to certificates issued in other EU/EEA states for training approved by and carried out under the conditions set down by the competent authorities in those member states.

Ship owners, fishing vessel owners and those employing seafarers and fishers should ensure that crew whose training was carried out in Ireland hold appropriate certification issued under the authority of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.

A holder of a certificate that is not valid, and who is serving on a vessel, may adversely affect the certification of that vessel. Such vessels, on inspection, may be subject to enforcement action for non-compliance with statutory requirements.

The DTTAS publishes a full list of approved training providers on the new Seafarers web portal.