CATALYST
FOR CHANGE
A new study suggests that the Covid-19 crisis is turning out to be a
powerful driver of change in seafarer training, and is paving the way for
the introduction of innovative flexible and remote learning systems.
Andrew Linington reports.
The gap between
face-to-face
teaching and
56%
OF TRAINING
internet-based e-learning was
already closing before the
pandemic began. Now the use
of tech in teaching is set to
increase substantially as a result
of ‘the increased acceptance – and
need to – conduct business remotely,
online’, according to the third global
Maritime Training Insights Database (MarTID)
survey.
INSTITUTIONS HAD
INCREASED THE USE
OF INTERNET-BASED
E-LEARNING IN THE
Published by the World Maritime University,
Marine Learning Systems and New Wave Media,
the report also warns that feedback from
seafarers paints a relatively bleak picture of their
training experiences and outcomes and shows
the significant scale of opportunity for improvement.
In the foreword to the report, Nautical
Institute chief executive officer Captain John
Lloyd notes that adoption rates for new training
solutions have proved high, and that this trend
has also helped to deliver significant savings in
associated travel and accommodation costs –
both for seafarers and employers.
‘In this context, robust and secure assessments
are a prerequisite and so too is approval
by the relevant flag administration,’ he said. ‘It is
a credit to the decision-makers on many administrations
that they have quickly adopted
alternative solutions to training and assessment.
Such flexibility has helped keep our seafarers in
date for their qualifications and up-to-date with
recent innovations.’
Even before the pandemic struck, the MarTID
researchers found that there had been a 16%
reduction in face-to-face training over the
48 SUOMEN MERENKULKU FINLANDS SJÖFART
previous year – and that 23% of seafarers,
shipping companies and training
institutions expected to use less of
it in the coming year.
Although classroom training
continues to be the most common
training method, the survey found
that use of e-learning and simulation
is growing rapidly, and operators plan
to increase their use of technology to
manage crew training, competency and
assessment.
They also plan to make more use of videobased
e-learning, simulation, coaching and
mentoring in the coming 12 months.
Some 56% of training institutions had increased
the use of internet-based e-learning in the
past year, and 69% expected this to increase
further in the year ahead.
Almost two-thirds of ship operators had
increased their training budgets over the
previous year, with two-thirds spending between
2% and 10% of their operating budget on training.
However, seafarers are increasingly having to
self-fund their training – with 43% having to pay
for their own training and 17% spending between
10%-20% of their income on training.
Nearly half the seafarers surveyed said their
personal expenditure on training has increased
over the past five years and almost 60% believe it
will increase even more over the coming 12
months.
As well as STCW-related courses, seafarers
are most commonly having to spend their own
money on certificates of competency, qualification
upgrades, refresher training, revalidation,
medical, safety and life-saving, and advanced
and specialised courses.
Researchers also found that seafarers did not,
PAST YEAR.
Front cover
of the MarTID
report.