Intelligent Seas Group (ISG) has introduced new standards of training, certification, and watchkeeping (STCW) courses to the maritime industry, reducing the time needed to study and reportedly cutting training costs by up to 70 per cent.
These update courses, which occur every five years, traditionally cover five days of /practical training to ensure the trainees are up to speed in a variety of disciplines: Proficiency in Personal Survival Techniques Updating; Proficiency in Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting Updating; Proficiency in Advanced Fire Fighting Updating; Proficiency in Fast Rescue Boat; and Proficiency in Survival Craft and Rescue Boat.
However, according to Tim Love, managing director, ISG’s blended learning offering for the mandatory STCW updating courses, drives in the necessary training quality needed while saving time and cutting costs.
ISG’s solution has been approved by the Bahamas Maritime Authority as meeting the STCW standards.
ISG has developed interactive and engaging online courses that deliver all theoretical elements of these courses over 15 hours, that can be undertaken anywhere and anytime where the learner has an internet connection.
Practical competence-based elements of all five courses have been condensed into an optimised one-day practical session, delivered via a global network of audited and approved training partners. Customers can also nominate their current training providers to deliver the practical element if they are already an STCW-approved training facility.
According to Love, this model reduces training time from five days to just one and reduces total training costs by around 70 per cent.
“Because of the time saved and the blended nature of the training, the impact on the environment is significant at around 60 per cent reductions in the CO2 emissions associated with the travel, accommodation and logistics requirements to undertake training in a third-party facility, “ he said.
“The online theory can be undertaken at home, in the office or on the vessel, and this model provides a standard offering for all elements of this syllabus, allowing international companies to achieve standardisation across their entire global operations,” he continued.
