New Maritime Qualification Offers Career Path

Press Release
For Immediate Release
May 2 2005

New National Certificate in Maritime Qualifications

New Maritime Qualification Offers Career Path

People wanting to get into the maritime industry will have a more clearly defined career path following the launch of a new qualification for operators of commercial inshore vessels.

The new National Certificate in Maritime (Commercial Inshore Vessel Operations) is an important step towards creating an integrated pathway through maritime qualifications.

“We wanted to establish a structure that provided transportable qualifications and a career path in the inshore maritime industry,” says Carl Davies, Competenz Group Industry & Development Manager.

“People who are working onshore and looking for an appropriate qualification will find the National Certificate ideal for gaining foundation skills for working in the industry.”

The qualification now clearly links with the Maritime Safety Authority Inshore Launchmaster Licence (ILM), which is considered the standard qualification for professional mariners working on coastal and inshore vessels.

The National Certificate is recognised as a structured training programme leading to the ILM and may reduce sea time requirements for the ILM. It has been developed by Competenz, which consulted with companies, the MSA, Marine Transport Association and other key stakeholders through its sector advisory group.

The national certificate sets out the skills and competencies required by the operator of a commercial inshore vessel. These include the engineering, seamanship and navigation skills necessary to take charge of a vessel, operate its radar and radio and maintain the sea safety of the vessel and its personnel, including the sea survival functions, distress response and first aid.

It is an important new qualification and is the first step in a wide-ranging review of maritime qualifications. A qualification for deck hands is also planned.

The National Certificate also offers an optional strand of unit standards in business operations - ideally suited to someone who is running a charter boat business.

Keith Ingram, commercial charter boat operator, past president and life member of the New Zealand Marine Transport Association, says the new qualification offers a training structure that is good for the industry.

“The key issue facing the maritime industry is developing a career path for young people,” he says.

“Traditionally the industry qualifications have operated on a licensing system but the skills learned along the way have not been transportable. By bringing it under the NZ Qualifications Authority and running the qualifications with unit standards it gives people career path opportunities.”

“The new qualification is creating a career path and from that perspective it’s got to be good for the industry.”

One of the country’s biggest commercial inshore fleets is operated by Real Journeys in Te Anau. Its Engineering Manager, Peter Bloxham, says a clearly defined career path has been missing in previous qualifications.

“People who have come on board as, for example, galley hand may have no idea there is a career path in this industry,” he says. “Tidying up the unit standards and requirements has made it easier for people to continue through if they get on a boat and find they like it.”

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