Major revisions to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (The STCW Convention) came into force in 2012.
The “Manila Amendments - 2010” were adopted at a diplomatic conference at Manila, in the Philippines in 2010.
These aim to establish a Global standard for Training and Certification of seafarers to ensure operation of technically advanced ships of the future.
The Manila 2010 amendments include the introduction of modern training methodology such as Distance Learning and Web based training.
Modern training for seagoing personnel includes a good knowledge of the theory combined with the implementation of the learning on a practical college basis. The combination of Distance Learning theory and college based practical courses is called Blended Learning and is the way forward in the 21st Century.
Ocean Training has just been fully accredited for this Distance Learning method by the MCA for the Officer of the Watch (Yachts under 3000 gt) Distance Learning course.
This is the first course of this type to be rolled out and includes two key subject areas, Navigation & Radar and General Ship knowledge.
The big advantage of learning the theory by the Blended Learning model is that a student can either study at home or on board a ship using the Internet to correspond with their own professional tutor “Earn While you Learn”
Ocean Training has been producing Distance Learning Theory courses for the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) for the last 20 years and have established a Global market for these products. All the tutors are professionally qualified.
Many courses include hundreds of detailed animations, which greatly enhance learning. These animations are in fact used by the MCA themselves for coastguard training.