NATMARTEP Agreement A Boost For Maritime Sector
The Barbados Maritime Transport Administration’s (BMTA) National Maritime Training and Employment Programme (NATMARTEP) Agreement, designed to help Barbados achieve and sustain an “ever-flourishing” maritime sector rich with opportunity, was officially launched this morning.
The Barbados Community College (BCC), the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity (BIMAP), and the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI) joined the Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, in signing the Agreement.
Acting Director of Maritime Affairs, BMTA, Najla King, underscored the critical need for increased training in maritime areas of study.
“The maritime sector is very dynamic and remains in a constant state of evolution. Scientific and technological developments, maritime industry needs, and market changes dictate the kind of education and training required to sustain this sector. Maritime education and training is the heart, liver, and kidneys of the continual functioning of the entire sector, from shore-based to seagoing.
“The symbiotic relationship between the survival of the maritime sector and training, education and capacity-building is recognised by the International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization, both specialised agencies of the United Nations. Their quest is to promote and require maritime training and education is backed and evidenced by certified persons. This certification is required to join the industry, also to remain in the industry. This is especially the case for seafarers who, every five years, must update and refresh their training,” Ms. King explained.
Representing the three educational institutions that will facilitate the NATMARTEP agreement were Chairman of BCC’s Board of Management, Dr. Allyson Leacock; SJPI’s acting Principal, Brenda Osbourne; and BIMAP’s Head of Academic Development Services, Andrea Walke. All three expressed a commitment to expanding maritime training opportunities, increasing student intake, and facilitating training for seafarers.
Ms. Osbourne said: “We at the SJPI welcome the National Maritime Training and Education Programme and envisage … [it] will assist us in widening our curriculum offerings in our maritime operations programme at the institution. With this agreement, we can now include training that captures the entry-level maritime skill sets and better prepare persons for various roles within the maritime sector, ensuring that the industry has a qualified workforce.”
Dr. Leacock emphasised that the Agreement represents a transformative step for the three institutions.
“Barbados is turning a page. We are signing this MoU that does a little more than add a programme into a catalogue. It rewires the Barbados Community College and BIMAP, and SJPI into a launch pad for the blue economy. Under the National Maritime Training and Education Programme, BCC and the Barbados Maritime Transport Administration will co-design and deliver maritime education, including a Maritime Nursing Pathway for Port Health and Shipwood Care, with the government financing to ensure access and scale,” she stated.
Ms. Walke indicated that BIMAP is ready to provide the necessary training to meet modern demands. “We are ready to deliver the high-quality training that will equip persons in the maritime sector and those wishing to enter the sector with the tools needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world. We are committed to ensuring every participant leaves the programme with skills that are immediately applicable and transformative.”
Author: Sheena Forde-Craigg