training and assessment on board

The descriptions which follow are summaries of some of the major points inthe International Safety Management ISM Code and the revised Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeepi

TRAINING AND

ASSESSMENT ON BOARD

Ьу L А Holder

Extra Master, М Phil, Training Consultant

А guide for Seafarers and Managers

оп how to make best use of opportunities

for practical training and assessment of

competence оп board ship

TRAINING AND ASSESSMENT ON BOARD

SPONSORS

Videotel Marine International Limited

Ramillies House From July 1997

1-2 Ramillies Street 84, Newman Street

Tel No: + 44 171 439 6301 Tel No: +44 171 299 1800

Fax No: +44 171 4370731 Fax No: +44171 299 1818

Telex: 298596 VID G

PUBLISHERS AND SOLE DISTRIBUTORS

Witherby & Company Limited

Witherby & Company Limited

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Аll rights reserved No part of this publication тау Ье reproduced,

stored in а retrieval system, ог transmitted in any [огт ог Ьу any

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording ог otherwise,

without the prior permis'sion of the publisher and copyright owner.

While the principles discu;sed and the details given in this book

аге the product of careful study, the author and publisher cannot

in any way guarantee the suitability of recommendations made in

this book [ог individual problems, and they shall not Ье under any

legal liability of any kind in respect of ог arising out of the [огт

ог contents of this book ог any епог therein, ог the reliance of

any person thereon.

Cover: Courtesy of Р & О European Ferries

Photograph Ъу: Раи! Amos Photography

It is difficu1t to over stress the importance of training for seafarers.

The best training is that done nearest the actua1 work, if not actual1y оп the job Scu1ptorsand bricklayers, carpenters and wood carvers practice end1ess1y for years То 1earn effective1yопе shou1d Ье as near the rea1 experience as it is possible to get

This is why оп board training is so important in shipping It does not rep1ace c1assroom1earning But it adds spice and refreshment to theory, is easier to understand and thereforemore memorable It must Ье integrated with c1assroom training, not to rep1ace but toenhance it

The best teachers are experienced practitioners Throughout history, peop1e have 1earnedfrom their parents and from their e1ders at work The re1ationship of master andapprentice, still а feature of тапу crafts, is as old as time EspeciaHy at sea, where theskills of seamanship and navigation, the tricks of the trade, the discip1ined examp1es,have Ьееп passed from тап to тап

However, оп board training is not accidenta1 It has to Ье forma1ised to Ье most effective.And it must use аН the too1s that тап has devised for effective communication Examp1es,Mode1s, Diagrams, Cartoons, Videos, Distance 1earning programmes, Computers, Audio-visua1 packs, Cassettes, F1ip charts And even good old blackboard and chalk

It must a1so attract, even entertain, the 1earners So we use Business games, Case studies,Syndicate work, Puzz1es, Staged negotiations, Simu1ated danger situations

АН these 1earning or communication aids are used Ьу professiona1 c1assroom teachers.And they сап, and shou1d, Ье used Ьу practica1 teachers, Ьу those passing оп their ownexpertise, who тау never have 1earned how to teach

Some teachers are natura1s - they cannot he1p communicating weH as а way of 1ife.But the vast majority of us сап improve our teaching abi1ities We сап benefit frominstruction, from advice, from the experience of others

This book brings аН these strands together It is designed for practica1 teachers and theirpupi1s It shows how to put together а training programme, what snags to watch for.How and when to use the various aids How to сотЫпе distance 1earning with telling ithow уои know it! How to mesh а video into а briefing session How to make training,which has to Ье done, exciting and fun How to avoid training becoming а bore and

а chore How to make sure уои train the right peop1e the right way How to monitorperformance What records to keep

АН the Foreword ир to here is verbatim with the origina1 edition published in 1991

1 have made по alterations because the words are good for аН times and for аН maritimecu1tures

In the 1ast five years however, the training of seafarers has Ьееп more strong1y recognisedfor its fundamenta1 importance to the hea1th, safety and prosperity of the shippingindustry and those who work in it

More specificaHy:

• BIMCO AND 15F in two major surveys have tabulated shifts in the seafaringpopulation, away from traditional maritime nations and their traditionalnational training regimes These studies indicate а growing shortfaH of qualifiedofficers unless recruitment and training are increased and improved 50 thisnew edition is timely and helpful

• The IMO has passed resolutions establishing two revolutionary and interlockingsystems for the radical improvement of 5eafarer training and formal managementsystems, - 5TCW and 15М Both are covered in this new edition

• There have been other related new initiatives which the author has incorporated

- а revised chapter оп Assessment of Competence, some models of good recordkeeping, and an appendix оп the 15F cadet record book

• Alan Hare, whose compulsive cartoons made some punchy points in the firstedition, has produced new witty illustrations for this edition

Len Holder is an experienced educator Не has been а hands-on seafarer During theinterval between the first and second editions of this book he was President of theNautical Institute, and he worked hard to ensure that the new initiatives I have listedreceived assistance and support from seafaring officers throughout the world

Those in shore management and at sea who are responsible for training, which meansalmost аН managers and ships officers, will Ье happy to have this updated new teachingaid

IV

The Author, and Videotel Marine International Ltd as sponsors of this publication, hopethat it will prove helpful to trainees and trainers, and to the managers who support them.They would like to express thanks to the many individual seafarers and managers whohave made suggestions for the book Particular thanks go to Alan Hare for his original andnew illustrations, to Geoff Cowap, to the late Graham Powell (formerly of PapachristidisShip Management Services Limited) and to David Stratton (formerly of Bergvall &Hudner Company) for their advice and assistance with the first edition and StephenChapman and Simon Bennett for advice оп the 1997 revision.

FOREWORD 111

0.2 Good Training Schemes and Certificates of Competency 2

0.7 Responsibilities of Shore-based Colleges and Training Centres 7

Chapter 2 ADVICE ТО SEAST AFF IN THEIR ROLE AS TRAINERS 11

2.2 Differences in Language, Culture and Learning Experience 12

2.4 Methods

3.1 The Ship and Equipment: Manuals, Checklists, Materials etc. 21

Chapter 5 ASSESSMENT OF COMPETENCE 27

5.4.1 Validation procedures/independent evaluation 40

5.5.2 National Schemes: Formal Assessment for S.T.C.W Certificates of

Chapter 6 TRAINEES: OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 45

8.3.1 The regulatory framework: operational safety 51

8.6 Provision of Resources 63

9.1.1 International Maritime Organisation (1.М О.) 669.1.2 The International Chamber of Shipping (I.C.S.) 669.1.3 International Shipping Federation (I.S.F.) б79.1.4 The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (O.C.I.M.F.) 689.1.5 Society of International Gas Tanker & Terminal Operators

9.1.6 The International Association of Independant Tanker Owners

9.2.3 LLP Ltd (Formerly Lloyd's of London Press) 72

Appendix 1: Example of а Poster Advertising а Training Session 78Appendix 2: Example of an Evaluation Form оп Training Methods 79Appendix 3А: Extract from the International Shipping Federation Оп Board Training

Record Books for Deck and Engineer С adets 80Appendix 3В: Example of а Company Record of Shipboard Training 84Appendix 3С: Example of а Company Record of Competency-based Training 89Appendix 4А: Sources of Further Information: Competency-based National Vocational

Appendix 4В: Qualifications of Trainers and Assessors An Example: The system

Appendix 7: Оп Board Training New Technology

Example: Learning to use а Ship Stability and Stress Computer 107

IX

"Training оп board" was first published in 1991 There have been someimportant changes in international legislation since that time This secondedition, entitled "Training and Assessment оп Board" contains advice опshipboard training, but adds more detail оп how to meet the new requirements.

lt will help аН those responsible for training and assessment оп board(shore-based managers, senior officers, trainers and trainees) to implement theirtraining and assessment systems smoothly and effectively lt should also help

in gaining official approval from their national administration

The descriptions which follow are summaries of some of the major points inthe International Safety Management (ISM) Code and the revised Standards

of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention, whichaffect shipboard training and assessment Those with wider responsibilitiesfor implementing training and certification programmes should refer to the[иН lМО texts and to the national legislation which transforms them intonational law The ISM Code and STCW Convention тау Ье obtained fromlМО Publications Department or from nautical booksellers

The ISM Code requires, amongst many other provisions, that:

• " each ship is manned with qualified, certificated and medically fitseafarers in accordance with national and international requirements

"

and that

• "the Company should establish and maintain procedures for ing any training which тау Ье required in support of the SafetyManagement System (SMS) and ensure that such training is providedfor аll personnel concerned"

identify-The revised STCW Convention contains detailed international standards ofcompetence and advice оп the ways in which they should Ье assessed TheSTCW Code which explains the details оЕ the Convention is in two parts.Part' А is mandatory for Parties to the Convention to implement: Part В,which further explains the ways in which the Convention should Ье applied,

is advisory

The STCW Convention now places emphasis upon the demonstration

of competence (the ability of people to сапу out their work safely and

"efficiently), as well as upon examinations which prove candidates understandtheoretical/knowledge-based aspects of their work The sea training part ofthe certification process therefore becomes more important, and must Ьеmore closely supervised and formally assessed and results recorded as part ofthe certification process

Close co-operation between companies and the national administrations oflabour supply and ship operating countries will Ье required, to make sureproper training is carried out, that assessments аге rigorous and fair, andthat certificates of competency аге issued and validated.

There аге по short cuts to competence For this reason, companies which havegood training schemes will Ье best prepared The normal methods of training,which include shore-based college ог training centre courses, followed Ьуpractical training at sea, will still Ье needed The standard advice given toshipboard trainers is still important, with emphasis оп:

• familiarising crew members with the ship and equipment

• implementing safe procedures for routine operations including prevention

of pollution

• encouraging сагеег development for аll crew members (records of sea trainingand assessment "оп the job" аге тоге important under the revised STCW)

The STCW Convention Regulation 1/14 defines responsibilities of companies

For Company Managers, as well as the full texts of the Convention andCode, there are helpful publications which summarise their responsibilities.These are available from the International Shipping Federation (Telephone:+44 171 417 8844, Fax: +44 171 417 8877) as follows:

1 "Guidelines оп the Application of the IMO International SafetyManagement Code" International Shipping Federation/InternationalChamber of Shipping 1996

2 "The Revised STCW Convention" International Shipping Federation 1995

3 "Оп Board Training Record Book for Deck Cadets" and "Оп BoardTraining Record Book for Engineer Cadets" International ShippingFederation 1996

Before considering the detailed changes to sea training, it is useful to look atthe wider changes to national certification processes and shore-based training

The ISF' publication "The Revised STCW Convention" explains companyresponsibilities including:

• implementation dates, tonnage limits etc

• explicit company responsibilities for certificates, manning, record keeping,etc

1 STCW Convention Аппех Regulation 1/14

2

• implicit company obligations including additional familiarisation, tions, special training for ro-ro and other passenger ships, GMDSS,English language, knowledge of maritime law etc

instruc-• new certification requirements for survival craft, fast rescue boats, advancedfire fighting training, medical care etc

• the structure and content of the new standards of competence, criteria fordefining competence and methods of evaluating competence

• alternative methods of issuing certificates

• details for ensuring compliance and penalties for non-compliance

FIGURE 1: CERТIFICAТION OF SEAFARERS AND MANNING

Over the next few years companies will Ье working with the nationaladministrations of manpower supply countries and the countries of registration

of their f1eets, to ensure that each seafarer holds "appropriate certificates".This means:

• а national certificate of competence

• an endorsement from the government issuing the national certificate9-ttesting that it meets STCW standards

• а ieparate f1ag state endorsement, if the original certificate was issued Ьуanother government

Manning must Ье in compliance with f1ag state requirements including pliance with the safe manning document (refer to: IMO SOLAS Convention and Safe Manning Resolutions for detailsу.

сот-Amongst other requirements, companies will also need to ensure that trainersand assessors are properly trained, certificated and provided with resourcesfor their work

The ISM Code is aimed at shore and sea staff, seeking to achieve highstandards of safety management The STCW Convention is intended to ensureconsistent high standards of competence оп board ship Shore-based managersand trainers must Ье fully involved, but sea staff also have а key part to play.

Senior officers need to liaise with Сотрапу shore staff and help with thedevelopment and implementation of ISM Code and STCW Conventionpolicies Particular importance will need to Ье placed ироп new standards in:

• safety and pollution prevention

• shipboard familiarisation

• crew co-ordination and communication

• fitness for duty and minimum rest periods

• sea training requirements of certification

• assessment of competence in the workplace

А major change under the new legislation is in the work of the trainingofficers, who will Ье required:

• to help companies meet their commitments, and also

• to help national administrations Ьу implementing approved оп boardtraining schemes and collecting evidence of candidates' shipboardperformance as part of the certification of competency process

А few training officers тау qualify as specialist trainers or assessors, in whichcase they will need to Ье properly trained for their new role Most ships'officers will simply Ье supervising training, evaluating candidates performanceand recording evidence in а prescribed format The evidence collected опboard will then Ье put with results from shore-based simulator and otherassess:r:nents, and used Ьу qualified assessors to fulfil the requirements forissuing STCW. certificates of competency

In the past, officers have usually Ьееп required to sign cadet record booksand to supervise qualifications for certificates (such as steering certificates).The new STCW Code lays down clearer guidelines оп the experience requiredand how candidates should demonstrate their competence

The core of the training officer's role will still Ье in guiding and encouragingtrainees, indicating what they should learn and what they сап do to Ьесотеmore proficient

4

The effect of the ISM Code and STCW Convention оп trainees at sea wi11

Ье to make them more responsible for developing their practical skills andknowledge to the required level, and ensuring that they collect the requiredevidence to gain higher certificates of competency

The standards of competence in the revised Standards of Training, Certificationand Watchkeeping Convention (STCW 1995) are much more clearly definedthan they were in the 1978 Convention The mandatory provisions of Part А

of the STCW Code2 are written in terms of:

• role (e.g officer in charge of а navigational watch оп ships of 500 grosstonnage or more)

• function (е g navigation)

• level (e.g "operational", and also «тanageтent" от "support" levels)

• competence (е g plan and conduct а passage and determine position)

• knowledge, understanding and proficiency (e.g Celestial Navigation etc, terrestrial and coastal navigation etc, ability to use navigationalcharts and publications etc, )

• methods for demonstrating competence, (е g Examination and assessment

of evidence obtained from one or more of the following:

1 Approved in-service experience

2 Approved training ship experience

3 Approved simulator training where appropriate

4 Approved laboratory equipment training

using chart catalogues, charts, navigational publications, radio navigationwarnings, sextant, azimuth mirror, etc, etc), and

• criteria for evaluating competence (the information obtained from thenavigational charts and publications is relevant, interpreted correctly andpt"operly applied etc, etc)

For each shipboard role, the statement is made that, in addition to meetingage and other requirements, "every candidate for certification 3 shall havecompleted approved education and training and meet the standard ofcompetence specified" in the relevant section of the STCW Code

2 STCW Code Part А, Tables А-П/l, А-ПI/l etc

з STCW Convention Annex Regulation П/l рага 2

Eventually, the form of assessment and certification will need to meet theinternational standards through national legislation, quality systems,training schemes, assessments and certification.

This cannot Ье achieved instantly, and whilst the new regulations are beingput in place, those responsible for sea training сап go а long way towardsimplementing the new standards When the regulations are in place, аН thatwill need to Ье done, is to provide evidence that сотрапу schemes meet therequirements and are at or above the minimum standard

Some new regulations introduced Ьу national administrations in IMO MemberStates will affect оп board training and assessment For example, each NationalAdministration will need to have provided new or revised legal provisions to:

1 Require the approval of sea going experience, training оп board andashore, and training record books which are to Ье produced as evidence

of competence required Ьу the STCW Convention

2 Govern the demonstration and assessment of competence and provide forthe use of simulators in training and for assessing or demonstratingcompetence

3 Require familiarisation and basic training or instruction

4 Apply а quality standards system to all training, competence assessmentand certification activities

5 Require fitness for duty of watchkeeping personnel and govern keeping

watch-In addition the STCW Convention deals with other aspects of manpower,which will now Ье of more immediate importance to the сотрапу, but willalso affect training to а lesser extent:

• medical standards

• transitional arrangement for phasing out old certificates without penalty toseafarers already under training

• recognition of certificates

• infringement, investigations and enforcement

Colleges and shore-based training centres will need to change their trainingsystems to comply with the new requirements Some candidates тауcontinue for а short period оп the basis of the existing provisions, butprogrammes will have to Ье changed and up-dated with effect from 1 August

1998 Revalidations need to Ье up-dated Ьу 1 Feb 2002

Most of the knowledge required for certification will remain the same, but thefocus is оп competence, and the courses will need to have Ьееп reviewed to

б

ensure that the training outcomes are linked to the competence required Ьуthe Convention, and require the correct and intelligent application of аН theassociated knowledge, proficiency and skills.

STCW Standards, (which are minima) should form the core of curricula of

аН maritime academies and constitute the basis for evaluating and approvingtraining provisions for masters, officers, ratings and other personnel

АН education and training to Ье accredited under the STCW Convention,including оп board training, must Ье approved Ьу the party (i.e the NationalAdministration) Under new communication of information provisions, Partiesmust report to IMO that the necessary changes have been effected

IMO Model Courses are still а useful guide to course content IMO has beenasked to revise them, but this mау take some time

FIGURE 2: COMPETENCE: ТНЕ CERTIFICATION OF SEAFARERS

As shown in Figure 2, there will need to Ье close co-operation between based maritime education and training, and training оп board Before issuing

shore-а Certificate of Competency the authorities must make sure that the candidatehas understood the theory and underpinning knowledge parts of their workand has been assessed in his or her skills in carrying it out

The Convention describes various ways in which the evidence mау Ьеgathered and the assessments carried out

.

The most reassuring part in аН this change, is that the authorities haveformaHy recognised that it is skilled seafarers, carrying out their jobs at sea,who hold the key to safety, efficiency and the prevention of poHution In thefoHowing chapters of this book, the advice оп shipboard training remains verysimilar '" good training is stiH good training '" training time is still limited " both trainer and trainee need to Ье weH motivated and weH organised but there now needs to Ье better planning, better assessment and betterrecords to make sure the effort and achievements are properly recognised aspart of the certification of competency to international standards

Оп board training needs to Ьс WELL ORGANISED if it is to Ье effective.Efficient organisation is required at three levels, each with associated roles andresponsibilities:

• TRAINEES: learning individual skills and teamwork

• SHIPBOARD MANAGEMENT: carrying out training and the assessment

This book is divided into sections, of which the most important are:

• for trainers, а guide to planning and running а training programme

• for trainees, ап outline of responsibilities as part of the shipboard teamand of career opportunities for individuals

• for managers, advice оп establishing, supporting and monitoring trainingprogrammes in their ships

Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5 contain advice for TRAINERS, including the setting

of objectives, use of resources, keeping of records and the assessment ofcompctcnce

Chapter б is for TRAINEES to read It сап Ье photocopied and handedout, ideally attached to а voyage training programme.

Chapter 7 is for SENIOR SHIP'S ST AFF, to assist them in providingguidance and support to those whose duties include the carrying out oftraining

Chapter 8 is for SHORE MANAGEMENT, and gives some ideas and advice

оп producing clear сатрапу training policies which spell out responsibilities,advice and support, and the provision of resources

Chapter 9 gives addresses and contacts for further information includingimportant specialist areas of expertise

Senior seastaff have responsibility for ensuring the efficiency and safety ofoperations and welfare of personIlel Ьу:

• familiarisiIlg crew members with the ship and equipment

• implementing safe procedures for routine operations including thepreveIltion of pollution

• encouraging career development for аН crew members

These respoIlsibilities тау Ье spelled out in а Сотрапу Training Policy, butwhether 01' not а formal document exists, your main problem is going to Ьеlack of time It will Ье necessary for уои to set realistic objectives, to considerthe assets уои have available and to use them efficieIltly

у our major asset is the skill and experience of yourself and other senior staff.Responsibilities will need to Ье allocated to appropriate professionals, but it isalso useful to consider whether апуопе has particular gifts as а communicator,through their personality 01' through their knowledge of appropriate languagesand cultures Еуеп if уои have specialist сотрапу training officers 01' outsidetrainers joining the ship to сапу out training audits and exercises, that is onlythe start of training and уои will still need to liaise with them and providecontinuity between visits

у our Ilext major asset is the ship, its equipment, and the manuals, plaIls,diagrams, documents aIld Ilotices which are part of the ship's inveIltory KIlOWwhere everythiIlg is and use it as part of your training plan

11

Special training aids тау have been provided including books, journals, videos,films, slides etc 1t is а good idea if one person, ог one person рег department

is put in charge of these Rather than just listing titles, when time allowstrainers should make notes оп the contents У ои cannot advise people to llsetraining aids if уои don't know what each one covers If УОll do not have thetraining aids and materials уОll reqllire, disCllSSthis with the сотрапу Eitherthrollgh уоиг сотрапу ог Ьу writing to the organisations in Chapter 9 of thisbook, find out what training aids аге available If уои have to use the crews'smokeroom ог other соттllпаl space to watch training videos, the scheduling

is critical and responsibility for it needs to Ье assigned If УОll have а separate'training space' in which people сап study ог watch training videos, it stillneeds to Ье organised

1n геаl emergency situations teamwork will Ье needed 1n modern minimumcrew vessels, crew members Ьесоте even тоге reliant оп their colleagues andcommunication is vital Training sessions must identify and bridge any gapsbetween. different groups оп board

At its most basic, if the trainer and trainees do not share а common language,there is obviously а major problem, which сап only partially Ье resolved Ьу using

а third party to act as interpreter and Ьу using visual material and diagrams.Many videos and some other training aids аге available in тоге than onelanguage If appropriate versions сап Ье obtained, it will help trainees to absorbimportant content if they do not have to struggle to understand the words

An unfamiliar word сап sometimes focus attention away from the 'message'.This is eqllally trlle of the spoken word in training sessions: Кеер it simPle.

Trainers should Ье familiar with the concepts of "Seaspeak", which is а subset

of the English Language being used in таnу countries as а basis for VHFradio communication ("Seaspeak Training Manual" and "Seaspeak TrainingManual Cassette" are available from Professor F F Weeks, Consultant, Address:Summer Seas, Heybrook Drive, Heybrook Вау, Plymouth PL9 OBW, UnitedKingdom Telephone 01752 862876 Fax: 01752 863206) It is difficult fornative English speakers to use а limited vocabulary, but the idea of "Seaspeak"

is to provide unambiguous and clear messages - which is what trainers arealso trying to do

Apart from language, 'culture' is important Understanding the way in whichpeople have grown ир, their religions, their educational background etc, willhelp trainers to avoid causing needless offence Ьу assuming that viewpoints,customs and prejudices are shared What тау Ье 'funny' to оnе person тауcause offence to others Although it is recommended that training sessionsshould Ье conducted in а friendly and interesting way, jokes do not alwayscross cultural divides - take care!

у ои will note that the 'cartoon' illustrations in Chapter 6 of this book haveЬееn printed оп separate sheets, so that they сап Ье handed out to suitabletrainees, but make sure they will Ье appreciated before using them At worst,

аn -exaggeration meant as а 'joke' тау Ье mistakenly taken at [асе value andregarded. as аn illustration of good practice!

Even within оnе ethnic group, different cultures exist - for example theyounger generation, having grown ир with computers and videos tend to Ьеvery happy tackling quite complex audio-visual material and related problemsolving The older generation usually need to relate new techniques to thebasic principles which have served them as they gained experience

13

In order to avoid unnecessary duplication ог gaps in the training, obtain asmuch information as уои сап оп the ST AR TING POINT for the voyageprogramme Consider the qualifications and experience of the people оп board

so that уои сап build upon it Then set уоиг objectives and priorities for thisparticular voyage

First priority in setting objectives must Ье given to meeting legal obligations

as required Ьу the International Maritime Organization Conventions andResolutions incorporated in the detailed legislation and regulations of the flagstate of the ship This will include, as an absolute minimum, the up-to-dateamended versions of:

1 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

2 International Safety Management Code (ISM)

3 International Maritime Organization Standards of Training, Certificationand Watchkeeping Convention (STCW)

4 International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ships(MARPOL)

5 International Convention оп Load Lines

б Convention оп the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions atSea (COLREG)

7 ILO Convention 147 (Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards)Convention]

Any other relevant national regulations should also Ье included

Second priority will Ье the training needed to ensure the efficient operation ofthe ship In order to do this effectively уои will need to prioritise the training

to take into account the needs of each crew and each voyage

Third in immediate priority order, but certainly not to Ье neglected, агеthe needs for shipboard training as part of the сагеег development of eachтетЬег of the crew Most certificates of competency have а requirement forsea training which has to Ье assessed and/or supervised Ьу а senior staffтетЬег It is through this process that the competence of future senior staff

is assured

Make sure that each trainee knows:

.

1 What training he ог she is expected to undertake

2 What facilities аге available for individual learning

3 What formal training will Ье undertaken during the voyage and how toргераге for it

4 What assessments аге to Ье undertaken and the quantity and type ofevidence which is likely to Ье needed

Each trainee should have:

• а training and assessment plan for the voyage, and

• а сору of the relevant record book or record sheets

It mау also Ье useful to give each trainee:

• а сору of Chapter б of this book, outlining the responsibilities andopportunities for learning оп board, plus

• а сору of the Company's Training Policy Document

Apart from organised training sessions, chances for less formal learning andexperience сап often arise during the voyage This is particularly the casewith learning Ьу OBSERVATION ог ACTING AS ASSISTANТ in specialoperations, for example repairing equipment which is 'boxed' in normaloperations, ог unusual mooring operations Both trainers and trainees need

to Ье well-motivated, observant and flexible to make the most of suchopportunities

If the trainee сап follow the observation with practice and demonstration ofhis ог her own skills, this сап Ье supervised and Ьесоmе part of theirassessment The best sort of assessment is the demonstration of competence inthe workplace

Detailed plans for formal training sessions to meet the training objectivesshould ье scheduled to make the best use of the time and facilities available

Training is а skill, and some find it easier than others, but everyone will do

it better if they follow а few golden rules:

1 Planning

а) Which group are уои going to train?

Ь) What message are you trying to get across?.

с) Are the people involved free to attend?

d) How long will the session last?

Attention will wander if the session is too long ог if people аге уегуtired e.g after long duty periods

е) Where are you going to carry out the training?

f) What methods will уои use?

15

It could Ье one or more of the following:

i) А demonstration

ii) А talk, with or without visual aids

iii) А video or filт

iv) А group discussion

у) An exercise

(Most sessions will probably involve more than one method)

g) Will the training Ье followed Ьу а formal assessment?

2 Informing trainees well in advance

If necessary give them introductory reading or data gathering to сапу outprior to the session

An example of а POSTER is provided in Appendix 1

3 Preparation

An example of а training session might Ье:

5 mins Introduction

20 mins Show video, demonstrate or give talk

25 mins Discussion of key points in relation to your own ship and voyage

OR

25 mins Practical demonstration and/or exercise

10 mins Sum ир key points and/or hand out written material

Some modern videos now соте with support material which will help уои

to make the best use of time

The support material тау include:

.

а) An outline of the content

Ь) Five or six basic follow-up discussion questions

с) Summaries of key points

If your training aids do not include these, it is well worth taking time toprepare something similar It will give уои greater confidence, and make sureуои include the important points

Many of the problems which arise during presentations result from simpleerrors and omissions:

• room/lighting/seating etc not being prepared

• equipment not being tried out until trainees are assembled for thesession (most frequent problems are with wrong voltages or cycles, or'spikes' оп the supply - talk to someone with electrical knowledge)

• videos or films not being re-wound after use

• demonstration material not being properly prepared

• spares such as bulbs, fuses etc not being handy

Аll the аЬоуе сап Ье avoided Ьу good preparation There are other hazardsassociated with 'delivery' which тау not Ье quite so easy to resolve

4 Delivery

As а general rule, in training sessions the message should Ье 're-inforced';

а) Теll the trainees what they are going to Ье taught

(Introduction)

Ь) Teach it to them

(Deli very )

с) Теll them what they have just been taught

(Closing summary of main points)

Just how уои 'deliver' your message is something personal Most of ushave been to presentations which we enjoyed and to some which werevery boring and unenlightening Try to appear happy and КЕЕР theMESSAGES SIMPLE With individual trainees and groups of two orthree it is usually better to sit round as а group With large numbers уоиwill probably need to stand ир to Ье seen and heard Try not to read longpassages of text U se of а video, film or diagrams will help to make thepresentation more interesting If уои сап DEMONSTRA ТЕ, уои should.(It is much easier to show how to let off а fire extinguisher if уои let off

а real fire extinguisher, but don't take risks)

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Even if уои have prepared careful1y, уои тау have problems in deliverywhich are not very easy to deal with (it gets easier with practice):

• awkward questions which уои cannot answer

(Ье prepared to admit уои do not know, but offer to find out)

• people who speak other languages and do not understand

(this needs а review of teaching methods)

• poorly motivated or bored trainees who do not wish to learn

(а different approach тау help, starting with encouragement and ifvery serious, perhaps going right through to disciplinary action)

• equipment failure, e.g video will not run

(try the video out оп another video player if уои have one, and get theplayer fixed, or а new video depending upon which is faulty)

А properly prepared training sessionwill· usually Ье effectiveto а certaindegree, butmostcan Ъе improvedupon

Review and evaluation

It is most important to know whether the training has been effective

In the case of practical skills, the best way to see whether the traineehas u'nderstood, is to allow тт or her to repeat the exercise (undersupervision) and observe their performance

TELL TRAINEES HOW УОU THINK ТНЕУ ARE PROGRESSING.

In the case of more complex teamwork, and decision-making exercises,

it is not as easy to evaluate the training For nationally recognisedCertificates of Competency, formal examinations are used, but this is notappropriate for the sort of оп board training being discussed here

ENCOURAGE SELF-ASSESSMENT.

One of the best methods is to ask the trainees for their views оп theirown progress This is not foolproof however, and in Chapter 5 the formalvalidation and assessment of competence are discussed

Trainers should not only examine the effectiveness of the technical content,but also try to get feedback оп their teaching methods which wil1 helpimprove future presentations

An example of а 'feedback' form for evaluating а training session is given

• suggestions for the future

7 Storing the training aids

The final stage in the training session is:

• rewind films and videos, теmоуе and store in а safe place

• switch off equipment

• organise any repairs including cleaning of heads, lenses, refi11ingofdischarged extinguishers etc

• • store any other training aids/materials

• order new training material

Members of seastaff who аге required to conduct training sessions mауfind it useful to attend staff development training, which wil1 help them toorganise and present training sessions under expert supervision before being

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required to carry out these tasks at sea оп а voyage Training sessions atsea mау or mау not include informal assessments to make sure the lessonshave been learned.

For formal assessment of seafarers, either оп board or ashore, to Ье used inqualifying for certification, the revised STCW Convention 1 lays down clearlythe knowledge, experience and qualifications which assessors must have

The way in which training needs are defined, training and assessment arecarried out, and the competency of seafarers measured, will play an important

part in the quality standards laid down in the STCW Code Part А.2

Sea staff wishing to Ьесоmе qualified assessors should study Chapter 5 опAssessment of Competence, and сап obtain further information from thesources quoted in Chapter 9 and Appendix 4 оп study materials, courses andcertification

1 STCW Code Section А-I/б б Assessment of competence

2 STCW Code Section A-I/8 2 National objectives and quality standards

When given responsibility [ог organising training and/or assessment оп board(either [ог the whole ship ог а department) the trainer will need to consider

аН the resources available, including the expertise and abilities of othersenior staff

In addition to inviting assistance [гот others who аге technically competent,attention should Ье paid to other factors, such as:

а) ability and interest in communication and training

Ь) qualifications and experience in training and assessment

с) using the services of other crew members who share the trainees language

to explain the details (e.g junior officer, bosun ог chief cook, etc)

Trainees need to Ье familiar with the ship and its equipment, need to knowwhere to obtain information, (plans, manuals, checklists etc) and where specialequipment is stowed Learning and searching during а crisis is too late

Rather than hoping that normal work patterns will create the ability toсоре with emergencies, sources of information and the layout of the shipneed to Ье clearly identified and familiar BEFORE the emergency А bit

of imagination will aHow some situations to Ье predicted (е g as wel1 asstatutory drills, add such things as steering failure, collision damage, bilging,ocean rescue ог towage etc) and manuals сап Ье studied, even if fuH-sсalеdrills аге not always possible

Notices placed at strategic points around the ship сап have а good impact as

а training aid They сап Ье graphic, so avoiding language barriers, they агеusually concise and get the point across wel1 Captions сап Ье in one ог тогеappropriate languages and they сап include messages [ог visitors to the ship

as well as crew members Straight quotes [гот regulations in "Legal English"тау satrsfy the law, but they do not do much [ог training

Standard textbooks оп marine technical subjects are particularly useful asreferences to those who have learned theory in college and are just 'bridgingthe gap' into practical training (They тау include guidance оп steps totake in preparing or carrying out а practical job, whether it is maintaining аритр or setting ир а satellite receiver) The person with а modest educationalbackground studying them at sea "from cold" will find it difficult.

Once trained, it is in the interest of аН seafarers to keep themselvesup-to-date with developments in the industry, and it is in this role thattechnical publications and the journals of the professional bodies are mostuseful Some of these are described in Chapter 9

Professionally produced training videos are the modern successors to lбmmfilms, which were expensive to produce and more time-consuming andcompiicated to show оп board The makers are аЫе to draw upon experts intechnolQgy, ship operations, training and presentation, and both trainer andtrainee benefit from that input They are аЫе to show dynamic situations andсап Ье dubbed in different languages

Good videos are particularly useful for improving motivation and encouragingawareness of the need for safe and efficient operations

Training videos are an aid to training, not а substitute for it, and will only

Ье partially effective unless properly used as part of а structured programme

Over the next decade there are likely to Ье major developments in based training and assessment One of their major advantages in training isthe possibility of turning book 'still' pictures into dynamic presentations, butthe greatest advantage to the trainee is that they сап monitor the progress

computer-of the training session as it proceeds and advise оп repeats or remediallearning It is not as easy to change the language of а computer programme

as it is to 'dub' а video However, the use of English text rather thanspeech, тау help familiarise students with the major maritime language insimple written form

In addition to self-assessment to help trainees test their own knowledge,computers сап Ье used for formal оп board assessment, to meet some of therequirements of the revised STCW Convention

The two most important ways are:

• testing of underpinning knowledge and understanding

and/or

• demonstrating skills using simulation programmes

Оп board assessment will Ье dealt with in more detail in Chapter 5

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It is sometimes necessary to provide evidence of training programmes and thecompetence of seafarers in а courtroom following а casualty Whilst this тау

Ье of great importance to those concerned, it is hoped that proper training willhelp to improve safety and avoid such events However, it is still necessary

to keep records:

• seafarers will require records of training and assessments to present tonational authorities as part of а certification process, or to companies asevidence of qualifications for future employment

• senior seastaff need records to monitor progress against training plans,for independent audits of training, for reports to shore-based managers,inspectors and if necessary for Р&I Club representatives and others

• companies require records in order to ensure that the company trainingpolicy is being carried out, and to demonstrate compliance with nationaland international regulations

The form in which the records are kept will vary, depending upon thevalidating body Recent internationallegislation (ISM, STCW) has highlightedthe need for more systematic training and assessment records to Ье kept

Any seafarer or company following а programme of training and assessmentvalidated Ьу an external body (е g а professional body or national authority)must keep the record in the form prescribed Ьу that body

Records of sea training forming part of the certification process will Ьеneeded Ьу the authorities responsible for issuing certificates of competency,and will need to Ье in а form which they approve

For training programmes'which do not require external validation, the formatсап be.chosen Ьу the company The record should include, for example:

• name and rank of personnel carrying out the training

• names and ranks of trainees attending (and of absentees who will геquiпfurther training)

• date and time of each training session

• topics covered, programme content

• assessments carried out, if апу, and advice оп future revision or nextstage of programme

• review/comments for improving training and апу other remarks

Trainees should Ье informed of the outcome of their assessments and Ьеadvised of the need to repeat exercises or progress to new areas Theirpersonal records should Ье completed if appropriate

Examples are given as follows:

• Appendix ЗА: Extract from the International Shipping Federation ОпBoard Training Record Books for Deck and Engineer Cadets

• Appendix ЗВ: Example of а Сотрапу Record of Shipboard Training

• Appendix ЗС: Example of а Сотрапу Record of Competency-basedTraining

26

А good assessment system should Ье used to measure trainees skills andknowledge at entry and as their training progresses It should save time andminimise costs Ьу aHowing training to start at the correct point, avoid gapsand repetition and have seafarers skills recognised and recorded as evidence

of сот petency for certification purposes

The International Safety Management Code requires that each ship is mannedwith properly qualified seafarers The company must identify the needs of

аН personnel оп board, for training in support of the Safety ManagementSystem (SMS) and make proper provision for that training It helps seniorsea staff and trainers in planning shipboard training, if necessary checks andassessments are made before seafarers join the ship Training needs сап Ьеassessed Ьу interviews, Ьу verifying certificates and checking documentedevidence of earlier experience То save time and ensure consistency, somecompanies and crewing agencies use computer-based tests related to therequirements of their ships and trades One such system is the VideotelSeafarers Evaluation and Training System (S.E.T.S)

Senior staff and trainees do not have unlimited time for training and training, so it is important that whatever is done, is done quickly and donewell Assessment is the key Formal assessments as part of the certificationprocess will Ье dealt with in more detail later With collective exerciseslike boat drills or fire drills, the assessment of effectiveness mау consist ofdebriefing participants after ап exercise.

re-28

Every individual or group training programme should contain some form ofassessment at three points:

1 At the start to see what each trainee already knows

2 As the training proceeds to make sure the lessons are being learned andthat time is not being wasted

3 At the end of training to make sure that the message has been receivedand/or the skills have been mastered

In traditional training this usually takes the form of person-to-personconversations between the supervisor and trainee( s) То start any trainingprogramme such а face-to-face meeting is nearly always essential

During training, it тау not Ье easy to find time or arrange schedules forpeople to meet Many training programmes are now based upon self-studyprinciples, with self-testing routines built in The trainee is then аЫе to makethe best use of his or her time, measure personal progress and deficiencies,repeat earlier exercises as necessary, and finally know when to соте forwardfor formal testing

30

Se1f-study systems are harder to set ир, but рау dividends in freeing thetrainers time and keeping unsuccessfu1 assessment attempts to а minimum.

The sort of topics which are particu1ar1y re1evant for se1f-study, are thosewhich invo1ve 1earning а 10t of facts or figures, such as the Ru1e of the Road

at Sea, 1earning communications procedures etc

"Important Note: STCW Section А-I/б paragraPh 2 states "Persons conducting in-service training от assessтent оп board shall only do so when such training от assessтent will not adversely a.ffect the nоттаl operation 01 the ship and they сап dedicate their tiтe and attention to training от assessтent".

Up to the present time, most Certificate of Competency examinationsconduc1!ed ashore have tested KNOWLEDGE rather than practica1 SKILLS.Both know1edge and skills are needed and it is оп board ship that rea1competence must Ье demonstrated These facts were recognised when theSTCW Convention was revised The revised Convention aims to ensure thatseafarers in the future will Ье fuHy competent It is necessary to ensure thatforma1 assessments are proper1y organised, carried out and recorded It will

Ье necessary to ensure that the evidence gathered is acceptable to nationalauthorities responsible for issuing certificates of competency

It should also Ье remembered that there are specified requirements forcontinued professional competence 1 and revalidation of certificates, andrefresher and updating training.

А Statement of Competence incorporates the assessment of:

• skills to specified standards

• relevant knowledge and understanding

• ability to use skills and apply knowledge and understanding to theреrfоrщаnсе of relevant tasks

In ships, as in aircraft, there are certain circumstances, where real life testing

of emergency scenarios mау Ье very costly or hazardous However, there isreal potential for part of the testing to Ье 'in the workplace' The skills whichсап 'Ье tested оп board are normally associated with the STCW "support" or

"operational" levels corresponding approximately to seaman/petty officer and

1 STCW Code Section А 1/11 Revalidation of certificates Professional competence.

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watchkeeper qualifications respectively It is more difficult to test the STCW

"management" level skills for master or chief engineer, which include high-leveldecision making (such as search and rescue organisation, major engine failuresetc)

If а good ASSESSMENT SYSTEM is used, training сап Ье made morecost-effective Ву starting the training at the right point, monitoring effectivedelivery and ensuring satisfactory completion, training times сап Ье minimisedand the necessary standards of competence assured

In its simplest form, an "assessor" would see а candidate demonstratingcompetent performance in the workplace, but it will normally Ье necessary toassess pre-requisite and complementary knowledge Ьу methods other thansimple observation Appropriate means need to Ье selected and assessmentmaterial developed

In Section В of the STCW Code2 there are five examples of types of evidenceabout candidates' competence given:

1 Direct observation of work activities (including seagoing service);

2 Skills/proficiency/competency tests;

2 STCW Code В-П/1 17

3 Projects and assignments;

4 Evidence from previous experience; and

5 Written, oral or computer-based questioning techniques

Many assessment methods are used in shore-based and sea training, including:

• practical examination (demonstration of skills "оп the job")

• project work (assessments of results and records)

• oral examination

• simulation, full

• simulation, simple including part tasks

• written examination, closed book type

• written examination, open book type

• written, with multi-choice options

There are also new methods which could Ье used оп board, in particular:

• video-based assessment with written support material

• computer-based assessment

• interactive video incorporating assessment

• audio tapes, photographs, slides etc with written support material

Not аН methods are suitable for use in assessing practical performance опboard and some of the more complex skill areas тау require more than onemethod to Ье used

Ideally, the assessment methods which are chosen should Ье сараЫе of beingused not only for new entrants but also for mature and experienced personswishing to up-grade or broaden their vocational qualifications

The i;lssessment methods should Ье efficient, not only in setting the correctstandards and performance criteria, but also in terms of availability, timetaken and costs

Example 1:

The following are extracts from the first part of STCW ТаЫе A-III/4:

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