The maritime transport industry is highly competitive and continuously evolving, adapting to an increasingly dynamic, complex, and information-driven business world.
Knowledge and contemporary information are invaluable assets for achieving sustainable growth (Grewal and Haugstetter 2007) affording a competitive advantage to those who possess it and an enabler to those who can provide it. In a fast-developing world, knowledge and information may become outdated or irrelevant very quickly.
This necessitates lifelong learning which should cover both postgraduate and vocational education and should inspire practitioners to pursue postgraduate maritime degrees, capable of preparing and re-training maritime professions (Ng et al. 2009).
Malta fully supports the European policymakers e-Learning strategy (EU Commission 2014). The National Lifelong Learning Strategy for 2014-2020, meets the country’s obligations within the EU Lisbon process; addresses the challenges faced in embedding lifelong learning within our society and identifies the areas of national priority in the years to come.
Lifelong learning is an all-embracing concept. The process of lifelong learning may also take place through the integration of formal, non-formal and informal learning so as to create the ability for continuous lifelong development of the quality of life. (European Commission 2001: 3-4 / Malta National Lifelong Learning Strategy 2020).
Continuous training is nowadays considered as a key issue for the evolution of people being at professional and personal levels, enhancing productivity, employability, and social stability in a globally competitive world. Furthermore, the introduction of new technologies, the imposition of new regulations in the maritime industry and the growing challenges at port, shipping and logistics level increase the demand for new educational schemes.
Concerning that market needs are facing a change due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MaritimeMT has successfully submitted to Transport Malta a proposal to integrate blended and distance e-learning (BDL) within its curriculum. The proposal was approved by the Merchant Shipping Directorate of Transport Malta and endorsed by the Ministry for Transport and Capital Projects. It is relevant to cite that MaritimeMT’s BDL aims to address the goals stated by the MoSway Network (OTMW-N) European projects aimed for the development of student and professional’s skills and laid the foundations for a cross-European maritime educational programme.
Investment in a nurturing culture for seafarers
MaritimeMT is focussed on the establishment of an educational framework facilitating the collaboration between industry and academia and uses advanced ICT tools to match the maritime market needs with the training provision and to develop new and enriched content for the online platform with learning material and knowledge for both professionals and students.
In order to provide the necessary skills to future seafarers, both theoretical and practical wisdom are essential for bringing people to eudemonia (i.e. happiness or flourishing or living well) (Ross and Brown 2009). Apart from ‘eudemonia’, both theoretical and practical training are important elements to successfully implement the state of the art in their own position and to significantly contribute to the maintenance of each company’s competitiveness in the race of evolution. The development at this educational level can be carried out by adopting BDL frameworks that allows continuous lifelong learning.
MaritimeMT is a vocational training institute that has since its establishment approached training methodology with an open mind. In 2010 when the first investment was placed, the Malta Maritime Pilots wanted to bring together theory and hands- on. This was achieved with the investment in two full manoeuvre bridge Marin simulators. Apart from the research capabilities that they offer, the simulators allow seafarers to not only learn the theory in the classroom-based session, but to practically apply that same knowledge acquired. Ten years down the line, MaritimeMT is putting forward an even more immersive approach to training.
The ultimate scope of the MaritimeMT blended training platform is to boost the maritime training from a participants’ engagement perspective, maximising their learning accessibility particularly by removing the physical distances, allowing scenarios simulation thanks to virtual reality tools that will reinforce participants’ situational awareness, and the understanding of operative risks.
This effort requires the re-engineering of all the courses’ data bank to be delivered via a mix of self-study, guided study, tutor-led sessions, virtual reality sessions, simulator sessions and conventional classroom and practical sessions.
Maritime vocational education and training cannot remain traditional in its approach and delivery. The technological advancement achieved in the operational aspect of the maritime sector is enough of a reason to also make sure that the approach towards the transfer of knowledge is also done via the technological opportunities that where once not so long ago only seen at a distant horizon.
MaritimeMT has pushed for the investment in a nurturing culture for seafarers. As previously argued, this is not only about reigniting apprenticeship systems and schemes. These are indeed necessary, especially to protect the transfer of knowledge. However, the approach to vocational training and the nurture aspect need to catch up with the new realities – challenges come with opportunities and it is up to us, the industry stakeholders, to grasp the opportunities and push forth the Maritime Industry Educational agenda.
Ultimately, MaritimeMT is part of a highly-regulated industry. It is relevant to underline that the success of the BLD project depends on the support that Transport Malta is providing, since this represents the foundation to move from the prototype model stage to mass market deployment and industry recognition.
MaritimeMT is DNV-GL Certified and has full accreditation from Transport Malta to deliver training and certification for local Commercial Vessels Regulation and international STCW certification.