Study aims to make it easier for ratings to get officer certificates

A new European Union project has been looking at ways to help ratings rise through the ranks to gain watchkeeping officer qualifications.

Code named RANK-UP, the two-year research has designed and charted a course giving an Able Seafarer (Deck) a direct passage to becoming an OWW.  The expertise underpinning this Leonardo da Vinci transfer of innovation project is drawn from trans-national partners in Cyprus, Germany, Latvia and UK. 

The project is led by Professor Captain Ralph Becker-Heins of the Bremen Shipping University under the guidance of the Latvian Maritime Administration. 

The prime objective of RANK-UP is to develop an innovative approach for ratings to upgrade their professional competence by offering the foundation programmes for upgrading that are applicable across transnational boundaries.

Existing competences have been assessed using ECVET elements and principles. The outcome is a simple customised scheme of upgrading training, complemented by shipboard placements and distance learning designed to achieve the necessary competence upgrading.

Raitings following the system will attain qualification at the STCW Convention Operational Level, as revised in 2010.  

Materials for training centres (colleges, academies etc) and on-board training have been developed, along with a career counselling guide to support ratings who are thinking about becoming officers by way of conversion training.

The exemplary conversion courses chosen within the framework of this pilot programme are Practical Navigation, English Preparation and Ship stability.  These three have been selected to cover different competence areas of seafarer’s training, including: Navigation, Communication and Cargo Handling and Stowage. Stability is generally a completely new topic for ratings, and has thus been chosen as an exemplary course as well.

Different training possibilities have been considered and described for conversion into e-learning and other distance learning formats.  The scope also includes “Standards for Training Centres” that may wish to start conversion courses for ratings, a “Self-Testing Assessment Test” for trainees who wish to find out in which areas further training is required, a “Training Record Book” for the seagoing time, and a feedback Questionnaire to evaluate the training process.

A Conference is being held in Riga, Latvia on 17th September 2013 to consider expanding the key elements of competence for upgrading and how best these can be achieved while maintaining a high standard of quality in the outcomes. 

For more information: www.rank-up.eu

Published:NAUTILUS TELEGRAPH