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On 10^th May HRH The Princess Royal attended an event hosted by Thames Skills Academy at which she was treated to a demonstration of nautical skills by Marine Society apprentices, Beauty Marshall from the Port of London Authority and Lenny King from Thames Clippers. The Princess also presented Clemence Barbey with a Certificate recognising her outstanding commitment to learning during her Boatmaster Apprenticeship with Marine Society which she started at City Cruises and completed at the PLA late last year.

Clemence Barbey said ‘I am really pleased with winning this award and meeting Princess Anne was incredible.’

Darrell Bate, Director of Maritime Training and Development said; ‘we were delighted that our apprentice received this recognition and that the skills of our apprenticeships was showcased to the Princess who also happens to be Admiral of the Sea Cadets’

This caps a remarkable year for Clemence who also received Marine Society’s Apprentice of the Year award back in October of 2021, which was awarded virtually by Darrell at MSSC’s Annual Court.

Our apprentices receiving such awards sets an extremely high benchmark for current and future apprentices to aspire to as the scheme continues to build and become and evermore attractive prospective for aspiring seafarers.

Marine Society have officially opened a new bursary fund titled the Green Skills Bursary in an attempt to financially support seafarers who are working within the offshore and renewable sectors.

These jobs within the chosen sectors have specific requirements as laid down in the IMCA C 018 publication ‘Basic Safety Training Requirements for Vessel Personnel Employed in the Offshore Renewable Energy Sector’. The training standards for these courses are set by the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) and the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation OPITO, the skills organisations for the sector, which are required in addition to the basic STCW certificates.

Applicants will be able to apply for funding of up to £750 to support a qualification that fits within the jobs requirements. The Marine Society hopes that this will create a wave of interest from seafarers whose goal is to upskill or refine existing green skills.

There are many seafarers who simply do not qualify for any other sources of funding or do not get the required support from their employer, so this fund could be the opportunity they have been craving to invest in their future.

Go to the Green Skills Bursary page to find out more about the fund and the criteria in order to be eligible to apply.

People in the maritime sector!

You can now nominate for who you think deserves the coveted Merchant Navy Medal.

The Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service provides an opportunity for the industry to recognise meritorious service by British merchant seafarers and has become quite the prestigious accolade since it's inception in 2005.

It’s awarded annually, without bias towards age or rank, to those eligible seafarers who are judged to have made a worthwhile contribution to merchant shipping, its operations, development, personnel, welfare, safety, or have performed an act of courage afloat.

The voting window closes in May and the winners will be announced on Merchant Navy Day (September 3rd).

To find out more information please contact Merchant Navy Welfare Board's Communications and Media Manager, Joel Holt 07939 815499/02380 206767 or email joel@mnwb.org.uk  
 

'Distance Learning While Earning' - The New Normal (Seminar)

In today's working landscape, technological advancements are ever-present and can leave huge gaps in knowledge for people who do not make an effort to learn new skills.

The University of Portsmouth are hosting a seminar centred on the importance and value of distance learning courses. Marine Society are proud to be working with the University on highlighting the importance of personal development - there are a number of courses aimed at seafarers.

This talk with comprise:

The importance to cultivate a a growth mind-set as part of your personal development.

• The benefits to you and your own company
• The pathways to getting a degree or master's degree while working
• The range of distance learning courses accessible to you
• Develop a research project based on your role in the workplace

In you are interested in taking a course alongside work commitments, allowing you to keep your salary and gain expertise in a field of your choosing, then go to our Degrees page.

Marine Society have joined forces with Weilbach to launch the MS SeaReader, a platform that will expand the charities already expansive eBook offer, complementing the vast array of titles already on sale from popular publishers.

A company with a rich heritage like Weilbach felt like the perfect partner for a working collaboration, as both companies carry a similar ethos; supporting the needs of seafarers and the global shipping industry.

Weilbach expressed their pleasure at being a part of Marine Society’s long-term vision:

"The Marine Society & Sea Cadets are a maritime charity who help teenagers to cope with the world as it is today and support people who work at sea to take advantage of professional opportunities.

Their vision is to be the leading maritime charity for youth development and lifelong learning and we are pleased to play a small part in their work."

The SeaReader itself is essentially a digital technical catalogue for use on board a vessel. The publications are displayed in a digital format that is quick and efficient to navigate whether the user is online or offline.

SeaReader has all the latest mandatory publications on board at all times, therefore making compliance inspections far easier.

Shipping costs and administration associated with maintaining a paper library are eradicated, there are no physical books to ship and the entire library can be updated with the click of a button.

To find out more about the MS SeaReader and explore all the available eBooks, please go to www.marinesocietyshop.org/ms-seareader .