I am at Mitags taking Adv Stability. The head of training here said that if I didn’t take all the courses (which aren’t required anymore) that my CM license might not be valid in the eye of certain port states and I ran the risk of getting bounced off a ship because I would have STCW training cents for the courses. I assume this is BS to scare me into take more of these classes that I paid 65k to take in college. To me it seems silly to pay for the same stuff twice except for stability as my instructor in college left something to be desired…
I suppose anything is possible but I think it seems unlikely. Your MMC will have all the required STCW “endorsements” on it. If you are on a foreign flagged vessel that requires a different license (i.e. Vanuatu, Panamanian, etc…) you will be issued an equivalent license based on your current MMC (no course certs required to obtain the foreign license). What sector of the industry do you work in? FYI - the way it stands now is that you do not need all the courses to obtain the license but you will need them when it comes time for renewal (2017 I think), otherwise you will only get a renewal for 2M (even if you have your Master by then).
[QUOTE=captamericas;84396]Azimuth what is your source concerning the 2017 reference?[/QUOTE]
NMC. It has to do with the full implementation of the the 2010 Amendments and also incorporating NMC policy into US Law (written into US code and CFR’s). NMC cannot enforce it’s “policy” on the mariner, they can only enforce law. The current requirement for the courses are spelled out in a NMC policy letter not US Code, therefore they cannot legally mandate the requirement.
I am not a lawyer but that is how I interpreted NMC’s explanation. If that is not the case please feel free to correct me.
The classes you took at school were operational level STCW courses. The CM/Master level courses are management level STCW courses. I’m no expert on STCW but I believe that this may have something to do with it?
I went through those MITAGS courses, and I agree, most were a waste of time. I felt bad for the people who are paying out of pocket to get certificates, as there could be some actual value most of the classes. Poor evaluations (time and time again) don’t have any effect, as they can’t find better instructors, so they are stuck with what they have.
Take a look around you at MITAGS. They’re in business to make money and they’re doing a damn good job of it. Get a second opinion. Maybe someone at REC Baltimore?
I am gonna take my chances and not take the stupid classes. If I ever get bounced off a ship I can take the classes then, if were gonna need em by 2017 anyway.
I just took Advanced Nav. Glad I was getting paid for it because otherwise I would have called it a complete waste of time.
Do not waste vacation time and your own money taking the classes! Do the CM/Master assessments aboard ship. I did all of them at work. And I have been approved to write for the test.
I am in the same position I was going to take these classes at MITAG for Chief Mate/Masters and the cost is extremely high and I have to pay out of pocket + 2-3 months I am now having 2nd thoughts. So you are saying it is possible to have these signed off by either the Chief Mate/Master on board and I am not required to go to school and the REC will accept this? Where did you test at? Thanks for any help as I am on a limited budget and have had enough of all these schools that you can’t get anything out of but the cert paper.
I ended up taking all of the courses, and yes most were a waste of time. The 2 classes that I gained from were “Adv Stability & Cargo Handling and Stowage”. Other than those 2, the others were not beneficial at all.
Print these out and get them signed off while at work. You do not need the classes! Read policy letter 04-02! http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/policy_letters/pdfs/04-02.pdf
My company has nice ring bound Chief Mate/ Master assessment books printed up with these same pages. Ask your company, they may have something similar. The ones on this USCG link were scanned crooked by someone. Sorry, best I could find.
[QUOTE=rjbpilot;84860]He certainly can, he is the Master of the vessel. Mr. Jim Cavo confirmed this also.[/QUOTE]
Don’t think so, that would be signing off for a level higher than your own and one you never have attained yourself. Here’s is what Mr Cavo actully wrote in another thread. …
You can just use the ones from the links. I wouldn’t worry about whether they’re crooked or not.
What I am curious about is what’s stopping somebody from getting 1 or 2 signed off, then getting tricky with a copy machine, razor blade, scotch tape, and a scanner, and all of a sudden all 53 are signed off? You only scan them and send them in so who’s going to figure that out?
Thanks RJBPILOT for this website and information. My company doesn’t have anything at all so I will just take these from the internet and start working on them…