I was just reviewing my training matrix the other day, working out a schedule to take several courses. First I have the STCW Gap Closing courses for CE, then company-mandated courses, then one or two courses to keep validity on my license endorsements. These are all due in a timeline, and on my 3.5 weeks off. Essentially it’s 3 weeks at home. I’m looking to end of 2015 before they are done (well, the important ones anyway). Sure, the scheduling conflict is because of my rotation, but it’s getting difficult to enroll in these Gap Closing courses as thousands of people are trying to take them. So we have my time away from home for classes, and now others suggest mandating stricter license renewal (i.e. testing)!?! Of course scheduling would not be an issue if the USCG would recognize foreign training schools. The “internationally recognized and standardized” courses are not really so… I’ve attended training in the USA and elsewhere, and to be honest, the better training was elsewhere (Europe, Singapore). The USA schools do have the mentality that you are there only because your company/USCG/etc says you have to be, you don’t want to be there, so let’s just get this over with. A few classes overseas did email some reading material to be covered before attendance - that was actually useful, and a good idea in general.
As noted earlier in reference to the Leadership class, my boss, and the office, all know who is capable of their job, the next promotion, etc. You are not going to change a person’s management style from a 5 day course. All these courses do is make for rough phone calls home when I tell my family that I will only be home for two weeks next time. Imagine if I told them I have to lock myself away for a few hours each day every few years to study for my license exam. Sorry, but I have Google and books onboard to give me a useless formula.
Basic Training, Lifeboat Training, Firefighting, etc. every five years…I’m not sure how everyone else does it on board their ships, but every week or two during a safety meeting, we touch on something related to fire fighting, lifeboat use, etc. Kind of covers anything taught in a course. Well, we may not go through lifeboat terminology (haven’t seen oars on a boat in years). if it comes to an emergency, you all know how “organized” it will be. I once worked on a tanker where everyone was required to take firefighting every five years. We had a fire onboard, we put it out. In the rush of things we did not arrange teams to cover boundary areas, kneel down and check for heat every few feet…no, we went in and put it out. The Chief Mate was on the nozzle, because the AB assigned to it per the Station Bill was not capable of the job (4’-something, maybe 120 lbs.) Plus, it wasn’t even a consideration…the guys who are senior will automatically jump in and do what they’re expected to do. The only time I can remember an officer doing “unlicensed” work and no grievance was filed…
So long story short, it’s true what has been said numerous times…the USCG, IMO, and office people are out of touch with what happens. But, as long as having some sort of certificate satisfies insurance companies and litigators, we are stuck with taking classes. At least some of us get training pay and courses paid for, which isn’t the case for all.