Online training for fishing vessel skippers

BIM, the seafood development agency, is piloting an online training programme for their ‘Skipper Full Certificate of Competency’ course.

The nine-week online course will be followed by three weeks ‘in situ’ in Castletownbere when the college can reopen after restrictions are lifted.

The course is designed for fishermen who have spent a minimum 36 months at sea and who wish to gain further qualifications in skippering a vessel. Participants must also hold a ‘Second-hand Full Certificate of Competency’.

The course includes practical training in core navigation and safety skills, and will aid successful participants to become skippers of a commercial fishing vessel.

New technologies

Ian Mannix, Skills Development Services Manager, said it was important that students should still have the option to continue their training and to embrace new technologies and teaching methods:

“We are actively looking at what other programmes we can introduce online to support our students.”

Shane Begley, College Principal, National Fisheries College of Ireland, Castletownbere, said four students had enrolled in the pilot scheme so far:

“I’m heartened to see how quickly they have adapted to online learning.  It’s fantastic to be able to facilitate their ongoing training and we look forward to doing similar with some of our other courses soon.”

The Skills Development unit is one of BIM’s five organisational units and is focused on enhancing the attractiveness and viability of careers in the seafood sector.