The first meeting of the International Maritime Cluster “IT Chamber of Education and Training of Seafarers” took place on the 31st of January, 2017, Odessa was chosen as the venue. The cluster was founded in 2016 at Kherson State Maritime Academy (KSMA) with the participation of Kherson Maritime Specialised Training Center (KMSTC) at KSMA.
One of the main purposes of this cluster is to train seafarers by way of systematic introduction IT technologies into the educational environment of the KSMA and KMSTC and to offer higher quality of education and training.
Many people took the floor at this meeting, among them was Captain Sergiy Dudchenko, the director of KMSTC. He presented the innovative model and practical training at KSMA and KMSTC.
KMSTC director outlined the basic principles of involvement of the Training facility into the cluster. They are:
- Integration of KMSTC curriculums into academic subjects of the Academy and College in educational and simulator training; this will allow the training center to carry out preliminary training of KSMA MC KSMA cadets in accordance with integrated plans to obtain certificates; as a result, some specialized courses offered by KMSTC are already integrated into KSMA curricula and delivered for KSMA cadets
- Obligatory cadets’ specialized educational and simulator training
- Maximum usage of Simulator Complex laboratories and equipment jointly exploited by KSMA and KMSTC
With this cluster in action and with modern and up-to-date purpose-built facilities KMSTC can offer KSMA cadets and acting seafarers such a level of training that will meet and exceed expectations of the industry.