Blended Learning for Life Critical Training in the Maritime Industry

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SMT's vision is to create a new learning environment to service the global maritime industry. This will utilise a blend of technology and practical drills on vessels to create the most effective learning experience for life-critical training. Current offerings require theoretical and practical training to be performed in training centres that are accredited and certified by the relevant Awarding Bodies (MCA and MNTB).Delegates undertaking this training and their employers face a number of logistical and cost challenges currently: scheduling training around rotas and shift patterns; organising travel and accommodation; ensuring delegates have the required pre-requisite knowledge, and planning refresher training to ensure continued compliance. These challenges have become more extreme as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to major maritime employers ceasing travel and training for their staff. Social distancing guidelines have also severely impacted the numbers of delegates that can be trained in a training facility.To address this major challenge, SMT plans to create a technology-based solution to enable delegates to train at a time and location that is safe and effective for them whilst achieving lower-cost, more effective training in mandatory safety subjects. The digital content will use the most effective multi-media mix for each required subject area, with the knowledge gained online subsequently enhanced on the vessel with practical drills.This offering will be available globally to maritime companies, enabling them to standardise their learning content and assessment across their international operations. There is no current method to achieve the mandatory certification required to work at sea without having to bear the cost and risk of traveling to a training facility. Developing this solution will: increase learner engagement in the training syllabus and improve the learning experience; drive down training costs for individuals and corporate customers; and will open up a global market for SMT's offering. Having learning "on-demand" will enable delegates to schedule their learning into manageable segments that have a minimal impact on their day-to-day roles and responsibilities. Training Administrators from employing companies will also be able to view the current progress and certification achieved for all of their employees online, enabling them to identify compliance and competency gaps across their operations. This will lead to improved safety performance. The end goal will be to further develop AR and VR solutions such that the requirement for the on-vessel drills can be further reduced and eventually removed.The removal of the requirement to travel for training and for hotel accommodation will have a massive impact on de-carbonisation at a global level. There are approximately 10 million mariners that require mandatory training on a five-year cycle. Current total training costs are largely comprised of travel and logistical costs rather than the actual retail cost of the course. Removing these elements removes millions of plane, taxi and train journeys carbon emissions caused by hotel laundry and heating. This will greatly reduce training costs, which will be massively beneficial to all employing companies and individual delegates, in particular those with the least financial means.