Upholding our commitment to keeping our clients updated with our new and current training courses, our plans for the future, and how the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is addressing the new normal, we held our first Virtual Client Forum via videoconferencing on 29 March 2021.
Donald B. Bautista, UMTC Managing Director, discussed UMTC's historical timeline, faculty and career path, clients, accreditations, and partners in providing world-class and high-quality training for seafarers. He then proceeded to present the training statistics of UMTC since 2012, highlighting more than 118,000 seafarers trained in upgrading courses and more than 6000 graduates from our Cadet Training Program since 1998.
Like most organizations, UMTC was also impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this did not stop UMTC from coping with and addressing the "new normal."
Work-from-home setup, free accommodation and shuttle service for employees, strict compliance with health and safety protocols, reduced class sizes to 50%, and implementation of webinar courses were some of the adjustments made because, as Bautista said:
"Our goal is to make our trainees experience world-class training and assessment without compromising safety."
This swift action and pedagogical shift resulted in more than 8,000 seafarers being trained under the new normal, proving that training is still imminent in these challenging times. UMTC developed new face-to-face, webinar, company-specific, and generic courses that, proudly mentioned, were created with the utmost quality and underwent verification and validation before delivery to our partners. In addition, he also said that all of our webinar instructors have undergone Train the Trainer for online training to ensure a high delivery standard.
Moving forward, UMTC's new direction is digitalization. We have taken steps to provide our trainees with digital and future-proof solutions by subscribing to a learning management system, cloud-based simulation, customer relationship management, and our client portal.
However, UMTC does not stop there. We also believe in giving back to the environment and the community through our Green Office Program and CSR. We have implemented carpooling, energy-saving alternatives, painting our walls with lighter colors, bringing our tumblers, and more to achieve our goal of being ISO 14001 certified—some of the CSR initiatives Eng'r. Bautista mentioned our Blood Donation drive, partnership with the Red Cross, tree planting, feeding program, dental mission, outreach program, and helping seafarers affected by the Taal eruption.
The second part of the forum, led by the MARINA Administrator, Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, started with a thank you and an acknowledgment of his MARINA teammates, Deputy Administrator for Operations, Eng'r. Nanette Villamor-Dinopol, Deputy Administrator for Planning, Capt. Jeffrey Solon, Executive Director of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Office (STCWO), VADM. Rene Medina.
VADM. Empedrad officially started his session with the forum theme of collaboration. He then stated that the new normal does not matter if we work together and adapt to achieve our purpose.
Moreover, the nine parts of VADM. Empedrad's presentation discussed the issued guidelines by the STCWO on blended learning, the Implementation of Remote Inspection, the continuous conduct of examination, the implementation of the MARINA Integrated Seafarers Management Online (MISMO) System, the extension of the validity of STCW certificates, the entry and status of foreign workers, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) inspection audit report, the MARINA's corrective actions, and the seafarers' vaccination priority.
VADM. Empedrad explained that MARINA is proactively mitigating and responding to the findings of EMSA and will subject its initial response to scrutiny from its stakeholders. Moving forward, the MARINA has ensured that seafarers are now prioritized under the A4 category for the COVID-19 vaccine and that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the MARINA are now developing the guidelines for seafarer vaccination once the procured vaccines have arrived.
Finally, the floor was opened for the Q&A with the MARINA officials and further discussions on the A4 vaccine prioritization of seafarers, the effect of the EMSA audit report on deployment of Filipino seafarers, the implementation of e-signatures for certificates, the accommodation and quarantine process for foreign crews with 9(E) visas, and lastly, the limitations for management-level Marine Engineers and their Certificates of Competency (COC) transpired during this segment of the forum.
Eng'r. Bautista concluded the first part of the Virtual Client forum by expressing gratitude and appreciation for UMTC's partners, clients, top management, and attendees for their presence and continued support.
For more courses and available schedules, contact us at sales@umtc.com.ph