The representative of the Ukrainian Independent Maritime Trade Union, Boris Babin, told The Maritime Telegraph that their trade union faces a big problem of training of seafarers, not only in the framework of STCW special training and specialty training, but also in the framework of further development. “Many people have received education and are engaged in practical work but they often have a question what to do in retirement. Everyone understands that there are certain age limits in a seafarer’s work. And it’s not just about a pension; even young seafarers sooner or later may want to develop further ashore. The seafarers who have received the profile education of a navigator or an engineer today are thinking about what kind of education as a second or additional higher is most interesting and attractive for them. If we are talking about people who have a lot of experience and are planning to make a career ashore in the sphere of marine economy or in the field of private business in the future, then, of course, it is better to talk about certain areas that are close and understandable to the seafarer and needed ashore. Marine and customs law have the greatest prospects here. So that a person can work then as an official and in business. Today, the legislation has changed and if a person has a bachelor’s diploma of a navigator (engineer), he can receive master’s degrees in any university then and choose the profession that is interesting and necessary for him. For example, for the correspondence course of master’s in international law with a technical diploma of a bachelor or specialist, the training will take only 2 years. If a person works at sea, this will become both a basis for his possible further work ashore, and a significant incentive for further growth in the shipping company.
For example, to move to an ashore position, you need a specialized education in the fields of maritime law, economics, management, and therefore the master’s degree in the field of maritime law in this regard looks like an almost ideal option. The Ukrainian Maritime Independent Trade Union wants to help and encourage those seafarers who want to study. For today, there are very few educational institutions that can give part-time education for a second higher education or after a bachelor’s degree at a master’s level. An exception is a private university – International Humanities University. Communicating with the management of the university, having the practice of teaching there, it can be understood that unlike many other authoritative universities, the IHU will not look at the seafarer as a bag of money.
Therefore, our union came up with a proposal to the management of the IHU to organize for working seafarers with a basic education orientation work and to encourage those of them who will be entered to the contract with the help of our union. Such seafarers will receive a discount from the university at the rate of 10% of the total approved value of the contract. We want our seafarers to develop and have a full higher education, which will allow them to socialize ashore completely. And we believe that IHU is the best place to get this education. If the seafarer really wants to learn, let him turn to us, and we will render assistance”, B. Babin emphasized.
The director of the Institute of National and International Law of IHU Candidate of Legal Sciences, Associate Professor Konstantin Gromovenko said that the university prepares for all educational and qualification levels. A special interest for working in the marine sphere is the magistracy.
“Since 2017, there will be no training of specialists at all. That is, the diploma of a specialist will most likely be equated to a bachelor’s degree. There are such specialties as law, international law and law enforcement in the Institute of National and International Law. We believe that the specialty “international law” will be very relevant for professionals in the maritime sphere; it is divided into two areas: an international lawyer and an interpreter.
Therefore, we started cooperation with the Ukrainian Independent Maritime Trade Union and agreed that all members of the trade union who wish to enter and study at the Institute of National and International Law at any of the above specialties will get a discount.
I think that even people who have already formed, have life experience and good work, do not interfere with the availability of legal education. Because post-labor socialization is very important for seafarers. And legal education can be very helpful for further work in crewing company, in ports and other spheres. We have good specialists who teach international maritime law, customs law, and European law. Therefore, such knowledge will be very relevant for seafarers who want to work ashore”, Mr. Gromovenko said.
According to the director of the Institute, the master’s program needs to study for two years, during which the seafarer will master the skills of maritime law, they will have the skills of law enforcement, they will protect the master’s work, and they can offer the topic themselves according to their experience. “The symbiosis of practical activity and science is very interesting. There are already officers, who study here and are very satisfied. Our university always meets the needs, sessions, unlike other universities, are transferred without problems, if it’s time to take exams, and a seafarer is at sea”, he added.
The cost of the contract is about 10 thousand hryvnias per a year, and a new intake will be held in July this year.
“Our university really always meets students. That’s why they come to us. And we were the only university that completely filled the license volume last year, despite the existence of only a contract form of study”, the director of the Institute said.
