All mariners working at sea have to complete mandatory training, certified to the global STCW (Standards, Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) level.
This involves both theoretical and practical elements, which currently require travel to specialist training centres which is expensive and time consuming. This can act as a barrier to entry for learners as employers may not be prepared to take people on who do not already have these qualifications. This issue affects around 600,000 learners in the UK.
Following discussions with ferry, cruise and tanker operators and manning companies, there is an opportunity to test whether the same standards required to achieve certification via practical training can be delivered via a digital tool. If successful this will open up the availability of learning by reducing costs significantly (estimated 1/5 of current costs). Learners will be able to access content and complete their studies from home or their workplace without the need to travel or visit a training facility.
The digital content will use immersive environments and e-learning courses to realistically simulate and assess the hazards that learners may encounter at sea. An AI (Artificial Intelligence) engine will pre-assess the learners’ current knowledge, learning style and technology capability, and dynamically create courses that best fit their profile.