Orkney Ports Trainees at Home on Tyneside
The Orkney Islands Council Harbours Authority has enhanced its standard of marine service by sending employees on a comprehensive training course at South Tyneside College.
Trainees from the Orkney Harbours were based at the College’s Marine Simulation Centre for a week long course which was split into two parts, with the first part designed for Orkney Ferries and the second tailored to pilotage and towage.
The training group consisted of two skippers from Orkney Ferries, four tug skippers and mates, and four marine pilots.
The course was visited during the week by Orkney Island Councillor Bob Sclater, Tug Superintendent Dave Thomson, Ferry Superintendent Jimmy King, and Director of Harbours Nigel Mills, who all came to observe the training being given to members of staff.
The course was held in the College’s recently upgraded Marine Simulation Centre, in which a simulation of the Orkney Ports had been created to provide realistic training specific to the trainees’ own workplace. The training was so successful that a further three groups of trainees from the Harbours Authority were booked in.
Chris Thompson, Head of the Department for Ports and Harbours at South Tyneside College said, ‘The College has been working alongside the Orkney Ports for over a year and we have delivered a tailored training programme to meet their requirements. Over the upcoming months we plan to deliver further training to the Ports and hope to continue to work alongside the Orkney Islands Council in future.’
MJInformation No: 22248
