It is widely accepted that seafarers are the backbone of any maritime nation as their experience and expertise are a requirement for many functions performed ashore, where they play an important role in maritime administration, planning and policy-making, as well as in areas such as ports management, maritime safety and marine surveying. Efforts to grow the seafarer pool not only enable the crewing of more South-African-flagged vessels, both merchant and government owned (such as DEA and DAFF fleets), but also serve towards an increased source of expertise for the wide range of industry sub-sectors.

The South African Maritime Training Authority (SAMSA) launched the National Cadet Programme (NCP) in 2011 as a national intervention to address the country’s sea-faring skills shortage and the inability of graduates to obtain the necessary sea-time to complete their qualifications. The programme was formalised with the granting of funding from the DHET for the period 2012-2014 and the acquisition of the Dedicated Training Vessel SA Agulhas as the “laboratory” and learning space for the programme.

The NCP provides a structured training programme for candidates to obtain their sea-time through agreements with foreign and local shipping companies, enabling them to secure internationally recognised qualifications.  During their time aboard a vessel, the seafarers are taught seamanship and safety culture, best practice, discipline and work ethics, practical application of theory learnt at college or university, and combine experience and research to complete assignments and gain practical ship maintenance experience.  

The NCP has been successful, in terms of providing berths for cadets who would otherwise have been lost to the industry, and in eradicating the backlog of graduates awaiting berths to acquire the necessary sea-time in order to qualify. 

Tertiary programmes offered by the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), the Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Nelson Mandela University (NMU) currently provide the NCP academic component, with simulator and professional maritime training through private training providers, and experiential learning (sea-time) aboard international trading vessels through partner shipping companies. 

SAIMI took over the administration of the National Cadet Programme (NCP) from SAMSA in 2014, in order to house the programme within an entity focused specifically on Maritime Education and Training (MET) with programme delivery by specialist training providers.  

The overall objective is job creation, to grow a sustainable pool of South African Seafarers through quality and accredited training programmes, targeting unemployed youth from the previously disadvantaged communities for skills training and thereafter for potential supply to international and local shipowners for gainful, lucrative  employment in the longer term, thus aligning with the SA Government’s strategic national priority issues, contributing to job creation and assisting towards the alleviation of poverty in our country.

Due to the expansion of the categories of Seafarers that have been identified for training, it has become necessary to create a comprehensive and all-encompassing programme, now referred to as the National Seafarer Development Programme (NSDP).

The NSDP includes all categories of Seafarer Trainees, including Deck & Engineer Cadet trainees, and Deck/Engine/Fishing Rating trainees. Further training programmes may be introduced in the future.

The National Cadet Programme (NCP) is a sub-programme of the NSDP but continues to refer to the training of Deck Cadets and Engineer Cadets only. This will ensure that the NCP retains its unique and special status. The NCP covers the practical training phases required for a Deck or Engineer Officer Certificate of Competency (CoC), as Regulated and Administrated by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), upon final completion of all statutory requirements.  

The Deck and Engineer Cadets will qualify with a Certificate of Competency (CoC) as an: 

• Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (Deck Cadet): 

Final SAMSA/STCW Qualification as Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch (STCW II/1). Applicable to foreign going vessels and unlimited tonnage ships.

• Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch (Engineer Cadet):

Final SAMSA/STCW Qualification as Officer in Charge of an Engineering Watch (STCW III/1). Applicable to foreign going vessels and unlimited horsepower.

In addition to the funding received from the National Skills Fund (NSF), the Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA) has also supported the NSDP by providing funding for the training of Deck, Engine and Fishing Ratings.

THE NSDP CURRENTLY CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING TRAINING PROPGRAMMES:

• Sub-programme: National Cadet Programme

• Deck Cadet

• Engineer Cadet 

• Sub-programme: Ratings

• Deck Rating 

• Engine Rating 

• Fishing Rating