Singapore aims to train 500 local cadets a yearSingapore aims to train 500 local cadets a year

Singapore is trying to entice more locals to take up a seafaring career, however, despite improve wages in the sector is still finding it difficult to encourage people to take up a job at sea.

“Growing the pool of local seafarers remains a challenge despite competitive remuneration packages and attractive career progression opportunities. Seafaring careers can provide good career prospects and wages, and we want to see more of these well-paying jobs going to Singaporeans,” said Tan Chuan-Jin, Singapore’s acting Minister for Manpower at the opening of the Maritime Manpower Singapore 2013 conference.

“To realise this vision, SMOU and our other stakeholders are working to raise the percentage of locals working on board Singapore flagged ships.”

SMOU is setting an ambitious target for the number Singaporean cadets.

“In order to build the future Singapore maritime core, we are targeting to train 500 cadets per year, pumping another SGD4.3m ($3.36m) into the infrastructure like training simulators,” said Thomas Tay, general secretary of SMOU.   

To date SGD6m has been invested in training Singaporean cadets. The Tripartite Nautical Training Award currently has 108 trainees at various stages of training to become COC Class 3 deck officers.