Boris Novoseltsev: “Combined qualification is possible under new training standards”
RF Transport Ministry has decided on how the personnel should be trained for domestic shipping companies. Until recently, educational standards adopted in 2002 allowed graduates of river colleges to get a combined navigator-technician qualification. This year, new provision on certification came into effect. According to it, training of personnel for river shipping companies implies only one profession – ether technician or navigator. Large Russian shipping companies opposed such a system. About two months ago, representatives of the shipping industry addressed a letter to the Ministry of Transport with a request to restore educational standards of 2002 or to postpone new rules. “The river vessels designed in the recent years imply reduced crews considering combination of both command and junior personnel,” the letter reads. PortNews IAA interviewed Boris Novoseltsev, Director of the Department of Personnel Management and Support of Special Programs under RF Transport Ministry, in order to find out what educational standards are likely to be finally adopted.
- Boris Fedotovich, when will the decision on the request of Russian shipping companies as regards restoration of educational standards of 2002 be taken? What is the decision likely to be?
- I should note that educational standards adopted in 2002 may not be preserved. Nor postponement is possible either. We should understand that training of a navigator for inland waterway transport my not cover two educational programs within one specialty. If students are to be trained as navigators it is physically impossible to provide them with all knowledge necessary for operation of transport power plants. Otherwise, they are to study not 5 – 5.5 years but 2 years and 10 months more since current training is not sufficient for two qualifications. However, considering the fact that when combining two professions a navigator is to be responsible for only a part of technician’s functions, we think it is possible to train a navigator capable of operating ship power plants.
- Have you informed shipping companies about this already?
- Shipping companies will get the official reply in the nearest future when we get a respond from the RF Ministry of Education and Science. However, our position is clear and the Federal Agency of Sea and River Transport has announced it already: education system is not to be changed before new standards are adopted.
- When are the new standards to be adopted and what norms are to serve the basis for them?
- The standards of new generation are under development now. The RF Ministry of Education and Science proposes general approaches while our task is to bring the standards in line with the requirements of maritime training. The Ministry of Transport of RF has its specific features. The most significant thing for them is availability of vast shipping training course so that specialists could have much practical knowledge and skills.
I hope the standards we are working out will be introduced by 2008. They will be based on new methods provisioned by the Transport Ministry for improvement of education standards. In particular, the students will have 10 months of additional training. According to our estimates, additional training period will make it possible to arrange training of combined profession. I think shipowners will support such a system. Besides, replacement of a continuing professional education will be supported by the government, while today it is the burden of employers. However, the term of education is to be extended, though, I think, it will have no direct impact on ship owners.
- Are there perspectives for creation of corporate educational institutions?
- Today, specialists for river shipping companies are trained mostly at the high educational institutions of RosMorRechFlot (Russia’s Federal Agency of Sea and River Transport). We have almost no experience of private education in this sphere. I suppose, the only example is the educational center in the Far East. This kind of practice is more typical for humanitarian education where material basis is not so significant and expensive. For example, training of one navigator costs about RUR 200 thou per year, while education of a humanitarian specialist may cost up to RUR 50 thou. It is a considerable difference. That is why such a practice is not widespread in our sphere.
- What is the Transport Ministry’s position as regards introduction of a multi-level education in high schools of river shipping?
- The Bologna process is being vastly discussed today. There are different opinions as regards introduction of a two-level system. But speaking about specialists trained for inland water transport, we support a multi-level system. The main thing here is to ensure continuity of education.
We work mostly with dynasties of several generations. The system of non-stop training enable the students to get a working profession, in two years – a sailor, with a possibility to become a bachelor in 4.5 years. If a student sets himself a task to become a director of a shipping company in future, the training may be extended up to the highest level. According to our estimates the last category is interesting for maximum 10% of students. The majority of them need post-secondary education.
- What is the amount of financing of such educational institutions?
- From 2005 till 2010 we are to increase financing from RUR 1.5 billion to RUR 3.5 billion. We plan to increase wages of teachers and to replace our fixed assets. Besides, we will recommend shipping companies and government to participate in training of specialists and to support educational institutions. First of all, it relates to shipping practical training courses. We also plan to form special guardian councils to be engaged in fundraising for improvement of the students’ living conditions.