SSTG Celebrates Thirty Years’ Recruiting and Training for the Maritime Industry
At a time when the maritime industry is predicting a widening chasm over the next five to ten years between the availability of suitably qualified ratings and officers and the growing number of vessels plying the seas, the Ship Safe Training Group Ltd. (SSTG) provides an entry-route for school and college leavers wanting to directly benefit from the ever growing opportunity of a career at sea.
This year celebrating its 30th anniversary, the SSTG (which operates on a not-for-profit basis for its member companies), has over 400 deck and engineering officers in training at any one time in colleges, universities and at sea. The Group’s shareholders directly benefit from a dedicated recruitment service with new entrants sourced, interviewed and placed on relevant courses on their behalf. All cadets are supported by a dedicated team of training officers providing a mentoring service throughout their training, resulting in a low drop-out rate and a high level of motivation. Graduating officers have the option of taking up a posting with member companies.
“Our commitment throughout our history has been to ensure that our staff not only recruit promising candidates and provide them with a level of training that will provide both them and their employers with the necessary skills,” said SSTG Managing Director Ian Spreadborough, “but also that cadets have a high level of personal support that follows them throughout every step of their training both at college and at sea.”
The Group is currently the largest single organisation in the UK overseeing the management of young people undertaking honours degree programmes and provides full sponsorship for cadet officers throughout their training, in effect offering school and college leavers a debt-free degree. New entrants are also provided with courses at higher national diploma/certificate and foundation degree level as a route in to develop their careers in the maritime sector.
“There are today many exciting opportunities for school and college leavers to join the British maritime industry, an industry that is continuing to expand year on year. Ship operators are keen to attract new entrants who they can train for a career at sea, and then provide with attainable opportunities for promotion. The maritime industry has the added benefit of having attractive and vibrant onshore sectors enabling qualified seafarers to take up positions in sectors as varied as maritime finance, insurance, law, education and management in general.”
Headquartered on the River Medway, the Group has just relocated to new offices in the shadow of Rochester’s picturesque cathedral and the city’s historic castle, providing a springboard for further strengthening the development of their recruitment and training services providing ever-expanding opportunities for school and college leavers.