L-R The five cadets, Mark Nograi, Baram Wakea, Susan Sampson, Primrose Aioge, Peter Nickson, Ms. Shemila Kasi OTDF Community Education Service Scholarships Officer at the Maritime College in Madang.
To gain captaincy of a large ship there are requirements;
- Have a thorough understanding of logistics, navigation, maritime and safety law and management.
- Years of experience and significant on-the-job training
- Earn a captain’s license from a federal maritime authority (National Maritime Safety Authority – NMSA) – which can take up to ten years.
This year through a program sponsored by OTML and managed by OTDF, five cadets completed Maritime Training courses in Madang.
The cadets signed contracts in 2019 and 2020, to start their sea time training. In a process exam on 27 November 2023 in Madang, they complied and completed their training.
NMSA instructors certified Ms. Primrose Aioge and Peter Nickson qualifying them as Mate 3 Deck Officers on large seafaring ships.
Ms. Aioge was on board the OTML Copper Ship MV Fly Resilience while Master Peter was on board the OTML Copper ship MV Fly Prosperity doing sea-time training.
Ms Aioge from Middle Fly of Western Province was elated when she passed her exams to be a Deck Cadet. She said: “A female trying to be a sailor is a challenge but I am ready to try. I encourage more of my peers to step out of their comfort zones and try something new. After serving my home, I want to travel the international waters and I will work towards that goal.” She added, “I thank God and my family for this opportunity as well as my sponsors OTML and OTDF for making this dream a reality.”
Mate 3 Cadet Officer Mr. Peter Nickson has never been on a larger sea faring vessel and is naturally anxious about the experience. “It was an opportunity for me to prove that a boy from the bush can captain a ship out at sea. I am confident now after training and being certified is an achievement for me, my family, my province and country. I wish to continue in this Maritime program and gain my captains licence within the required years of service.”
OTDF CES scholarships officer Ms. Shemila Kasi while congratulating the cadets encouraged them to fulfill their dreams, respect the career they chose and be good ambassadors of Western Province.
Ms. Kasi says only 2 female cadets so far completed the program, while the third, Ms Jacklyn Jeremiah, will soon board a vessel to do her 24 month sea time training.
‘Over 600 students from Western Province and Preferred Area have been sponsored and successfully graduated through various Scholarship Programs under OTML/OTDF since 2012.
OTML and OTDF are committed to developing the human resource of Western Province and Preferred Areas.’