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Abstract:
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Indian marine engineers are renowned for employment globally due to their knowledge,
skill and reliability. This praiseworthy status has been achieved mainly due to the
systematic training imparted to marine engineering cadets. However, in an era of
advancing technology, marine engineering training has to remain dynamic to imbibe
latest technology as well as to meet the demands of the shipping industry. New subjects
of studies have to be included in the curriculum in a timely manner taking into
consideration the industry requirements and best practices in shipping. Technical
competence of marine engineers also has to be subjected to changes depending upon the
needs of the ever growing and over regulated shipping industry. Besides. certain soft
skills are to be developed and improved amongst the marine engineers in order to alter or
amend the personality traits leading to their career success.If timely corrective action is taken. Indian marine engineers can be in still greater demand
for employment in global maritime field. In order to enhance the employability of our
mmine engineers by improving their quality, a study of marine engineers in general and
class IV marine engineers in particular was conducted based on three distinct surveys,
viz., survey among senior marine engineers, survey among employers of marine
engineers and survey of class IV marine engineers themselves.The surveys have been planned and questionnaires have been designed to focus the study
of marine engineer officer class IV from the point of view of the three distinct groups of
maritime personnels. As a result of this, the strength and weakness of class IV marine
engineers are identified with regard to their performance on board ships, acquisition of
necessary technical skills. employability and career success. The criteria of essential
qualities of a marine engineer are classified as academic, technical, social, psychological.
physical, mental, emergency responsive, communicative and leadership, and have been
assessed for a practicing marine engineer by statistical analysis of data collected from
surveys. These are assessed for class IV marine engineers from the point of view of senior marine engineers and employers separately. The Endings are delineated and
graphically depicted in this thesis.Besides. six pertinent personality traits of a marine engineer viz. self esteem. learning
style. decision making. motivation. team work and listening self inventory have been
subjected to study and their correlation with career success have been established
wherever possible. This is carried out to develop a theoretical framework to understand
what leads a marine engineer to his career attainment. This enables the author to estimate
the personality strengths and weaknesses of a serving marine engineer and eventually to
deduce possible corrective measures or modifications in marine engineering training in
India.Maritime training is largely based on International Conventions on Standard of Training.
Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers 1995. its associated Code and Merchant
Shipping (STCW for Seafarers) Rules 1998. Further, Maritime Education, Training and
Assessment (META) Manual was subjected to a critical scrutiny and relevant Endings of
thc surveys arc superimposed on the existing rule requirement and curriculum. Views of
senior marine engineers and executives of various shipping companies are taken into
account before arriving at the revision of syllabus of marine engineering courses.
Modifications in the pattern of workshop and sea service for graduate mechanical
engineering trainees are recommended. Desirable age brackets of junior engineers and
chief engineers. use of Training and Assessment Record book (TAR Book) during
training etc. have also been evaluated.As a result of the pedagogic introspection of the existing system of marine engineering
training in India. in this thesis, a revised pattern of workshop training of six months
duration for graduate mechanical engineers. revised pattern of sea service training of one
year duration and modified now diagram incorporating the above have been arrived at.
Effects of various personality traits on career success have been established along with
certain findings for improvement of desirable personality traits of marine engineers. |