CMI putting Blue Ocean to work

The Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) is putting the Blue Ocean Strategy to work with several programmes and projects now being undertaken by the school.

The 'blue ocean' concept encompasses untapped market space, demand-driven responsiveness, and the opportunity for highly profitable growth.

As part of this strategy, the CMI is currently training 180 youths between the ages of 18 and 24 through its Career Advancement Programme (CAP), a partnership with the Ministry of Education.

"The institution has responded to market demand for skilled workers in vocational areas such as agriculture, food and natural resources, indus-trial and engineering services, productivity and business development," Vivette Grant, deputy executive director of the CMI, said.

She noted that CAP is being delivered under the CMI's School of Advanced Skills (SAS). CAP provides pre-college, technical vocation courses over a two-year period. Training is offered in the areas of English and mathematics, career and personal development, as well as professional experience.

no limits

Director of SAS, Osric Forrest, said, "Courses are offered at the City and Guilds level, as well as NCTVET." He added that for September, courses will include: electrical installation, air conditioning and refrigeration, solar water heater installation and maintenance, industrial security operations diesel vehicle maintenance; power house operations, process plant operations, stevedoring operations, industrial maintenance, renewable energy systems; industrial construction skills and mechatronics. Some of the opportunities will include recognition of prior learning, apprenticeships, on-the-job training and flexible classroom sessions.

However, the CMI is not limiting itself to training opportunities, but is working on several projects. These include establishing the CMI as a centre for renewable energy.

"One application is the de-salination plant operated by renewable energy to produce potable drinking water to be packaged in bags for sale," Forrest said. He added that sea and harvested rain water are used in the process.

Additionally, the CMI is working on a project to support the fisherfolk residing on the Pedro Cays. "We are providing ice-makers which produces ice using wind and solar energy," Forrest pointed out.

The shipping industry is also set to benefit from the projects being undertaken by the CMI as the school is in the process of designing an autonomous underwater vehicle for use in port security and for the monitoring of coastal habitat and ecosystems.

centre of excellence

The CMI is also working on solutions for the maritime sector, which include training and certification for 40 workers at Kingston Wharves Limited in port equipment operations. Additionally, the institute is conducting training and certification for 80 workers at Port of Barbados Incorporated in stevedoring operations, as well as training for the Barbados maritime sector in stevedoring coordination, training needs analysis and development of training solutions for Shipping Association of Jamaica and Kingston Container Terminal.

CMI is the region's centre of excellence providing tertiary education and professional maritime training, research and consultancy.