KINGSTON Jamaica- The Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) has entered into a partnership with German Ship Repair Jamaica (GSRJ), a key stakeholder in the maritime industry, that will redound to the upskilling of young people in non-traditional careers.

Signed on Wednesday, at the CMU’s main campus at Palisadoes Park in Kingston, the partnership agreement will see the CMU fulfilling one of its key points of advocacy: integrating apprenticeship and mentorship into its training programmes.

According to a release from the CMU, through the partnership, there will be an opening for disenfranchised youth in Jamaica and youth who are in communities with little to no opportunities to engage in apprenticeship programmes and getting into a space driven by excellence.

“The reality is that the prime minister indicated at the recent launch of the GSRJ project that he wants shipping and logistics to be the next bauxite industry of decades ago where it generated so many technical skills, that it exported to other industries what it could not absorb. With this partnership, we think that this allows us to churn out the kinds of skills that will be absorbed to the best of our ability and can also benefit other industries that need technical skill sets,” President of the CMU Professor Professor Spencer stated.

The consummation of the partnership will also result in the establishment of a GSRJ Centre of Excellence, which will be responsible for skill development and professional training, including customised courses that will allow students to move seamlessly from the academic space into the industry space. The centre is scheduled for completion in the next 12 months.

Already, the GSRJ has taken on four interns from CMU to work on its first project that was recently completed, the Mexican Giant, and all interns have been performing excellently.

“This is a very good indication of bigger things that CMU and GSRJ can achieve together,” Colonel Martin Rickman, CEO of GSRJ, outlined.

He added: “We are looking forward to working with the CMU in developing curricula relevant to the various skillsets needed. One such area is dockmaster as this is a skill area that is very, very difficult to find. Based on our research here at the GSRJ, we have not found anywhere else in the world that does specific training for dockmasters.”

As such, both entities will be working assiduously to develop a curriculum in this area with a view to attract local and international students with the expectation that the course will be a “game- changer” in the local maritime industry.

Colonel Rickman also underscored the wealth of possibilities that can be realised through the partnership.

“Over time we should have more locals being trained in these technical areas to reduce the need to hire international persons. This is the start of many things to come, and I am sure there will be other areas of collaboration outside of what was formalised in the MoU (memorandum of understanding) to bring both the CMU and GSRJ to the international standards that we can do.”