ICS sponsorship puts cadet through training

Maritime London is a non-profit making organisation, which promotes UK companies associated with the shipping industry. The organisation itself is funded by around 100 companies and organisations from a wide range of disciplines, including education, broking, insurance and port operations. Maritime London's primary remit is to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of maritime related business.

The Maritime London Officer Cadet Scholarship (MLOCS) is a charity which, in association with various companies, offers funding to enable young people between the ages of 18 - 23 to undertake the training required to become an officer in the Merchant Navy. The charity currently has 20 cadets aged between 16 and 23 at various stages of training.

Cadets can choose to follow the Deck Officer or Engineering officer paths of training, depending upon where their interest lies.

Once qualified, the cadet will be awarded an HND or degree and an Officer of the Watch certificate of competency in their chosen speciality. At this stage qualified cadets will have gained not only a qualification, but in addition they will be able to offer valuable sea-going experience, something that will set them apart from their peers following the more common university route.

Once the cadetship is complete, there are exiting careers available at sea within the Merchant Navy as well as shore-based opportunities within the maritime industry. With the emphasis placed upon acquiring a broad range of experience onboard a range of vessel types, the cadet will gain a well-rounded view of the industry, allowing them to decide which direction is best for them.

The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), via its Education Trust Fund, is currently sponsoring Richard Grad, a 20 year old cadet from Derbyshire. Richard began his induction course in September 2011 learning basic seamanship, fire-fighting, survival and safety skills at the Warsash Maritime Academy, once complete he will spend three years learning via a mixture of sea-based training and classroom learning and aspires to qualify as a Deck Officer.

Before joining the MLOCS scheme, Richard was working in the hospitality industry but looking for an exciting new career opportunity. As a keen sailor and member of his local sea cadet group he had previously gained an RYA Commercial Masters Coastal Licence and during a 2 month cruise around the cape of South Africa he got a taste for life at sea and a career in the Merchant Navy beckoned.

The scholarship Richard has been awarded covers all his training costs including uniforms, college fees and a salary to cover living expenses. Without the MLOCS scheme and the organisations that provide funding, potential high-calibre candidates may not have the opportunity to pursue a career in the maritime industry and it is these candidates who will ultimately ensure that the UK remains the capital of global shipping.

The Trustees of the Educational Trust decided in the second half of 2011 to raise its profile and broaden its area of sponsorship whilst not contravening the Deeds of the Trust.

One of the new projects considered and agreed upon by the Trustees was the sponsorship of Richard Grad. The Trustees have met with Richard and we are expecting to receive on a regular basis a news letter as to his progress.