Maritime Requires Knowledge, Firm Eagerness and Strength
How to prepare future mariners, students of the Maritime Faculty of the University of Montenegro for life on boat, starting from interview, writing biographies to operational duties and facing risks are all questions we asked for our site the Captain Boro Lučić, who has recently lectured on this subject at the Faculty. Maritime Faculty has a long cooperation with Captain Lučić through engagement in lectures, practical exercises from safety at sea and seminars on boarding and life of mariner on the boat. Lučić is a Vice-President of Pacific Maritime association and author of manual STCW 2010 "Manila amendments – implementation of convention in practice" and "Organization of Training of Mariners".
For our site, he speaks about key messages conveyed to students of this faculty.
Captain Lučić, what are the qualities and capacities which can make a scholar to opt for studies at the Maritime Faculty and future work on boat?
First of all, a young man needs to understand maritime as profession, what it provides but also demands. Unfortunately, for the last years, young people opt for profession of a mariner for financial reasons, which despite of being relevant, can deceive a young person. Maritime is a profession demanding next to knowledge, a strong will for meeting new people, things and places as well as strong will and mental power. Mariner-to-be must have within a dose of adventurism, since the sea is unpredictable and easy for life. In short, future mariner must have strong willingness; he/she has to be in love with the sea and maritime lifestyle having desire for a new one. These are the virtues of generations of our mariners who have conquered open sea for centuries.
How to prepare a graduate student for interview with potential employer? What makes test system and how to students, in biography, present themselves in best light?
This is a broad subject but I shall try to explain it to students in few words. Regardless of students apply for interview based on announcement or advertisement or they apply on „blind“, firstly it is necessary to well instructed in requirements for that job required by a shipping company or may require and afterwards to what extent they are able to meet those requirements. This is a starting point for interviews – to understand exactly required requests and to prepare yourself to convince employer that you are the one who can respond to requirements, whether with my knowledge, diplomas or previous experience. Also, it is very important to bring all necessary documents with you that are neatly organized and to dress decently and adequately for the occasion.
Tests have become the usual part of interviews and they are usually conducted through various computer tests with questions having multiple choices to answer. Mostly known such a test is SEAGULL CES, but many shipping companies have developed internal programs but basically they are all similar. Mariner may choose test adequate for position being applied for and program generates every time a new set of questions from its base of questions therefore it is very difficult to “cheat“ the program. Next to tests, which certain shipping companies organize and prepare before the very examination, test of English Language is also broadly present , so called Marlin test, which is also made based on computer program.
While writing the biography it is necessary to monitor the usual practice for their writing, to make them in Word without tables and the most important, to state a few sentences about yourself, hence keeping the attention of the one reading and assessing your biography. You should avoid any kind of „self-boasting“ and instead of writing that you are a manager who achieved excellent results in previous jobs, for example on your previous job when you ended the year with excellent financial performance. As the very preparation of the interview, writing biography needs to be adjusted to requirements of post being applied for, i.e. to point out the most important facts.
What is crucial for good organization of human resources on the ship?
Quality and well trained crew and quality system adequately made for the ship. Only well trained and prepared crew may respond to todays’ conditions of profession, therefore shipping companies invest more and more into training of the crew, and also they become more demanding in selection of crew for their ships.
What are risks faced by mariners while boarding? What is your advice how to solve them?
Risks are increasing, but the most important is to think about your own safety both while traveling and while staying on the ship, where next to your own safety, you have to think about social responsibility. Only mariner who has required knowledge and who takes the job seriously can relied on, not forgetting that the sea always may make another problem. Documents should always be carried while traveling, in hand luggage. You should be prepared for traveling, to meet the travel agenda, flights, time gap and it is also needed to take care about eating and drinking in journey. It is necessary to have all details about the agent who will wait for us on the destination, as well as necessary documentation (visa, authorization, etc.). You should always inquire about goods you may bring in a country so you do not experience embarrassments.
When a scholar opts for the Maritime Faculty in Kotor, what is actually the path he/she chooses?
Path filled by uncertainties but also adventures, life full of experiences with lots of renunciations but also beauties. Sea and ship may be difficult, but they can also award the effort and troubles. And one is for sure: every next morning will bring you something new.