I’m at the airport again. I’m heading to Baltimore this time. I’m due to arrive there after midnight tonight and then will start the Leadership course at MITAGS first thing in the morning.
This is another one of those classes I am required to take in order to keep my job. This particular course is a new requirement. It came with the STCW 2010 Manilla amendments.
Yep, I thought I was FINALLY finished taking these (stupid, totally un-necessary) courses when I finally got my Masters license. But nooooooooo,
Not even 6 months later, the officials of the IMO (International Maritime Organization) came up with a half dozen MORE courses to saddle us all with. This is all in order to improve SAFETY out there on the ocean.
I’m still waiting to see the proof that all this shore based training has done diddly squat to improve safety offshore. So far, I have not seen anything to say that it has.
For example: Leadership. Who thinks leadership is something that can be TAUGHT? If you think it CAN be taught, do you think it can be taught in a week long class?
I’ve heard the military is good at producing leaders. I know they spend a lot more than a week doing it tho.
I’m not sure leadership CAN be taught. At this point, I think its more innate to a person. A part of their personality. I suppose it can be learned. I would think it would be more easily learned by observation and practice. I think that would be much better effected on the job, on your boat, with your crew than in any week long class.
Well, I’m stuck here all week regardless, so will have to wait and see what they teach us and what we learn.
Capt Jills Journeys 
awwwwww.. It will be ok. You will make the best of it, because you know you have no choice. :). YOu may not appreciate it now, but who knows; maybe down the road it will be a feather in your cap. Youre stuck there this week. Put your mind to doing something for yourself and out of the ordinary this week. At least you arent out in the elements in shi**y weather for a week. :). That’s gotta count for somethin, right?
LikeLike
Tell us how it went at the end of the week. Hopefully it will be a lot of breakouts where you can connect and network with your colleagues, rather than sitting idly listening to someone all day. If it’s the latter, than I agree, you won’t learn much.
Good luck, Jill!
LikeLike
Maritime training jobs seem to be growing faster than maritime trade jobs.
I always liked MITAGS until I had to start paying for the classes, after I left MMP. Now… not so much. Say hi to Vic at the bar, though. I once got bombed there with the MARAD administrator, the president of the ALF-CIO and an ancient captain who used to do the WWII Murmansk run. Networking in the old sailor’s way.
LikeLike
I don’t believe anything can be fully understood and mastered within a week. I’m sure someone can teach it for a week, but I don’t think that you will really see your take-aways from this week until you are on the job and given an experience to “test” your leadership skills. I’m sure a few things will resonate with you… but most will prob. be silly exercises used to fill up the time. Hope you make the best of it and find some value…. maybe not now, but in the future.
LikeLike
Pingback: Photography 101 Challenge: A Pop of Color | Capt Jills Journeys
Pingback: Photography 101 Challenge: Architecture | Capt Jills Journeys
Pingback: Capt Jills Year In Review | Capt Jills Journeys
Pingback: Another Course: Leadership- Management Level | Ravinder Tulsiani - The Corporate Trainer
thank you for sharing my post. 🙂
LikeLike