More than 100 students from Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) and Institute of Technological Education (ITE), cadets from Wavelink Maritime Institute (WMI), and Tripartite Maritime Scholarship (TMSS) scholars were given the opportunity to network at the Devan Nair Institute during the Young Mariners’ Networking on 28 November 2018.

Co-organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Young SMOU (YSMOU), Young Mariners’ Networking provided a platform for the youth in the maritime industry to broaden their network, to learn from one another, and to establish strong comradeship in the maritime community.

A workshop on stress management and mental health led students on ways to cope with stress—a common occurrence any seafarer would face in daily life ashore or at sea. Participants learned the importance of having positive mental health and psychological well-being from the session, facilitated by Ms Priscilla Leong from WMI, who has a diverse background in psychology and global maritime labour.

YSMOU Chairman Dominic Yong shared about the union’s role and work, while representatives from WMI and MPA shared in greater detail the uniqueness of the TNTA/TETA programmes and the MPA-TMSS that is open to students. The talks and the networking opportunities provided a deeper understanding of maritime-related issues and what youth cadets can expect when they enter the industry.

“I find the Young Mariners’ Networking a very useful and interesting event because I get to meet a lot of aspiring seafarers from ITE and WMI. The talks and presentation given were very useful, as they are very relevant to the career. The issue of stress management onboard a ship is very important, as it affects one’s career and those around you.”

– Ng Liuh Chen, Diploma in Nautical Studies (DNS) from SMA

“It was a great experience getting together with all the other students from other schools and all joining hands to learn more about the marine industry. The most useful takeaway I gained from this experience was about communication and how teamwork really plays a big part in this industry.”

– Nabil Shafawi Shah, Higher Nitec in Marine & Offshore Technology from ITE