From Formulas to Functions: Seafarers Learn Excel with YSMOU - SeaVoices - Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) Publication

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04 Apr 2023

2 mins

From Formulas to Functions: Seafarers Learn Excel with YSMOU

Besides needing the practical knowledge to operate a vessel, it is also beneficial for seafarers to possess core skills in Microsoft (MS) Excel, an application and indispensable tool that is widely used in the administrative work of a seafarer, be it onboard or ashore.

To bolster seafaring youths in this software skill, Young SMOU (YSMOU) organised a MS Excel course on 25 February 2023 at Devan Nair Institute for a group of youth members. The workshop covered power functions as well as analysis in MS Excel, which was conducted by trainer Mr Azmi, who has more than 20 years of training and consulting experience.

Common uses of Microsoft Excel for onboard administrative operations include record keeping, managing of port papers / certificates, inspection records, and many more. The course was customised to ensure that the application and lessons would be tailored to seafarers’ responsibilities to help them execute their tasks more efficiently. The course was very hands-on as participants went through practices on how to use functions and formulas, which can help them to reduce the time for compiling data. Youth members took the opportunity to ask questions on areas they were unclear about, while others who were faster helped fellow classmates along the way.

The course was effective in helping the youth members broaden their network and equip themselves with useful skills that would increase efficiency and productivity at work. Some participants even commented that the learning of function shortcuts would help them complete their work faster without compromising on the quality and commented that they look forward to more of such workshops being conducted.

“The workshop was fruitful and applicable towards our trade (especially for tanker ships). Personally, I use Microsoft Excel for my day-to-day tasks onboard, and so the functions I’ve learned during the workshop will come in very useful.”

– Darren Teo, 2nd Officer

“Microsoft Excel is an important skill to develop in the workplace, be it if you’re a seafarer or not. As for my line of work, I rely on Excel on a daily basis, and therefore, I feel that it is important to strengthen my knowledge of it. The workshop was definitely beneficial for me—it was not only well organised but very informative too.”

– Sidhant Singh, 4th Engineer