Young SMOU (YSMOU) reached out to more than 40 cadets from the Diploma in Marine Engineering (DMR) and Diploma in Nautical Studies (DNS) of Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) on 22 August and 21 September, respectively.

During the outreach session with DMR cadets, YSMOU Chairman Dominic Yong raised awareness about the union. He highlighted the benefits of union membership and the role of SMOU in collective bargaining agreements to safeguard seafarers’ welfare. He shared examples of how SMOU addressed grievances related to unpaid wages and workplace compensation.

The cadets also discovered that the union’s care extends beyond seafaring to education and family, with benefits such as education subsidies for seafaring members, social and networking events, training and development workshops, and volunteering opportunities. The outreach session concluded with an invitation to become union members.

YSMOU member 3^rd Assistant Engineer Raphael Tay engaged the cadets with a light-hearted sharing of his seafaring journey, recounting his life at sea and the memorable experiences. The cadets had the opportunity to network with SMOU Vice President 4^th Engineer Siti Nellisa and Raphael, where they were able to seek advice in preparation for their upcoming cadetship.