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The Young Mariners’ Networking (YMN) saw close to 80 students hailing from the Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA) and Institute of Technological Education (ITE) College Central, as well as young seafarers, gather for a time of learning, making connections and building valuable relationships.
Held at the Devan Nair Institute on 15 November 2023, the YMN is an effort by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Young SMOU (YSMOU) to strengthen the Singapore core and to establish strong comraderies in the maritime community.
Kickstarting the sharing session, Mr Abdul Fattah, who was invited to speaker by MPA, gave an inspiring narrative of his ‘Journey Towards an Exciting Career at Sea.’ He spoke about his motivation behind joining the seafaring career and how he progressed to attaining a Class 1 Certificate of Competency (CoC). Fattah also related his work and welfare experience as a deck officer onboard the ship.
He remarked to SeaVoices, “It was a pleasure for me to share with the students how I persevered in order to attain my Class 1 CoC. Looking back, I acknowledge the significant support I gained from SMOU’s networking events and the role they played in establishing my future goals and providing a broad understanding of what to anticipate.”
In the Union Awareness sharing, YSMOU Chairman Brother Dominic Yong highlighted the union’s role in safeguarding seafarers’ welfare and promoting tripartism by collaborating with government agencies such as MPA and shipping companies. He also pointed out the many YSMOU networking opportunities and events that foster a strong comradeship among the young seafarers.
SMOU Vice President and 4th Engineer Sister Siti Nellisa relayed her story of what prompted her to make a career transition and join the seafaring career. She gave a peek into the job of a marine engineer onboard a ship, which covers the maintenance and repairs of different machinery to ensure that the ship is able to sail. Sister Nellisa also highlighted that the significant transformation made to welfare and technology has seen an increase of women joining the maritime industry. In her sharing, she provided advice on how she adapted being the only woman onboard, such as creating rapport with the crews who are providing positive support and encouragement.
One of the highlights of the YMN was the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) workshop, facilitated by trainer Andy Pan from Right Impact. Participants discovered their own personality type and developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of the spectrum of personality types through the interactive workshop and group activities.
Amshyar Bin Bonnari (2nd from left) appreciated the opportunity to connect with diverse individuals and gain insights into various perspectives. The Higher Nitec in Marine Engineering student from ITE College Central enjoyed the workshop. He said, “The MBTI session allowed us to explore and understand our own personalities. We also had the privilege of hearing from experienced marine officers, learning about their journeys, the challenges they faced, and the approaches they used to achieve their goals.”
The session ended with a networking dinner, where the participants had the opportunity to interact with representatives from MPA and YSMOU. The earlier sharing sessions not only ignited the students’ curiosity in the seafaring career but also provided a platform for seafarers to generously share their onboard experiences and perspectives with the youth. The night was filled with engaging conversations about seafaring experiences and career aspirations.
Crystal Lim (2nd from left), who’s taking her Diploma in Nautical Studies at the Singapore Maritime Academy (SMA), relished the opportunity to connect. “I find it very interesting because it allows me the opportunity to engage in conversation with fellow seafarers, enabling me not only to communicate with them but also to gain valuable insights and clarification on any uncertainties I may have,” she said.
“I felt that the event was interesting and a great opportunity to network and meet fellow seafarers. The MBTI workshop allowed me to understand myself and peers better, and the networking session after that gave me incredible insights into what to expect in my upcoming cadetship. It was enjoyable to hear the various experiences and stories shared by the officers. The session definitely helped bring people together.” Nehemiah Soh, Young SMOU member (2nd from left).
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