Cairns courts international students with marine training college

by Jeni Bone on 8 Dec 2010 Cairns, Queensland will soon be a leading international hub for maritime training at every level, with the opening of the Great Barrier Reef International Maritime College (GBRIMC), commencing operations in January 2011.

The College is a partnership between the state government and the Australian Marine Training Network, around $8.5m in funding from the Qld government, and $2m in Commonwealth School Skill Centre funding.

Project Manager, Kim Andersen said the industry has donated a significant equipment for the facilities, such as engines, vehicles and other tools.

Construction of the waterfront, state of the art training facility is ahead of schedule and is due to open 24 January, catering to around 124 students at any time.

The College's appeal will be global.

'We start at school-based trainees, then all the Certificate courses, international yacht master courses and ancillary courses like STCW95 training and fire training, confined space training, damage control, superyacht training and we have an immersion pool for sea survival training,' explains Kim.

But that's not the best bit. 'There is a simulation centre going in, which will have a full size DNV Class A full mission bridge, an optimised tug bridge and a nav-lab with eight part-task bridges. This will be ideal for training at all levels, from coxswains to foreign going Master and pilot training.'

Kim has been involved in the marine industry for most of his life, principally as a charter vessel operator in Cairns since 1993, and prior to that 10 years with the Harbours & Marine Dept.

He will take on the Manager's role once the facility opens.

'You couldn't get a better location - with Cairns and the Reef, heaps of accommodation options nearby,' says Kim. 'It will be especially suited to visiting superyachts, who can enrol their crew for training while they're here. We aim to be a one stop shop for marine training.'

The Great Barrier Reef International Maritime College will offer:

o DNV Class: A full mission bridge with Superyacht Hydrodynamic models for
training and Bridge Resource Management Courses.
o IYT, MCAA accredited courses as well as USL and the new AMSA accredited
commercial tickets for both Deck and Engineering.
o An immersion pool for life-raft training, as part of STCW 95 course.
o HUET capability.
o World class Emergency Response Training Simulator featuring, Confined
Space, Gas detection, Damage control (flooding ) and the latest in Advance Fire
Training from Bullex Industries.
o A two story simulated ship with Numerous Fire simulation Props for realistic
marine focused training.
o Nav Lab with 8 part task simulators for ECDIS Training.
o GMDSS LAB for GMDSS training.
o Fast rescue Boat Course
o Training rooms and a Ship’s Galley for Crew Training.

The Great Barrier Reef International Marine College will provide an extensive range of marine courses in a purpose-built facility in Tingira Street Portsmith, Cairns. It will also incorporate a school based trade centre, offering specialised secondary schooling for youth looking to enter the marine industry.

All enquiries to Manager Kim Andersen Tel: 0408 187 291.

More at www.gbrimc.com.au