MERCHANT SHIPPING NOTICE

MARINE SAFETY AGENCY No. M.1634

Certificates of Competency, Licences & Vocational

Certificates

Vocational Qualifications Route to Certification

Notice to Owners, Masters, Skippers, Deck and Engineer Officers and Ratings of Merchant
Ships and Fishing Vessels, and those concerned with Maritime Training.

INTRODUCTION and success in oral, and where appropriate,

written or practical examinations. Following
In the past, every Department of Transport Certificate of successful examination, a Certificate or Licence
Competency (for Deck or Engineer Officer), Licence is issued to testify that the seafarer is competent
(for Marine Engine Operator) to serve at the level described by that Certificate
and vocational Certificate (for Efficient Deck or Licence.
Hand, Able Bodied Seaman or Motorman) has
been granted on the basis of a candidate’s completion of 1.1 As the requirement is for the seafarer to prove
specified seatime, success in oral, competence rather than academic ability,
and where appropriate, written or practical examinations, Vocational Qualifications (VQs) provide a more
and the production of certain ancillary Course pragmatic method of evaluation, and are being
Certificates. In line with modern thinking and introduced for seafarers.
Government policy on competence evaluation, and in
order to produce a more meaningful and accurate VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (VQS)
assessment of seafarers’ ability to perform their
professional duties, the Vocational Qualification (VQ) 2 VQs may be described as statements of competence
route to certification is being introduced. relevant to the roles performed
by individuals in various areas of
employment. The Merchant Navy Training Board
This M-Notice outlines the concept and the procedures (MNTB) and the Sea Fish Industry Authority
for the incorporation of VQs into the Merchant Shipping (SEAFISH), on behalf of the
and Fishing Vessel merchant shipping and the sea fishing industries
certification systems alongside the existing respectively, have analysed all the functions
system of Department of Transport Certificates undertaken by seafarers of the
and Licences. Deck and Engineering disciplines in the Merchant
Navy and Fishing Fleet and
BACKGROUND produced a detailed analysis of the work, the
knowledge and skills required and the competences
1 For the safety of life at sea and the prevention of to be demonstrated by those proficient in the tasks
pollution, there has always been a need for every involved. The various ‘competences’ are organised
seafarer to have a level of competence that will into units; a number of units together make a
enable duties to be carried out effectively and Vocational Qualification (VQ). Thus, VQ units
safely. The traditional are the ‘building blocks’ of a flexible
method of testing competence is based upon qualification
completion of a minimum period of seatime

1
 system tailored to the needs of the industry and the Qualifications ( SVQs) in Scotland, and the Business
attributes of individuals, using common components & Technology Education Council (BTEC) who
wherever possible. Where appropriate, units are award National Vocational Qualifications (N VQs)
transferable between qualifications in different in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is no
industries and are nationally recognised. The difference in
concept of demonstrating competences is consistent the standards of the equivalent NVQ and
with the 1995 Revision of the International SVQ awards and candidates will be able to
Convention on Standards of Training, Certification mix units of NVQs and SVQs to obtain the
and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978. full award. The Awarding Bodies are responsible for
ensuring the quality of the
VQs and have guidelines and procedures to that end.
The Awarding Bodies operate
through a network of approved Assessment Centres.
2.1 VQs are ‘awarded’ to those demonstrating
These may be colleges, shipping companies or other
competence in all of the units which make up the
organisations which
VQ. VQs are arranged nationally in 5 levels, from
operate in accordance with the Awarding Bodies’
procedures and have the capability to assess
candidates’ competence against the criteria or
Level 1 :-
standards laid down in each unit.
“Competence which involves the application of
knowledge in the performance of a range of varied
work activities, most of which may be routine or 2.5 All candidates for VQs must provide
predictable”; evidence of their ability to actually undertake the
work for which they are seeking a qualification.
to This requirement includes evidence of satisfactory
performance in the workplace as well as the
Level 5 :- demonstration of the associated underpinning
“Competence which involves the application of a knowledge.
significant range of fundamental principles across a
wide and often unpredictable variety of contexts. 2.6 The guidelines for the award of VQs state that they
Very substantial resources feature strongly, as do must be capable of being awarded independently of
personal accountabilities for analysis and diagnosis, the mode or duration of any specific learning or
design, planning, execution and evaluation.” training programme. In practice, most candidates
will undergo some form of training. The advantages
of VQs are
that the type of training can be aligned more readily
2.2 A series of Marine Operations qualifications to the particular abilities of
relating to seafaring has been accredited by the candidates, and evidence of levels of competence
relevant bodies, the National Council for achieved outside conventional learning programmes
Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ) and the Scottish (i.e. through actual experience in the working
Vocational Education Council (SCOTVEC) at environment) can
Levels 2, 3 and 4. VQs at Level 5 are still under be assessed and counted towards the qualification.
development.

2.3 A series of VQs at different levels reflects the 2.7 Each VQ unit is granted upon the candidate proving
standards required by the present Certificates and to a qualified Assessor that he or she fully meets the
Licences with the exception of the Merchant Navy requirements of that unit as specified in the
Class 1 Deck Officer and the Merchant Navy Class documentation. In the shorebased model, it is
1 Engineer Officer (VQ level 5). The exact VQ customary for the Assessor
units relating to each Certificate and Licence are to observe the candidate at work but, as in
still subject to consultation with the industry but most cases this is impractical for seafarers, it
this is not expected to cause any delay in the is anticipated that the candidate will collect a
introduction of VQs. ‘portfolio of evidence’ attesting to
competence in specific tasks. This portfolio of
evidence will rely heavily upon confirmation
2.4 VQs are awarded by ‘Awarding Bodies’ by senior officers that the candidate has undertaken
which for Marine Operations are SCOTVEC, who the tasks satisfactorily. The candidate will attend an
award Scottish Vocational Assessment Centre

2
 and the portfolio of evidence will be assessed 4.1 The procedures for the award of vocational
against specific criteria for the award of the Certificates under the VQ system have yet to be
appropriate units of the VQ. finalised. These Certificates are currently awarded
by bodies on behalf of the Department of Transport
2.8 Assessment can take many forms including and little change is anticipated.
witnessing of actual performance, oral questioning,
simulation and written tests. The choice of
assessment method will be the decision of the SPECIFIC UNITS REQUIRED
Assessment Centre, but operating within guidelines
laid down by the Awarding Body. 5 The exact make-up of the units at the designated
levels required for entry to the Department of
Transport Certificate of Competency or Licence
2.9 Where the Assessor considers the candidate is Oral Examinations and for the vocational
deficient in any area, recommendations will be Certificates is still subject to consultation. Once the
made to rectify the situation. This can be in the relationships between VQ units and Certificates of
form of further experience at sea, completing a Competency, Licences and vocational Certificates
training programme or any other appropriate means. are finalised, a further M-Notice will be issued
setting out the additional details.

MSA INVOLVEMENT

3 Although the VQ system has been developed by the ANCILLARY CERTIFICATES

industry with the assistance of the Department for
Education and Employment, the MSA has been 6 The ancillary Certificates currently required (First
closely involved in all stages. The MSA is Aid, Fire Fighting etc) will eventually be subsumed
approving and will monitor the Assessment within the relative VQ units so that specific
Centres, their Assessors and the VQs for ‘Certificates’, except where required to comply
acceptability towards the issue of Department of with IMO Resolutions, will not be mandatory
Transport Certificates and Licences. provided that competence can be confirmed by
assessment. It is anticipated however, that the
majority of candidates will have successfully
AWARD OF CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY, participated in relevant training programmes
LICENCE OR VOCATIONAL CERTIFICATE monitored by the MSA in compliance with IMO
VIA VQ ROUTE guidelines.

4 A candidate for a Certifi cate of Competency or

Licence who obtains the requisite specified VQ
units, which may or may not be a complete VQ, has
the minimum internationally required qualifying
seatime, is medically fit and has paid the
Marine Safety Agency
examination fee, will be granted entry to the
Spring Place Southampton
Department of Transport Oral Examination. The
SO15 1EG
Certificate of Competency or Licence will be
issued following success in the Oral Examination.
September 1995