Mine pays for four students at maritime college

 FOUR students from Western will be pioneers of the Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) Maritime Cadetship Programme this year.
The four successful students are undergoing studies in engineering and as deck cadets at the Papua New Guinea Maritime College in Madang since Jan 29.
Students, Bradley Dickson  and Mark Saukeng, both from North Fly, will study to become marine deck cadets, while Cameron Binaru, from Middle Fly , and Dometa Murray, from South Fly, will study to become marine engineer cadets.
The programme will see recruitment carried out biannually and is aimed to provide an opportunity for young people, especially in the Community Mine and Continuation Agreement (CMCA) and the Non-CMCA regions, to take part and benefit from the scheme.
OTML training and development educational resources adviser, Eric Kuman said the programme, costing K240,000, would help the company in maintaining OTML shipping vessels in these respective fields.
“OTML will fully explore these opportunities in its endeavour to train engineering and deck cadets to the highest level and engage them in our operation,” he said.
“The course will include compulsory residential study and sea experience to be served on a sea-faring vessel.”
The OTML maritime cadetship programme will be jointly managed by OTML and V-Ship, a Singaporean shipping company managing the OTML shipment fleet for the duration of the programme until students graduate successfully as qualified officers.
Kuman said the students’ practical on sea would be observed by V-Ship, while OTML human resource training would be coordinating the programme.
Kuman said OTML was focusing on the PNG Maritime College but the company would explore opportunities abroad.
The course duration of the marine engineering cadetship is up to five years and the marine deck cadetship is 40 months, or three years and four months.
The programme will sponsor interested Western students through the PNG Maritime College grade requirements for selection.