Tuesday, May 13, 2008 Norwegian reps screen bets for scholarship grants
REPRESENTATIVES of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) yesterday conducted the final screening of maritime scholars at the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu-Mandaue (UC-LM) campus.
NSA Philippine Cadet Project offers a 325 slot-scholarship.
Twenty-five applicants have already qualified to attend the UC Maritime Education and Training Center in Mambaling, Cebu City.
The other 300 scholars will be chosen during the final selection process, which will end on Thursday.
“The concept of the project came from the need of potential (maritime) officials in the future,” said George Meljoe B. Frange, NSA assistant project manager.
Seafarers
He said the program is also a way of improving the academic standards of maritime education to produce quality seafarers that the industry demands.
The project has been offered since 1993 at UC and other maritime schools in the country.
“This year, a bigger bulk of NSA cadets will be here in Cebu,” said Capt. Ivar Thomasli, one of the NSA representatives.
This is because UC has been very cooperative with the project since it started, he said.
Thomasli said the university and the NSA chose the “best of the best.”
Applicants
During the pre-selection stage, UC requires applicants to submit their high school records, undergo and pass interviews, and take an ability-profile test and a knowledge-based test.
NSA officials don’t show up until the final stage when they screen the applicants for knowledge, skill and attitude.
“We look for the character of the best seafarer, which is always a mixture of everything in balance,” said Frange.
The ingredient for what is called competence is a combination of right attitude, knowledge and skills, he said.
The NSA covers full financial assistance to the scholars, including free tuition, board and lodging, meals, cadet enhancement trainings, as well as miscellaneous allowances.
Performance
After graduation, Frange said the scholars are not expected to immediately pay back the cost of their education.
“(However) we expect them to be productive and be assets to their respective companies,” he said.
While in school, scholars are required to have no less than 85 percent grade in each subject and should perform well in the NSA evaluation that is conducted every semester.
The scholars are guaranteed a job after finishing the program. They are projected to be competent and skilled enough in facing international working environment.
NSA officials said the project benefits the country as well.
“This is a mutual interest. We are training cadets to become assets to our member companies and at the same time, they will be the Philippines’ best maritime instructors and trainers someday,” said Thomasli. (Maria Nerissa D. Quiño, UP Mass Comm Intern)
