Training and Preparation for Employment at Sea
GIMS arranges pre-sea and qualifying training for all its seafarers according to STCW 95 and other applicable maritime regulations at marine academies recognised by governments that have signed STCW and other applicable conventions.
All seafarers recruited for the sea are medically examined by medical examiners appointed by a government recognised internationally as a signatory of STCW 95 and are cleared for security purposes by the authorities in their respective countries.
All seafarers recruited by GIMS will possess a certificate in the Marlins and TOSE English tests to at least Intermediate Level (or equivalent if requested by a Client).
All Ship Security Guards from all three countries are trained and tested in the Company’s own Ship Security Guard course and in X ray screening and metal detection by personnel selected and appointed for this purpose locally. In addition, all SSGs will be qualified in the course for those with Designated Security Duties (DSD) and in Crowd Control.
Nepalese crew are trained in marine academies outside the country as Nepal, though a member of the IMNO, has not signed the SCTCW 95 convention. These include:
- Chemstar Nautical School in Bangkok – with technical training conducted by Chubb at Bangkok International Airport
- Training Ship Rahaman (TSR) in Mumbai.
- Centre for Maritime Education and Training (CMET) in Lucknow
- IDESS in Subic Bay, Philippines
OUR OWN TRAINING CENTRE
Gurkha Multiskills (Private) Ltd is our own in-house training centre in Nepal, located in our Kathmandu office. It is registered with the Government of Nepal and runs the following courses (all of which are paid for by those who attend them):
Pre-employment Training
Once selected for employment, all our recruits attend our mandatory two week pre-employment preparatory briefing and skills-related course.
Each course is tailor-made to meet client specifications and is designed to prepare our recruits for employment outside Nepal. We include lectures by officers who have returned from ships or from employment on land across the world.
Security Training
For Security Guards who have not worked before in the security industry, such as Female Gurkhas or Junior Gurkhas, we run a six week security course registered with the Government of Nepal.
Security Guards requiring training in X Ray machinery and electronic detection devices are trained at internationally-accredited schools outside Nepal.
English Language Training
Before being offered for selection, our potential recruits undergo the MARLINS and TOSE examinations, which they must pass at a standard not below a combined score of 75% (the Intermediate Level) for both written and spoken English.
For those who need to upgrade their English skills, Gurkha Multiskills runs English Language Courses, employing native English speaker instructors teaching in Nepal.
We recruit our guards through Thai Seafarer Training and Consultation Company Limited of Bangkok. For STCW courses, including Crowd Control, Advanced Fire Fighting, Proficiency in Survival and Rescue Craft and training for those with Designated Security Duties, we send our recruits to a Bangkok maritime academy approved by the Thai Maritime Department of the Ministry of Transport. We also conduct Marlins and TOSE testing and our own Ship Security Guard course. Chubb, Bangkok’s airport security contractor, conducts X Ray luggage screening and metal detection training for our recruits at Svarnabhumi Airport.
In Myanmar, STCW training, including DSD and crowd control, is conducted at a Government Academy or at the Chemstar Nautical School in Bangkok for female crew.