Page 29 - 2022 - Q3 - Minerva in Focus
P. 29

Ch. Engineer. Emmanouil Varthalitis,                                  Ch. Engineer. Benigno B. Domingo,
        19 years with Minerva Marine                                          22 years with Minerva Marine

        ATHINA enabled me to better understand the ship’s systems            ΑΤΗΙΝΑ’s seminars and training focus on
                                                                             the work that needs to be done on board
        What do you think of the company’s   we endure on board with the firsthand expe-
        decision in 2018 to establish an in-house   rience gained from their sea-going service.  What do you think of the company’s
        training center?                                                     decision in 2018 to establish an in-house
        The establishment of Minerva’s training   Since its inception, the ATHINA Training   training center?
        center was a stepping stone for the compa-  Center motto has been “Where Seafarers
        ny, showing its business partners the level   Always Come First.” Did you get this   Minerva Marine officers and cadets will
        of its commitment to its personnel through   feeling when you visited ATHINA for a   be better trained because the company
        investing in a state-of-the-art center that   seminar?               knows the training needs of its crew
        provides all participants with the necessary   The center has truly been built around our   members. So, establishing its own training
        knowledge and a deeper insight into the   needs as employees, always making us a pri-  center benefits all of us who work on her
        ship’s systems.                    ority and consistently evolving to cover the   ships.
        The courses offered by the upgraded   increasingly demanding situations that may
        training center ensure a better learning   be encountered on board. The way seminars   Has training at the ATHINA Center helped
        outcome for the crews of Minerva’s ships,   and lectures are conducted is closer to re-  you to be more efficient in your job
        which shows all counterparts the level of   al-life experiences and issues that may have   onboard the ship?
        professionalism achieved.          troubled us on board, allowing us to offer   Yes, it was very effective for me as a
                                           input about the situations being discussed.  new Chief Engineer because the center’s
        Has training at the ATHINA Center helped                             seminars and training focus on the work
        you to be more efficient in your job   What would you expect/like to see from   that needs to be done on board. Current
        onboard the ship?                  ATHINA in terms of training and develop-  company regulations and policies were
        The training I received at the ATHINA   ment in the future?          also discussed during the seminars, which
        enabled me to better understand the   Up to now, the center has covered a vast   is very important for my work onboard.
        ship’s systems, allowing me to act and even   range of issues. Still, it continues to expand
        prevent negative situations.       its courses and seminars for experienced   Since its inception, the ATHINA Training
        That was thanks to the facilities but, most   officers and our younger colleagues, of-  Center motto has been “Where Seafarers
        importantly, the instructors, who go the   fering them a springboard for their future   Always Come First.” Did you get this feeling
        extra mile to help us with the conditions   development.             when you visited ATHINA for a seminar?
                                                                             Yes, I did because the seminars and train-
                                                                             ing focused on our real-life work onboard,
                                                                             using comprehensive learning material
                                                                             explained adequately, which helped our
                                                                             development as seafarers.
                                                                             What would you  expect/like  to see from
                                                                             ATHINA in terms of training and develop-
                                                                             ment in the future?
                                                                             As a Filipino miles away from the ATHINA
                                                                             Training Center, it would be beneficial if the
                                                                             center provided me with regular refresher
                                                                             training on the latest developments in ma-
                                                                             rine technology.






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